Creation Myths: The Foundations of Culture

 

Myths are the backbones of human society and culture, and Creation Myths are some of the most critical ways in which humanity attempts to comprehend and understand the creation of not just the world, the universe, or humanity itself, but to explain WHY life itself is created, why things like natural events, seasons, or cosmic forces take place, and even as a way to establish the purpose of humanity, and the sense of order and morality of life on earth. Although, they are also the ways in which cultures and societies communicate these concepts and beliefs to future generations, helping to instill in them the values and beliefs that are significant to that particular culture. In order to highlight these concepts, and their importance to humanity, we can examine “The Four Creations,” the Hopi creation myth found in the 4^th edition of Creation Stories from around the World, and “Yin and Yang” the Chinese creation myth that is featured within World Mythology: Myth, Metaphor, and Mystery by Andy Gurevich.

            If we examine the Hopi creation myth, “The Four Creations,” their story begins with “endless space” occupied only with Taiowa, their creator. They explain that nothing existed, there was “no time, no shape” until the creator created his nephew, Sotuknang, and set before him the task of bringing order and establishing the “nine universes.” Which Sotuknang did by gathering matter to make “nine solid worlds,” then water to bring these worlds “land and sea,” and air to bring forth “winds and breezes (para 1).” Evidencing the way in which the Hopi believed the universe, the world, and natural phenomena were created. Gravity and Earth’s rotation are explained within this myth, as the Spider Woman, created by Sotuknang and given the power to create life, forged Poqanghoya and Palongawhoya and sent them to the poles to “keep it rotating (para 2).” The variety of life on earth is the result of the Spider Woman’s efforts to bring forth life, as she creates the countless forms of plant and animal life that are abundant on earth, before beginning to craft humanity.

            It is during this crafting of humanity, in which the Spider Woman uses “yellow, red, white, and black earth mixed with her saliva” to forge humanity, that we see the depth of understanding the Hopi were trying to communicate. Giving evidence for the multitude of races present within humanity on earth. They explain that the soft spot on our foreheads, that later solidifies, was intentional, as it allowed humanity to hear “the voice of Sotuknang and their Creator.” They further explain the purpose of humanity, as Sotuknang bestows upon humanity four languages, and explains that their “only instructions” were to respect Taiowa and to live with him in harmony (para 3).  Humanity repeatedly fails to honor this simple request, and each time they failed those few within humanity that managed to keep their word were spared and sent to live with the ants as the world was destroyed by fire. They explain that in the first world, humanity was able to communicate not only through language, but through thoughts, and that even the animals lived as one with humanity. However, after that initial world is destroyed, the animals had become “wild and unfriendly (para 5).” Helping to evidence the way they understand the animal kingdom today.

            Within this myth, the world is destroyed two more times. The second time the world is destroyed, those few humans who remained faithful were sent back underground with the ants, and Poqanghoya and Palongawhoya left the poles to send the worlds spinning out of control, resulting in an ice age. The third time it was destroyed, Spider Woman took the remaining faithful humans and placed them, and food, into reeds before the Creator flooded the world. After the rains stop, those left floating in the reeds came to an island, where they fashioned a boat and returned to the water to and continued east, at the behest of the Spider Woman. They traveled far and wide, always headed east, until they finally arrived in the land that was intended for them. They spread across this land, before the Hopi settled in the lands known today as those lying between the “Colorado River and Rio Grande River.” They stress, however, that this final world was much harsher than all of the previous worlds, as their Creator hoped that the hardship they faced would always help them to remember the benevolence of, and their dependence upon, their Creator. This repeated destruction of their “worlds,” can be seen as the ways in which the Hopi attempt to communicate the realities they had to face as they migrated, but it also helps to evidence their attempt to understand the purpose of life itself. By passing these stories down to their children, they seek to teach them not only what they believe the purpose of life is, but the values they believe help to hold their tribe together.

Image: Yin and Yang - public domain

   While within the Chinese creation myth of “Yin and Yang,” as seen in World Mythology: Myth, Metaphor, and Mystery, the universe is depicted as being established out of chaos, when it “gave birth to two gods,” that wove together the heavens and the earth before separating “in form and function” (para 2). Yin gathered all of the light and brightness and drifted up into heaven, while Yang gathered everything that was heavy and dark and sank into the earth. Establishing these forces as opposite from each other but connected, shows that the concept of harmony and balance is central to their belief system (para 3). They explain that Yins hot breath gave birth to fire and the sun, while Yang’s cold breath gave birth to water and the moon, providing an explanation for the creation of natural phenomena. Even the seasons are explained, as this myth describes how Yin and Yang’s essence became them, and how these seasons became the “ten thousand things” that populate the earth (para 4). And they explain that humanity was created out of “vapor that was pure,” while the dense and cloudy vapor became the insects (para 4). Helping to evidence the importance of harmony and balance within their culture.

 

Works Cited:

Gurevich, A. (2021). World mythology: Myth, Metaphor, and Mystery. MHCC Library Press. https://mhcc.pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/28/2021/02/ENG250_ChineseCreationMyths.pdf

Railsback. (n.d.). The Four creations. Creation Stories from around the World. https://railsback.org/CS/CSFourCreations.html