The Indians respect for nature reflected the long-held customs and beliefs of their culture, whereas the Europeans viewed nature as an obstacle to their desires. The religious beliefs were diverse among several Native American tribes but all had faith in the Great Spirit who provided everything for them. The Europeans demeanor towards nature conflicted with that of the Native Americans. The Europeans seemed determined to eradicate not only the indigenous people but the land they occupied as well. For both societies, the impact of two worlds questioned old concepts and designed new ones. In the early years, Native Americans did not have scientific explanations to explain natural phenomenon so they developed myths and legends that are known as "Oral Traditions". Their legends/myths reveal their faith in Nature and their bond to it. Various tribes had their own versions of how the earth started such as The Iroquois Creation Story by the Iroquois tribe. In spite of the tragic events that took place after the Europeans entered, their pride for their heritage and love for nature still remained. …show more content…
The Iroquois, for example, considered animals as acquiring human-like traits which to them seemed essential to the creation of human race. The creation story illustrates this by stating, "The woman was yet descending from a great distance. The turtle executes upon a spot, and a small quantity of earth was varnished on the back of the turtle. The woman alights on the seat prepared, and she receives a satisfaction"(p32-33). The texts explain how without the assistance of the animal, Earth’s creation would not have