The Great Flood and the Voyage to the Fourth World
In the alternative Hopi emergence story, mainly told at Oraibi, Tawa destroyed the Third World in a great flood because of the people's wickedness. Before the destruction, Spider Grandmother sealed the more righteous people inside hollow reeds, which floated as boats. After the waters receded, the survivors found themselves on a small piece of dry land with nothing but water in every direction. They planted a giant bamboo shoot and climbed it to survey the land, but still saw only water. Spider Woman then instructed them to make boats from more reeds. Using island stepping-stones, the people s