Choctaw Creation Myths

Braysen Davis

Crews

REL-2300-70B

04/29/24

Choctaw Origin Myth

Creation myths offer captivating narratives about the origins of the world, providing insights into the beliefs and values of various cultures. Among these, the Choctaw creation myth stands out as a vivid portrayal of the emergence creation type, where humanity emerges from the depths of the Earth into the light of existence. It starts with a sun god named Hashtahli, also known as the Sun Father, who looks down on the world and sees it as empty. Then, the deep waters part, and from under the Earth comes the Okla, the chosen people of Hashtahli. This marks the beginning of their journey and their destiny. In the story, there's a man named Hatakni, the first person to be born. …show more content…
When he grabs the stick, all his cuts and bruises are healed. Hashtahli told him, "If you will be my voice you will leap from this spire" and without question the man jumps off still holding the stick (Sacred Stick). Instead of falling down, he slowly drifts down to the beach. The sun father speaks and names the brave man Hatakni which means "first born man.” Hashtahli addresses Hatakni, "as the sacred stick holder you shall lead the people to the special land I have prepared for you." He informs him that it will be a hard journey with pain and death and hunger, but that the test is necessary for the chosen people, telling him to trust the signals given through the stick to guide them. He also lays out that there are enough provisions to gather up for three days to prepare for the journey and that each person shall help with men being the meat providers and women as the family sustainer. Hashtahli tells Hakatni to choose two chiefs to be the people's leaders, one to march forward and find a way and another to march with the people. Hashtahli says he's hidden his symbol on the beach as a sign of his eternal promise and if Hatakni needs to contact him again he needs to find a place away from the eyes of the people and raise his arms in the air and call his name (Sacred Stick). With this revelation, Hatakni returns to the Okla on the …show more content…
The light at [...] emergence is the symbol of the sun, which is the male ordering principle, but the basic formation of humans has taken place within the bowels of the earth. (“Cosmogony”).

The humans in the Choctaw myth emerge from the primordial waters fully formed and have to dry out under the warmth of the sun before they can function. When the people emerge, though, they are not fully mature and have to be guided by Hashtahli the Sun Father through Hatakni and the sacred stick. Britannica touches on this, stating, “the created order emerges gradually in continuous stages. It is similar to a birth or metamorphosis of the world from its embryonic state to maturity” (“Creation Myth”).

In conclusion, the Choctaw creation myth offers insight into the beliefs and origins of the Choctaw people. It's a story about humanity emerging from the depths of the Earth and finding their place in the world. Through the guidance of Hashtahli the Sun Father, Hatakni is able to foster the Okla and appoint the twins Chahta and Chicksa, as the first chiefs to lead the people to Nanih Waiya, their promised land. This myth not only chronicles the origins of the Choctaw people, but also showcases their deep-rooted connection to the land, their heritage, and spiritual

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