The Origins of Humanity

The creation of the first human beings is generally attributed to one or more deities, who also created the rest of the world. According to the Pauni, Tirawa, the main deity, asked the deities of the Moon and the Sun to join together to create the first human being, and also the Eve and Morning Stars, from which the first woman was born. Some Southeast peoples believe that the gods Mother Earth and Father Heaven were created by the supreme deity to give rise to the first living beings, including humans.

The hopis believe that two twin deities first created animals and then humans with clay, and gave them life by singing a ritual song.

According to the Iroquois and Forest Hurons, the first human ancestor was a woman named Ataensic, daughter of the Heavenly People, gods who descended to the earth, and the Navajo also believe that human beings come from a woman.

The “emergency” stories of the indigenous people and other inhabitants of the plains clearly show how humans came to the world today. Myths present the earth as a fertile mother and all-powerful breeder for people, animals and plants (como el hopi). This reflects the concerns of an agricultural society.

Stories contain an implicit morality, as humans are often forced to ascend to the higher world as a result of their bad actions. In some interpretations, these transgressions lead to the destruction of the underground worlds, where there are barely any living beings. From the point of origin, humans have evolved to their present habitats.

According to the source of the myth, humans are guided to the higher worlds by the Maize Mother or Spider Woman (both deities symbolize the earth), twin deities or heroes, and eventually reached the fourth world. The guardian spirit, masaw, suggested that they move north, south, east, and west to reach the sea, and then stop until they reach their common homeland. The journey was not completed by all the clans; some remained in the tropics and others lost their course. The returnees portrayed the migrations with two kinds of spirals: the square, which represents the return of the seas, and the round, which shows how they walked closer and closer to their home. The travels of the village form a large cross called Tuwanasavi (the center of the universe), whose epicenter is located in the present homeland of the hopis.

The origin of corn

There are a variety of myths about the origin of corn, which is the most important cereal in the diet of Native Americans. The Florida mikasuquis combine two very common concepts: the role of two brothers or heroes and the creation of something from another being.

Two brothers lived with their grandmother, and one day, tired of eating meat, they asked for something different. During that time, when they returned from hunting, Grandma offered them corn that they thought was delicious. However, because the grandmother refused to reveal her origin, the youngest spied on her on one occasion when she entered the barn and was surprised to see that she obtained the corn by rubbing the sides.

The grandmother understood that the brothers knew her secret when they rejected the cereal that night. He told them they would have to leave them forever, but that they would continue to live in the corn that grew on his grave.

North America. The Iroquois tribes

In the origins of the world, a woman pregnant with twins fell through a hole from the upper world where she lived to our world, which at that time was a desert. A twin came out of her mother's body with such force that it caused her death, thus revealing the wickedness of her spirit. His brother had a generous soul and devoted himself to the breeding of animals and plants.

The evil brother tried to follow his example, but only created reptiles and man, who was rectified by the good and gave him soul. The wicked man asked his brother who would be the king of the world, and he lost. From then on, he was destined to rule over the dead and remain as a spirit of evil for all eternity.