Aboriginal Creation Aboriginal Creation StoriesStories

Mi’kmaq Studies 10Mi’kmaq Studies 10Ms. StewartMs. Stewart

What are Creation Stories?What are Creation Stories?

Creation stories Creation stories bear witness to how bear witness to how women and men were created and women and men were created and populated the land. populated the land.

These stories vary among First These stories vary among First Nations, but all maintain that life Nations, but all maintain that life began on the North American began on the North American continent. continent.

Aboriginal Creation StoriesAboriginal Creation Stories

For some aboriginal peoples, humans For some aboriginal peoples, humans are at one with nature or Creation. are at one with nature or Creation. They are not separate from it and do They are not separate from it and do not have a special or dominant place not have a special or dominant place in it.in it.

Many aboriginal creation stories Many aboriginal creation stories reflect this relationship between reflect this relationship between humans and the natural world.humans and the natural world.

Aboriginal Creation StoriesAboriginal Creation Stories

In many creation stories, animals In many creation stories, animals cooperate in the creation of the world cooperate in the creation of the world and the first peoples. and the first peoples.

An important figure in Mi’kmaq An important figure in Mi’kmaq spirituality is Glooscap, who is spirituality is Glooscap, who is believed to have made the world believed to have made the world habitable for human beings.habitable for human beings.

Who is Glooscap?Who is Glooscap? Glooscap is a divine but human-like Glooscap is a divine but human-like

figure who gives shape and order to figure who gives shape and order to the worldthe world

Glooscap is believed to have created Glooscap is believed to have created and arranged the landforms of the and arranged the landforms of the Earth, given the animals their present Earth, given the animals their present characteristics and eliminated characteristics and eliminated monsters from the Earth.monsters from the Earth.

Glooscap as TeacherGlooscap as Teacher Glooscap made the Maritimes a fit Glooscap made the Maritimes a fit

place to live by being a teacher and place to live by being a teacher and giving the Mi’kmaq people practical giving the Mi’kmaq people practical knowledge.knowledge.

He taught the people how to hunt and He taught the people how to hunt and fish, how to make tools like bows and fish, how to make tools like bows and canoes and how to find their way canoes and how to find their way around.around.

Glooscap as TeacherGlooscap as Teacher In short, Glooscap taught people how In short, Glooscap taught people how

to survive on the land he had prepared to survive on the land he had prepared for them.for them.