The legend of Mackinac Island
Long before Mackinac Island became a tourist hotspot or even a major hub for the fur trade, it was home to the native peoples of the northern region of the Midwest. Those indigenous to the island, mostly Odawa and Ojibway Amerindians, felt the island had a deep connection to the painted turtles that were also native to this region. From this connection arose a creation myth uniquely associated with the island. The name of the island itself even refers to this legend. "Michilimackinac," as it was called before the name was shortened, means "great turtle". The legend says the native people were watching the sunrise from the mainland and saw the island surface from beneath the water. Due to the topography, the island resembled a turtle and thus the name was born (The Standard Guide). Other variations of the myth describe a legitimate giant turtle whose final resting place led to the formation of the island. This version of the myth is presented in the children's book The Legend of Mackinac Island by Kathy-jo Wargin.
While modern science tells us a giant turtle creating an island might not be factually sound, the Ottawa and Ojibway peoples were not alone in the creation of great creation mythologies. An indigenous tribe from Australia an equally fantastic self denoted history which they call "The Myth of the Great Father." The cultural groups living in the Great Lakes region coexisted until the arrival of a new people, new culture, and new societal norms driving forth into the next era of island history. |