The Pima Stories of the Beginning of the World

Taylor Cole
AP-English
8-25-09
Pima Stories of the Beginning of the World
This particular story of the beginning of the world is different. I like it because it isn’t the typical creation story. From the beginning to the end of the story was far from predictable. What I most enjoyed was that it was quite humorous and bit ironic.
The story starts with “the doctor of earth”, which is the head creator, creating the earth by rubbing his sweat together three times. Now usually creation stories don’t begin with the creator being bored one day then suddenly deciding to wipe his sweat and starting a whole universe. Just when it couldn’t get any weirder, the first thing he creates is a bush with ants. This really shows how much Native Americans care for nature because the first thing that most of them grew up thinking was created first was ants.
The doctor eventually decides to create the first person, but this first person was made just to help him create earth. The usual thing in creation stories is for the creator to do everything by themselves, and that is what makes them so special. Well it turns out the creator ends up doing everything by himself. We later come to find out that this first person was more like a guardian or angel like character.
After he finally decides where he wants the sun and moon he makes stars. Now he doesn’t make these stars with anything special, he actually makes them by simply spitting into the sky. It’s ironic because he used the most disgusting action to create one of the world’s most beautiful treasures. Not long after this he decides to create the first man and women. I like how they make this creator’s job just a little hard, because we all know usually creation just comes as an easy natural for the creator. These first couple of creations of the first man and women and yes I said first couple, were not a success. This may come as a surprise because in most stories creation always goes perfect the first time around. After three tries, because of course as the saying goes third time’s a charm, he finally gets it right.
His final contribute to earth is the sun and moon having a baby. This really came as a surprise to me because I never knew a story to make the sun and moon have genders. But low and behold the sun was the male and the moon was a female and they created a child, and he was called the coyote. I of course looked at this whole picture in a deeper aspect. This gave me reason to believe that the reason why the coyote howls at the moon all night and we never know why is because that’s his mother. I compared it to a new born baby at night who cries for its mother until she comes running to its rescue.
To put the icing on the cake for the end of the story, the creator has to argue with his fellow helpers. This also comes to a surprise for me, because after all this hard work of creating the earth he now has to dispute with his helpers, which he created also. Now they must not have heard of the saying I brought you in to this world and I can take you out. Although their argument is of no harm it’s about who is going to be called the older brother. They finally decide that the creator should be called older brother, which is the name he should have been given in the first place no questions asked. The whole situation shows that no good story can end without at least one conflict.
In conclusion, I most enjoyed reading this creation story. It opened my eyes to new horizons and more creative thinking. I have never thought outside the box about creation storied like I did with this one. It was most entertaining and thrilling.