...Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures Arthil Valena Hum 105 May 23, 2016 David Hudson Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures There are many creation myths that originate from different cultures. Every culture has its own unique myth that explains creation and how the world and life came to be (Leonard & McClure, 2004). Although each culture has a different way of explaining the story of creation, there are some similarities and differences among them. Two of the myths that are more divergent in content are the Edda creation myth from Norse culture and the Genesis creation myth from Hebrew culture. Although both creation stories have more than one realm, they differ in how they break each area down. Both creation myths also have a god or gods as the beginning creators. All cultures have their own creation myths and it is interesting to see the similarities and differences between Monotheistic and Polytheistic There are many worlds or realms to take into consideration when discussing the Norse creation myth. In the beginning there was a realm called Muspell which was made of fire, and a realm called Niflheim which was made of ice (Leonard & McClure, 2004). Between both of these realms was a sea of emptiness called Ginnungagap (Leonard & McClure, 2004). All three of the realms were not considered to be part of the heavens or the earth but rather before earth. These realms were the beginning or pre-worlds of the Norse creation myths. According...
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...“A Myth” Mythology/HUM/105 August 19, 2014 Stacy Pfister-Jolley For me a myth is an abstract word that can be real or not. When using it in textbook then it should be understood figuratively. It’s as stated on www.thefreedictionary.com, myth is defined as a fictitious but well known story. The word myth is used in the studious context by acknowledging what is fake or real. The word myth is used popularly through fantasies told throughout today’s culture. Either were reading a book with magical creatures or watching a science fiction movie. Some mystical stories which are: Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, Zeus, Merlin and the tooth fairy. These myths were made to decrease reality for adolescent. For example, telling the story of Santa Claus to children. It makes them excited and some behave more or less during the holidays. To me, myths are like historic events that are not true and much more interesting than others. For me a myth is an abstract word that can be real or not. When using it in textbook then it should be understood figuratively. One of the most commonly used myths that many different cultures have in common is the creation myth. When examining creation stories and creation myths across cultures, there are several obvious similarities and differences that exist. While these creation myths are important to observe and offer ideas about, it seems that the most vital task is not in analyzing the smaller differences or common elements, but to look at...
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...Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures Ricky Gonzales HUM/105 December 14, 2015 Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures Creation myths are stories told throughout time to describe how the world was formed and began. They also tell how the first people came to inhabit it. There are different myths for different cultures. The Native Americans have several myths. The Seminole Indians believe in the Creator who is also known as the Grandfather of all things. They believed the Creator made the earth. He then made all the animals of the world. The next step in his creation was to place all living things in a shell and placed it beside a tree. The Creator was hoping that the panther would be the first one to leave the shell. However, the shell sat for a long time. Over time the root of the tree formed with the shell and finally a crack appeared. Then the winds helped to make the crack wider. The bird began to peck at the crack until finally the panther emerged from the shell. The rest of the animals followed after that and they all went out to find their proper place on Earth. (nativeamcreation.html, 2015) The creator in this myth is a man. There does not seem to be any significance to this. One can only assume that man was always considered the greater being. The Zulu myth begins with just one seed that fell to the Earth. Once the seed took root in the earth, Uthlanga began to grow. These are long reeds that mean “the source of all things”...
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...Creation Myths Kimberly L. Moore HUM/105 World Mythology Diana Bernstein February 1, 2016 Creation Myths * I have chosen the “Greek Creation Myth,” and the “Mayan Creation Myth.” * In the “Mayan Creation Myth,” the heavens and the earth are both represented. The elements of earth are: day, moon and stars, mountains and hills, streams and rivers, animals, and human beings. The heavens are represented by Veracocha’s retreat to Lake Titcaca, from which he emerges in the beginning of the myth. It also describes a sea world as the god and his companions retreat to the coast of the sea, in the end of the myth, never to be seen again (Rosenberg p. 599) In the “Greek Creation myth,” earth, the sky world, and underworld are all represented. The earth is made from the earth Goddess, Gaia. The sky, and its starry mantle are Uranus, Gaia’s husband. The underworld is a place that contains the deepest, darkest depths of the earth, but also the “Blessed Isles,” a beautiful place where the heroes go when they die (University of Phoenix, 2015). * The creator in the Mayan creation myth is Lord Con Ticci Viracocha, “prince of the heavens and the earth” (Rosenburg p.599). Viracocha created the heavens and the earth first. Then, he created the animals and a race of “gigantic human beings” (Rosenburg p.571). He was displeased with the behaviors of the animals and humans, turned them into stone, and flooded the earth killing all of its inhabitants. He began again by creating day...
