Been trynna think for a while now the religious angle of Mochian culture. Some basic details and simple stories is all that's needed, but I've been looking to create something separate rather then something closer to me. So I think I might have an idea for the story. Some things I would place importance on that could build into religion: berries - sweet and delicious with many holding medicinal properties, the moon - beautiful light in the night to help keep track of the months, the sun - the bright light lighting up the world around to help keep track of the days and seasons, the soul - a collection of who a person is as the sum of their experiences, the forest - a guardian of life providing shelter and food, the river - cleansing and hydrating water, the mountains - the source of the river and helps keeping its ocean side full of life, mushrooms - delicious food source or deadly poison that cleanses the forest of rot and decay, dandelions and their "sisters" - plentiful source of greens and "coffee", and finally cattails - a plentiful source of food, fiber, and warmth (the seed fluff in female cattails).
An important thing to consider might also be the ice age implications. The last glacial period (LGP) ended approximately 11,700 years ago. The earliest evidence of human habitation in the Pacific Northwest would be about 18,250 years ago in Oregon. That places them as being in the area during the LGP, just after it's peak. Human habitation in the Americas has even been suggested as being over 27,000 years ago, but the how is varied. Ideas have been proposed of the ice bridge, Polynesian sailing, and African sailing as ways the Americas became populated. It's even been suggested, although more controversially, that at least some of the population descends from around Europe. The ice bridge is the most likely for the Pacific Northwest so the question is "when did the (fictional) Proto-Mochian people get there?" A reasonable time frame I would say is about 20,000 years ago, so around the peak of the LGP. This would mean that a frozen landscape might have more of a lasting impact on these people. Given the mountains still have frozen peaks almost all year round today, it's safe to say that through most, if not all, of their pre-Columbian period they would know an age of ice and the flowers that bloomed as it receded. I think I'll work off that for this early creation myth.
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1. The Creator stood upon the mountain and overlooked a frozen land. This is how it was in the beginning. He grabbed the bone of an ancient creature and fashioned for himself a flute, the shavings creating the trees rising high above the ice and snow. From his right eye he plucked out the sun, from his left eye he plucked out the moon. The sun warmed the land and the flowers began to grow and the animals awoke. Rising high into the sky with the sun was Owl. Rising high into the sky with the moon was Crow. With the sun came Coyote, with the moon came Fox.
2. The Creator called in Owl, Crow, Coyote, and Fox to a feast with him. At the entrance to the feast, Badger asked Fox to let him in, promising him safe haven in his home. Fox agreed and snuck Badger inside in his stomach. Once inside, Badger crawled out and joined the others, but the Creator noticed. He said to him, "Badger, you were not invited, but since you are here, you may stay, but you are not permitted to eat, as I have not prepared enough food for you." So they feasted, but Badger was hungry, so he asked Coyote for some of his food and as thanks he would help Coyote find more food back home for them to share. Coyote agreed and so Badger ate in secret.
3. After the feast, the Creator asked each of them what they would want from him. Owl was first and said, "I ask for Crow to live in the day, to feel the warmth of the sun." Crow, angered by this, for he loved the moon, said, "I ask for Owl to live in the night, so he may not feel the sun." Both of their requests were granted and their rivalry began. Coyote was next and said, "I ask to know the world," and so was granted intelligence. Fox was next and said, "I ask to be safe from danger," and so was granted cunning. Finally, Badger approached the Creator and asked, "May I make a request as well?" but the Creator looked at him and said, "You came where you were not invited, but I will hear your request." Badger thought for a moment before seeing, "I ask to have the means to keep my promises." The Creator was surprised at the selflessness, so he decided to granted Badger ferocity in battle and knowledge to dig his home.
4. One day, Coyote brought a bounty of food for the Creator and offered it to him saying, "We live with plenty, we have not known hunger. As thanks, I bring the best of my catch to you so that you may too enjoy our bounty!" The Creator thanked him and feasted. After eating his fill, the Creator was tired and so he slept. Coyote then took his flute. He went to the neighboring mountain's peak and sat down with his prize. Coyote wanted to try out the flute and then return it before the Creator noticed. So he lifted the flute to his mouth and began to play. As he played, flowers popped out of the snow. It was beautiful, so Coyote continued to play. As he played, a stream began to flow from the mountain. Coyote was overjoyed and so decided to keep playing. As he played, cattails grew around a frozen pond. As he played, the ice melted. As he played, the cattails opened up and from them came the first humans. Coyote jumped with joy and danced with the humans.
5. After his fun, Coyote returned to the Creator's peak to find the Creator had awoken. He approached the Creator and said, "I found your flute among the salal bushes." Coyote held out the flute and the Creator thanked him for returning it. "What is it you want as thanks?" asked the Creator. Coyote thought for a moment and then said, "I ask for a piece of the sun that I may light my way in darkness." The Creator granted him a piece of the sun and Coyote went off to meet with the humans. He gave them his piece of the sun so they would have fire. Coyote taught them to catch salmon and to cook with the fire.
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I'll work on breaking this all down and creating the protolang translation. It would develop piece by piece but will be a good starting point. The story is going to change in various ways as I evolve the protolang into the goal conlang.
