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22 1 The Creation Story The Sky World and the First Cosmological Beings A long time before the world on the back of a turtle came into existence there was another world that preceded it, existing in the firmament in the sky situated on a celestial plane above the Earth. It was inhabited by a group of beings whose numbers were few and who were becoming destitute of the light-giving energies called orenta.1 To exist in safety, these beings required this light-giving force to protect them from the malevolent forces that surrounded them. In times past, their world had been in a state of balance between the light-giving orenta and the freezing dark energy known as otkon.2 Recently, the balance had shifted toward the otkon energy, and the people were becoming fearful. The light of their world was dimming, and there was little orenta left to protect them from the forces that could be used against them by those who chose to do so. If it continued, as was now occurring, the light would go out in the Sky World, and only darkness and cold would remain. An Elder of the people named Akatuni:heno, the Ancient Uncle, knew that there was a way that the balance could be restored. He knew that there was a way of getting the orenta energies of the universe to help protect them and bring back the light into the world that was slowly disappearing . To do this, the people would have to find a young person pure of heart who had never had a child. The Ancient Uncle knew that children were brought into the world in a state of purity, and, by the time they reached the age of puberty, their light energies were at their peak. This is because children had not yet been released into the world. Those who had a child had given up part of their energy during the procreative The Creation StoryRotinonshonni (Great Way of Peace) | 23 process, which weakened their light-giving energy. Children could also bring brightness to the world, as they had yet to be corrupted by the vices that had plagued the older members of the society. Most notable were children born with a caul over their face, which means they were born still swimming in the waters of the womb. These children were believed to have special gifts, for they had been born by way of the Sky World and not through a physical act.3 During the time of puberty, children would be placed in seclusion for a period of time in which their own light energies could become focused. By doing this, they would be able to acquire the orenta that was beneficial to all the other beings in the Sky World. It would be up to the community to make sure that the youth had the proper upbringing so that the power that they received would be properly channeled. When youth were put into seclusion, it was referred to as being hidden under the husk, in reference to the protective husk surrounding the fresh corncob.4 During this time the children would be protected. Once there, the youth would learn proper conduct to prepare them for adulthood and in this way there would be no misuse of the powers that existed within these energies . These powerful energies put under the control of someone with the wrong moral upbringing could bring darkness to the Sky World. There were some children who were more gifted than others. These special children could learn to tap into the light-giving forces of the universe, and, if they weren’t taught the proper conduct, they could end up dimming the inner light that existed in other beings, as well as the outer light of the Sky World. The result of that would mean the end of the Sky World. Akatuni:heno was also the uncle of his sister’s two children, one a boy and the other a girl. As was the custom in the villages of the Sky World, the first brother of his sister’s children was always considered the adviser in the upbringing of her children.5 Akatuni:heno knew that his sister’s children were gifted as they had been born with a caul. They were now at the age where they could be put into seclusion. It would be up to him to tell the two children that they would have to be concealed...

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