Morrison 1 Amy Morrison ENG 231 2W1 Tammy Frailly September 17, 2013 Human Dominant or Symbiotic: An Analytical

View of the Creation Stories of Iroquois and Navajo Indians Many Native American narratives center on nature and the beings within, both human and animal. According to Dave Aftandilian, the oral tradition is used to showcase the world and relate the peoples position in it, as well as cultural values of each tribe (80). In The Iroquois Creation Story, David Cusick relates his tribes belief of how they came to be here on Earth. His story is unlike many Native American stories, in that the story is essentially human dominant. Despite this perspective, there is a definite strain of human animal symbiosis. Irvin Morris The Navajo Creation Story, shows a more integral relationship between the animals, landscape and the people inhabiting the land. Despite the different manner in which the animals and nature are represented in the two creation stories, both show a reverence and a symbiosis with nature and the animals that inhabit it. From the beginning, Cusick shows the human dominant nature of The Iroquois Creation Story; however, with closer reading the text shows a subtle thread of human-animal symbiosis. He shows the human reliance on nature and the permanence of the landscape as the Iroquois saw it. The story opens with Sky Woman falling into the lower world, where she is saved from falling into the great water by a turtle (Cusick 23). Cusick ascribes traits of a sentient mind to the animals of the story as he describes the scene of the animals gathering to watch Sky Woman fall in to the lower world: The monsters of the great water were alarmed at her appearancein consequence all the specieswere collected to where it is expected she would fall (23). This shows communication between the animals, as well as the ability to think and feel while

Morrison 2 differentiating them from humans. Susan Kalter states [Cusick] attributes human characteristics to the beings language, reason, compassion forethought he also labels them as monsters (14). Cusick is able to use the animals as a backdrop to the drama unfolding with the people now entering their world. His anthropomorphic portrayal of the animals, allows the reader to draw parallels between the humans and the animals surrounding them. While Cusick uses animals subtly in his story, Irvin Morris gives them a more integral role. He uses them as spiritual guides, guardians and ushers from one world to the next. This reverence clearly shows the Navajos symbiotic relationship with nature, and their appreciation for the world. The Guardians mentioned in the myth are the Water monster, Blue Heron, Frog, and White Mountain Thunder (27). Each of these guards a different cardinal direction: North, South, East, and West. These choices show a reverential treatment of nature as a whole and that the Navajos saw nature as an ally not a competitor. Additionally, locusts led them into the 3rd world (28). The animal leadership is essential to the survival of the Nlchi Dine and allowed them to continue on their journey. This inclusion shows how nature guided them from one plane of existence to the next, and depicts the reliance of all things in nature upon one another. Jane Mouttet, author of "A Navajo Showcase of Local Nature," recognized the Navajo belief of animal significance. When discussing some of the animals sacred to the Navajo, she said According to the Navajo creation story, the turkey is the last to leave the flooding waters. The turkey brought important crop seeds to the Navajo (8). Here the turkey is used in the story to show the importance of everyone to the world. Turkey brought the seeds that were needed to continue feeding the people in the Fifth World. Morris shows the balance of animals and people in his telling of the breakthrough to this Glittering World; he explains how locust, who is good at making holes, began to scratch and dig. Eventually he broke through [into the Fifth

Morrison 3 World], and the people rejoiced (31). This symbiotic relationship shows how each individual contributes to the overall good, and the betterment of the world. It further illustrates the Navajo believe that no one is insignificant. If a locust can lead the people into the glittering world, then there is nothing that is not possible for the people. Within the Iroquois Creation Story runs a theme of human dominance; however, it also shows an integrated relationship between the land and the animals. Cusick describes the creation of North America by explaining that the turtle Sky Woman lands on increased to a great island (24). By showing this connection between the animal and the land that became inhabited by the Iroquois, he explains the symbiotic nature of people with the landscape and the animals. Although they share a space, Cusick states that the animals, land and the humans are created by Enigorio. Cusick explains that Enigorio gave the people dominion over the animals (24). Kalter cites the quote from the creation story all animals for their maintenance as an equivocation (14). She further explains (Cusick could mean Ea-gwe-howe [real people] possess or simply steward the animals), but the distinction is quite pointed. It [the distinction] is just as pointed as the creation of the reptiles and humans-gone ape (14). Her analysis further spotlights the difference between the good and bad; she sees the point Cusick made about giving humans authority over the land they inhabited and the animals they shared it with. Despite that authority, the story shows a natural reliance on nature and animals. Without the turtle from the Great Water, Sky Woman would have fallen and drown. This correlation ascribes an almost tend her quality to the animals, and their care/concern for the humans. Despite the overall human dominance of The Iroquois Creation Story there is also evidence of animal and land reverence. Cusick shows a respect for the land as it is meant to be in the description of Enigorios restoration of the Island to its former condition (24) after

