Navajo Tribe Creation Story by: Faith Hemingway

Black World

In the beginning, it began with the first world of darkness which was called the Black World (Nihodilhil). There was four corners and appear four clouds. They were in color, black, white, blue, and yellow.

Topic 1

The Black and

White Cloud

Topic 2

The Black Cloud represented the Female being. Like a child sleeping when being nurtured, life slept in the darkness of the Female being. The White Cloud represented the Male being and he was the Dawn, the Light Witch Awakens, of the First World.

The Blue and Yellow Cloud

Topic 3

The creatures of the First World was thought of as the Mist People. They had no definite form, but were to change to men, beasts, birds, and reptiles of this world. The western side of the First World, in a place that later was to become the Land of Sunset. There appeared the Blue Cloud, and opposite it there appeared the Yellow Cloud. The Clouds came together First Woman was formed, and with her the yellow corn. This ear of corn was also perfect.

The Journey

Topic 4

First Man burned a crystal for a fire. The crystal belonged to the male and was the symbol of the mind and of clear seeing. When it was burned, it was the mind’s awakening. First Woman burned her turquoise for a fire. They saw each other’s lights in the distance. The Black Cloud and the White Cloud rose higher in the sky. First Man set out to find the turquoise light and went out three times without success. He broke a forked branch from his tree, and looking through the fork. The marked place where the light burned and the fourth time he walked to it and found smoke coming from a home. "Here is the home I could not find,” First Man said.

The Outcome

Topic 5

“Oh, it is you. I saw you walking around and I wondered why you did not come" said First Woman. The Blue Cloud and Yellow Cloud rose higher in the sky. She saw a light and she went out to find it. Three times she was unsuccessful, but the fourth time she saw the smoke and she found the home of First Man. She saw that he had a crystal for a fire, and saw that it was stronger than her turquoise fire. As she was thinking, First Man spoke to her, “why do you not come with your fire and we will live together." The woman agreed to this, so instead of the man going to the woman, as is the custom now, the woman went to the man. Around this time came the Great Coyote, who was formed in the water. He was in the form of a male being.

The Wasp People

Topic 6

The First Man, First Woman, and Great Coyote began to plan what was to come to pass. They were apporached by another being and he also had the form of a man, but wore a hairy coat, lined with white fur, that fell to his knees and was belted in at the waist. His name was First Angry or Coyote. The four beings came together. They were yellow in color and called the wasp people. They knew the secret of shooting evil and could harm others. They were very powerful.

Spider Ants and Black Ants People

Topic 7

There were eight people made because four more beings that came. They were small in size, wore red shirts, knew how to sting, and had little black eyes. They were the Spider Ants People and were great people. After this came a whole crowd of beings. Dark colored, thick lips, and dark protruding eyes. They were the Black Ants. They knew the secret of shooting evil and were powerful, but killed each other steadily.

The Other Creatures

Topic 8

This time there were many people and came a multitude of little creatures. They were peaceful and harmless. the odor from them was unpleasant. They were called the Wolazhini nlchu nigi, meaning emits an odor. After the Wasps and the different Ant people there came the beetles, dragonflies, Bat people, Spider Man and Woman, Salt Man and Woman, and others. They had no definite form and were among the people of the First World.