Comparing and Contrasting Huron and Iroquois Tribe Creation Myths
The tribes of the Huron and Iroquois contain many similarities in their creation myths, but their few differences are notable. Both the Huron and Iroquois tribes revere animals, giving them prominent roles in their creation myths. However, the few differences in their myths prove to be important. The Huron and Iroquois legends show their respect for animals, while the differences in their myths provide significant insight into the tribe’s culture and values.
The Iroquois were originally from New York, between the Adirondack Mountains and Niagara Falls. However, they ended up controlling most of the northern United States and much of eastern Canada. With the English invasion, they were driven into Ontario where most reside today. The Iroquois were unique in the way that the women were the ones who owned all property and made important choices, such as choosing tribe leaders. The Iroquois are also said to have preformed torturous and cannibalistic rituals on their captives. The Iroquois creation myth states that in the beginning there was an island in the sky, and water. Sky people lived on the island and water animals in the water. One day, a Sky Woman became pregnant. This was unusual because no one ever died or was born on the Sky Island. The Sky Woman told her husband who became very upset and uprooted a tree in the middle of the island, creating a huge hole. The woman peered into the hole, and the husband pushed her in. Below, there was only water. Two birds noticed the Sky Woman falling, caught her on their backs, and brought her to the other animals. The animals wanted to help the Sky Woman, so they tried diving to the bottom of the ocean to fetch mud to create land. All the animals failed except the Little Toad who brought up earth in his mouth and spread it across the back of the Big Turtle. The mud grew and grew until eventually, the mud grew to the size of North America. The Sky Woman threw dust into the air and created stars, as well as the sun and the moon. When the Sky Woman gave birth, she had two sons, one named Sapling and one named Flint. Sapling was gentle and kind, while Flint was the opposite. Sapling and Flint began creating animals and plants. Sapling created things that would be useful to humans, while Flint destroyed many of Sapling’s creations and created things that would cause pain. Flint created monsters which Sapling drove beneath the Earth. Finally, the brothers decided to battle. Flint was eventually beaten and because he could not die, he was forced to stay on Earth as a volcano, his anger occasionally erupting.
The Huron, bitter enemies of the Iroquois, were originally from Ontario, were driven to Quebec and Ohio, then eventually moved to Kansas where they are found today. In the Huron tribe, men and women had equal power; men were in charge of hunting and war, while women reigned supreme over property, agriculture and their families. Women were also the only ones in the tribe who could vote on who would be the next chief. In the Huron creation myth, similar to the Iroquois, there was only water and water animals in the beginning. One day, a woman, described as “divine” and “full of power,” fell from a rip in the sky. Two birds saw her falling and flew together to catch her. They called upon the other animals to come and help save the woman. They decided the woman needed earth to live on. All the animals tried diving down and fetching earth but none could except for Toad. The woman put the earth on Turtle’s back and spread it around. It grew and grew until it formed the whole Earth. Even now, Turtle holds up the Earth. Some time passed and the woman had two boys. One was good and one was evil. One was born normally and the other born out of his mother’s side, killing her. When she was buried, all the plants in the world grew off of her grave. The two sons began to prepare the earth for the humans. They found that they could not work together, so they split up, moving to different parts of the earth. The evil brother created enormous monsters including a toad that drank up all the fresh water on earth. The good brother made animals that were useful to human beings. When he heard of his brothers creations from a bird, he went to investigate. He cut open the giant toad, and released all the water back onto the earth. He did not destroy the rest of his brother’s creations, but merely shrunk them so humans could be in charge of them. Eventually, the two brothers decided they could not share the earth any longer, and must battle. The good brother could only be killed if beaten to death with a bag of beans or corn. The evil brother could only be killed with the horn of a wild animal. They fought and fought and the good brother eventually killed his evil brother. But the evil brother wasn’t quite ready to leave. He said he would go to the west, where all men would follow him after they die, where they will dwell forever.
There are many similarities in the Huron and Iroquois creation myths. Animals are present from the very beginning in both myths and are revered by either tribe. The animals in both myths are helpful and caring for the Sky Woman. For example, in both Iroquois and Huron creation myths, the Sky Woman is caught by two birds. In both myths, the Toad gathers dirt and spreads it on Turtle’s back to make the Earth. Both tribes show a great respect for animals through the roles they play in the creation stories. Another similarity is that the Sky Woman in both myths possess magical powers. In the Huron myth, the Sky Woman is described as “divine,” and “full of power,” and when she spreads the dirt over Turtle’s back, it eventually forms the whole world. In the Iroquois myth, the Sky Woman tosses dust into the sky and creates stars, as well as the sun and moon. In both Huron and Iroquois creation stories, the Sky Woman has two children, one of which is evil, and the other good, perhaps their version of Jesus and the Devil. The sons have the power to create plants and animals. The tribes focus on the power to create plants and animals as an important gift, again showing the tribes’ respect for nature. Lastly, in both stories, the brothers battle, with the good ultimately triumphing over evil.
There are slight, but important differences in the creation stories of the Iroquois and Huron tribes. The Sky Women in both myths have special powers, but each is different. For example, in the Huron myth, the Sky Woman is described as “divine,” and “full of power,” and when she spreads the dirt over Turtle’s back, it eventually forms the whole world. However, in the Iroquois myth, the Sky Woman possesses the ability to throw dust into the sky and create stars, as well as the sun and moon. The Huron’s Sky Woman seems to be stronger and more influential than the Iroquois’s Sky Woman, in the way that she gives her life for her sons, and is capable of more than throwing dust in the sky, such as providing all the plants in the world. The Iroquois Sky Woman is not described as magical or powerful at all, and does not appear again after her sons are born. However, both exemplify the significant role of women in creation. A particularly interesting difference to note would be that in the Huron legend, the brothers are preparing the Earth for humans, as if humans were made by someone else, and the brothers are expecting them. This raises the question of who else is creating life besides the brothers? There seem to be other God like forces present in the Huron myth that are not mentioned. Lastly, an important difference between the Iroquois and Huron’s creation stories is that in the Iroquois legend, the defeated, evil brother stays on earth, his anger shown through volcanoes, while the Huron creation myth suggests a hell, founded by the evil brother after he is defeated. This is the only allusion to some sort of afterlife between the two stories.
The Huron and Iroquois legends show numerous similarities, but their few differences are important. Their stories both show their reverence for animals, who have prominent roles in the creation stories. An important difference would be the role of the Sky Woman in the legends. The Huron Sky Woman is depicted as powerful and indeed is quite an influence on the creation of the world, while the Iroquois Sky Woman influences considerably less. The Huron and Iroquois creation myths exemplify their respect for animals, while the differences in their legends depict the tribe’s own particular values and cultural traits.
Sources / Works Cited:
"Creation Myths (Morgana's Observatory)." Morgana's Observatory. Morgana's Observatory, 22 Apr. 2006. Web. 11 Sept. 2010.
Murtagh, Lindsey. "Creation Myths -- Iroquois Creation Myth." Williams College Computer Science Department. Web. 11 Sept. 2010.
Redish, Laura, and Orrin Lewis. "Facts for Kids: Wyandot Indians (Wyandots)." Native L Languages of the Americas. Native Languages of the Americas. Web. 11 Sept. 2010.
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