It is clear while examining both the King James Version of Genesis 1 and the Iroquois Creation Story that they both offer distinctly different interpretations of how humans were created, while also highlighting the human roles within the separate origin stories. In the King James Version of Genesis 1 it emphasizes the importance of man to subdue and have dominion over the earth and its animals. While the Iroquois Creation Story suggests that the interaction between humans and nonhumans should be one of caring and mutual respect.

This parallel of ideologies is evident in the recent article 'This is something we owe.' Wisconsin church pays 'voluntary tax' to Indigenous nations during gathering at Oneida Nation from the Green Bay Press Gazette. The article unpacks how a Wisconsin church came “to understand how the land that the church stands on came to be the church's land”. At the time the church was built the original builders of the church simply took dominion over the land without regard for anything or one but themselves. This struck me as a direct reflection of the ideologies perpetuated by Genesis 1. The article is about how the church has now reflected on their past actions and is now engaging in “…restorative actions. Taking some actions to kind of make amends, and move toward restoring wholeness and being better allies, even in small ways.”

While the article is one of progress and reconciliation it also highlights the importance of examining and reflecting on how these two very different origin stories could have possibly had influence and set the tone for how Indigenous and non-indigenous people have in the past and currently seen and interacted with the world around them based on the origin story that they subscribed to or were taught.

'This is something we owe.' Wisconsin church pays 'voluntary tax' to Indigenous nations during gathering at Oneida Nation