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...language as cosmogony, the diverse myth of creation varies drastically among many areas of the earth and during numerous periods throughout history (Leonard & McClure, 2004). The telling of such myths and stories gives insight to the culture and behavior of many societies. This information becomes religion for some and yet a way to pass down the history, heritage, and tradition of a civilization to another. The most common way to dissect and question a myth uses tools that would identify the nature of the story and outline the origin. The many distinct views in use to theorize and question mythoi are commonly the social, the psychological, the literary, the structural, and the political form of the myth. The areas in which to question commonly reference back to a toolkit that when brought into use in examination of a myth, the analysis is simple and questions cover many concerns. The debate of whether a myth is a story of imagination or holds any fact depends on if it comes from “a tale told by idiots,” or rather “sages, religious fundamentalists and agnostic theologians, idealists and cynics, racists and fascists,” or “philosophers and scholars” (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 5). Choosing to use social, psychological, and structural for the theoretical methods of inspection to breakdown and question the narrations of various myths of creation will show the function in their respective societies and cultures. The social aspect questions how the myth affects a group of people and...
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...Research Essay Topic 1 Moshe Carroll Many religions mean many myths. Every religion has unique teachings that it will almost never share with another religion. The creation of man is taught in numerous ways and commonly the foundation of every religion. Greek mythology teaching say that man was created out of dirt and life was breathed into the man. Taoism states that two natural forces create man. Hinduism believes that man was created from Brahman. These three myths about the creation of man all share some similarities, but many differences. The Greek mythology myth of the creation of man has many versions to it. The most common version begins by saying that Prometheus and Epimetheus, two Titans, created man. Prometheus...
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...Theories of Myth University of Phoenix Theories of Myth Myths could have dissimilar meaning to society. A myth can portray a fairy-tale that is not true which could be precisely meant for entertainment to a narrator and whoever is listening to the story. A myth could portray a fairy-tale that maybe true. The stores told many years ago could have some false and true meaning. In order to comprehend the history of mythology, brilliant intellects capture dissimilar methods to understand the fairy-tales being read and determining to view if the stories were true, to view if the stories were false, to view if the stories of the imagination or if the stories were actually real thousands of years ago. An example of brilliant intellect is Sir William Jones who found legitimacy in the myths by investigating the dialect the stories were printed in. Sir William Jones was valued and respected as a young adult who spoke five languages and was considered a youthful genius in the 18th century. Sir William Jones assumed he could confirm the authenticity of the fairy-tales by using the dialect utilized many years ago. Sir William Jones traced the languages to one resource that all languages were developed from; this was called proto-indo-European that was a dialect presented as an idea. Sir Jones found a way to give legitimacy to his process, which others used and found that myths were vital and crucial windows into cultures and...
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...Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures Charlie Warren HUM/105 02/29/15 Jennifer Meunir Introduction The two creation myths that I chose to compare and contrast are The Creation of the Universe and Ife. Each myth has its story, and they all included a world with a sky, earth, and the underworld. There is also the creator of humans both male and female. Both genders have their significances including what they created and the steps they took. Both myths have a different cycle of creation that is similar and different in many ways, which is important to its culture. Creation Myths The sky was represented as a place of greatness in both myths. They symbolize the heavens where the Gods and creator lived. In both myths, the greatest or most powerful God ruled over the sky. In each myth the elements of each world and how they came to be may vary, for example, in the story of Yin and Yang the two Gods created the heaven and the earth out of nothing. In the Yoruba myth the heavens and the earth were already created and ruled by Gods. Yin and Yang were the creators in the Chinese myth,”And Yang gathered into himself all that was bright and light. And, like a mist, Yang drifted upward into Heaven and become one with it. And Heaven became round. Then Yin gathered into herself all that was dark and heavy. And, like a thick, plodding mass, Yin sank downward into the earth and became one with it. And earth became square.” (Rosenberg 345) Yang gave birth to fire, when her breath became...
