Made in Turtle Island

Many cultures around the world have stories about a great flood. In Anishinaabe culture, it is believed that the muskrat gave his life to save humans and other animals from a great flood. One by one, each animal tried to swim to the bottom of the water and bring back some earth. None were successful until the tiny muskrat — who none of the other animals believed in — returned to the surface with a small pawful of dirt. The muskrat didn't survive, but the earth he collected was placed on the turtle's back. The winds blew from the Four Directions, expanding the earth until it became Turtle Island, or North America. Together, the muskrat and the turtle helped save the rest of Creation.