Story of Turtle Island

national indigenous dayThe Ojibwa legend of creation

Here at DeiceAir we care, and the environment is everything to us. It has been a busy week, so today lets sit back and learn about the legend of turtle island. Legends and myths are traditional stories that help explain cultural history and beliefs.

Legend says that the creator flooded the earth because no one could live together in peace. Only Nanabozho and a handful of animals survived, however they faced a problem because there was no longer any land for them to live on. Nanabozho had an idea to bring the earth from deep underneath the water, in order to recreate the land of the earth. Nanabozho could not reach the bottom, so the loon whom is a very good diver made an attempt to fetch the earth. The loon was unsuccessful so the turtle, the mallard and all the other animals with diving skills took a turn trying to reach the bottom. Finally as the exhausted animals sat above on a log with Nanabozho, a quiet little muskrat swam up. The muskrat said it would try and it was under water for a very long time, long enough the other animals and Nanabozho to assume it had drowned. After a long while the muskrat popped up to the surface barely breathing. Nanabozho held the muskrat in his arms as it took its last breath. Nanabozho noticed that clenched in the muskrats hand was a ball of earth.  Nanabozho and the other animals celebrated the muskrats sacrifice. The turtle said that it would carry the burden of the earth on its back in recognition of the muskrat.  Nanabozho places the earth on the turtles back and the wind blew from the 4 directions, spreading the earth until it became the island we all call North America. The turtle is there at the center of the creation supporting us all.

we live in such a bio diverse ecosystem, so Miggwetch to the turtles and all the other living things may we support one an other and continue to live in peace.

 

Source

Gadacz, René R.. “Nanabozo”. The Canadian Encyclopedia, 10 April 2019, Historica Canada. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nanabozo. Accessed 21 June 2019.

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