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...Rituals and Myth Ruslan Khalilov REL 161: Indigenous Religions of North America Dr. Lisa Poirier September 24, 2015 Have you ever think about rituals and myths, why people do perform rituals and tell myth? Myth is the story of origin or controversial story of events in what people believe to be true. Ritual is a tradition or ceremony which people perform, because they believe that performing of ritual will help feel a sense of comfort. For example, people believe that knocking on the wood help people to believe that they have escaped bad luck after tempting fate. In this essay we will go more deep to definitions of myth and religion. Myth is a true story that may and may not have actually happened and it alternatives to scientific understandings of origin. Myth accomplish for people who tell them to believe to controversial story of origin. “When the woman fell she was pregnant with twins. When these came they evinced opposite dispositions, the one good, the other evil. Even before they were born the same characters were manifested. They struggled together, and their mother heard them disputing. The one declared his willingness to be born in the usual manner, while the other malignantly refused, and, breaking through his mother’s side, killed her.” This is an example of myth of Wendat (Huron people) in what they believe is a story of creation of land. Woman was falling with children, one was a good son and second was evil...
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...Theories of Myth Stephanie Gonsalves University of Phoenix HUM/105 Liz Labby March 29, 2011 Theories of Myth Myth is defined as a sacred narrative. The word myth means story or word. According to M. Magoulick, What is myth, “myths articulate how characters undergo an ordered sequence of events. The term myth has come to refer to a certain genre or category of stories that share characteristics that make this genre distinctly different from other genres of oral narratives, such as legends and folktales. Many definitions of myth repeat similar general aspects of the genre and may be summarized thus: Myths are symbolic tales of the distant past (often primordial times) that concern cosmogony and cosmology (the origin and nature of the universe), maybe connected to belief systems or rituals, and may serve to direct social action and values” (Magoulick, 2000). A myth refers to stories that tell about the beginning of humans and the cosmos. In most cultures a myth is a strong belief. Some take it as a source of spiritual growth, while others don’t believe in myths at all. In most cultures the people see in myth the distinct character of their culture, while others only see patterns repeating. Some believe myths to be real and contemporary, while others think of it as far gone and over with. I believe myths to be a legend of ancestry that has both true and false facts to the narrative and in most cases myths are only believed to be true in a certain culture...
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...Every culture has a myth that has been told about the development of that particular culture. For example how beings first got on earth, how they were created, how the earth and sky were created and even how the animals were created. The Navajo culture resides over the areas of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Egyptian culture resides in Egypt which is located in northeastern Africa. The Navajo and Egyptian creation myths share some similarities and also some differences. Both of these creation myths go into to extensive detail about the cycle of creation. The creator for the Egyptian Atum was neither male nor female. The significance of his gender was that he could join himself to produce his own children. Atum joined with his shadow to give birth to his son Shu whom he had spit up and made the god of air. Atum also gave birth to a daughter Tefnut whom he had vomited up and made god of mist and moisture. While the Egyptian creation myth goes into detail about how the creator Atum created his children the Navajo creation myth does not. It is told that when the Navajos came out of the first world they consisted of six beings. Begochiddy child of the sun was the creator of all things and his beings were first man, first woman, salt woman, fire god, and coyote. The development of these two cultures differs because they Navajo went through many different underworlds before finding stability while the Egyptian did not. Atums children Shu and Tefnut produced Geb the earth and nut...
