A catastrophic flood engulfed the earth, forcing survivors onto rafts and canoes. Amidst darkness and fierce winds, they were scattered to distant lands. As the waters receded, these groups settled wherever they landed, leading to the formation of diverse populations. Over time, isolated communities developed distinct languages and cultures, explaining the world’s multitude of tribes and tongues.
Source:
Kaska Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.30, No.118, pp. 427-473
October-December, 1917
► Themes of the story
Creation: The story explains the origin of the world’s current state, particularly the diversity of human cultures and languages, following a primordial event.
Origin of Things: It provides an explanation for natural phenomena, specifically the existence of multiple languages and the geographical distribution of peoples.
Cosmic Order and Chaos: The narrative depicts a transition from a unified, orderly world to one characterized by chaos (the flood) and subsequently a new order with separated cultures.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Kaska people
Once there came a great flood which covered the earth. Most of the people made rafts, and some escaped in canoes. Great darkness came on, and high winds which drove the vessels hither and thither. The people became separated. Some were driven far away. When the flood subsided, people landed wherever they found the nearest land. When the earth became dry, they lived in the places near where they had landed. People were now widely scattered over the world. They did not know where other people lived, and probably thought themselves the only survivors. Long afterwards, when in their wanderings they met people from another place, they spoke different languages, and could not understand one another.
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This is why there are now many different centres of population, many tribes, and many languages. Before the flood, there was but one centre; for all the people lived together in one country, and spoke one language.
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