Page 20 - Dark Matter:Women Witnessing Issue2

The geese nodded at one another and rose as one from the water, in a wave of goose music. She felt

the beat of their wings as they flew beneath and broke her fall. Far from the only home she’d ever

known, she caught her breath at the warm embrace of soft feathers.

And so it began. From the beginning of time, we are told that the very first encounter between humans

and other beings of the earth was marked by care and responsibility, borne on the strong wings of

geese. The world at that time was covered entirely by water.

The geese could not hold Skywoman much longer, so they called a council of all beings to decide what

to do—loons, otters, swans, beavers, fish of all kinds. A great turtle floated in the watery gathering, and

he offered to let her rest upon his back and so, gratefully she stepped from the goose wings onto the

dome of the Turtle. The others understood that she needed land for her home. The deep divers among

them had heard of mud at the bottom of the water and agreed to retrieve some. The loon dove to get a

beakful, but the distance was too far and after a long while he surfaced with nothing to show for his

efforts. One by one, the other animals offered to help, the otter, the beaver, the sturgeon. But the

depth, the darkness and the pressure were too great for even these strongest of swimmers who came

up gasping for air and their heads ringing. Soon only the muskrat was left, the weakest diver of all. He

volunteered to go while the others looked on doubtfully. His little legs flailed as he worked his way

downward. He was gone a very long time. They waited and waited for him to return, fearing the worst

for their relative. Before long, a stream of bubbles rose from the water and the small limp body of

muskrat floated upward. He had given his life to aid this helpless human. But the others noticed that his

paw was tightly clenched and when they opened it, there was a small handful of mud. Turtle said,

“Here, put it on my back and I will hold it.”

Skywoman bent and spread the mud across the shell of the turtle. Moved by gratitude for the gifts of

the animals, she sang in thanksgiving and then began to dance, her feet caressing the earth with love.

As she danced her thanks, the land grew and grew from the dab of mud on Turtle’s back. And so, the

earth was made. Not by one alone, but from the alchemy of the animals’ gifts and human gratitude.

Together they created what we know today as Turtle Island.

This is a fragment of the creation story told by both Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe people in my

homelands. Our oldest teachings remind us that reciprocity is the thread that binds us together. The