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...The Myth of Sisyphus Imagine a man stuck in a dead-end job and a daily routine, so painfully monotonous and unfulfilling, that he often wonders why he even bothers getting up in the morning. Now imagine Sisyphus, a man condemned to an eternal punishment requiring him to roll continuously a boulder up a hill, only for it to inevitably fall right back down every single time he reaches the top. While these two scenarios may seem to be completely unrelated, they are in fact only separated by one distinct difference: consciousness towards their situation. In “The Myth of Sisyphus”, Albert Camus asks us the fundamental question of whether or not life is worth living once man discovers that life is absurd. Camus defines absurdity as a futile search for the meaning of our existence. It seems to me, that there are only two ways of handling life once one has come to the realization that life is absurd: We can act like the man stuck in a monotonous daily routine, believing that there is no reason for living, bringing him one step closer to suicide, or we can act like Sisyphus, a man Camus describes as an absurd hero, a man who despite being condemned to an absurd task, redeems himself by making the choice to revolt rather than kill himself. (http://thecynicalgirl.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus/ ). I believe that to survive in this absurd and meaningless world, one must act like Sisyphus, one must own their fate, stay determined, and never ask the question of “why?” Camus states in the “Myth...
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...Creation Myths In the Chinese creation myth of Yin and Yang, it is taught that in the beginning, before the existence heaven and earth there was nothing but chaos. It is this chaos that eventually gave birth to one God and one Goddess and they would create Heaven and Earth and come to be known as Yin and Yang. “Yin gathered into herself all that was dark and heavy. And, like a thick, plodding mass, Yin sank downward into the earth and became one with it. And earth became square.” (Rosenberg, 2006, p.345) “Yang gathered into himself all that was bright and light. And, like a mist, Yang drifted upward into Heaven and became one with it. And Heaven became round.” (Rosenberg, 2006, p.345) It is also said, that Yang’s breath became hot and made fire and the sun, while Yin’s was cool and created water and the moon. From these came celestial bodies as well as different bodies of water, settling with their creators in Heaven and on Earth. The sheer essence of the Goddess Yin and the God Yang become the four seasons and from that comes all that is in existence, plants, trees, insects, humans etc. In this myth we see the two become separate entities that together form all of existence. The celestial beings and water together help to create all living things upon the earth that has been created. We see no destruction caused by the previous chaos, but the opposite, it is from the chaos that the God and Goddess are created and allowed to create life in many forms. In the Babylonian myth of the...
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...Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures Kelly Holliday University of Phoenix HUM/105 Cecelia Weber November 5, 2013 Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures The Inca and Navajo myths represent a world on earth. On earth the elements of sun, moon, water, fire, trees, and animals are all represented within the Inca and Navajo worlds. The creator for the Navajo world is the sun as were the Incan world creator is a derivative of the sun. Each creator provides a world for its people. This is the main concept for each creator, but this process is done in very different ways. The creators are perceived to be male in both worlds. It does not appear women play an important role unless given leadership from the creator. The Incan creator, named Pachacamac, created humans as to where the Navajo creation myth already had the first beings in the world. The Navajo world consisted of the first beings, which they named the first men, first women, salt women, fire god, coyote, and Begochiddy. Navajo’s Begochiddy, who is also the Child of the Sun, is the creator of all elements and other worlds for the first beings. Pachacamac, the creator for the Incas, was lonely at night so he created stars, planets, and the moon. Pachacamac created such a beautiful moon, he then falls in love and marries his moon. The significance of gender is the ability to the produce life to other beings and elements. He goes on to create mankind out of stone. The mankind he creates is pitiful and unable to care for...
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...Theories of Myths Paper Myths are so important when it comes to understanding people; Myth comes from the Greek word ‘mythos’ that simply means story or word. Before histories and books on fiction, fact or fantasy were ever written, man from the earliest days told stories to each other and for each other to communicate, reassure, share, and make sense of his or her realities. Myths enact and present a narrative of how a character lives out or goes through an event or a set of events. Myths have come to symbolize a particular genre of fiction along the lines of legends and folktales - important aspects of meaning-making and identity-creation in cultures all over the world. Mary Magoulick (2009) defines myths as such, "Myths are symbolic tales of the distant past (often primordial times) that concern cosmogony and cosmology (the origin and nature of the universe), may be connected to belief systems or rituals, and may serve to direct social action and values." In this paper I will discuss three theories, compare two creation myths, and finish with a summary and conclusion of my reflection towards the theories. Myths are important areas and source of sociological, psychological, and even historiographical discourse in our attempt at understanding and learning of the world of our ancestors and the people and civilizations that came before us. From these myths we learn their world views, how they made sense of their realities and how they reacted to and processed natural and social...
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