Part 3 of the Anishinaabe Creation Story – told by language teacher Kenny Pheasant.
TRANSCRIPT:
They went on to say that by this time there were many people here raising families.
Nanabozho had his own family, but some did not follow their cultural traditions.
They were fighting amongst themselves. So, then much snow and rain came on mother earth.
There was a great flood to cleanse mother earth, Giimooshkan.
After many days Nanabozho gathered some animals and birds together.
He told them that we must get a piece of mother earth, Shkakaamik kwe from the bottom.
I will ask our creator to give us our earth back, so animals and birds gather around.
The loon Maang tried because he could stay underwater for a long time, he could not.
The beaver, Amik and the otter, Nigik tried and could not. Then Nanabozho heard a voice.
The animal was the muskrat Zhaashkonh and he said the he would go so he went.
He was gone a long time then Nanabozho saw his little body float to the top.
Then Nanabozho open his paw and there was a little bit of mother earth Skakaamik kwe.
Nanabozho took the earth and put it on the turtles back and ask the winds from the four directions, so the four winds came and blew on the turtles back the Mishiikenh and that is how Turtle Island came back to us.