These are the guidelines for Jicarilla Apache creation. The Hactcin possessed all the material from which each earthly object and living thing would be created. The Hactcin are the creators they provide the means to give life and create as they see fit.
Collectively, the Hactcin created the world first. They made the earth, the underworld, and the sky. The earth was created in the form of woman and the sky was created in the form of man. The Hactcin called the earth Mother and the sky Father. In the beginning everything had a Hactcin. "The mountains had a Hactcin, the different kinds of fruit each had one, everything had a Hactcin" (Sproul, 263). At this point in time, the Jicarilla lived under the earth. There was nothing but darkness and everything was perfect. The people at this time were not of flesh and blood they were simply shadows of the underworld. This aspect of the myth coincides with typical Native American creation myth. Many times we see in Native American culture where people originated from the earth. Often, people must emerge from their earthly dwellings in search of food or resources but the commonality in Native American myth shows us the ultimate respect Native Americans have for their Mother, earth. .
There were Hactcin to control everything. There was one specific Hactcin that was the leader the most powerful of all Hactcin was called black Hactcin. Black Hactcin would go on to create all living things. Like many Native American creation myths, the creator uses earthly elements to create life. For example, Black Hactcin does not possess the same creation qualities of Brahma. "As Brahma meditated, beings were created from his mind" (Bierlein, 38). Black Hactcin did not simply create from meditation or creating things from his own body like Brahma. Black Hactcin used the elements of the earth such as clay, mud, pollen, and precious stones to create life.
