Daily Meditation for February 1, 2022

Different cultures have different creation stories, or different flood stories. The peoples of native nations have their own creation stories, and one such group is the White Earth nation of the Mississippi Band of Chippewa Indians, located in north-central Minnesota. Although the White Earth Chippewa no longer live as their ancestors did, they have kept alive their tribal stories, one of which is the creation story. It is as follows: “The Great Spirit created light, water, land, trees, vegetation and animals. Then the Great Spirit spoke with all of creation about humans who are the least self-sufficient to ask if they would give of themselves so humans could survive: hides for clothing; food and vegetation so humans could survive. They said ‘yes’ so, the Great Spirit created humans who depend on the sacrifices of animals, water, land, trees and vegetation.”

By Josue Behnen, OSB