The World On Turtle's Back Summary

Mythical Origins

The Iroquois people are one of the earliest cultures in American history, Their culture remains filled with an abundance of myths and legends that explain the nature of life itself. Their creation story, The World On Turtle 's Back, outlines not only the creation of Earth, but also the complex nature of people. The legend states that the Earth resided on the back of a great sea turtle, constituted first by a pregnant woman. The daughter of whom would birth the twins who would become the duality of deceit and order in every living being. This legend has been passed down through the generations, first through oral tradition and later translated to writing. Native-American Literature Scholars, Larry Evers and Paul Pavlich believe that such stories "remind the people of who and what they are, why they are in this particular place, and how then should continue to live here." The story of the World on Turtle 's Back effectuates these qualities through the significant cultural traditions of the Iroquois tribe, as well as the ways that the culture views the world.
Each of the Native-American tribes have a distinct, extensive culture that they hold extremely sacred. The Iroquois tribe clearly demonstrate this, they

World on Turtle 's Back fulfill the aspects of a traditional Native American creation story. The Iroquois people still consider the story the guide for how to live and thrive in the natural world. The deep rooted connections to nature and animals that has been held by many native tribes relates back to the initial actions taken by the first woman. The twins who symbolized the balance in nature and in humans have parallels all over the world. They are the representation of the constant battle for dominance that wages in the minds of all people. The story will continue to be remembered and retold by the Iroquois through the oral tradition, and taught the other cultures of the world as an example of an answer to ever-present question of life