First Nations: Creation Story

First Nations: Creation Story

Name:

First Nations: Creation Story

Vocabulary:

Social Studies 9

Name:

Creation storyBeringia

Native

Social Studies 9

Name:

Brainstorm: What stories have you learned about how the world was created? Where did humans come from?

Beringia Theory

The Beringia theory suggests that ocean levels dropped 65 to 138 meters during the last ice age (thousands of years ago). The lower water level uncovered a giant land bridge the size of a continent. This land bridge joined Siberia (north Asia) and North America.

This land bridge is known as Beringia.

These Asian people traveled down an ice-free corridor (pathway) all the way to South America. They could later have spread north across the continent to become the ancestors (relatives) of the First People in North America.

Q1: On the map above, create a legend that illustrates the Beringia Theory.

However, many Native people in North America have alternate (different) ideas of how the world began. You will now read a creation story from the Tlingit (a group of First Nations from British Columbia).

In the Beginning

PART 1

In the beginning there was nothing but soft darkness, and Raven beat and beat with his wings until the darkness packed itself down into solid earth. Then there was only the icy black ocean and a narrow strip of shoreline. But people came soon to live along the coast. And Raven felt sorry for them, poor, sickly things, who never had any sunshine. They lived by chewing on nuts and leaves, and crushed the roots of the alder trees for something to drink.

"I must help them," thought Raven; and he flew down to earth, calling, "Ga, ga, ga!" and gathered the people together. Like ghosts, they were, shadowy and pale in the misty darkness.

"Raven has come!" they told each other. "It is Raven-Who-Sets- Things-Right."

The poor things were encouraged, and they gathered round to see what he would do.

Raven plucked a branch from an alder, and scattered the leaves on the surface of a pool. At once the leaves were sucked under, and the water started to bubble. After the pool had boiled for a moment, the surface cleared and fish began to jump there. So that was how Raven gave the people fish.

PART 2

But now that they had fish to eat, they were thirstier than ever. They called on Raven, and down he came, and the people said, "Here is Raven-Who-Sets-Things-Right."

Raven knew that there was only one spring of fresh water in all the world. A man named Ganook had built his house around it, and refused to give any away.

"Maybe," thought Raven, "I can drink enough to carry some back to the people."

So he went to the house and asked to come in, and Ganook was very glad to have his company. Raven sat down and made polite conversation, and pretty soon he asked for a drink of water.

"Very well," said Ganook grudgingly, and showed him the spring, a crystal pool welling up in a basin of rock.

"Don't drink it all!" Ganook warned him. "You know that's the only fresh water in all the world."

Raven knew it well; that was what he had come for. But he said, "Just a sip!" and drank until he staggered.

"Hold on there, Raven!" cried Ganook. "Are you trying to drink the well dry?"

PART 3

That was just what Raven was trying to do, but he passed it off lightly. He made himself comfortable close to the fire and said, "Ganook, let me tell you a story."

Then Raven started out on a long dull story about four dull brothers who went on a long dull journey. As he went along he made up dull things to add to it, and Ganook's eyelids drooped, and Raven spoke softly, and more and more slowly, and Ganook's chin dropped on his chest.

"So then," said Raven gently, with his eyes on Ganook, "on and on through the long gray valley through the soft gray fog went the four tall gray brothers. And now, snore!" And Ganook began to snore.

Quick as a thought, Raven darted to the spring and stuck his beak into the water. But no sooner had he lifted his head to swallow than Ganook started up with a terrible snort, and said, "Go on, go on, I'm listening! I'm not asleep." Then he shook his head and blinked his eyes and said, "Where are you, Raven? What are you doing?"

"Just walking around for exercise," Raven assured him, and back he went, and in a low, unchanging voice he went on with the dull story of the four brothers.

PART 4

No sooner had he started than Ganook began to nod, and his chin dropped down, and he jerked it back and opened his eyes and scowled at Raven, and nodded his head and said, "Go on! What next?" and his head dropped down upon his chest.

"So on and on," said Raven slowly, "over the hills, went the four tall gray brothers. The air was thick and gray around them. Fog was stealing softly over the mountains. Fog before them, fog behind them, soft, cloudy fog. And now, snore!" And Ganook began to snore.

Quietly Raven slipped to the spring, and, glub, glub, glub, he drank up the water until the pool was dry. But as he lifted his head for a last long gulp, Ganook leaped up and saw what he was doing.

"So, Raven!" shouted Ganook. "You think you can lull me to sleep and steal my water!"

He picked up his club and started to chase Raven round and round the fire. Raven would run a few steps and flap his big wings and rise a few inches off the floor. Then with a last tremendous flap he went sailing towards the open smoke hole.

