Creation Myths of Primitive America: In relation to the Religious History and Mental Development of MankindCurtin, Jeremiah
Religion
Creation Myths of Primitive America: In relation to the Religious History and Mental Development of Mankind
Curtin, Jeremiah
Creation -- Mythology; Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
Juiwaiyu went out. All the brothers-in-law from the west crowded up
toward him, all wanted then to kill him. He had no arms but the staff
given by Jupka. All he needed was to point that at any one and say, "I
wish you dead;" that moment the person fell dead. No one could come
near Juiwaiyu when running or hit him, and before they stopped
threatening he killed half of Damhauja's sons-in-law. The others ran
home then, killed their own wives and those of the dead men. "We will
have nothing," said they, "that comes from Damhauja's." They killed
all the children, too; none escaped but Darijua, who ran over to the
sweat-house and told of the killing.
That night Jupka made a great storm, and drowned every western man
left alive by Juiwaiyu. Next morning early he went over, struck the
dead women and children with his rose-twig, brought all except the men
to life again, and took them to Damhauja's.
Juiwaiyu had brought as many deer that morning as he had the first
one. Damhauja made his house stretch out and grow to give room enough
for all the children. They cooked venison and feasted, feasted all
that day at the sweat-house.
Next morning Juiwaiyu went home with his two wives and his uncle.
THE FLIGHT OF TSANUNEWA AND DEFEAT OF HEHKU
PERSONAGES
After each name is given that of the creature or thing into which the
personage was changed subsequently.
=Ahalamila=, gray wolf; =Bohkuina=, silver-gray fox; =Chichi=, fish
hawk; =Demauna=, pine marten; =Gagi=, crow; =Haka Kaina=, flint;
=Hehku=, horned serpent; =Jihkulú=, big owl; =Jupka=, butterfly of the
wild silkworm; =Kaítsiki=, ground squirrel; =Kechowala=, bluejay;
=Malewula=, wolf; =Malwila=, meadow lark; =Manjauchu=, gopher;
=Mapchemaina=, the first people now turned into birds, beasts, and
other things; =Matauwila=, beaver; =Matdasi=, spring salmon; =Míniau
Marimi=, fire-drill woman; =Tillipka=, crane; =Periwiri Yupa=, acorn
of the black oak; =Petaina=, skunk; =Topuna=, mountain lion;
=Tsanunewa=, elk; =Tsuwalkai=, red flint; =Pútokya=, skull people,
_i. e._ people who could turn themselves into a head.
* * * * *
A long time ago, when Jupka and Bohkuina were sitting in the
sweat-house Jigulmatu, Jupka called to him people of the Mapchemaina;
he called Demauna, Wirula, Matauwila, Topuna, Ahalamila, Manjauchu,
Kechowala, Malwila, Gagi, and many others. He did not make them; he
just called, and they came from different parts of the earth to him.
He gave them their names and said,--
"Hereafter all who live in the world will call you as I do now."
One side of Jigulmatu was filled with these people called up by Jupka.
"This is Jigulmatu, my small sweat-house," said Jupka, "but I am going
to make my Igunna" (great house); and later he made Wahkalu (Mount
Shasta), made it to be his great house, but he lived at Jigulmatu till
he made the Yana, and went to Jigulmatu often afterward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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