The Navajo creation story involves three underworlds where important events happened to shape the Fourth World where we now live.According to the Diné, the Navajo people emerged from three previous underworlds into this, the fourth, or “Glittering World”, through a magic…
As told by Lame DeerA long time ago, a really long time when the world was still freshly made, Unktehi the water monster fought the people and caused a great flood. Perhaps the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka, was angry with…
Animals, elements, the solar system, and natural phenomena are revered by the Apaches. That which is beyond their understanding is always ascribed to the supernatural.In the beginning nothing existed–no earth, no sky, no sun, no moon, only darkness was everywhere.
As told by the Wichita chief, Towakoni Jim, to George DorseyIn the beginning there were neither sun, nor stars, nor anything else that we know today. For a long time, the only man was Man-never-known-on-Earth. He created everything. When he…
As told by Abraham Johnny-John, Solomon O’Bail, George Titus, George Armstrong, Zachariah Jimeson, Andrew Fox, Henry Jacob, Henry Silverheels, Peter White, Black Chief, Phoebe Logan, Truman Halftown, and Chief Priest Henry StevensLong ago, before this earth existed, humans lived in…
This story comes from Hawaii, where it was part of the Kumulipo, a chant recounting both the origin of the world and the genealogy of Hawaii’s reigning family. The Kumulipo is a work of poetry with many shades of meaning…
Earthmaker made the world with trees and fields, with rivers, lakes, and springs, and with hills and valleys. It was beautiful. However, there weren’t any humans, and so one day he decided to make some.
When Mashé Manido, the Great Spirit, first made the earth, he also created a large numbers of manidos or spirits. Some of these spirits were benevolent, but many were malevolent, and they went to live beneath the earth. Kishä Manido,…
The Jicarilla Apache creation story tells of the Creation and the emergence of the Jicarilla people, and the sacredness of the number four.
As told by Ayúnini (Swimmer) to James MooneyThe earth began as nothing but water and darkness, and all the animals were in Galúnlati, above the stone vault that makes up the sky. Eventually Galúnlati became so crowded that the animals…