Cosmic Creation Myths Across Culture Analysis
Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures
Indica Mendoza
HUM/105
October 30, 2014
Joseph Magil
Myths are tales told throughout time for generations to pronounce how the world was designed and created. These creation stories also tell how originally the first people came to inhabit it. There are a wide variety of altered myths for different cultures that try to explain exactly how the world came to be from the very beginning. For example, the Inca people came to believe the creator of their world was Pachacamac the sun. According to Distant Train (2007), “Pachacamac was so bright that nothing else could be seen in the sky but him. But the night sky was empty; so he made the stars, the planets and the moon. The moon Pachamama became his wife and together they both ruled earth and the sky. Pachacamac first man …show more content…
creation came from the stone of an enormous mountain of rock, these were pathetic humans and knew nothing about surviving in the world (Distant Train, 2007). Pachacamac and Pachamama had beard two children a son and a daughter out of pity for their creation of humans. Pachacamac sent them to earth to help and teach humans how to survive. According to Distant Train (2007), “The son of Pachacamac taught men how to plow and plant the fields, and how to build houses. The daughter of the moon approached the women and taught them the art of weaving, and how to prepare food”. The two children ruled the first humans and taught them to be kind, fair and the principles of their father’s laws. Pachacamac children set of to find the perfect place to settle their people. Sticking one of their father’s golden rod to the ground every stop they made, symbolizing for their people to build their homes there. According to Distant Train (2007), “When they reached the valley of Huanacauri, the golden rod sank into the ground and disappeared. Inca decided that here should be the site of the first temple of the sun, and that here is where he and his people would settle”. The son and sister wife had went their separate way, he had went north and her south to gather people to their new homes. The supporters of Inca’s wife established their area in the south and her city was Hurin-Cuzco, Southern City. Inca and his gathers developed in the northern portion of the valley and named their town Hanan-Cuzco, City of the North. The Inca cities were separated into northern and southern halves, demonstrating the male and female forces (Distant Train, 2007). Their creator of the entire world started with the sun the most powerful thing in world he had happened to be a man. This giving man dominance, the Inca people believed in many gods and goddesses. For instance, Apu Illapu was the rain god prayed to when rain was needed. Ayar Cachi was a god with a very hot temper was locked away in according to Distant Train (2007), “cave about 30 kilometers from Cuzco (a city in Peru) and tries to get out every now and then. Local people believe this causes earthquakes in the area”. Qochamama was the goddess of the sea. Illapa was the goddess of thunder and lightning. When she came to earth she became Yakumama, the goddess of water and rivers. They had believed there was a god or goddesses for everything. As for the Mayans creation the myth goes to tell that there were two gods. Tepeu the Maker and Gucumatz the Feathered Spirit. According to Distant Train (2007), “While the world around them was dark, these two glittered with brilliant blue and green feathers. They came together to create the world”. They created mountains valleys, trees, water and sky. Their thoughts were formed. When they thought “Earth”, land molded from darkness (Distant Train, 2007). They wanted something that would praise them so they created animals like serpents, deer, birds and panthers. The animals couldn’t praise them only howl chirp etc. In the animal language that they couldn’t understand. Disappointed they created men out of wet clay but soon crumbled right after. Determined to create a stronger being the next men were created from wood stronger but emotionless they had no knowledge of their creator and could not praise them. These men were empty and meaningless according to Distant Train (2007), “Tepeu and Gucumatz sent a great flood down to destroy them. They commanded the animals to attack the survivors and tear them to pieces. The few who managed to escape fled to the woods and became monkeys. The creators left them there as an example to the next race of men”. The next creation of men came from corn that the animals had brought their gods they formed four men. These men where perfect they praised their gods and thanked them for their lives. Tepeu and Gucumatz new creation were to smart and could see just as much as the gods, so they took away the enhanced sight so they could only see what was in front of them. The four men sang and praised the gods and they were pleased creating four women mates they settled down to live on the new land. As well as the Inca the Mayans believed in their gods and goddess they each had their gods for certain things like water and fire.
According to Distant Train (2007), “ALOM was the god of the sky, COYOPA was the ruler of the sound of thunder. TOHIL was the god of fire, YUM CIMIL was the Death God (also called Ah Puch), or god of the underworld. XIB CHAC was the Mayan rain god”. The difference Between the Mayans and the Inca the Mayans had believed that the universe was divided into thirteen layers. Each of these layers had its own god. Another difference was their creators weren’t a man or women like the Inca’s. A thing that they had in common where earth the sky and the gods and goddesses different names but semi the same. According to Distant Train (2007), “For reasons still unknown Mayan civilization went into decline”. The ruins that was left behind was almost demolished by the Spanish. The down fall to the Inca Empire and culture was largely destroyed by the Spanish as well. While these myths come from different cultures they have very similar thing in common. Although they might be myths who knows if some parts can be
true.
