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Native American creation and origin stories are tales of the creation of the world and the origin of various aspects of it, including plant and animal life – especially corn and buffalo – and death. Some Native American trickster tales are also creation and origin stories, and there are often many different versions of a single nation's creation narrative.
These stories frequently share common features and, most notably, the endless waters that covered the earth before the Creator God sent a series of animal helpers to the bottom of the vast seas to bring up mud, which was then used to fashion land and separate the waters. In some stories, the mud is heaped on the back of a turtle, which is why some Native American nations refer to North America as "Turtle Island."
The belief systems of the Native peoples of North America are monotheistic. They are often misinterpreted as polytheistic because it is understood that there are other supernatural entities that help the Creator maintain order. These other spirits are not gods, however, but manifestations or avatars of the Creator God. Many of the following stories feature this Creator figure – or his avatars, like the Twins in the Navajo story The River of Separation – and are only a small sample of the many creation stories found in Native American literature.
Questions & Answers
What are the common features of a Native American creation story?
- Native American creation stories usually feature a Creator God or some supernatural entity acting on behalf of that deity and a world initially covered by water. Animals frequently feature in the tale, usually as helpers of the Creator in finding mud at the bottom of the primordial sea to make land with.
How many Native American creation stories are there?
- There is no official count of the number of Native American creation stories. Each nation has its own story but also many variations of that tale. There are also Native American trickster tales that have elements of the creation myth in them.
Is Native American religion monotheistic?
- Yes. Each Native American nation believes in a single supreme deity who has other supernatural entities that help him maintain order. These other entities are not gods, however, nor are the elemental spirits of the earth.
How old are the Native American creation stories and origin tales?
- It is not possible to date Native American creation stories or origin tales because they were passed down through oral tradition over generations until they were written down in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Joshua J. Mark is World History Encyclopedia's co-founder and Content Director. He was previously a professor at Marist College (NY) where he taught history, philosophy, literature, and writing. He has traveled extensively and lived in Greece and Germany.
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