Iroquois Creation Myths

The pagan creation myth of the Iroquois “The World on the Turtle’s Back” similitude to the Christian beliefs of Earth’s creation in the book of Genesis. “In the beginning there was no world, no land, no creatures of the kind that are around us, and there were no men.” This phrase indicates that Iroquois also believed that at the beginning of Earth’s formation there was nothing. These beliefs are very similar to the accounts in the Bible. “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.” “Now the Earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:1-2) In the first paragraph the Iroquois show that they believe in gods who live in the sky. Just like Christians believe in the almighty God creator of Earth. Humans, Christian or pagan have always sought to believe in a higher power that is in charge of life and shaping Earthly creatures of the natural world (existence).
In this story the Iroquois’s gods are characterized like humans who can be led by curiosity. In the story there is a Great Tree, which is sacred and cannot be touched by anyone. This has great a resemblance with the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden which was not to be touched or eaten. (Genesis 3:2-3) In both events

the women are led by temptation to touch the forbidden trees. Eve’s feeling of shame represents a new start for humans just like when the woman falls from the sky world to the Earthly world. (Line 30-32) This mythological story blends with many specific events found in the Bible. Earthly creation to Iroquois starts when the fallen sky woman asks for the animals for soil, so she can plant the roots she grasped from the sky-tree so Earth could grow. In the book of Genesis chapter one verse twenty-nine, God gives man every seed-bearing plant on the face of Earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.
It’s amazing how a non-Christian culture’s beliefs exactly relate to the Christian beliefs.

“The World on the Turtle’s Back,” is an exact representation of this. Their moral values and the way good and evil enter the world match exactly to Eve’s sons, which are Cain and Abel. In the myth the twins represent good and evil. Explaining to the reader that the right- handed twin who always told the truth. He was right and reasonable like Abel, who brought good offerings to the Lord. On the other hand, we have the left-handed twin. This twin represents evil, being devious and a liar like Cain, whose offerings were frowned upon by Him. (World on Turtle’s Back lines: 108-116 and in Genesis

4:3-12)
Further along the reading of the myth, you are noted that the Iroquois believed that man was made out of clay. Just like Adam was made out of clay too. Some might think that it is a mere coincidence that Iroquoian beliefs are so similar to the Christian ones. But I think that deep down; we all come from God’s image. We have similar values, ideas, and beliefs that are shared by all human kind.
Good and evil will always be amongst humans. But God has said that good will always prevail over everything. Like the devil, the left-handed twin “Knows the world of men, and he finds contentment in it. He hears the sound of warfare and torture, and he finds them good.” Like God and good, “In the daytime the people have rituals which honor the right-handed twin. Through the daytime rituals, they thank the Master of Life.” (Lines 196-200)