By Larry E. Heck
photographer: Larry E. Heck
I am Tawa. I am light. I am life. I am father of all that will come."The Anasazi Indians, also referred to as the "Ancient Ones," make up one of this country's greatest unsolved mysteries. Where did they come from and where did they go? How does an entire civilization simply vanish without a trace? An even more perplexing mystery is: Why? Why did an entire civilization simply vanish without a trace?
Among Indian tribes, there are numerous creation legends. These stories that are passed down from generation to generation attempt to explain the origin of Earth and the life it supports. Such legends can be found in abundance with simple Internet searches.
The following version of the narrative contains a little bit of several different versions while maintaining the overall structure as passed down to the Hopi Indians by the Ancient Ones.
Moving a fallen tree to open the road.
Creation LegendAll the mysteries and powers of the Above belonged to Tawa, referred to in all time as the Sun God. The magic of the Below was controlled by Spider Woman, referred to in all time as the Earth Goddess. There was only the Above and the Below without space or time. There was not Earth, not people, not man nor beast.
There came a time when Tawa and Spider Woman joined together in the Below and shared one thought to create the Earth and place it between the Above and the Below. And so they sat side by side, swaying their beautiful bodies and using the sound of their own voices to form the first magic song of rushing winds and flowing waters. It was a song of light and life.
Within the wind could be heard the sound of Tawa's voice singing, "I am Tawa. I am light. I am life. I am father of all that will come."
The route into the Manti-La Sal National Forest.
His song was followed by that of Spider Woman as her voice carried in the wind. "I receive the light of Tawa. I nourish life. I am mother of all that will come."
Tawa continued with thoughts that the Earth will have many kinds of birds that sail in the skies above, beasts that roam the lands, and fish that swim the waters.
Spider Woman chanted, "Let the thoughts of Tawa come to be."
Her long slender fingers picked up clay and the thoughts of Tawa began to take form. But they neither moved nor breathed.
Elk on the road.
Tawa looked down on Spider Woman's lifeless creations and decided it was not good for them to simply lie still. "We must join together, my beloved. We must make a mighty magic to create spirits for all that will live on Earth."
Using a magic blanket made of woven woolen fleece as light as a cloud, they covered Spider Woman's creations and joined in a mighty chant. The forms began to breathe and stir beneath the blanket and all of them took on life with their new spirits.
Tawa was pleased. "Now my beloved, we make those in our own image to rule over these lesser creatures."