Tokpela: The First World

- The Spider Woman and the Twins
Sótuknang went to that which was to contain Tokpela, the First World,
and out of it he created her who was to remain on the earth as his
helper. Her name was Kótyangwúti, the Spider Woman.
When she awoke to life and received her name, she asked, "Why am I
here?"
"Look around you," answered Sótuknang. "Here is the earth that we
have created. It has shape and substance, direction and time, a
beginning and an end. But there is no life upon it. We see no joyful
movement. We hear no joyful sound. What is life without sound and
movement? So you have been given the power to help us create this
life. You have been given the knowledge, the wisdom, and the love to
bless all the beings you create. That is why you are here."
Following his instructions, Kótyangwúti took some earth and mixed it
with some túchvala (liquid from the mouth or saliva) and molded it
into two beings. Then she covered them with a cape made of a white
substance which was the creative wisdom itself, and she sang the
creation song over them.
When she uncovered them, the two beings, twins, sat up and
asked, "Who are we? Why are we here?"
To the one on the right, Spider Woman said, "You are Pöqánghoya. You
are here to help keep this world in order when when life is put upon
it. Go now around all the world and put your hands upon the earth so
that it will become solidified. This is you duty."
To the one on the left, Spider Woman said, "You are Palöngawhoya. You
are here to help keep this world in order when life is put upon it.
This is your duty now: go about all the world and send out sound so
that it may be heard throughout all of the land. When this is heard
you will also be known as 'Echo,' for all sound echoes the Creator."
Pöqánghoya, traveling throughout the earth, solidified the higher
reaches into great mountains. The lower reaches he made firm, but
still pliable enough to be used by those beings to be placed upon it
and who would call it their mother.
Palöngawhoya, traveling throughout all of the earth, sounded out his
call as he was told to do. All of the vibration centers along the
earth's axis from pole to pole resounded his call; the whole earth
trembled, and the universe quivered in tune. Thus he made the whole
world an instrument of sound, and sound is an instrument for carrying
messages, resounding praise to the Creator of all.
"This is your voice, Uncle," Sótuknang said to Taiowa. "Everything is
tuned to your sound.
"It is very good," said Taiowa.
Once they had finished their duties, Pöqánghoya was sent to the north
pole of the world's axis, and Palöngawhoya to the south pole, where
they were jointly commanded to keep the world properly rotating.
Pöqánghoya was also given the power to keep the earth in a stable
form of solidness. Palöngawhoya was given the power to keep the air
in gentle ordered movement, and told to send out his call for good or
for warning through the vibratory centers of the earth.
"These will be your duties in time to come," said Spider Woman.
She then created from the earth the trees, bushes, flowers, and other
plants. She created all kinds of seed-bearers and nut-bearers to
clothe the earth, giving to each a life and a name. In the same
manner, she created all kinds of birds and animals, molding them out
of earth and covering each with her white-substance cape of wisdom,
and singing over them.
Some she placed to the right, some to the left, and others she placed
before her and in back of her, indicating how they should spread to
all four corners of the world to live.
Sótuknang was happy, seeing how beautiful it all was: the land, the
plants, the birds and the animals, and the power working through
them all. Joyfully he said to Taiowa, "Come see what our world looks
like
now!"
"It is very good," said Taiowa. "It is now ready for human life, the
final touch to complete my plan."