Long before the European race pierced through the North American continent, the indigenous people of what is now the “United States” lived in peace and harmony. Just like most other civilizations of their time, this broad group of indigenous natives created their own creation myths and stories to ease their worried minds of the past and future. Though there are hundreds of creation myths still cycling through cultures in today’s society, the Natives of North America have very distinct features that can’t compare to others. Unlike religious ideas in the east, Native American creation stories typically center around land manipulation, birth, the importance of animals, and the act of bravery. In most Native creation stories, land manipulation
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For instance, in the Ojibway creation story, animals were the only to survive the great flood besides Nanabush (a human). The idea of birds seemed to be another reoccurring topic, given that “swans cushioned the wifes fall” (Onandaga story) and “birds caught the woman on their backs” (Iriqouis story). Birds play a big role in the Cherokee creation myth given that they believe the buzzard shaped the landscape of North America with his wings. Muskrats also play an important role of being the one that believes in himself more than the other animals. In multiple creation myths such as the Onandaga and the Ojibway the muskrat is the one who believes he can swim to the bottom of the hole in order to bring up earth. Turtles act as the strongest of the animals, given that they are the ones who carry the weight of earth on their backs in the Iriquus, Ojibway, and Onanganda creation myths. At times, it seems as if creation stories strive to convey that animals are incredibly important to our everyday realm and we should consider them and respect them. This is such an important aspect to creation myths because unlike today’s society where animals are typically overlooked and frowned upon, indigenous people seemed to have a complete opposite approach in the sense that they give animals a very distinct “heroic”
For instance, in the Ojibway creation story, animals were the only to survive the great flood besides Nanabush (a human). The idea of birds seemed to be another reoccurring topic, given that “swans cushioned the wifes fall” (Onandaga story) and “birds caught the woman on their backs” (Iriqouis story). Birds play a big role in the Cherokee creation myth given that they believe the buzzard shaped the landscape of North America with his wings. Muskrats also play an important role of being the one that believes in himself more than the other animals. In multiple creation myths such as the Onandaga and the Ojibway the muskrat is the one who believes he can swim to the bottom of the hole in order to bring up earth. Turtles act as the strongest of the animals, given that they are the ones who carry the weight of earth on their backs in the Iriquus, Ojibway, and Onanganda creation myths. At times, it seems as if creation stories strive to convey that animals are incredibly important to our everyday realm and we should consider them and respect them. This is such an important aspect to creation myths because unlike today’s society where animals are typically overlooked and frowned upon, indigenous people seemed to have a complete opposite approach in the sense that they give animals a very distinct “heroic”