Happy World Turtle Day Blurtters …
World Turtle Day is One of our biggest Holidays here in Canada.
In Canada we are taught that the whole world was built on the back of a Turtle.
It is in our Creation stories and Traditional songs of Life and Celebration.
My Song Selection for World Turtle Day:
Origin and Definition
Turtle Island is the name many Algonquian- and Iroquoian-speaking peoples mainly in the northeastern part of North America use to refer to the continent. In various Indigenous origin stories, the turtle is said to support the world, and is an icon of life itself. Turtle Island therefore speaks to various spiritual beliefs about creation and for some, the turtle is a marker of identity, culture, autonomy and a deeply-held respect for the environment.
Story of Turtle Island
The story of Turtle Island varies among Indigenous communities, but by most accounts, it acts as a creation story that places emphasis on the turtle as a symbol of life and earth.
In the Ojibwe oral traditions, the story of Turtle Island begins with a flooded Earth.
The Creator had cleansed the world of feuding peoples in order to begin life anew. Some animals survived the flood, such as the loon, the muskrat and the turtle. Nanabush (Nanabozo) (or Weesakayjack in some Cree tales) — a supernatural being who has the power to create life in others — was also present. Nanabush asked the animals to swim deep beneath the water and collect soil that would be used to recreate the world. One by one the animals tried, but one by one they failed. The last animal that tried — the muskrat — was underwater for a long time, and when it resurfaced, the little animal had wet soil in its paws. The journey took the muskrat’s life, but the creature did not die in vain. Nanabush took the soil and put it on a willing turtle’s back. This became known as Turtle Island, the centre of creation.
Source: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/turtle-island
Turtles and tortoises are common sightings in parables, stories, and pop culture and we celebrate World Turtle Day on May 23 to honor these resilient animals.
Turtles and tortoises are associated with wisdom and perseverance. They are reptiles that are found in many environments all around the world. These creatures play an important role in their respective ecosystems. They dig holes that are inhabited by other creatures and keep our beaches clean by feeding on dead fish that wash up on the shores. They maintain an ecological balance and, therefore, it’s important to conserve these gentle animals