From Tashunka Witko

Please visit Tashunka Witko’s Facebook page to read the entire Dine’ (Navajo) Creation story.  Tashunka Witko brings to fans and friends collections of histories, stories and videos insightful of Indigenous People of our lands.  Be sure to  check out the  supporting links to this story. They are located at the bottom of story on Tashunka Witko’s Facebook page.

The people next emerged into a Yellow World (Niholsoi), meeting other animal beings: squirrels, chipmunks, mice, turkeys, deer, spider people, lizards, and snakes. The people still had their problems and quarrelsome behaviors. Eventually the men and women separated and began to live on opposite sides of the river. During the time of the separation of the sexes, the men survived by hunting and planting; however, the women did not fare as well–they were not skilled hunters and did not tend to their fields. After four years the women were starving and begged to return to the men. After the sexes were reunited, Coyote stole the Water Spirit’s baby. As a result, the Water Spirit got very angry and caused a great flood.

The people escaped the flood by climbing through a huge reed, led by the locust. The last animal to climb out of the reed was the turkey. It is said that as he was climbing up, the foamy water of the flood was rising and lapped at his tail, thus creating the white-streaked tail feathers of the wild turkey. The beings emerged at a place called into the White, or Glittering, World–the present world. Some stories say this place of emergence was in the mountains of Colorado, near Durango.

At this point, the small group had grown to include other holy beings, including insect beings, bird beings, and animal beings–each being contributing to the planning and organization of the world. First Man formed four main sacred mountains from the soil that was taken from the lower worlds and these became the sacred boundaries of the Dine world. Each mountain was fastened to the earth in a unique way and given special adornments and empowerments.

Although each mountain was given specific natural endowments, nevertheless, all of the mountains were also endowed with all of the natural beauties and powers of the universe. The complexity of understanding nature through relationships and interrelated processes of all things is the basis and foundation of the Navajo view of the sacred mountains. The deep natural communication that is ongoing in the universe can be expressed through many concepts. In this case, it is expressed through the four sacred mountains.

So much in this story rings true to me. I can see how the people expressed the lives of their elders, for-bearers. How the story of the beginning of Mother was translated through them.  Things like the great flood (rising of the oceans, melting of glaciers). I’m guessing memories from all around the world remember some catastrophic event that changed lives forever.  Also its speaks to the spiritual nature of the Four Corners areas that it became the Dine’ homeland.  Sends chills (thrills) all through me.  The story tells of how the Dine’ people struggled to understand how disease, poverty, dispositions and responses to life effected them on deep personal levels and their survival as a people.  Much like today, as we battle against new diseases, societal difficulties, and survival of our nations. I’m thinking we have not learned much. Recreating the wheel so to speak. We could learn so much from people like the Dine’ if we would just listen and act upon the lessons received.

When I speak of White Medicine and finding its healing powers in the San Juan mountains I speak of the sense of a deep spiritual relationship with Mother.  A lifting of burdens is the result. Much like what it must have been like for the Dine’ when they discovered this perfect place the call home.

AHO

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