But he had swallowed so much water that he stuck in the opening, and there he struggled, while Ganook shouted, "You squint-eyed Raven, I've got you now, Raven! You miserable thief!" And Ganook threw green alder logs on the fire and made a great smoke which came billowing up and almost choked Raven to death.

PART 5

Raven hung there, strangling and struggling, until at last he pulled free with a mighty wrench and went wobbling heavily across the sky. He was so heavy he flew in a crooked line, and as he flew he spurted little streams of water from his bill. These became rivers, first the Nass and the Sitka, then the Taku and the Iskut and the Stikine. Since Raven flew in a crooked line, all the rivers are crooked as snakes. Here and there he scattered single drops, and these became narrow creeks and salmon pools.

And so Raven brought fresh water to the people but he bore the mark of that smoke hole ever after. He had gone to Ganook as a great, white, snowy creature, but from that day on, Raven was black, as black as the endless sky of the endless night.

Activity:

  1. Join with other the other classmates who have your section of story. Read your section carefully, discuss any problems with your classmates, and then summarize your section in the correct space below in 1 or 2 sentences.
  1. Join with other classmates who have read the other parts of the story. Each student should their summary read out loud while the rest write in down in the correct space.
  1. What was this creation story about? ______
  1. Create a title for this Tlingit creation story:
  1. Using one or two key words, how would you describe the:
  2. Beringia Theory:
  1. Tlingit creation story:

Social Studies 9

Name:

Origins of the First People & Ways of Life

ACTIVITY: Spend 10 minutes reading and researching about a creation story from another First Nations clan or another culture in the world. Then share your story with a classmate and discuss both your creation stories. Fill in the below circles with the main ideas of each story and look for similarities and differences

Origins: There are many theories of how the first people came to Canada. Using page 6, compare and contrast the Beringia land theory, and the native theory of creation.

Compare
(Similarities) / Contrast
(Differences)

Ways of Life: Using the information on page 7 answer the following questions. (Circle: Same or Different)

Heterogeneous cultures same ORdifferent

Homogeneous cultures same OR different

Question Time: Scientists believe that Nomadic hunters followed animals across the land bridge into North America. What does nomadic mean?

Not Everyone Believes in the Beringia Theory...

First Nations Traditional History

  • Many First Nations groups believe that they were created in North America by their God, the Creator.
  • This belief has been passed from generation to generation via history stories.

Many Native groups use oral history. What does this mean?

Talk: How do scientists believe First Nations groups got to North America? What do many Natives believe? What do you believe?

What is a Nation?

A nation is a group of people who generally live in the same geographical area, speak the same language, have the same way of life (how do people get food and shelter?), and have the same system of decision making (government).

Using these criteria, decide if your country fits the definition of being a nation.

Example for Canada

Do the people in your country... / ...live in the same geographical area? / ...speak the same language? / ...have the same way of life? / ...have the same system of decision making?
Answer
Yes / Somewhat / No / Yes / No / Yes / Somewhat
Explain
Why did you answer “yes” “somewhat” or “no”? / For the most part, Canadians live in Canadian territory. / There are many languages in Canada, including English, French and Chinese. Some people cannot speak English at all. / For the most part, Canadians live in apartments or houses and buy their food from stores using money. / Most Canadians are part of the Canadian government, but some First Nations groups have been granted self government.

Your Turn Use your country of Origin or if you are from Canada choose a different Country.

Do the people in your country... / ...live in the same geographical area? / ...speak the same language? / ...have the same way of life? / ...have the same system of decision making?
Answer
Yes / Somewhat / No
Explain
Why did you answer “yes” “somewhat” or “no”?

Conclusion: Can your country be considered a nation?

Example for Canada:

Although Canada has many different languages, and some Canadians have their own government, I believe that Canada can still be considered a nation. This is because, for the most part, Canadians live in the same area and have the same way of life. Overall, there are more similarities than differences, thus Canada is a nation.

Your Country

Talk: What is a nation? Can your country be considered one?

“Are First Nations Peoples all the same?”.

  • Look at page 7 in your text book and answer the following questions.

Homogeneous Cultures

Homogeneous is a big, fancy word that means “the same”.

Homogeneous Category / Details
Family Relations and History
Spiritual Beliefs
Beliefs About Sharing
The Meaning of Wealth
Family Relations /
  • Matrilineal:
  • Patrilineal:

Heterogeneous Cultures

Heterogeneous is a big, fancy word for “different”.

Write down some examples of how Native Peoples were heterogeneous in the box below.

Geography /
  • .

Movement
Way of Life

Talk: Review some of the ways that native groups were both similar and different.

Social Studies 9