This photograph was taken as the sun was setting behind Mono Lake. The strange-looking rock formations are Mono Lake Tufas (Too-fas). These calcium deposits have formed over many millennia and can be seen in and around the natural lake reserve.
The Kootzaduka’a (or Kutzadika or Kucadikadi) are the indigenous people of the area around Mono Lake (known as Mono Paiutes). Chief Tenaya of the Ahwahneechees (Yosemites) was born here, before returning with his people to Ahwahnee (Yosemite Valley) in the early 19th century. Their epic story is re-told in the Historical Fiction Great Spirit of Yosemite: The Story of Chief Tenaya. This novel uses the wonderful surroundings of Yosemite National Park and the Mono Basin as its backdrop. Below the photo is a Mono Paiute legend of how the world was made.
THE LEGEND OF EARTHDIVER
In the beginning, Prairie Falcon and Crow were sitting on a log that projected high over the waters that covered the world.
Duck
They asked Duck what number he dreamed of, and Duck replied, “Two.” So, Prairie Falcon assigned him three days and told him to dive into the water and bring up some sand from the bottom. Duck dived to get the sand, but before he reached the bottom, the three days expired. He then woke from his dream, died, and floated to the surface. Afterward, Prairie Falcon brought him back to life and asked about the trouble. Duck said that he had come out of his dream, died, and then floated to the top.
Coot
Next, Prairie Falcon asked Coot what number he had dreamed of. Coot replied, “Four.” So Prairie Falcon assigned him the number two and ordered him to dive for sand. Before Coot reached the bottom, two days had elapsed. He then came out of his dream. He too died, and his body floated to the surface of the water. Prairie Falcon saw the corpse, recovered it, and brought Coot back to life. At this point, he asked Coot what the trouble had been. Coot replied that he had passed out of his dream.
Grebe
Following this, Prairie Falcon asked Grebe what number he had dreamed of. Grebe replied that he had dreamed of five. So, Prairie Falcon assigned him the number four and told him that was the number of days he had to bring sand from the bottom of the waters. Grebe was successful. He dived all the way to the bottom of the water and secured some sand in each hand. As he returned to the surface, he passed out of his dream, died, and floated to the surface. Prairie Falcon brought him back to life and asked if he had secured any sand. Grebe said that he had, so Prairie Falcon wanted to know what he had done with it. Grebe explained that it had all slipped from his grasp when he died.
Prairie Falcon and Crow both laughed at him and said that they didn’t believe him. Then they looked at his hands and found sand under the fingernails. They took that sand and threw it in every direction. This is how they made the world.
http://www.native-languages.org/monostory.htm
MONO LAKE TUFAS STATE NATURAL RESERVE
Further information about Mono Lake SNR can be found here
Hi, I am Paul, photographer, and author of the historical novel “Great Spirit of Yosemite: The Story of Chief Tenaya”. This ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ illustrated book is available in eBook and paperback formats through all major online booksellers from $2.99 (e.g. Amazon, Bookshop.org, IndieBound, Apple Books, etc) - details can be found in "Purchasing Options" in the "About the Book" drop-down.