Apache Creation Myth Essay

At the foundation of every culture is a myth that explains how the earth was created. These myths become a frame of reference for people to think about the world and their place within it. The Apaches, like many Native American tribes, have little to no written history other than that written by white men. Relying entirely on oral tradition, they have passed down and reshaped their stories of creation from generation to generation. The Apache have two stories of creation that follow the Creator’s steps in bringing the earth to life. With the repetition of the number four and the cardinal directions, the many deities involved in the world’s creation of and the flow of consciousness and dialogue style of writing, the Apache people pass down the importance their land and link to it. Through their creation myth, they teach the fundamental religious and spiritual beliefs of their ancestors about the universe, the creation of mankind and animals, and the relationship between mankind, animals, and …show more content…
The legend has evolved over time and reshaped over a series of economic and political disruptions by the Spaniards, Comanche, and US government and based on where the tribe was located at the time. What remains unchanging however are that they are deeply rooted in their spiritual practices and belief in the Creator. The creator is the life-giver who created not only mankind but all parts of the nature work and environment in four days. In Vine Deloria’s book God Is Red, she explains that tribal religions view creation as a creative process rather than a historical recording of the event. The role of the religion and their belief in the creation story has to do with the community of people and how they relate to and are inherently connected to every facet of creation (85). Ultimately, the Creator and his story is used to explain how the earth came to be and why the natural environment is shaped the way it