Ever Heard Of Turtle Island?

Heading over to beautiful Borneo is a dream come true for many and it’s always smart to stop over at Pulau Selingan for a little bit. It is located along the Eastern side of Borneo and is a breathtaking part of the region. It is one of the three islands located in the area and offers access to the Hawksbill Turtle Conservation where turtles are seen across the area with their hatchlings.

This is one of those locations that is remembered for years to come especially when you take your family for a trip. This is a place where there is always a turtle nearby.

Turtle Island seems like a fascinating place just by name and it certainly is. The island has been home to certain Indigenous groups and has also been cited as the whole world by the Ojibwa, it’s fame is alongside the ‘kinabatangan river borneo‘.

Defining Turtle Island

Turtle Island was named by the First Nations. There is a story behind this island that has been passed down over the generations among the Indigenous population and each one mentions the turtle as a part of the creation story.

There are certain nations that state there was a Creator that overlooked everything and this is how the Earth was flooded as people weren’t getting along with each other. However, there are variations of this story where there is a spirit involved that survives. This spirit is half human and half spirit.

The Creation of Turtle Island

Let’s take a look at the actual creation story.

It starts with the Ojibwa telling, where there is a Creator that floods the earth with no one other than Nanabush with his animals. Nanabush takes the time to head straight to the bottom of the water to grab some earth and bring it back to land. He continues to do this for as long as possible, but can’t seem to get to the bottom effectively. Eventually, his body starts to give out and that is when the animals start doing the same as his replacement.

The Loon

The loon starts by diving in and trying to get to the bottom but it’s simply too deep. When the loon gets tired, it’s time for the turtle to give it a shot but it also tires out. After a while, there is no one to dive in any longer.

The Muskrat

At this point, the muskrat moves forward and wishes to give it a shot. Most animals chuckle because he doesn’t know anything about being in the water. The muskrat doesn’t care and dives in anyway. Everyone looks on to see whether or not he can make it back. They continue to search in the water for the animal but the muskrat doesn’t appear. They continue to wait and when they are about to give up, the muskrat pops up again. They try to save the muskrat but they notice it is dying. Before the muskrat dies, they notice he has a bit of the Earth in his hands.

The Turtle

Looking at this, the turtle states if the muskrat can do this then he will offer his shell. This can be used to hold the Earth that was brought by the muskrat up to the land. Once this happened, the wind started blowing and it spread the Earth around. Over time, this became Turtle Island.

Final Thoughts

Based on various cultures, many different nations celebrate turtles and their presence. This includes African stories involving turtles being intelligent animals, while the Chinese also use the turtle to convey power. For Tahitians, turtles are noted for being lords of the ocean.

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