Myths
Norse
Greek
Hopi "people of peace"
Yoruba
Australian
Beginning of life was ice and fire
Two worlds: Muspelheim (fire) and Niflheim (ice)
Ragnarok= the end of the world
Between the two worlds was an empty place of nothing= the melting of water, life appeared. A man and woman at the same time, called Ymir, ancestors of all giants.
A hornless cow was also created, called Audhumla. His milk kept Ymir nourished
The cow licked people from the blocks of ice, first Buri (ancestor of Gods)
Ymir gave birth to a woman and man.
Buri took a wife from one of their children and had 3 kids: Odin, Vili and Ve.
They killed Ymir, and his blood drowned all the giants. They used his body parts to create a world.
Found Midgard.
Elm= Embla, Ash tree= Ask. Vili gave intelligence and drive. Ve gave them the shape of people. Odin breathed life into them
Odin called all-father
What is it?
a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.
Prometheus= created all living creatures from a mixture of water and earth.
Epimetheus, his brother, envied his brothers work and was allowed to give living creatures strength and wisdom.
He had used up all his powers before mankind. He begged Hephaestus and Athena, Zeus' kids for help. Hephaestus helped give knowledge of arts and crafts so that humans could survive. Fellow creators.
Prometheus concerned that the humans would not eat well, gave the best food to them and not the Gods. Zeus got mad and bound him to a mountain with unbreakable chains.
Prometheus said he knew about Zeus' falling destiny. He tried to be pursued to tell, but he wouldn't give in.
The world as an endless space with the creator, Taiowa. Created Sotuknang, his nephew.
Sotuknang established nine universes. Gathered water and air to make land and wind.
Asked to create life. Spider Woman, as first creation. Created beings to watch the poles to keep earth rotating. Also, trees, flowers, birds, animals and plants.
Made humans using colours with her saliva.
Sotuknang, who gave them four languages, said they had to live in harmony with the creator.
Humans focused on differences. Sotuknang told them to live in an ant mound while he destroyed the earth with fire.
Sotuknang was done making the second world. Started trading and wanted more and more. Wars over resources. Forgot about the creator.
People lived with the ants once again while the earth turned in to ice. The poled restored its balance and they lived in cities and created nations.
He called on Spider Woman to gather those few and, along the shore, she placed each person with a little food in the hollow stem of a reed. A flood destroyed the rest of the cities.
A long journey before they had to settle in a colder and more challenging world to live in.
Olorun lived in the sky, and with Olorun were many orishas. All life lived in the sky, with a baobab tree that had all their necessities.
Obatala wanted to do something to the empty water below them. Used 7 days down the chain.
Finally he heard Orunmila, the seer, calling to him to use the sand. It made vast land.
the bird bearing the sprits of all the orishas. Like a storm, they blew the sand to make dunes and hills and lowlands. Seeds turned things green.
Chameleon got gasses and Olorun then blew his breath across Ife, and Obatala's figures slowly came to life as the first people of Ife.
Animals and birds living in the bush were once men.
A tribe of black men had been hunting when they met an old man telling stories from his long journey, asking to rest with them for a while. In return they would receive the secret of the fire of the sun.
The headmen has wondered how to use the fire of the sun as heat on a cold winter day.
The weary traveller tells the story of the dangerous world and how an evil possessed him. He could not find his people at their camp. He says "take the fire from Mar, the cockatoo, then his name shall be a welcome word on all men's tongues until the end of time".
Prite a little guy followed Mar after their feast to find the fire. They had to go a second time. Tatkanns stole the fire and was the bravest man in the camp.
The Rainbow Serpent made laws that they all were to obey, but some became quarrelsome and made trouble. The Rainbow Serpent said,” Those who keep my laws will be rewarded; I shall give them human form.