the iroquois creation myth

Fiona Passantino2 minutes read

In the creation story of the Iroquois people, the Sky Woman falls from the sky world and, with the help of animals, creates the Earth. Her daughter becomes the Earth Mother, giving birth to twins who symbolize good and evil, leading to the division of races and ongoing conflict in the world.

Insights

  • The creation story of the Earth in this text involves the Sky Woman falling from the sky world and being saved by various animals, emphasizing the interconnectedness between humans and nature in the formation of the world.
  • The narrative of the Earth Mother's children, one good and one evil, symbolizes the eternal struggle between positive and negative forces, resulting in the division of humanity into different groups and the perpetual conflict that ensues.

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Recent questions

  • Who is the Sky Woman?

    The Sky Woman is a central figure in Iroquois creation mythology.

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Summary

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Creation of Earth and eternal conflict.

  • In the sky world before the creation of the Earth, the Sky Woman accidentally fell through a hole and was saved by a fish hawk, then a sea turtle, and finally with the help of other animals, she created the Earth by spreading mud on the turtle's back and walking in circles around it.
  • The Sky Woman had a daughter who became the Earth Mother, bearing three daughters and twin sons - one good-minded and one evil-minded. The good son created pleasant things like the Sun, while the evil son created unpleasant aspects of the world, leading to the separation of different races into the four corners of the world, where they continue to be at war.
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