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According to this tradition, the current world is actually the third attempt at creation. The destroyed the first world with fire because the people were bad, and the second with a massive flood for the same reason.

As the floodwaters of the second world receded, the Creating Power used a to bring up mud from the depths to form the "Turtle Continent" (North America). He then stamped on the earth, bringing new shapes to life, each taking the color of the soil from which they were made. He gave these new beings understanding, speech, and tribes. 2279.jpg

To symbolize that a great flood would never happen again, he placed a in the sky as a permanent sign of peace. However, he left the people with a warning: if they failed to live in harmony with one another and the natural world, he would destroy this third world as well. Other Potential Meanings According to this tradition, the current world is