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
In California Norwan, daughter of the earth, occupies in part the
place of the Algonkin hero, the child of the sun and the earth. Her
usual life is of the housekeeping order; she has great supplies of
food in her hlut, or residence, and she goes on dancing each day until
evening. The great and characteristic event of her life, her departure
from the dance with her partner, is of the same scope and meaning as
the last journey of Hiawatha when he sails to the west and vanishes in
the regions of sunset. The hero of the Algonkin myth must go, he
cannot stay; he must vanish in the ruddy glow of evening because he is
the warm dancing air of the daytime. He must go whether he will or
not. Before he goes, however, he cheers all whom he leaves behind by
telling them that another will come from the east to take his place
and comfort them. Next morning, of course, the comforter comes, for
the life career of the Algonkin hero is included in the compass of a
single day, and a successor is bound to come as surely as he himself
is bound to go.
Norwan dances, and then goes away with her partner, to the desperate
vexation of Norbis Kiemila, her would-be husband, who wishes to have
her to himself exclusively. She dances, as she says, without knowing
it and goes away unconsciously. She dances with this partner because
she cannot help it, and departs imperceptibly to herself.
Who are the rivals for her person?
Norbis means "living in the south;" he lives in the southeast, the
land of greatest productiveness, in the region of Hlihli Piu Hlut Ton,
that most beautiful of houses on earth, and second only to the divine
mansion in the "Central Blue." He is descended from one of the white
oaks in the heavenly house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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