Studies of Religion II Ancient religion vs Maori Religion
Describe each religions creation myth, including the formation of the world, people, animals and plants.
Maori Religion According to the Maori religion the beginning was emptiness and nothing existed. The Maori origin of the world and the creation of all life are called ‘te kore’. In the state of Te kore two gods appeared the male sky god Ranginui and the female earth god Papatuanuku who spawned six children. The birth of weather (Tawhiri), crops (Rongo), war (Tu), sea (Tangaroa), forests (Tanematua) and plant (Haumia) gods laid the foundation of the formation of life however they had no space to live as Ranginui and Papatuanuku were extremely close resulting in the effort to separate the two by rebelling against them. Mankind originated when Tanematua the god of the forest used red ochre to create the first human being then breathing into it to gift it with life. As Tanematua’s powers developed he began to practice the making of trees and creatures while Tawhiri controlled the force of weather to complete the characteristics of the human world. All other deities worked conjunctively to create the world and provide it with what exists in it today. Tanematua further experimented with his creation leading to the establishment of all life.
Babylonian Religion The Babylonian creation epic is named the ‘Enuma Elish’ where the foundation of the world is laid by a primeval godly male in the form of fresh water called Apsu and a salt water goddess called Tiamat when the waters divided into two. The union of these deities gave birth to younger gods which further exceedingly multiplied. Apsu becomes frustrated with the troublesome behaviour of the younger gods that he plans to kill them which infuriates Tiamat who informs their eldest offspring Ea of the upcoming danger. This leads Ea to kill Apsu and take over his crown however as time passes Tiamat once supporter of the younger Gods is now enraged of her spouses death and
Maori Religion According to the Maori religion the beginning was emptiness and nothing existed. The Maori origin of the world and the creation of all life are called ‘te kore’. In the state of Te kore two gods appeared the male sky god Ranginui and the female earth god Papatuanuku who spawned six children. The birth of weather (Tawhiri), crops (Rongo), war (Tu), sea (Tangaroa), forests (Tanematua) and plant (Haumia) gods laid the foundation of the formation of life however they had no space to live as Ranginui and Papatuanuku were extremely close resulting in the effort to separate the two by rebelling against them. Mankind originated when Tanematua the god of the forest used red ochre to create the first human being then breathing into it to gift it with life. As Tanematua’s powers developed he began to practice the making of trees and creatures while Tawhiri controlled the force of weather to complete the characteristics of the human world. All other deities worked conjunctively to create the world and provide it with what exists in it today. Tanematua further experimented with his creation leading to the establishment of all life.
Babylonian Religion The Babylonian creation epic is named the ‘Enuma Elish’ where the foundation of the world is laid by a primeval godly male in the form of fresh water called Apsu and a salt water goddess called Tiamat when the waters divided into two. The union of these deities gave birth to younger gods which further exceedingly multiplied. Apsu becomes frustrated with the troublesome behaviour of the younger gods that he plans to kill them which infuriates Tiamat who informs their eldest offspring Ea of the upcoming danger. This leads Ea to kill Apsu and take over his crown however as time passes Tiamat once supporter of the younger Gods is now enraged of her spouses death and