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 story 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.

Terri J. Andrews, who has a Native American ancestral heritage, is the publisher of The
Good Red Road, a bimonthly Native American newsletter and home study guide.  She
welcomes inquiries at P.O. Box 750, Athens, OH 45701.