HOUSE OF THE TURTLE/ the Creator Spirit in his transcendental play/ California Maidu and East Indian Legends

                                                House of the Turtle

                                                1976
                                                by Eric Whollem
                                                ash paint, polyvinyl resin, bronze powder, acrylic,
                                                       watercolor and wax medium on paper
                                                Collection of the artist.
                                                8.5" x 11"
                                                  Copyright by the artist.

The Turtle, the World Maker

In the legends of the Maidu Indians of California, the world
was created by a trio of beings on a raft in a great ocean.
The raft was tied by ropes to the four corners of the earth.

Beside Turtle, whose name is Ultrama, was Earth Initiate,
called Wonomi, and also Coyote, called Henokano.

Ultrama dove into the ocean and brought up mud from the
bottom. This became the first land.

See my posts about the Maidu Indians on this link:
http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/maidu%20indians


Cross-Cultural Legends of the Turtle

In India a Turtle is a creator spirit. The first incarnation of
Vishnu, the Preserver, was Kurma, the Tortoise. Magical
golden turtles also are featured in Tibetan mythology.

In my fanciful painting, the Turtle is builing houses to shelter
the humans that appeared in the beginnings.

*

Abstract art, mixed media painting, Indian lore, Kurma the Tortoise, Ultrama, early works, Maidu Indians.