Summary: Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures

Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures
HUM105
Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures
Cosmic creation myths are at the center of literally every culture of the human race. The Inca and The Navajo people are no different each has a cosmic creation myth. The two myths are similar in many ways there also are some differences in each cosmic creation myth. The Christian cosmic myth is one most every person from our American culture is familiar with, god created the world in 6 days, and on the seventh day he rested. Then there was Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden. The rest of the story is well known.
The Navajo cosmic myth begins with just six beings, the first men, the first woman, the salt woman, the fire god, the coyote and
Pachacamac created the stars, planets and man, his wife Pachamana (the moon) ruled the heavens and earth. The first humans were made from stone, but were a very pitiful people, they had no idea how to survive. Out of pity the rulers sent their son and daughter to teach the humans how to survive, the son taught the men how to plow and plant fields and how to build shelter. The daughter taught the women to weave and to cook food for all to eat. The final thing that the humans were taught was to be kind and fair to each other. Most importantly they were taught to never forget where they came from.
Pachacamac’s son the first Inca and his sister-wife ruled the humans. They took a long journey in search of placed for people to settle, along their journey they put golden rods into the ground as a sign to their people to build a city, when they reached the Valley of Huanacauri the golden rod sunk all the way into the ground, this was a sign where their people would settle. The first Inca settled in Hanon Cuzco (the north city). The city was inhabited by only men, the women settled in Hurin-Cuzco in the south. All Incan cities were comprised of a northern and southern
In all cosmic creation myths studied they all spoke of the importance of being kind and remembering where they came from. Each cosmic creation myth also tells of the terrible things that befell people who refused to get along, or pay respect to their creator. This is the same in the Christian cosmic creation myth, tales of the great flood, and Sodom and Gomorrah serve as stern reminders when people “lose their way”, or do not pay respect to their creator. Cosmic myths serve to maintain a balance in humanity that would otherwise not be there. These values are what make it important. The main theme of all creation myths are that if people treat each other fairly and equals than the gods will not disrupt the