The Earth On Turtle's Back Analysis

Nature has been an important role in numerous stories in and past and present. The early myths and creation stories had the natural world as characters or playing an important part of the plot of the story. Strong examples of how nature has been an important part of stories are stories written for children and origin myth passed down through the generations. Just like many early creation stories of western civilizations nature plays a huge part in the origin myths of the Native Americans. Native Americans showed a strong connection to nature when they used parts of nature in their origin myths, examples can be found in "The Earth on Turtle's Back," when the animals helped save the sky chief’s wife, "When Grizzlies Walked Upright," how the first

Indians come from the grizzly bears which is why they have a great respect for them, and "The Navajo Origin Legend," where it explains how man and woman came from ears of corn and how the blowing wind gave them life.
In "The Earth on Turtle's Back," the animals helped save the Ancient Chief's wife, after the ancient chief uprooted the great and beautiful tree his wife looked through the hole that was left behind and lost her footing and fell through (22). She ended up falling into another world, which was all ocean. When the animal noticed her falling one bird said, “Someone is falling towards us from the sky,” and another said, “we must do something to help her (22).” Then the two swans flew up to her and caught her falling and slowing brought her down safely (22). When they notice she did not have webbed feet they realized she could not live in water (22). The animals devised a plan to bring the earth up to her (22). There was only one thing in their way of getting the earth, which is that the earth is at the bottom of the ocean. Not being discouraged all the animal tried and fail until the tiny Muskrat tried and succeeded because she was determined not to fail (22-23). The Muskrat succeeding shows how the Native Americans believe even the smallest thing can make the biggest impact. The animals put the earth the muskrat brought up onto the great turtles back so the chief’s wife could stand, which created the earth (23).
In the story "When Grizzlies Walked Upright," the first Indians come from the grizzly bears, which is why they have a great respect for them.

Some Native Americans believed that they have close relations with grizzly bears. This can be seen by looking at the way they described the grizzly bears with human characteristics, which include walking on two feet and talking like people (24). During the story "When Grizzlies Walked Upright, everything is created by the Chief of the Sky Spirits (24). He created everything but humans. Humans were created by the Chief of the Sky Spirits daughter and a grizzly bear (25). Which resulted in the Chief of the Sky Spirits getting angry with the grizzlies. He then punished the grizzlies by taking the ability to talk from them and he forced them to walk on all fours (26). Since the native Americans believed they are descendants of the grizzly bear. The Native Americans show great respect for the grizzlies by never killing a grizzly (26). Also when a Native American was killed by one they were buried on spot and for many years the Native Americans who passed by threw stones into a pile to mark the spot (26). All of this shows the great connection the Native Americans had with the nature around

them.
In "The Navajo Origin Legend," it explains how man and woman came from ears of corn and it says the wind gave them life. The story shows how the Navajo people had a strong connection to nature because they believe that they came from it. The Navajo people believe the man and women came from the gods. The gods started by laying a buckskin on the ground with the head to the west, then two ears of corn (1 yellow and 1 white) where placed on the buckskin with the tips pointing east (27). Then the gods laid another buckskin over the corn with the head to the east. under the white ear they put the feather of a white eagle. Under the yellow ear they put a feather of a yellow eagle. the wind then blew and gave life (27-28). The white ear turned into man. The yellow ear turned into woman. They think that when the wind ceases to comes out of our mouths that is when we will die. This shows how the Navajo people believed that they were so closing relating to nature that they actually were created from different elements of nature.
Nature has an important role in numerous stories in many different cultures. The Native Americans had strong connections with nature, which can be observed through the creation stories they told. In the story “The Earth on Turtle's Back," the animals helped save the sky chiefs wife. During "When Grizzlies Walked Upright," the first Indians come from the grizzly bears which is why they have a great respect for them. In "The Navajo Origin Legend," it explains how man and woman came from ears of corn and it says the wind gave them life. It is interesting how it seems that all Native Americans have a great respect and a special place for nature in their culture; even though how other parts of each of their cultures are so different.