TURTLE ISLAND
"Turtle...Great Mother, feed my spirit,
clothe my heart, that I may serve you too."
[ Medicine Cards], © Jamie Sams and David Carson
In Native American teachings, TURTLE is the oldest symbol for Mother Earth and the name [ Turtle Island] refers to the concept that she bears the entire earth on her back. Her carapace features thirteen plates, each of which represent one of thirteen moons that make up an entire year. Turtles are an ancient vertebrate animal, living on Earth for 175,000,000 years. Huge [ sea turtles] populated the ancient sea which covered South Dakota millions of years ago.
[ Hopi] prophecy contends the first brother and sister human beings returning to them would come as turtles across the land. The time came for the Hopis to welcome the turtles early one morning at sunrise and across the desert and they saw the [ Spanish Conquistadors] advancing, covered in armour, like turtles across the land. The Hopis extended their hands in greeting; into their hands the Spanish dropped trinkets. Word quickly spread through North America that hard times were on the horizon. Obviously, some brothers and sisters had forgotten the sacredness of all things living and and it was prophecized this transgression would result in global suffering for all human beings. LOOK'S LIKE THEY GOT THAT RIGHT!
Three of nine [ Mohawk] [ chiefs] (Between Two Worlds, He Combs His Hair, and Words of Equal Height) are of the [ Turtle Clan]. Presently, [ Mohawk artists] are inspired by the culture and traditions of their past, the Turtle being an integral element. TOO BAD WE'VE PRETTY MUCH [ ANNIHILATED] THE REAL THING!
