A Closer Look into Kimmerer’s Skywoman Falling

A Closer Look into Kimmerer’s Skywoman Falling Skywoman Falling, a story from the book “Braiding Sweetgrass”, by Robin Kimmerer, details the fall of a woman as she plummets down from what is known as the “Skyworld” into Earth’s atmosphere, and eventually, the water. In this part of the text, the surrounding animals had tried to swim down to the bottom of the water to bring up mud which would be the basis of the “land” they would make across the large turtles back. However, only the small muskrat was able to obtain mud, but in doing so, he drowned and sacrificed his life for the Skywoman. “He had given his life to aid this helpless human. But then the others noticed that his paw was tightly clenched and, when they opened it, there was a small handful of mud. Turtle said, “Here, put it on my back and I will hold it.” Skywoman bent and spread the mud with her hands across the shell of the turtle. Moved by the extraordinary gifts of the animals, she sang in thanksgiving and then began to dance, her feet caressing the earth. The land grew and grew as she danced her thanks, from the dab of mud on Turtle’s back until the whole earth was made. Not by Skywoman alone, but from the alchemy of all the animals’ gifts coupled with her deep gratitude. Together they formed what we know today as Turtle Island, our home” (Kimerer, 4). Notable Features - - From this passage, the first thing I noticed was the author’s immense use of imagery as she describes the process of the animals building the land across the turtle’s shell. From the beginning, as the author describes the muskrats “tightly clenched paw” it aids the reader in picturing the lifeless animal as it floats up to the top of the water. Despite the fact that bigger, stronger, more skilled animals had dove down before the muskrat and failed, he still attempted, and his contribution catapulted the beginning of the build across the shell. The other feature I noticed the author used throughout the whole story was the use of personification to personify the animal, and make the audience read the story as if every animal almost had a personality. When she described the muskrat after he drowned, and the turtle accepted his contribution, every character in the story was saddened by the loss of the muskrat, while in real life, small animals die all the time in nature, but her use of personification gives each animal a personality, allowing the reader to develop a connection with the animals themselves. Questions - When reading this passage specifically, I wondered how could the animals be so accepting of Skywoman? The animals risked their lives and died for her but why? Did they know she was pregnant? Hypothesis - To answer the above question of exactly why the animals were so accepting of Skywoman and so willing to help her, I believe that there was a common knowledge between the animals and Skywoman that their relationship would be mutually beneficial. This meaning that where the animals providing Skywoman with a home, she will provide them with a new species that will help them survive. Kimmerer writes “Not by Skywoman alone, but from the alchemy of all the animals’ gifts coupled with her deep gratitude. Together they formed what we know today as Turtle Island, our home” (Kimmerer, 5). Without the animals assistance, Skywoman would not have survived or been able to build Earth and without Skywoman, the animals would not have a home and a sanctuary. Significance Skywoman’s fall to Earth is extremely significant because her fall as a whole can represent us as humans in our lives and our relationships with nature. As humans we have a constant fear of failure, however we always have the gifts of our planet to fall back on. Without the animals, Skywoman would have plummeted into a dark place. Together, they were able to build a home. Knowing that she was pregnant, she was aware of the idea that her children and grandchildren would inherit the world she built, so her work was mindful of future generations. The building of the Earth represents our relationship with nature, and the give and take of land. We often overtake and don’t give enough to the world around us, and even if we don’t care about what our world looks like, we should be more mindful of how the world will look for our future generations. In this instance, Skywoman is an immigrant from the sky who becomes indigenous to the land as her contribution to the animals is bringing the light from above. Contrast to the dark water below Skywoman and the animals, with her fall she brings light to a dark void that contained life, but was just too dark to flourish. Further Questions - After reading the text, my further question is this; the story of Skywoman proves a great example of a symbiotic relationship between an immigrant and natives to the land. However, it is just a story. My question is are any native and immigrant relationships capable of having such mutualism as Skywoman did with the animals?