The Salishan Indians of the Pacific Northwest have a creation myth about how sunlight came to be in the world, but the story also explains how the ant got it’s segmented body with the characteristic narrow waist, or petiole. The story tells about Ant Woman, who went to the creator to ask for light so that her people could see their enemy, the Bear, who came in the darkness to eat their children and destroy their homes. Ant woman pleaded for light and fasted for many days and many nights, standing up before the creator to synch her belt tighter and tighter around her waist, as she grew skinnier and skinnier. The Creator was so impressed with Ant Woman’s commitment to her people that she separated time into night and day, forever.
This story shows how the Salishan Indians observed the behavior of ants and incorporated it into their system of values and social structure. It is a story that teaches young people about how the needs of the community outweigh the needs of the individual. |