The Tree That Rains: The Flood Myth of the Huichol Indians of Mexico

by Emery Bernhard, Durga Yael Bernhard (Illustrator)

A retelling of a northwest Mexico legend explains how Great-Grandmother Earth sent a great flood after warning Watakame, who survived by making a fig-tree boat, a tree that he plants after the waters have receded to start life anew.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1994

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watakame was a born worker. From dawn til dusk, he worked in his fields: clearing, planting, weeding. When the trees he chops down keep reappearing the next day, he stays up, and catches the old woman responsible. It is Nakawe, Great-Grandmother Earth, and she warns Watakame that a great flood is coming, because the people have forgotten the gods. Luckily, she shows him how to make a boat out of the fig tree, instructs him to take his little dog, and certain seeds on board with him, and protects the boat during the great flood...

Many cultures around the world have a flood myth - something I find fascinating in and of itself - and this particular one comes from the Huichol, or Wixáritari people of Mexico's Sierra Madre. One of the few indigenous peoples who have not converted to Christinaity, despite centuries of Catholic persecution, and current Evangelical Protestant missionary efforts, the Huichol recite this tale every year, at their Festival of the New Corn and Squash.

I enjoyed the Bernhards' rendition of this tale, but having nothing with which to compare it, am unsure how closely it stuck to the traditional story. The illustrations, done in gouache, were apparently inspired by traditional Huichol yarn paintings and embroidery, and are quite appealing. Still, I found myself wondering how Huichol artists themselves would represent this story, and think I will track down a copy of Watákame's Journey: The Story of the Great Flood and the New World , which is illustrated with Huichol artwork.

[Shay Kendrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place in Mexico with Watakame who is a farmer that works very hard. Watakame works from dawn to dusk in the fields. Although Watakame doesn't have much family, he has his dog to keep him company. His dog works just like him to keep the birds away. Watakame came to a field where he had just chopped a bunch of trees down, to find yet some more trees. This continued to happen for 4 days and each and every day Watakame just chopped the trees down, over and over again. On the 5th day, Watakame knew he had to find out why those trees kept coming back, day after day. So him and his dog waited behind a rock to see who was making this happen. At sundown, Watakame saw a little old lady come out of the Earth.

I really enjoyed this text because I was able to connect it with another story I had read so that was very cool to me to kind of see a different version of the other story. I could use this in my classroom to show my students a cultural story that has a great meaning with it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe half the book is spent on the flood story. And it wasn't done by yarn but a different technique, so the illustrations were unexpected

[Forked Radish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Noah's Ark spread all the way to Western Mexico!
Rain brings forth trees,
And trees bring forth rain.
Meteorology will never be the same!

[Kristina Moss]

The Tree That Rains by Emery Bernhard is a flood myth of the Huichol Indians in Mexico. In this story the with the help of Great-Grandmother Earth, Watakame, a hard-working Indian, survives a great flood and begins a new life. The earth which is completely flooded and covered with water he is soon saved from the flood. he then notices a woman, which he never knew existed because she was dressed in plet of dog fur. After reading this story I also recognized similarities from the Known story of Noah's Art. I also loved the great pictures the illustrator captured within. I would use this story to introduce my students to illustartors/authors and their duties. I would then have students use a page read from the book to capture their own illustrations.

[Catherine Woodman]

I loved this book--the illustrations are very evocative of the art of the Huiochol Indians, and the story, while not one that I was familiar with, reminded me of Noah's Ark. Maybe the destruction of all but a few is a common theme in human stories. In this one the earth is flooded, and the man is saved, and meets a woman, who he has not previously noticed because she was clothed in the pelt of a dog. So not from a rib of man at all--though she was responsible for the cooking and gathering, so not all that liberated. Great story well told.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting flood myth of the Huichol Indians of Mexico, cool images.