Tonight I do not tell "my" stories -- these are from other
"storytellers".
Once again, one has to understand that the Native American
expresses that the Spirit of God is not exclusively
mankind's domain, but that the whole created universe shares
in the immortal perfection of its Maker.
In the Sioux creation story, the Force, the great Mysterious
One lies in the background. The Sun and the Earth,
representing the male and the female principles, are
involved in the creation. [I try to express it in the poetry
I have heard it.] The glowing fire [warmth] of the Sun
entered into the bosom of our Mother, the Earth, and she
conceived and brought forth life, both vegetable and animal.
Finally, Ish-na-e-cha-ge, the "first born", mysteriously
appeared. He was "man-like" but not yet man, more than man.
He walked among the animals, understanding their ways and
their language. His knowledge was necessary for their ways.
Becoming weary of the solitary life, the First-Born, formed
a companion, a brother, from a splinter he drew from his big
toe. This was "Little-Boy-Man", the wide-eyed innocent
child, helpless and trusting [like the bison calf].
First-Born became his teacher, laying down the rules for
every stage of human progress and development.
Among the animals, there was Unk-to-mee, the Spider,
mischief maker, who was very observant. He noticed that
"Little-Boy-Man" was quick in ingenuity and all things. He
gave council to the animals to rid themselves of
"Little-Boy-Man", for he will become master of all of us.
However, "Little-Boy-Man" was so well liked for his friendly
ways that the animals did not listen. Only the monsters of
the deep [the ocean] took the Spider's council and captured
"Little-Boy- Man" and took his life, hiding him in the floor
of the sea.
Now, First-Born, as told, was more than man and soon found
and recovered the body, giving life again in the sacred
vapor-bath. [I don't believe a definition is necessary here
-- but steam bath would give you some idea.]
Little-Boy-Man, continued to roam among the animals,
learning to sing like the birds, swim like the fishes, and
become as sure-footed as the mountain sheep.
Hidden away in the Francis Parkman Papers at the
Massachusetts Historical Society, is a manuscript of
Benjamin Franklin Stickney. Though there is a school in
Toledo named for him and many other things to give him
prominence in history, "progress" is "shelving" those
things by which he should be remembered. As Indian Agent
following the War of 1812, Mr Stickney, at the instruction
of Lewis Cass, was to gather detailed history of the
language and customs of the Indian Nations under his
charge. The story of how a twenty-eight page manuscript
ended in the Parkman Papers is a story in and of itself,
which we will not divulge at present.
"The Creator created a male and female of the white, and one
of each of the yellow [Ottaway term for themselves] skinned
people. The creation of the whites took place first. When
this creation took place is not known. But the Males and
Females were found to wander apart and discover no
disposition for any sexual connection. The Creator to
produce an inclination for a more intimate association and
to use the means of multiplication: he took a rib from the
side of each of the white couple. And the rib of the male
he replaced with that of the female, and the rib o the male
was placed in the side of the female. And the red [sic: the
transcriber's use, I'm sure.] skinned pair were treated in
the same manner. This was found to produce an inclination
for sexual intimacy.
"The creator clothed them. And when the two couple lie down
to sleep at night he placed an apple by the side of each
pair directing them not to touch or eat of them. In the
morning it appeared that the woman of the yellow skin people
had eaten the apple that was laid near the two, and they
were naked. The white skinned people had not eaten the
apple placed for a temptation; and their clothing remained
upon them.
"The Creator now spoke to them and said. You, the yellow
skinned people have transgressed by eating the apple I
forbid you to eat. Therefore, your clothes are taken from
you, and you are left naked. I give you the animals of the
forest for your food and their skins to cover you. But,
there shall be a time when you will require other clothing
and then you shall call upon the people of white skins to
give you assistance. Those of white skins were placed to
the east of the great salt water, and the yellow skins to
the west." [from "Tradition of the Ottaway Indians by
Benjamin Franklin Stickney" by Kenneth Dickson, _Northwest
Ohio Quarterly_, Vol 71, #3/4, Summer/Autumn 1999, pp62-80]
Last week I mentioned the idea that when asked for stories
and traditions, one was likely to get a version you asked
for. This creation story of 1823 by an Ottaway Chief seems
to me to have been mixed with what missionaries might have
wished impress "the Indian". I prefer the "Turtle Island"
version.
Bill