Creation Myths
Creation myths are stories about how the world came to be or about the role of people in it, often involving imagery and allegory. Nearly every ancient culture has some form of creation myth, recorded on tablets, scrolls, or incorporated as part of a cultural literature handed down from generation to generation.
The earliest creation myths tell of a supreme creative entity (God, Goddess, or some other god-like figure) creating the universe out of chaos. Sometimes this creator is a god of the sky, or is accompanied by one or more deities from other realms.
Other times the creator is a god of nature, or the earth. This is the case in many creation myths of the Polynesian people. They believe that the sea was primeval and that Tane, a god of the earth, drove to the bottom of the ocean and brought up mud from which to fashion the land.
Variation of Creation Themes
A variation of this theme is the "diver" myth, which sees creation as having emerged from muck or chaos. The Shinto and Iroquois traditions are examples of this.
In Egypt, the mythological Ennead began with Atum, the primeval creator god. He created heaven, the sun, and the earth. He also created the four elements of the earth: sand, water, fire, and air. Eventually, Atum gave his powers to the deities Geb and Nut, who in turn produced the Heliopolitan Ennead.
Some modern scholars argue that these creation myths must be adapted to be used in modern society, and may need to be reformulated. But these stories are not only a part of the cultural heritage, but they are also an important source of information about our past and a way to explain natural phenomena that cannot be explained by science.
Importance of Creation Myths
They are also a way for people to make sense of their world and to reinforce the truths that they hold as common knowledge. This is particularly true in the case of creation stories, which can be very complex and difficult to understand.
The creation myth in Genesis is a popular example of this style of storytelling. It is a story that was told in the ancient world as a way to understand how the universe began, but it is also a story that helps explain the origins of people, allowing them to place their own significance on their history.
Teaching Through Creation Myths
Moreover, it was a way to teach children about the world and to make them aware of their responsibility for it. These creation myths were often passed on from mother to child and were used as a tool to help children learn about their place in the world.
In most cultures, the creation myth is closely related to the dominant religion or common faith belief. This was a major concern for the ancients because these myths were often used as a way of making sense of the unknown, and as a means of reinforcing commonly understood truths.
