Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures
Edward Jones
Hum/105Class
May 30, 2014
Christa Menninger

This essay will go into detail about how creation myths may affect our many different cultures around the world. I hope to explain how these types of myths are an important part of our cultures throughout our country and world. In many instances these types of myths does have an impact of the people who live in the many different countries of the world. I have had a very hard time in believing in myths, stories, fables, folklore, and have never really thought about them up until now. By taking this class I hope to open my mind, and yours to the possibilities of myths and the involvement it plays in our culture, and other cultures around the world.

The first myth that I chose for this assignment is The Navajo Creation Myth. The reason I chose this myth is because I am interested in the myths that surround the United States, and the cultures within this country. The Navajo people were believed to be hunter-gatherers, and these people had migrate from the eastern part of Alaska. These people migrated to what we now know as New Mexico, and this migration was all done on foot, and I for one would have not traveled over the 3,500 miles of uncharted territory by foot. Navajo people were either forced to move or there were circumstances that came up that made them have to move.
Knowing that the Navajo people are an important part of our history and culture, it is also important that we recognize that the Navajo people are the most nationally recognized federally tribe within the United States. The language that these people speak to this day in Arizona and New Mexico is the language of the Navajo. These people have maintained their chants in which they use as a way to protect, heal and bless people. The Navajo also will bless people with a Blessing Way Ceremony when they leave the four sacred mountains, and a blessing which is called the Enemy Way Ceremony when they return to the four sacred mountains.
The Navajo believed that before the world existed there were six beings which inhabited earth. These six being were First Woman, First Man, Salt Woman, Coyote, Fire God, and Begochiddy whom is the Child of the Sun. The first thing that was done with this creation my was that Begochiddy created the four sacred mountains, and these mountains were considered to be white for the east mountain, yellow in the west, blue in the south and black in the north. At this time there was no light, and these six people decided to leave what is known as the First World. The first sign of nature was when Begochiddy planted a seed within the First World, which grew into a hollow tall reed. Once this tree was grown to its full length Begochiddy set out to gather all his creations and crawl inside this hollow reed. In this creation myth there were four worlds, and in each of these worlds many tales were told. This myth was about how Begochiddy planted a seed in the first world which grew into the second world which was made up of blue and light. In this second world there were cat people who inhabited this land. The Navajo people and Cat people could not get along, and a war broke out that could not be stopped. This war lasted for many years, and then Begochiddy decided this was not the place for him and his creations. This is where Begochiddy gathered his creations and climbed back into the reed.
This reed grew and grew until it reached a third world. This world was made up of light and yellow. When Begochiddy and his creations stepped out they were rejoicing in the fact there was another world they could call home. In the third world was where the Navajo had their first children. Also in the third world Begochiddy mad lakes, mountains, rivers, and animals. This was the time that creation had first showed its true signs of life. This is the world that Coyote stole a baby from the water monster, and once the water monster found out he made it rain and flood. Begochiddy and his creations could not survive so they climbed back into the reed. This flood had cause the water to rise to the fourth world, and locusts had helped to punch a hole in the fourth world where Begochiddy and his creations crawled through.
In the fourth world Begochiddy create the moon, stars, and the sun. Begochiddy taught his people how to live right, how to plant, and how they should give thanks for what they have. I believe the significance of whether this was a male or female can be related to our culture where Adam was the first male. In this myth the sky, earth sun, and plants were developed by a son named Begochiddy through the planting of a seed. Also children were born, and they had war, stealing, locusts, and the development of our world.
The second creation myth I selected is the Inca Creation Myth. This myth talks about how Pachacamac which was known as the sun had risen from Lake Titicaca. Pachacamac was a man and rose from this lake, and he was so bright that he was the only thing that could be seen. The sky was empty so he made the stars, moon, and the planets. He was much the same as Begochiddy as he created everything as well. The moon Pachamama became Pachacamc’s wife, and between these two they were the rulers of heavens and earth. In many ways this is the same but different as the Navajo People and Begochiddy. I the Inca creation myth there are two people responsible for the creation, whereas there was one with Begochiddy and the Navajo’s.
In the Inca myth Pachacamac and Pachamama creation the first humans through rock, whereas in the Navajo myth it is presumed that the Navajo people were made through a man and a woman being together. In this story the god and goddess of the Inca myth had children of their own much the same as the Navajo people. The son and daughter of the god and goddess were sent to help earth, much the same way as Begochiddy did. In the Inca myth the son was in charge of teaching men how to plow and plant fields, and build houses, much the same as Begochiddy taught his people how to do this. The daughter in the Inca myth was responsible for teaching women how to cook and weave, whereas there was no mention of this in the Navajo myth.
In the Inca myth the god Pachacamac wanted the people to be fir and true and not forget who gave them life. In the Navajo myth there was no mention of a god or goddess that needed to be thought of or worshipped. In the Inca myth it is about rulers, gods and goddesses whereas in the Navajo myth there is no mention of gods, goddesses, or rulers, just the fact of the creator and his teachings. The god and goddess traveled to different areas around the country to develop places to live, and every so often they would place a golden rod where they wanted places to live to be built. In the Inca myth the developed the northern cities and southern cities, the northern city was ruled by men and the southern cities were ruled by the woman.
In the Inca myth there is rulers, gods, and goddess’s who ruled their people. Men and women were separated and ruled separately. Though there are similarities in these two myths, they are very different as well. In both of these myths there are two men who create things, whom develop a way in which their people need to live, and a way in which they should live their lives. As I demonstrated in this essay, through the teachings of these two myths there is a creator who creates civilization, and the cultures in which people lived then and may live to this day.

Conclusion It is amazing that may of the different myths have some of the same ideologies about how our universe, our civilization, and our cultures have come to be. Just reading through the material that were provided for us this week has made me realize that there is something to be said about these myths and our respective cultures. I think that dependent on the culture that these myths embody is how close to these myths that the many different cultures use to lead and live their lives. Also dependent on the website or the book you read there are many different variations of these two myths.
I used the Big Myth website for this assignment but doing research about the Inca and Navajo creation myths are different, so as I sit I wonder which one is the actual creation myths for these cultures.

References http://www.bigmyth.com/ http://www.bigmyth.com/myths/english/2_navajo_full.htm