Morrison 4 Enigonhahetgea adds the landscapes that were harmful to the people. This shows a desire to have the land returned to its natural state as opposed to being impacted by outside influences. Native Americans held a deep belief that people should leave the land as they found it, and Cusick highlights this belief in this story. Cusick further illustrates this point by explaining that the good mind repaired to the battleground (25). Enigorio restores the land of any damage caused by the battle between him and the bad mind. Additionally, in an attempt to display that not all animals are viewed in the same light, Cusick singled out the deer in his story. He uses the deer horn as the manner of death to Enigonhahetgea. This shows a reverence for the deer, which is often associated with a place of honor in many forms of mythology. In contrast, Morris highlights the Navajos belief that animals and the land are integral to daily life and where they came from. This reverence is translated into the story of creation and shows a keen need to be in balance with both the land and those that inhabited it. Marnie Salt, a Navajo woman, was interviewed in an article about how the Navajo view the landscapes around them. She said Every inch of ground, all vegetation and the fauna on it are considered sacredThere are so many stories that go with the land that it would take more than twenty years to tell them (Kelley & Francis 151). This shows how important these stories were in passing on cultural values and beliefs to future generations. From the beginning, animal figures are used in the description of the spiritual beings that served as guardians in the first world. Morris explains They were called ants, dragonflies, beetles, bats, and locusts, but they were spiritual beings not insects or animals (27). This depiction of the Nlchi Dine shows the Navajo connection with animals, depicting their overall belief that all things are connected despite their physical appearance. The need to denote that although they were given animal names, they were not actually the animals depicted shows the significance of the animal

Morrison 5 kingdom in Navajo mythology. These, some of the lowest animals/insects were sacred to them; thus, it shows that regardless of size all things are important. While the Iroquois Creation Story depicts humans created from dust or earth and the breath of Enigorio (Cusick 24), the Navajo Creation Story in turn shows that Holy People are responsible for the creation of humans from corn and sacred wind (Morris 29). Both stories show a reverence for the earth that provided life to the plants and allowed for the nourishment of the bodies created from them. This depiction shows the connection between the people and the land and the circle that is formed thusly: Man is formed from corn and then plants corn, and eats corn. Throughout his story, Cusick credits nature with good and bad traits based on whether or not the natural aspect would cause harm to the humans present. For example, he ascribes the label of bad to high mountains and falls of water, and great steeps as well as various reptiles which would be injurious to mankind (Cusick 24). At the same time Enigorio creates numerous creeks and rivers (Cusick 24) thought to be of great benefit to man. At the same time, Morris version has a clear line defining good and bad behavior. For example, the Nlchi Dine are exiled from three different worlds because they committed adultery. Despite continuing to make the same mistake, they are allowed to continue living and impact the world around them. This difference in the two stories shows that both cultures developed values and shared them through their myths. Klara Kelley and Harris Francis explain the significance of landscapes to the Navajo people: most of these places, especially the natural landscape featuresare important because they are where people have performed the activities that keep Navajo life going and because stories go with them (151). This shows how integral the

Morrison 6 landscapes are to their life and storytelling. Most of the landscapes are considered sacred to the Navajo because of their inclusion in the stories of oral tradition. The stories themselves are intricate and involve many aspects of nature; however, each handles animals and landscapes differently. For example, Morris describes a sacred rainbow placed around them as being a protectiona blessing and a reminder of the sacredness of this land (34). This shows how truly connected to the land the Navajo people are and how integral nature is to their narratives. The Navajo Creation Story would not have been the same without the animals and landscape throughout. While the Iroquois narrative has overt strains of human dominance, it is still a story that shows the relationship between man, animals and the land which they both share.

Morrison 7 Works Cited Aftandilian, Dave. "Animals Are People, Too: Ethical Lessons About Animals From Native American Sacred Stories." Interdisciplinary Humanities 27.1 (2010): 79-98. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Sept. 2013. Cusick, David. The Iroquois Creation Story Eds. Nina Baym and Robert S. Levine The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: Norton & Company, 2012. 23-25. Print. Kalter, Susan. "Finding A Place For David Cusick In Native American Literary History." Melus 27.3 (2002): 9. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 2 Sept. 2013. Kelley, Klara and Francis Harris. "Places Important To Navajo People." American Indian Quarterly 17.2 (1993): 151. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 2 Sept. 2013. Morris, Irvin. The Navajo Creation Story Eds. Nina Baym and Robert S. Levine The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: Norton & Company, 2012. 25-34. . "A Navajo Showcase Of Local Nature." Mouttet, Jane Skipping Stones 15.2 (2003): 8. Middle Search Plus. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.