Mythology Across Cultures

Individual Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures

Nikiah C. Roberson

HUM/105

May 8, 2012

Felix Figuereo

The two creation myths that I have studied are alike in a number of ways. They are also different in many ways that show essentially different ways to think about the world. They all have gods that made the world what it is today. There are disagreements within their world, and these disagreements change the appearance of the world. Control of the world could change in creation myths depending on who won battles. Gods in these myths can be helpful to mankind or just self-serving, using mankind only as an instrument. Two creation myths that I found to be closely related were the Zulu creation and the Egyptian creation. Geographically they are connected. Both of these creations started out in darkness.

In the Zulu creation humans were created from a seed that sank into the earth and grew into long reeds, called “Uthlanga,” and from these reeds man was created (Zulu Creation, 2012). In the Egyptian creation there were Gods and Goddesses, it is written that Atum was saddened when he lost his son and daughter for a while. When the children returned Atum began to weep tears of joy from the heavens, which fell to the earth. When these tears hit the earth Egyptian mythology states that Atums tears hitting the earth created the first man (Egyptian Creation, 2012).

In the Zulu creation Unkulunku created fish and birds, and fierce creatures, he created streams and mountains, lakes and valleys, wind and rain, and the sun and moon (Zulu Creation, 2012). Everything we see around us was created by Unkulunku. In the Egyptian Shu and Tefnut, Atum’s children, created gods and goddesses. They produced Geb (the earth), and Nut (the sky). Nut produced rain for Geb, and he made things grow on earth (agravanta.net, n.d.). As the sky Nub gave birth to the sun every night before dawn, and by day it would follow its course...