Week 10: Reading Diary Continued: The Spirit Land

Story from the Great Plains unit, The Spirit Land. By Katharine Berry Judson (1913).

When I first read the title I was anticipating a story about a spirit world/land. That the story would bring the reader to this place. That's what I get for guessing about an Indian tale.

The spirit world is toward the Darkening Land that was located higher up. The story is told that when the spirits come back from this world the Crow is the leader. This is because the Crow is black in color like the Darkening Land.

As for the people they were in the living world, the Sunrise Land. The Crow decided that he would bring different worlds together. Crow had taken a pebble with his beak and dropped in into the water. The pebble became a mountain! This allowed the Indians to come down the mountain side to the edge of the water.

Crow flying above water: Wikimedia.com

Crow's next step was to take dust and drop it into the water. The dust became solid land! This land had stretched from the spirit land to the living world.

The next step Crow made was taking blades of grass. When he Crow dropped the grass new land was made!

The last step, Crow took twigs in his beak. When Crow dropped them it covered the new earth with a forest of trees.

Thanks to Crow the Indians have a new world to live on!



When I read this story it made me think of the story of the beaver and the Coyote. They had an epic battle that they fought so hard they created the great lakes. Kind of like hoe Crow created this new earth. It also reminded me of other creation stories from different tribes.

I tend to really enjoy the creation stories from all different units. I like how it wasn't the people who created the world. It is usually animals that do. One of the reasons I like to believe the Indians have such a strong connection with the animals. As well as with the plants and rest of nature around them. They all work together and live in harmony.

Week 10 Reading Diary:

When reading the story of The Legend of the Peace Pipes, I found myself asking many questions! For myself as a reader, this is a good thing. What would the fun in reading a story be if you always knew the mystery?

The story of the Peace Pipes would never be one I would guess. I was wrong with every guess I made but one. When the different eagles started flying above the cleared circle. I had made a guess that we would land upright, pointed out of the ground. Surely enough, one had, from the eagle with the fantail. That part was a bit unexpected. I though it would have been the bald eagle.

Wikipedia: Peace Pipe Circle

In the end, it also tells of how that eagle and feathers from the owl and woodpecker are used to make the piece pipes. The peace pipes were then used to form relations with other tribes.

I had many other questions when reading the story. One was why did only the owl and woodpecker call out to the Indians? In the story, it says the owl called out to offer then his aid. What aid did he bring, though? I still wonder this.

Overall my favorite part of the story is how the animals helped find the right sapling and bark. Mainly the eagles that flew from above and dropped their feathers in the middle of the circle clearing.

Story Source: The Legend of the Peace Pipes. Unit Great Plains. By Katharine Berry Judson. 

Week 9: Review

Happy Easter! 

Eater Flowers: Found on Class Announcements

Another week accomplished and completed. I was able to get all my work done in time to spend the weekend with great friends! I look forward to the new week and the challenges it brings. Remember not to walk to fast, you might miss the view! (In other words check your work and back it up!) 

Week 9: Storytelling: When the Rainbow Was Torn

Coloring Earth 

Long ago before humans and animals roamed the earth it was colorless. The only thing living on earth was plants, shrubs and trees. Along with the natural elements of wind, fire, air, earth, and weather. The elements were special for they could obtain color. The fire was able to burn a piercing red. The wind had a blue tint to it as well as the rain. The lighting was able to hold a glowing yellow. The one that stood out the most was the rainbow. The rainbow held seven outstand colors; radiant red, outstanding orange, great green, yeasty yellow, bold blue,  illusive indigo, and  vast violet. All the other plants and elements were jealous. They wanted to have the color like the rainbow did.

Rainbow: By Barb Ver Sluis

For many years, the rainbow made sure he never touched any other plants on the ground. The rainbow was careful to place his ends in clear open spaces on the ground. The rainbow feared that the other plants would steal his color. 

Until one day the storm clouds were very upset and it rained and rained for days on end. Every time the storm clouds would let up the rainbow would come out. He would shine his bold and brilliant colors. After a month of training, the rainbow grew very tired. He was exhausted after showing himself and letting his colors rain down to earth. It wasn't always easy being a rainbow. He needed his rest as well. 

One day the storm clouds let up for a break to take a rest. It was time for the rainbow to come out and shine. Due to his exhaustion, he was not paying close attention to where he set his ends down. It was too late, though, by the time he noticed he was about to place his end on a bed of flowers. The rainbow was too weak to pull up his end, so he fell on the bed of flowers. The moment his end touched them the flowers broke out into color. 

The rainbow was in a mess, he began to panic that this was the end of him. His color would vanish and the flowers would take it all. There would be no more rainbow to shine after the rain. Or would there?

When it was time for the rainbow to pull up from earth he was shocked. He pulled up and realized he hadn't lost a bit of color. He was ecstatic and joyful once again. He had actually felt better than ever before. For the rainbow had gained energy from the flower he landed on. He also noticed that the flower was now colored. They held as much beauty as the rainbow did. 

Instead of being mad the rainbow was happy. He looked down on the flowers and saw how stunning they looked. It was a much better view then looking down and black and white all day. From that day, the rainbow took the job of painting the world. He asked the rainclouds to continue to rain while he helped add color to the world. He landed in a new spot day after day. He decided to paint the pines green, the water blue and give the flowers the color of their choice. As days went by color flourished over the ground. All the other elements loved the view. 

This is the story of how the color came into the world. With a simple accident, that lead to wonders. 

