The Creation Story - National Indigenous History Month

Summary

In this video, Taylor from the Toronto Zoo welcomes viewers in honor of National Indigenous Peoples Month. Taylor acknowledges the traditional lands of the Indigenous peoples in Toronto, including the Mississaugas of the Credit and other nations. The video then shares the Anishinaabe creation story, where a great flood wipes out the people, except for Nana Bozo and the surviving water and flying creatures. Through the brave efforts of a muskrat, land is retrieved from the depths, and the turtle carries this land on its back, creating Turtle Island, now known as North America.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Toronto Zoo emphasizes its mission of connecting people, animals, and conservation science to fight extinction.
• 🗺️ The speaker acknowledges that they are on the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishinaabe, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat peoples.
• 🤝 Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Williams Treaty with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
• 📜 The speaker shares the Anishinaabe creation story, which begins with people living negatively, prompting a great flood by the Great Spirit.
• 🦅 The only survivors of the flood were Nana Bozo and the flying and water creatures, like the loon and otter.
• 🐦 Nana Bozo and the animals tried to find land by diving into the water, but they could not reach the bottom.
• 🐹 The muskrat, though underestimated, bravely dove and sacrificed itself, returning with soil from the bottom.
• 🐢 The turtle then offered its back to host the mud, symbolizing the creation of North America, or Turtle Island.
• 🌬️ The four wind directions blew the soil across the land, forming what is known as North America or 'Mishiki Minzy' in the Anishinaabe language.
• 🌳 The story connects deeply with the land the speaker stands on, known as Turtle Island, a reflection of the Anishinaabe people's worldview and cultural heritage.

Q & A

What is the mission of the Toronto Zoo?

The mission of the Toronto Zoo is connecting people, animals, and conservation science to fight extinction.

What traditional nations are acknowledged as the original inhabitants of the land where the Toronto Zoo is located?

The land is acknowledged as the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples.

What treaties cover the land where Toronto is located?

Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Williams Treaty, signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.

What story is shared during the event, and which culture does it come from?

The story shared is the Anishinaabe creation story, which is part of the cultural heritage of the Anishinaabe people.

What was the reason for the great flood in the Anishinaabe creation story?

The great flood occurred because the Anishinaabe people were living in a negative way, filled with hate, disrespect, shame, and fear.

Who survived the great flood according to the Anishinaabe creation story?

Nana Bozo, along with the flying and water creatures of the earth, survived the great flood.

What role did the muskrat play in the Anishinaabe creation story?

The muskrat, despite being underestimated, dived to the bottom of the water and brought back soil, sacrificing its life in the process.

How was the land formed in the Anishinaabe creation story?

After the muskrat brought soil from the bottom of the water, Nana Bozo placed it on the back of the turtle, and the winds spread it to form what is now known as North America, or 'Mishiki Minzy' in Anishinaabe language.

What does the term 'Mishiki Minzy' refer to in the Anishinaabe language?

'Mishiki Minzy' refers to Turtle Island, which is the Anishinaabe term for North America.

What is the significance of the turtle in the Anishinaabe creation story?

The turtle volunteered to host the soil on its back, symbolizing strength and sacrifice, and played a key role in the formation of the land, which is known as Turtle Island.