The Walum Olum and the Navajo Origin Essay Example

how could they be the first man and woman when there were people at the beggining? Maybe it's not supposed to make sense.

The Walum Olum and the Navajo Origin Legend are both myths that explain the creation of the Earth and the first people. The Walum Olum is the creation legend of the Deleware, a Native American people living in the northeastern United States. The Walum Olum describes the creation of the earth by the Manito, who seems to be a benevolent god in the story. A manito is actually the Deleware term for each creature's power by which it maintains itself and effects others. In the Walum Olum, this positive power created the Earth and the first man and woman.

However, a egitive form of this power also created everything bad in the world, like diasese and hatred. This part of the legend does not concur, however, with other traditional forms of Native American creation theroy. Usually, evil is brought into the world in these legends through an accident or some sort of misunderstanding("Lenni"). This brings up one of the major contoversies surrounding the Walum Olum, its authenticity. Many people suspect that the legend was simply made up by the man who discovered it.

There is no actual proof that exists that states, without a doubt, hat the Walum Olum is true, However, we do know that the Navajo Origin Legend is authentic. The Navajo Origin Legend is the true basis of Navajo Origin Creation theroy, and it coinsides with thier culture. The theroy explains mainly how the first husband and wife came to be on Earth, and how humans and gods alike

created them. What is most interesting about the story is the use of color imagery, such ans white cornmeal and black body. When reading the myth, you can get a very clear visual inside your head, unlike with the Walum Olum, where imagery is not so clear.