The Iroquois Creation Story

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The Iroquois Creation Story Background Migra
tion of Asians to the Americas in four waves,
beginning ca. 30,000 BC
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The Iroquois Creation Story An anonymous
biography of the hunter-gatherer Tuscarorans, who
gathered vegetation for animals, and attempted
the enclosure or domestication of animals
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Genre Earth-diver creation myth (emanation,
emergence)
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• Setting
• Age of Creation (Age of Transition, Historical
  Age)
• Three-level universe (upper world, lower world,
  underworld)

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• Characters are stereotypical, static
• Major Good Mind, Bad Mind (Culture Heroes who
  are godlike in action, but not in birth)
• Minor Sky Woman, Muskrat, turtle

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Point of view Third person-omniscient
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Tone mysterious (before the births)
threatening (Bad Minds actions) hopeful (Good
Minds actions)
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Imagery sight (dark/light), feel
(water/land) Symbol Mother (life, containing
good and evil)
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Theme The great battle between good and evil
that took place at creation is repeated daily in
your life.