Share in the Light

Native American Stories of Creation

By Terri J. Andrews

Native American creation stories explain the origin of the world as well as establish how people were to live and worship.

Terri J. Andrews, who is part Indian, is the publisher of The Good Red Road, a bimonthly Native American newsletter and home study guide. She welcomes inquiries via E-mail at tuqbutfy@bright.net

Long ago, before there were any people, the world was young and water covered everything. The earth was a great island floating above the seas, suspended by four rawhide ropes representing the four sacred directions. It hung down from the crystal sky. There were no people, but the animals lived in a home above the rainbow. Needing space, they sent Water Beetle to search for room under the seas. Water Beetle dove deep and brought up mud that spread quickly, turning into land that was flat and too soft and wet for the animals to live on.
         Grandfather Buzzard was sent to see if the land had hardened. When he flew over the earth, he found the mud had become solid; he flapped in for a closer look. The wind from his wings created valleys and mountains, and that is why the Cherokee territory has so many mountains today.
         As the earth stiffened, the animals came down from the rainbow. It was still dark. They needed light, so they pulled the sun out from behind the rainbow, but it was too bright and hot. A solution was urgently needed. The shamans were told to place the sun higher in the sky. A path was made for it to travel--from east to west--so that all inhabitants could share in the light.
         The plants were placed upon the earth. The Creator told the plants and animals to stay awake for seven days and seven nights. Only a few animals managed to do so, including the owls and mountain lions, and they were rewarded with the power to see in the dark. Among the plants, only the cedars, spruces, and pines remained awake. The Creator told these plants that they would keep their hair during the winter, while the other plants would lose theirs.
         People were created last. The women were able to have babies every seven days. They reproduced so quickly that the Creator feared the world would soon become too crowded. So after that the women could have only one child per year, and it has been that way ever since.

To each, his own

         Throughout history, each civilization has conceived theories that explained the origin of its world, its people, and its belief system. Stories of how each culture came to be usually include a group or person who brought forth the earth and then established a foundation for how the people were to live and worship.
         Native American creation tales are no different. They usually describe how the Creator initiated life in the days when the earth began and are followed by a series of elaborate tales explaining how members of that culture should interact with each other and the Creator. Because the stories were not formally recorded, selected members of the communities became honored storytellers. They committed the legends, myths, and teachings of their people to memory, though they may have used sand paintings, birch bark scrolls, or drawings on animal hides and stones to jog their recollections. These sacred tellers of tales became, in a sense, walking collections of literature. The proverbial truths contained in their poetry, songs, stories, and prose were passed on from one generation to the next.
         Today, many people dismiss these theories as myths or naive deductions from an unsophisticated time. For Native Americans, however, these tales were as believable as the stories in today's history and religious books. And it is easy to note the similarities between creation stories from Native American and other cultures. When retold in a standard, simple, and flatly stated style, common threads are evident.
         The Mojave, for example, believe that long ago, people lived underground. When their food diminished, they sent a hummingbird to the upperworld to search for more. The bird found much food, and the people climbed out of the ground and moved into this new world.
         One day, water rose from the underworld to the upperworld and flooded the canyons, hills, and mountains. The people chose a beautiful woman and laid her in a hollow tree, which was used as a boat. They provided her with food to eat until the water receded. Finally, the land began to reappear, and she was the only person left on earth. Before the sun rose, she went to a mountaintop and lay there until the sun warmed her. She then became pregnant with a daughter. The daughter later returned to the same spot and gave birth to a son. This is how the world's people began.
         When told in a textbook style, such parables do not present a sophisticated theology, yet we know the cultural and significant impact of ancient creation theories. They are intricate, still-influential belief systems that possessed just as much power in their time as more modern belief systems have today.
         There are other similarities. Native American stories often speak of three worlds: the upperworld (made of light), the earthly world, and the lower world (made of darkness). While used to explain mysteries and transmit cultural values, the stories were also told for entertainment. Storytelling was generally saved for long winter nights, when people stayed indoors, and was a much-anticipated event for the entire community.

