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TURTLE LEGENDS: PAST & FUTURE?

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The earth, some legends say, is borne on the back of a giant turtle. Throughout history, turtles have been revered in art, mythology, and customs of diverse cultures around the world. creation myths of ancient India, the creator... See more » The earth, some legends say, is borne on the back of a giant turtle. Throughout history, turtles have been revered in art, mythology, and customs of diverse cultures around the world. creation myths of ancient India, the creator of the world took the form of a turtle in order to hold up the land. According to Hindu lore, the world is a sphere that rests on the backs of four elephants standing on the carapace of a giant turtle. The sacred mountain of Horai, home to immortal beings, was carried on the back of a tortoise in Japanese legend (Alderton 1988). Chinese legend explained that the patterns found on tortoise shells were instructions for irrigation and agriculture etched onto the scutes by the creator of the world (Rudloe 1979). the Western hemisphere, too, creation stories of several Indian tribes maintain that the world was created on the back of a turtle. From the Seri Indians of the Gulf of California: in the beginning there was only darkness and deep sea. From tidal waves and turbulence, one day, a giant leatherback turtle arose from the bottom of the ocean. On her back grew plants, then animals, then finally the first Seri people (Rudloe 1979). following creation story, entitled "The Earth on Turtle's Back" comes from the Onondago Indians of the Northeast Woodlands. I've summarized it from Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac (Fulcrum, Inc., Golden Colorado 1989). * Before the earth was created, a vast expanse of water existed where many birds and animals lived and swam. In the Skyland above the waters, where the ancient Chief and his people lived, grew the Great Tree that bore fruits and flowers of all types. * One night, the pregnant young wife of the ancient Chief dreamed that the Great Tree had been uprooted. Upon hearing her dream, the Chief declared that such a powerful dream needed to be fulfilled. He and his warriors pulled at the Great Tree until it was uprooted, leaving a large hole where its roots once stood. The curious young wife leaned over the hole, grabbing the tree for support, but she lost her balance and tumbled into the hole, holding only a handful of seeds. * The birds and animals of the waters saw her fall and rushed to her aid, for they saw that she could not live in the waters. Two swans held her with their strong wings, while the other animals tried to dive deep down into the waters to bring up Earth for her to stand on. One by one, the animals failed to reach the bottom and grasp Earth. Finally, tiny muskrat succeeded, clutching Earth in her right paw. * "Put Earth on my back," suggested Great Turtle. When muskrat placed the tiny bit of Earth on Great Turtle's shell, the Earth expanded until it became the whole world. The swans placed Skywoman on the new Earth. She released the seeds onto the bare ground. * "From those seeds the trees and grasses sprang up. Life on Earth had begun." (Caduto and Bruchac 1989). easy to understand human fascination with turtles. Compared to other vertebrates that have skeletons within skin or scales or feathers or fur, turtles -- with their backbones fused to hard shells -- look ancient and solid and invincible. Ancient they are, with origins dating back approximately 200 million years, early in the Mesozoic Era. Hardly. Of the more than 240 species of turtles worldwide, 131 are listed as threatened on the 2000 IUCN [The World Conservation Union] Red List. While we were putting this issue of "Conservation Perspectives" together, Don Lewis, of Cape Cod Consultants (turtle photographer par excellence) sent in excerpts of an alarming news release from the Center for Marine Conservation, dated September 28, 2000. Here are some of the details: Sept. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The global extinction crisis is as bad or worse than believed, with dramatic declines in populations of many species according to the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, released today, the most authoritative and comprehensive status assessment of global biodiversity. the last assessment was See less »

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animals, myth/legend/folklore, reptile, turtle

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TURTLE LEGENDS: PAST & FUTURE?

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