Iroquois Creation Story (abridged)
It became so that Sky-woman buried her daughter and planted the tobacco and strawberry plants that she carried from the sky-world, on her grave. The tobacco which grew from her heart became sacred and is used to carry our thoughts and prayers to the creator. The strawberries and other plants that grew from her feet became medicines which would cure sickness. Also growing from her head was corn, beans and squash. These plants are known as the “three sisters” and are the main life support of Iroquois people. So the body of the daughter gave life to the plants which sustain us, and for this we refer to the earth as our Mother.
Now it was the Grandmother’s (Sky-Woman) responsibility to raise the twins. She favored the evil minded twin because he had convinced her that the good minded twin was responsible for her daughter’s death. As the good-minded twin grew he created all that is good on earth. The evil twin would try to change the good things his brother had created and so it became a constant battle between good and evil. One day the good minded twin decided that the constant feuding should stop and so one great final battle occurred with the good minded twin winning. He defeated his brother with the antlers of a deer.
The good-minded twin decided that because his brother was evil-minded, he should dwell only in the nighttime and the good-minded twin would own the daytime. So the world now had daytime and nighttime. Today, the battle of good and evil is constant but we are reminded of the balance, order and peace that can exist among humankind when the “good mind” is used. It must be this way for the good of all creation.
As time in this new world passed, the good-minded twin decided that there needed to be a new life form much like himself and so created four different beings from the elements. The first was yellowish in color and came from the bark of trees, the second had a very pale almost white looking color which came from the white foam of sea waters. The third being was very dark in color and came from the dark soil of the earth. The last being was reddish and made from the red clay soil of the earth. As time passed it became so that these beings had a difficult time getting along with each other so the good-minded twin decided to separate them by placing them in different locations across the earth. He took the yellow, black and white beings and placed them on the other side of the great salt waters where they could learn to respect life as part of their world. The red beings stayed with him on Turtle Island and were given the name Ogweho:weh or Original people.
From that time on, the people all referred to him as “The Creator” because it was he who gave them life. The Ogweho:weh people became connected to Turtle Island and showed their love and respect for the Creator by respecting all living things upon it.
As much time passed on Turtle Island the people had forgotten how to be respectful and thankful and needed to be reminded of the good way. Four messengers were sent by the Creator and on each visit received a gift that would help them prosper and continue life on a good path. They were the Thanksgiving Address, the Four Sacred ceremonies, (Feather Dance, Drum Dance, Personal Chants and the Peach Bowl Game). He also showed them how to use agriculture and how to exist as a community and would include the Three Sisters, corn, beans and squash. The fourth visit he told them about death and gave them the clan system.
This is a very condensed version of the Iroquois Creation Story and explains our view of the world and how it was created. It comes from the earliest of times in our language when life as we understand it today was very different and explains how we came to a complete world.
The Thanksgiving Address
The Thanksgiving Address is deeply rooted in the Iroquois Creation story and its meaning is “the words that come before all others”. All elements of creation have a place and are assigned a duty in this world. In the Thanksgiving address the elements of the natural world are acknowledged. Nothing is left out. It is recited at the opening and closing of ceremonies, (with the exception of funerals), social and political gatherings and affirms our trust, relationship, appreciation and gratitude to the elements and their duties of sustaining life on this earth. During the address, the people come together with combined thoughts (one mind) with special attention to the sacredness of it. The recital is always done in any of the six Iroquoian dialects (Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, Tuscarora) and can take as long as 20 minutes.
A speaker is chosen to give Thanksgiving greetings on behalf of the people so that the world will not be taken for granted, that a spiritual communication must be given to align the minds and hearts of the people with all of creation. This forms a guiding principle of the Iroquois or Ogwehon:weh belief system.
The People
Today we have gathered and we seen that the cycles of life continue. We have the duty to live in harmony with one another and all living creatures. Let us bring our minds together as one and give greetings and thanks to each other. We give thanks and our minds are one.
Mother Earth
Mother Earth gives us all that we need for life and she continues to perform her duties. She sustains our lives and it gives us great joy that she cares for us in this manner. To your Mother we send greetings and thanks and our minds are one.
The Plants
We turn our thoughts now to the all the Plant life on earth. The Plants grow working many wonders as medicines and foods. We give thanks and look forward to seeing the plants continue for the coming generations. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
Tobacco Plant
We give thanks to the Tobacco plant which carries our words and thoughts to the Creator. So we give thanks to that which is her duty and our minds are one.
The Waters
We give thanks to all the waters of the earth, the rain, streams, lakes, rivers and oceans which provide life for all living things. We give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Animals
We turn our minds to the animals of the earth. They provide food and clothing and share the earth with us. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Trees
With one mind we honor the trees. The earth has many trees and we especially thank the maple for its sap and the first signs of spring. They provide us with food, shelter and warmth. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Winged Ones
We turn our thoughts to the winged creatures. They provide us with music and are a source of food. We give special thanks to the Eagle for its strength. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Winds
With one mind we honor the winds which come from the four directions. We hear their voices as they refresh and purify the air we breathe. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Grandfathers
We give thanks to the Grandfathers, the thunderers. With lightning and thundering voices they bring the water that renews life. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Sun
We now look up to the sky and send greetings and thanks to our eldest brother the Sun. Each day without fail he provides light and warmth and nourishes Mother Earth. So we give thanks to that which is his duty and our minds are one.
Grandmother Moon
We put our minds toward our oldest grandmother, the moon. By her changing face we measure time, the movements of the ocean, and all life cycles on earth. She provides light in the darkness of night. So we give thanks to that which is her duty and our minds are one.
The Stars
We now give thanks to the Stars who help the moon light the darkness. They are a constant source of guidance and fill the night with beauty. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
Handsome Lake
We now give thanks to Handsome Lake and the four messengers who came to help when there was much turmoil upon the earth. They taught him (Handsome Lake) how to bring our people back to the good way of the Creator. So we give thanks and our minds are one.
The Four Beings
We turn now to the Four Beings or Sky Dwellers. They provide the guidance and teachings of our Creator. So we give thanks to that which is their duty and our minds are one.
The Creator
We turn our thoughts now to the Creator and give special thanks. He provided us with everything we need to survive on Mother Earth. He watches over all things great and small. For this we give thanks to the Creator and our minds are one.
We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. It was not intended to leave anything out and if it is so, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way. So we give thanks and our minds are one.
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