The Raven

The basic premises of Native American creation mythology are intertwined with the natural world and frequently include animals that act as creators, messengers, protectors, guardians, and advisers. They were often thought to possess human qualities and had the ability to speak, think, and act like humans. Animals such as the coyote, bear, raven, spider, and turtle are often found in stories recounting the origin of a tribe. They were thought of as spiritual guides or important players in the community's daily existence.

An Eskimo tale

In the beginning, Raven was born out of the darkness. Weak, unknowing of himself or his purpose, he set out to learn more about the area where he was walking. He felt trees, plants, and grass. He thought about such things and soon realized that he was the Raven Father, Creator of All Life. He gathered strength and flew out of the darkness and found new land, called the earth. Raven wanted living things to be on the earth, so he made plants.
One day, Raven was flying overhead and saw a giant peapod, and out came a man who was the first Eskimo. Father Raven fed the man, creating caribou and musk oxen for him to eat. Father Raven did this for many days, all the while teaching the man to respect his fellow creatures. A woman was soon created for the man, and Raven taught the pair to make clothing, build homes, and make a canoe. The two became parents. Other men came from the peapods, and Raven fed and taught them too. When they were ready, Raven made women for these men and they, too, became parents. Soon the earth had many children.

Among the Haida

Another origin story that includes Raven is that of the Haida tribe, whose homeland is located in present-day British Columbia. To the Haida, Raven is the Bringer of Light. This is one version of their tale.
One day, long ago, Raven was on a desolate beach. Alone, he needed company and came upon a half-open clamshell. When he examined the shell, he saw tiny people inside. The people were shy and slowly peeked out of the shell. "Come out! Come out!" called Raven. The tiny beings opened the shell and climbed onto the sandy earth. These were the first Haida.

Tales of the Coyote

Of all the animals that take part in the creation stories, none appear more frequently than Coyote. He was admired for his wisdom, skills, and keenness; his ability to survive in times of peril was a trait that all people wanted to possess. In some tales, Coyote is represented as a wise, elderly man who respects his friends as well as the earth.

Crow tales of Coyote

         In the beginning, Old Man Coyote stood alone with water surrounding him. Two ducks swam by, and Coyote asked if they had seen anyone else. The ducks said no but thought that something might exist under the water.
         Coyote asked if they would travel underwater for him and report on what they saw. The ducks did as they were asked, finding nothing. He asked again, and the ducks returned with a root. On the third try, they found mud and Coyote was happy. He told the ducks that they could build with it, and he began to shape and mold the mud into an island. He blew on it, and it expanded. He blew again, and it grew into the earth. The ducks said they did not like the earth's emptiness, so Coyote created grass and trees out of the roots that came from the water.
         Coyote and the ducks loved the earth, but it was flat. They wanted rivers, valleys, mountains, and lakes. So it was done. Soon Coyote and the ducks made a perfect earth, but they grew lonely, with only the three of them to sit and enjoy the land. So Coyote molded dirt to form men and then more mud to create many types of male ducks. Soon, they realized that without women, the males could not have children. So with more dirt he made women and female ducks to populate the earth.
         One day Old Man Coyote traveled upon the land and was surprised to find another Coyote. When asked where he came from, the younger brother, named Shirape, said he was unsure of his origin and only knew he existed. As the two traveled along, Shirape wanted Old Man Coyote to make other animals, for only ducks, humans, and the two Coyotes had been created. The elder Coyote agreed, and as he spoke the new animals' names, they were created. He said "Elk" and an elk appeared. He said "Bear" and a bear appeared. This is how it was until all animals were created.
         Aside from the Crow story, Coyote is generally portrayed as a sly, keen trickster who uses his bizarre and comic behavior to teach lessons and inject humor into tribal life. Otherwise called a Heyoka, or clown, Coyote is blamed in many stories for what is unexplainable. It is said that Coyote caused the various colors of the world's people and that he once got his head stuck in a buffalo skull while trying to enjoy a dance performed by flies. He represents challenges, lessons, healing through irrelevance, and accepting contrary situations.
         When Coyote is part of a creation story, or any other tale, it is certain that a moral or surprise will be present. One such tale comes from the Nez Percé, who lived in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. They trace their ancestry back to the tricky Coyote.

