Zuni Creation Myth
The Zuni are a Pueblo people that reside in New Mexico. Their religion continues to be integrated into their daily life and their respect for their ancestors, nature and animals. They have been persecuted for their religion and therefore remain very private about their beliefs.
In the beginning the people of the world lived crowded together in a place of total darkness deep down in the earth in the fourth world. The daylight world had streams and hills, but there were no humans there to offer prayer sticks to Awonawilona, the Sun and creator. He called two of his sons to lead the people to the daylight world. His sons, who had human features, descended down through the first, second and third worlds to get to the fourth world.
Upon arriving the humans called them their bow priests and told them they were eager to leave. Before leaving the sons planted four seeds, a pine, spruce, silver spruce and aspen. The brothers created prayer sticks from the branch of each tree. The pine prayer stick was planted and grew all the way to the third world. The son and humans then climbed the tree to get to the third world. They traveled to the second world by planting the spruce prayer stick, and to the first world by planting the silver spruce prayer stick. At the first world the last stick was planted and the humans emerged in the daylight world.
In the light of day, the sons realized that the humans were covered in filth and green slime, with webbed feet, horns, and tails. When the two sons grew corn to feed the humans they realized they had no mouths and therefore cut slits in their faces for mouths. Soon after they realized the humans had no anuses either, so holes were cut again. Then the sons cut the webbing of their feet and removed their horns and tails until they appeared as humans are known today.