Читать книгу American Indian Creation Myths - Teresa Pijoan Phd - Страница 12

Cahuilla lived in the central part of Southern California and are of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic family. They are recognized by the United States government as members of the Yakima nation and were given a land grant in 1855.

The young man leaned his elbows on the green formica table. “We are considered Californians. This story isn't long and there is probably more to it, but not something I can recollect right off. If my dad were here he would set me straight, but he's dead. Been dead for six years now and this seems a way to keep him from being totally forgot.”

In the first time there was nothing but black. There were no lights of any kind. There was nothing. Then came red, white, brown, and blue colors. They met in the dark and joined together to make two, who were not yet born, in the sack of Mother Creation. The babies grew and talked to each other. When they were too big to stay in the sack of colors they pushed out their feet and got out.

They were named Mukat and Temayawut. There was nothing here, just floating air. The two brothers decided to make a pole. Around the pole they made the earth and kept it in balance on the pole. Then they made water which became oceans, rivers, lakes and streams. In the water, they placed all the water critters to live.

Mukat had only black mud to work with and Temayawut had white mud. They made all kinds of animals from their mud. Then they started to make the body of a man. Mukat worked slowly and carefully to make humans as they are today. Temayawut threw his mud people together quickly without thinking. He made crude bodies with bellies on both sides, faces on both sides, and gave these people dog paws instead of hands.

Temayawut made a lot of these people quickly while Mukat worked for a long time on each one of his people. When Mukat finished his people, he stood back and studied them. Temayawut was in a hurry and told Mukat to give up, his people would never survive against all of the crude people. The two brothers had a fight.

Suddenly, Mukat's people came alive. Sun was born and shown down on Mukat's people. The people were terrified of the bright light and started calling out to one another, but each person spoke a different language. Mukat heard one of his people speaking the Cahuilla language and grabbed him. Mukat hugged this one for he knew he was very special. He placed him to be the father of all the Cahuilla and he now lives in the houses of Sun, Moon, and Evening Star.

At first, things were made much bigger than they are today. A fly was as large as a house and the First People had a difficult time surviving. The First Spirit People were large, too. They were called the Nukatem and had great powers.

Menily was the Moon Woman. She was large and a fine young woman. She brought respect for men to the women and the same for women to men. Life was good and the people were pleased with their knowledge.

There were many Nukatem once, but now they are up in the sky for they turned into stars, rainbows, clouds, and mirages. They still watch over the people.

After a long time, Mukat became ill for he was very old. He left the people with the wisdom of the Cahuilla. The Cahuilla were a proud and kind people. Now, there aren't too many left to carry on the traditions of the old ones. Every now and then you might run into some of Temayawut's crude people, but even they are dying off.

“It would be wise for the people to remember that the pole holds us here. The more stuff we make, the heavier the earth becomes, and it is harder for the pole to hold us and all our stuff here. We may just fall back into the sky and that would be the end of us. This is the story I was taught and this is the story I'll teach my kids.”