The creation myth of the Navajo

The Navajo Creation Story: Depicting the Emergence of Themes

The Navajo Creation Story, which was included in the Norton Anthology of Literature, “looks at the worlds in many ways and, in the process, depicts the emergence of various themes, such as religion.” These myths about people and their existence serve as the foundation for this form of oral literature. Each creation story contains a unique set of symbols. Darkness was all there was at first. Different worlds appear after the sky and water combine.

The Four Distinct Realms in the Navajo Creation Story

According to the Navajo Creation Story, four distinct realms appeared. It all started with a planet shrouded in darkness. It was known as the “Nihodilhil.” Events from these four spheres contributed to the development of the concept of symbology. In literature, it is well known that symbolism encrypts different aspects in literature (Klah, 1942). For instance, The Navajo Creation story highlights the general lifestyle of people. These people in question, for instance, are driven with cultural aspect and thus embrace tradition. Some of the people as it will be captured in the later stages of this oral literature tend to value religion. This overview already jogs the mind of the reader even before he or she digs deeper on the oral literature in the sense that rivalry is already cropping up.

Portrayal of Symbolism in the Navajo Creation Story

There was no moon or the sun at the moment. Therefore the sky symbolized the source of light. The Black World itself symbolizes a state of confusion. This forms the beginning of the origin of the Navajo. It was the first part of the world. It had four corners during which appearance of four clouds was witnessed. The elements of the First World were contained in these four clouds which were symbolized in four different colors; black, white, blue, and yellow. On our subsequent part, digging deeper about this will be the core of our work.

The Female and Male Symbolism

The Black cloud, for instance, symbolizes the Female Being. Just the way a baby sleeps when nursed and being sung for a lullaby, so in Female Being, life slept. The white cloud, on the other hand, symbolized the male substance in that he was perceived to be the Dawn and in the first world, he was also perceived as the Light that the Witch Awakens. Both the black and the white cloud met at a place called Dohonotini which was the name of the first seed corn. A floating island in mist or water that was small in size symbolized the real picture about the image of the First World. This leads to the emergence of another theme known as imagery. The Island was red in color and no one lived there. The only people for instance who lived there were ancient people symbolized in spiritual and the manner in which they traveled was likened to that of a wind. They were referred to as Nilchi Dinee’. At first, the man made fire by burning a crystal. The crystal was in full custody of the man and it symbolized a clear vision and mind. The Great Coyote who was hatched from an egg symbolized superiority. For instance, after its emergence, a male being place it above all his deeds. The man prioritizes it. This is because he convinced the man to believe that he was the first being to come into creation. He explained to them about the emergence of eight people who existed at that particular time. From an inconclusive point of view, symbolism is an important theme in oral literature and that is the reason why many authors tend to incorporate it into their artistic work. It makes studying of literature to be even more interesting. The Navajo Creation Story, however, also deals with betrayal which is the main theme in the story. Even though symbolism offers bulk content about the story, betrayal as a theme forms the core theme of the story. It makes the story to be even more interesting.

Portrayal of Betrayal: The Main Theme

At the center of the First World, there was a place known as Tobilhaaskid. As Literature students, it is important to know that rivalry which is another theme goes handily with betrayal. The end product of betrayal is rivalry. Tobilhaaskid was the source of three rivers which flowed towards the east, south, and the west. Nobody lived in the northern part and the twelve groups of the Nilchi Dinee lived in twelve places with four groups living in the assigned places. The first world was a holy one. In the beginning, only spiritual beings lived in the northern part, they were in the form of ants, bats locusts, and bats. They also inhabited the place together with Nilchi Dinee. At first, there was a peaceful coexistence. However, all broke loose when Nichi Dinee betrayed the dignity of the holy world they were subjected to. This made the spiritual beings angry, thus the cropping up of rivalry. Betrayal is portrayed when Nilchi Dinee engaged in adulterous activities thus destroying what was meant to be a peaceful and a holy coexistence in the First World.

Rivalry and Betrayal in the Second and Third Worlds

In addition, betrayal is portrayed when Nichi Dinee people commit adultery in almost every new world they settle in. The four water guardians even went ahead to scold the culprits. They question their loyalty to the said place. They felt deceived and this ought to have demeaned them. “Do you value this place? Do you not like living in this place?” They asked in outrage. However, to add salt to the existing injury, a trend in their sinful acts was not to stop soon even after warning them on three occasions. They felt deceit by the fact that their pleas fell on deaf ears. A barren and a flat land welcome the Nilchi Dinee to the second part of the world. It was on the east side. After growing tired of their heinous acts, the water guards had only one thing in mind; to punish them. However, they changed the prospect and decided to send them to the east. They met with a group of blue beings who posses similar legs, body, and wings to that of the Nilchi Dinee. They were referred to as the ’Swallows’ The latter addressed the former as kinsmen and made a pact to be friends. However, betrayal was again portrayed when one of the Nilchi Dinee found comfort in the wife of one of the Swallows. ’Should true and real friends be doing that’? Honestly, this is a practice which can only be compared to a phrase; biting off more than you can chew. The swallows branded their counterparts as ’Traitors’ soon after they discovered such treachery. After the emergence of such rivalry, the Nilchi Dinee people were asked to take a flight and once again they betrayed their fellow. The Swallows saw the sense as to why their inhabitants were asked to leave the lower world (Zolbrod, 1987).

Before entering the Third World, they failed to find an entrance in the solid sky at their presence but just as they were about to give up, they were directed to the South by a white head. This place was inhabited by grasshoppers. After begging the inhabitants for a stay, they mingled well for a while until one of the Nilchi Dinee who could not hold onto his nerve grew weak and committed adultery with one of the grasshopper’s wife. As a result of this trademark act, betrayal was once more portrayed. The rivalry once again ensued between the two groups and for the third were asked to take a leave by the inhabitants to whom they betrayed by eroding their loyalty and trust. This time when they faced an impenetrable sky, they were directed to the west by a red head thus were welcomed on the Fourth World. As a result of their negative recognition that was based on previous predicaments, they faced hostility in the sense that no one greeted them. The Talking God appeared to them and thus the Nilchi Dinee people were purified. They vowed to behave themselves afterward.

Conclusion

As depicted in ’The Navajo Creation Stories,’ betrayal is an important theme. Even in our modern society, betrayal is portrayed. For instance, best of friends ensue in a rivalry as a result of this vice. This makes oral literature to be interesting in that it brings along a practical approach to it. Political leaders, for instance, after defying all odds to be elected to their political post portray betrayal to their enthusiastic supporters by breaking their trust through embezzling of funds which were meant to assist a common citizen. It is a privilege to be studying Literature as it brings important aspects of the world to the students.

References

Klah, H. (1942). Navajo Creation Myth the Story of the Emergence.

Zolbrod, P. G. (1987). Diné bahane’: The Navajo creation story. UNM Press.