Coyote and the monster.

         A long, long time ago, people did not yet inhabit the earth. A monster walked upon the land, eating all the animals--except Coyote. Coyote was angry that his friends were gone. He climbed the tallest mountain and attached himself to the top. Coyote called upon the monster, challenging it to try to eat him. The monster sucked in the air, hoping to pull in Coyote with its powerful breath, but the ropes were too strong. The monster tried many other ways to blow Coyote off the mountain, but it was no use.
         Realizing that Coyote was sly and clever, the monster thought of a new plan. It would befriend Coyote and invite him to stay in its home. Before the visit began, Coyote said that he wanted to visit his friends and asked if he could enter the monster's stomach to see them. The monster allowed this, and Coyote cut out its heart and set fire to its insides. His friends were freed.
         Then Coyote decided to make a new animal. He flung pieces of the monster in the four directions; wherever the pieces landed, a new tribe of Indians emerged. He ran out of body parts before he could create a new human animal on the site where the monster had lain. He used the monster's blood, which was still on his hands, to create the Nez Percé, who would be strong and good.
         According to the lore of numerous tribes, animals walked the earth prior to man. They helped to shape, teach, feed, and spiritually nurture the people who later lived with them. Animals played a vital role in the life of the Native people, and honoring their spirits could bring blessings, life balance, and abundance. Many Native Americans believed in the special medicine, or power, that each animal held. The mythic beasts were often given the highest respect that could be bestowed on a spirit: the role of creator. When an individual or tribe needed assistance, it called upon an animal's knowledge, power, and spirit. To this day, animals are considered sacred by the Native American peoples and are appealed to in times of need.

Heroes, legends, and supernatural beings

Native American creation stories often include humanized beings that act as deities of the sky, earth, water, and sun. Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Earthmaker are examples of such primal beings. Such themes occur in the legends of many tribes. An example is from the Navajo, or Dineh people, who live on the largest reservation in North America, located in northeastern Arizona and northeastern New Mexico.

Changing Woman.

First Man and First Woman were to bring light to the world. They created a sun from a large turquoise disk and made the moon from a piece of rock crystal. As the light began to shine upon the earth, they saw an infant lying in a cradleboard decorated with rainbows and sunrays. The Holy People, who are friendly spirits, helped to raise the child on pollen and dew. She grew to be Changing Woman, the creator of all Navajo and the most beautiful woman who ever lived. She created the people from cornmeal and pieces of her own skin. She later had two sons who would grow to be monster killers, ridding the earth of evil beings and making it safe for all creatures. Then, all on the earth could live together in peace and harmony.
Another recurring pattern within these narratives is tales of superhuman beings who have the ability to bring forth life. One of the best known of these heroes is Sky Woman, or Ataentsic. Her stroy comes from the Iroquois tradition, and it is told something like this.

Sky Woman.

Long, long ago, the Celestial Tree of Light had fallen, leaving a hole in the sky. Sky Woman fell through the sky, falling ... falling ... into the waters below. As she fell, geese caught her with their wings, breaking the fall. The Great Turtle saw what was happening and, with the help of the other water animals, mostly the muskrat, began to dive into the water, bringing up mud and dirt to create land for Sky Woman to settle upon. The muskrat put the mud on the turtle's back, and soon the soil expanded into an island. The geese placed Sky Woman upon the island, and so the earth came to be. And from Sky Woman, this is how the world's people began.

Told and retold

Native Americans have not forgotten their creation stories. Now, with the help of books and movies and the restaging of the old ceremonies, the tales can be told to new generations and those who yearn to know of the richness and diversity of another culture's beliefs and theology. These tales are as important today as they were in ages past.
Through words and poetry, the worldview of a people who walked upon this continent for thousands of years is understood and preserved. By retelling these ancient stories and sharing their unique theories of how the world and its peoples came to be, Native Americans weave themselves into the tapestry of an elaborate, still-vibrant culture.