🌎 The Cheyenne Creation Story

Long ago, before the world as we know it existed, there was only the great sky above and a vast, dark, endless water below. Nothing yet lived—no animals, no trees, no people. All was quiet except for the presence of Maheo, the All-Spirit, the Creator.

Maheo was powerful but humble. He lived in the blue sky and had only four sacred powers. With these, he could create water, light, air, and the spirit of life. Maheo saw the water stretching out forever and thought, “I will make the world.”

So Maheo began by creating the water. Then, he created a saltwater lake, teeming with fish and swimming creatures. “They must have something to breathe,” he thought, so he created air and light to warm and nourish them. The fish were thankful, for now they could live and move and see.

But Maheo felt something was missing. “They need a place to rest, a place to grow.” So he called upon the animals. First came the coot, a humble water bird. Maheo asked the coot to dive into the deep and bring up some mud from the bottom of the waters. The coot dove and dove, but the water was deep, and the mud hard to reach.

Others tried: the loon, the otter, and even the beaver, but none could reach the mud. Finally, a small turtle volunteered. She was quiet and slow, but determined. Down she went, deeper than all the rest, and finally returned with a bit of mud in her claws.

Maheo smiled. From that sacred mud, he began to shape the land. He placed the mud on the back of the turtle, who agreed to carry it and let it grow. The land spread and hardened, becoming wide and strong. In this way, Turtle Island—the Earth—was formed.

Then Maheo created the four sacred directions, and from the land came trees, grasses, and flowers. He gave life to animals that walked on four legs, and birds that flew in the sky. He breathed into all of them a part of his spirit.

Last of all, Maheo created people, from his own breath and the dust of the earth. He gave them not only life, but understanding and respect for all that lived. He told them, “You are part of this world, not above it. You must live in balance with the animals, the plants, the water, and the air. All is sacred.”

And so the Cheyenne people came to be, with Maheo as their guiding spirit, and Turtle as the bearer of the world beneath their feet.

Cultural Note:

This story teaches humility, respect for nature, and the importance of cooperation—values deeply held in Cheyenne tradition. The turtle is honored for her persistence, not her strength, reminding us that even the smallest among us can carry great responsibility.

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