Beginning of the World Essay

Amber James
Period 2
Iroquois and Pima Essay

This article consists of stories about the beginning of the world and how it was created. These are stories not written by the people themselves but about them. The stories tell what exactly happened in the beginning of the world according to their beliefs. The first story is about the Iroquois of the northeast. The other two are about Akimel O’odham or Pima’s of the southwest. These are the stories of their times and are coming from their point of view. The authors specify on how every important aspect of the earth was made, such as the sun, moon, and humans.
I believe that the Iroquois story of how life began is a complete myth. The author talks about how there are two different worlds in existence. The lower level which was in great darkness and controlled by the monster (the devil) and the upper world was inhabited by mankind. The story consists of a woman conceived and would have the twin born, which would be god and the devil. They say that in her womb one of the twins was moved by an evil opinion. So this separated the twins one known as “the good mind” (god) and the other as the bad mind (the devil). The good mind created what’s here on the earth by using its deceased parent’s head to become the sun, he took the remnant of the body and formed the moon. He also created the stars, creeks and rivers, and species of animals. Then he formed two images of the dust of the ground in his own likeness which are now humans. By him just breathing into their nostrils he gave them living souls. While the good mind was going around making all of the beautiful creations the bad mind was creating things that would be hazardous to man kind such as reptiles and high mountains. This is how the Iroquois believed the earth began.
The story of the Pimas is somewhat believable because they say the world started off with nothing at all. The only thing that was in existence was Juhwertamahkai (the doctor of the earth). First he started off small with ants then he moved up to the first human (Nooee), he made him out of the shadow of his eye, to assist him. Before the people he made the people he made the mountains, everything that has seed and is good to eat, the sun, the moon, and the stars. After everything was made he then populated the earth but after all of the people were made there wasn’t enough food so the people started killing and eating each other. The “doctor” didn’t like this so he let the sky fall and killed all the people. He made a whole in the center so he and Nooee could escape. So then he tried to remake the earth and sky three times until he finally liked the way it turned out. So with him crushing the world all of those times and building a new one right on top that formed the center of the world.
Everyone has their own beliefs. These are just the beliefs of these people. These stories are considered to be myths. The author’s write as if they know for a fact that this is how the world began. The stories vary in large amounts. These authors weren’t there when the world was made so who knows if they’re right or wrong. Its either we believe their stories or we don’t. The author’s use imagery by describing the “god’s” every moves to paint pictures in our heads on how everything was done and created.