The Cahuilla Creation Story By Madeleine Foote

1. The Cahuilla Creation StoryByMadeleine Foote

2. Who were the Cahuilla? • Inhabitants of Southern California, living in what is now Riverside and San Bernardino counties. • Hunter-gatherers, whose main sources of food were acorns, small game, mesquite and screw beans, piñon nuts, and fleshy bulbs of various types of cacti. • Patrilineal organization

4. Facts about the myth • Epic style • Not a form of entertainment- a true story, part of religion • Told during funeral ceremonies • The creation stories of the Serrano, Luiseño, Cupeño, Ipai, and Tipai are all very similar to the Cahuilla creation story.

5. Basic outline of the story • Twin creator gods, Mukat and Temayawet. • Create the earth, ocean, sun, and people from red, black, white, and yellow clay. • Brothers argue over whether or not there will be death and sickness. • Temayawet leaves, causes mountains and earthquakes, and Mukat teaches his people to use arrows. • Souls of dead go into the earth. • People decide must kill Mukat. He eventually dies. • Coyote eats Mukat’s heart, and people have mourning ceremony for Mukat.

6. What does the story show about the Cahuilla? • Demonstrates that Cahuilla had a realistic view of the world. • There is a promise of an afterlife, devoid of pain and sickness. • There were no illusions about perfection, neither of people or of the religious authority. • Old age is very important, with elders having more knowledge, caution, and creative ability. • Places the universe in perspective and reaffirms the relationship of the Cahuilla individual and society to the sacred past, the present, to one another, and to all things. • Explains how the earth developed its present state, provides answers to the difficult “why” questions of life, and establishes laws and culture.

7. Interesting things to note • Tradition was very important to the Cahuilla, although it’s obvious that story has changed over time to incorporate changes around Cahuilla. Example: Inclusion of creation of different colored peoples to explain the new white people, (Europeans). • Explains why only Indians still know this story of creation. • Also outlines incest taboos, mourning ceremony, and origin of foods.

8. Role of Coyote • Was one of the first creatures created by the co-creators. Coyote means “quick and selfish.” • He’s very obedient, even staying by Mukat’s side while he is dying. • Coyote gains power by eating Mukat’s heart. • Helps people make effigy for Mukat. • Becomes an important leader to the people. • In the creation story, Coyote is helpful and resourceful but also tricky.

9. Where are the Cahuilla now?

10. Cahuilla: past, present, and future • Part of 10 reservations in Southern California, some of which have casinos and campgrounds. • Creation story reminds remaining Cahuilla of their identity, and outlines traditions and values that remain important to Cahuilla life. • “For thousands of years, knowledge given to us by the Creator, knowledge of the land, of relationships, and of the spirit world, has sustained our people. Knowledge of who we are keeps us connected to our past and sets the path for our future… It was the traditions passed to us from Mukat that formed our community. As times have changed, so have we, but these traditions continue to guide our people.”

11. Sources • Stories and Legends of the Palm Springs Indians. By Chief Francisco Patencio, told to Margaret Boynton. Los Angeles, CA: Times-Mirror, 1943 • Handbook of North American Indians. William C. Sturtevant, ed. Washington, D.C. : Smithsonian Institution, 1984 • Studies in Cahuilla Culture.Ethnography of the Cahuilla Indians, by A.L. Kroeber. The Cahuilla Indians, by Lucile Hooper. Banning, CA: Malki Museum Press, 1978 • Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indians: http://www.accmuseum.org/page9.html