References
Distant Train. (2007). The Big Myth (Inca). Retrieved from http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_inca_full.htm
Distant Train. (2007). The Big Myth (Mayans). Retrieved from http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_maya_full.htm
Indica Mendoza
HUM/105
October 30, 2014
Joseph Magil
Myths are tales told throughout time for generations to pronounce how the world was designed and created. These creation stories also tell how originally the first people came to inhabit it. There are a wide variety of altered myths for different cultures that try to explain exactly how the world came to be from the very beginning. For example, the Inca people came to believe the creator of their world was Pachacamac the sun. According to Distant Train (2007), “Pachacamac was so bright that nothing else could be seen in the sky but him. But the night sky was empty; so he made the stars, the planets and the moon. The moon Pachamama became his wife and together they both ruled earth and the sky. Pachacamac first man …show more content…
creation came from the stone of an enormous mountain of rock, these were pathetic humans and knew nothing about surviving in the world (Distant Train, 2007). Pachacamac and Pachamama had beard two children a son and a daughter out of pity for their creation of humans. Pachacamac sent them to earth to help and teach humans how to survive. According to Distant Train (2007), “The son of Pachacamac taught men how to plow and plant the fields, and how to build houses. The daughter of the moon approached the women and taught them the art of weaving, and how to prepare food”. The two children ruled the first humans and taught them to be kind, fair and the principles of their father’s laws. Pachacamac children set of to find the perfect place to settle their people. Sticking one of their father’s golden rod to the ground every stop they made, symbolizing for their people to build their homes there. According to Distant Train (2007), “When they reached the valley of Huanacauri, the golden rod sank into the ground and disappeared. Inca decided that here should be the site of the first temple of the sun, and that here is where he and his people would settle”. The son and sister wife had went their separate way, he had went north and her south to gather people to their new homes. The supporters of Inca’s wife established their area in the south and her city was Hurin-Cuzco, Southern City. Inca and his gathers developed in the northern portion of the valley and named their town Hanan-Cuzco, City of the North. The Inca cities were separated into northern and southern halves, demonstrating the male and female forces (Distant Train, 2007). Their creator of the entire world started with the sun the most powerful thing in world he had happened to be a man. This giving man dominance, the Inca people believed in many gods and goddesses. For instance, Apu Illapu was the rain god prayed to when rain was needed. Ayar Cachi was a god with a very hot temper was locked away in according to Distant Train (2007), “cave about 30 kilometers from Cuzco (a city in Peru) and tries to get out every now and then. Local people believe this causes earthquakes in the area”. Qochamama was the goddess of the sea. Illapa was the goddess of thunder and lightning. When she came to earth she became Yakumama, the goddess of water and rivers. They had believed there was a god or goddesses for everything. As for the Mayans creation the myth goes to tell that there were two gods. Tepeu the Maker and Gucumatz the Feathered Spirit. According to Distant Train (2007), “While the world around them was dark, these two glittered with brilliant blue and green feathers. They came together to create the world”. They created mountains valleys, trees, water and sky. Their thoughts were formed. When they thought “Earth”, land molded from darkness (Distant Train, 2007). They wanted something that would praise them so they created animals like serpents, deer, birds and panthers. The animals couldn’t praise them only howl chirp etc. In the animal language that they couldn’t understand. Disappointed they created men out of wet clay but soon crumbled right after. Determined to create a stronger being the next men were created from wood stronger but emotionless they had no knowledge of their creator and could not praise them. These men were empty and meaningless according to Distant Train (2007), “Tepeu and Gucumatz sent a great flood down to destroy them. They commanded the animals to attack the survivors and tear them to pieces. The few who managed to escape fled to the woods and became monkeys. The creators left them there as an example to the next race of men”. The next creation of men came from corn that the animals had brought their gods they formed four men. These men where perfect they praised their gods and thanked them for their lives. Tepeu and Gucumatz new creation were to smart and could see just as much as the gods, so they took away the enhanced sight so they could only see what was in front of them. The four men sang and praised the gods and they were pleased creating four women mates they settled down to live on the new land. As well as the Inca the Mayans believed in their gods and goddess they each had their gods for certain things like water and fire.
According to Distant Train (2007), “ALOM was the god of the sky, COYOPA was the ruler of the sound of thunder. TOHIL was the god of fire, YUM CIMIL was the Death God (also called Ah Puch), or god of the underworld. XIB CHAC was the Mayan rain god”. The difference Between the Mayans and the Inca the Mayans had believed that the universe was divided into thirteen layers. Each of these layers had its own god. Another difference was their creators weren’t a man or women like the Inca’s. A thing that they had in common where earth the sky and the gods and goddesses different names but semi the same. According to Distant Train (2007), “For reasons still unknown Mayan civilization went into decline”. The ruins that was left behind was almost demolished by the Spanish. The down fall to the Inca Empire and culture was largely destroyed by the Spanish as well. While these myths come from different cultures they have very similar thing in common. Although they might be myths who knows if some parts can be
true.
References
Distant Train. (2007). The Big Myth (Inca). Retrieved from http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_inca_full.htm
Distant Train. (2007). The Big Myth (Mayans). Retrieved from http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_maya_full.htm