Colored the Flowers. By, Ian Sane on Flicker

Authors Note: I took the original story of When the Rainbow Was Torn. In the original story, there were cactus flowers that were white. The colors belonged to the rainbow. When the rainbow touched the ground everything around it soaked up its color. The cactus flower always hoped the rainbow would touch down on them. Yet the rainbow was afraid the towns would poke him. In the original story, the rainbow was heavy from all the rain drops and fell down on the cactus flower. It wasn't able to lift up due to the weight of raindrops. This is how the cactus flowers gained their color. In my story, I wanted to take away all color from earth. I gave the rainbow all the color and made him a selfish character, who didn't want to share. Until one day he grew too tired and fell on the flowers. I then turned the rainbows character around and made him giving. Once he realized he wouldn't lose his color and he could share it with everyone. Making earth a beautiful place to look at. 

Story Source: From the Tejas Legends: When the Rainbow Was Torn. Form When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends retold by Florence Stratton and illustrated by Berniece Burrough (1936). 

Week 9: Reading Diary extra credit: The Cloud That Was Lost

Just like all people and living things, clouds also need rest. Be careful where you wander though because you might now come back.

The story of The lost cloud is just as it sounds. It's about a cloud that got lost. The clouds would come down at night to rest. They would place themselves in mountain tops and tree tops. This is why there is fog. One day a little cloud was chasing his tale and ended up far from any other clouds. As night fell the little cloud as very tired. There was nothing but an open field below.  The cloud couldn't take it so the cloud laying down on the field. Below he was a white flower that was tired of begin white. The cloud had a light pink/lavender color. The flowers took their chance and drank from the cloud. They did so until there was no cloud left.

So we are left with the story of how the flower known as the phlox got their soft color.

Phlox: From the story The Lost Cloud

Story from: Tejas Legends Unit: The Cloud That Was Lost By, Berniece Burrough (1936) 

My favorite part of this story is how the flowers got their color. I like how in many Native American stories everything comes from something already. Such as the flower got their color from the cloud. 

I also wanted to highlight the story, How Sickness Entered the World. In the beginning, there was no sickness. People lived a healthy life unti\ll they grew old. One day the old medicine man fell dying, The Great Spirit decided that he would send a messenger down so the man could share his wisdom. Yet, the old man was too weak to meet the messenger. So he sent to young boys to meet the messenger. When the boys were waiting they saw a snake. In fear, they attacked and killed the snake. Then they continued to wait for the messenger. He never came and the boys went back to tell the medicine man what happened. The medicine man was raged for they had killed the messenger (the snake). The medicine man told them there would be great trouble ahead. That night the mate of the snake come into camp and laid eggs everywhere. When the eggs hatched each snake carried a sickness into the world. This was how sickness came into the world. 

I liked this story because it shows that with every action you take there will be consequences. Also, that thing are not always as they seem. Such as the messenger being a snake. 

Week 8: Review

Spring Break is over. I am taking this with sadness as well as happiness. 

Found on Class Announcements

I am sad to say there was no more time for putting off homework. It time to get back to work and get things done. I am also excited to finish out this semester, with the hopes of summer ahead! 

Over break, I stayed in Norman and worked almost every day. I also had the chance to spend the week with my sister. She was able to come down and we had a great time! It was nice to hang out with someone close to me and get some good laughs! 

Spring break was just a small glimpse off what this summer will be and I am very excited. So I am taking all this excitement and using it as motivation. Motivation to keep on top of things through the rest of the semester! I have goals in mind that I fully plan on accomplishing!

Summer is right around the corner!

Week 9 Reading Diary Continued: Origin of the Tribes

The Creation of the Tribes (Chinook) from the Pacific Northwest unit

I always find it fascinating  how Different Indian's have creation stories. From most of the creation stories I have read, they start with animals. I find it that this could be a reason why Indians respect animals so much. Maybe another reason why they see then as an equal, Instead of superior to.

In this creation story, it started out with a monster beaver and a coyote. In Lake Cleellum. They story is told of how animal people would try to fish in Cleellum but Wishpoosh the beaver would drag them down to the bottom of the lake.

One day the Coyote the wisest and cunningest of them all decided he would change this. He went fishing in the lake but his pole was no ordinary one. Coyote had fastened a spear to his wrist with a strong cord. When Wishpoosh attacked him the coyote speared the beaver. Then Wishpoosh dragged him to the bottom of the lake. Yet, the coyote would not go down without the fight for his life. The two had an epic battle. They fought and fought dragging each other through the water.

The two had fought so hard that they began to tear out the banks of the lake. Water began to rush through the mountains. With each stop, that coyote and Wishpoosh made a lake was formed. Then when they started back up again in motion a new bank was torn out. Water flew downstream. The water then rushed down to a meeting place, of the Yakima, the Snake, and the Columbia Rivers,

Coyote was beginning to get short of breath. He would not stop fighting, though. He had to take down Wwishpoosh. This is when coyote reminded himself of who he was, cunning and wise. Coyote turned himself into a branch. He drifted toward Wishpoosh and then he was swallowed. Once inside of Wishpoosh he changed back into a coyote. Coyote took his knife and cut the inside of Wishpoosh.

Coyote was very tired and Muscat came to help him. The two tore apart and Wishpoosh and threw the pieces over the land. The creation began with each piece.

From the Head of Wishpoosh Coyote made the Nez Perces- Great in Council 

From the arms, he made the Cayuses- Powerful with a bow and war club

From the legs he made the Klickitats- Famous runners 

From the ribs, he made the Chinooks- Short, fat people

Map of Nez Perce, found on Wikipedia

With each piece of Wishpoosh, the monster beaver coyote made a tribe. He created something that would level the playing field. He created the Tribes of the Pacific Northwest.

This story gave me some create ideas for when I rewrite my creation story of the Cherokee Indians for my storybook. It also started off with two animals in a fight. In this creation story, I liked how with each piece of the killed (sacrificed) animal something was created! There is never any waste.

Story from the Pacific Northwest unit: Origin of the Tribes by Katharine Berry Judson (1910)