The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his069/btg0989a.lzh/BTG0989A.TXT

Text File | 1991-06-30 | 2KB | 33 lines

ICR:Did you know?...the Havasupai Indians believe in a "flood"

   The Havasupai Indians living in the Grand Canyon believe this
Canyon originated as a result of a flood?

   . . ."Before there were many people on earth there were two gods:
Tochapa of goodness, and Hokomata of evil. Tochapa had a daughter named
Pu-keh-eh, whom he hoped would become the mother of all living.
Hokomata, the evil, was determined that no such thing should take
place, and he covered the world with a great flood. Tochopa, the good,
felled a great tree and hollowed out the trunk. He placed Pu-keh-eh in
the hollowed trunk, and when the water rose and flooded the earth, she
was secure in her improvised boat.

   "Finally the flood waters receded and mountain peaks emerged. Rivers
were created; and one of them cut the great gushing fissure which
became the Grand Canyon.

   "Pu-keh-eh, in her log, came to rest on the new earth. She stepped
forth and beheld an empty world.

   "When the land became dry, a great golden sun rose in the east and
warmed the earth, and caused her to conceive. In time, she gave birth
to a male child. Later, a waterfall caused her to conceive, and she
gave birth to a girl. From the union of these two mortal children came
all the people on the earth. The first were the Havasupai, and the
voice of Tochopa spoke to them and told them to live forever in peace
in their canyon of good earth and pure water where there would always
be plenty for all...." This is, of course, a recognizable (albeit
distorted) version of the worldwide Flood of Noah's day. It adds more
evidence to support the fact that all peoples are descended from Noah
and have a common cultural background.