Birth

Birth played a very important role in creation myths. Sometimes it appeared in the shape of an egg and other times in that of a mother giving birth to children, but the element appears often.

In some versions of the Japanese creation myth the jumbled mass of elements at the beginning of time was in the shape of an egg. Later in the story birth also comes into play because Izanami gave birth to her children who became the sun and moon.

At the beginning of the Greek myth the bird, Nyx, laid an egg. From this egg comes the god of love, Eros. Then the shell pieces became Gaia and Uranus, the Earth and sky. Again the egg is very important.

The Iroquois Sky Woman fell from the floating island in the sky after being pushed by her husband. This all occurred because she was pregnant. If she had not known she was to give birth North America may not have been created. It was an essential part of the story.

Mother-Father

Myths from all over the world have a mother and father figure in them. The mother is usually the Earth and the father the sky. This pattern may be attributed to the fact that life emerges both from Mother Earth and from the womb of a mother (Long 37). People of ancient times were mystified by the creation of children and vegetation. Therefore they found links between mothers and Mother Earth. In calling the sky ÒFatherÓ a sense of unity is created, as in the bonds of matrimony. Some myths have the mother and father figures represent different characteristics of nature, but the element is still present.

The Greek creation myth told of the goddess, Gaia, and the god, Uranus, who fell in love. Uranus was the sky and Gaia was the Earth. Together they had many children and grandchildren, who created the plants, animals, stars and springs. The unity of Gaia and Uranus created a sense that the universe was one.

Two gods, in the Japanese creation myth, created Japan together. After exploring the island they were married and Izanami gave birth to three children, Amaterasu who became the sun, Tsuki-yumi whom they made into the moon and Sosano-wo, their unruly son. Once again the theme of a mother and father appeared, though this time they were not the sun earth and sky.

The Australian Aborigines believed that the Sun Mother created all the animals, plants and bodies of water on earth upon the urging of the Father of All Spirits. These two divine beings did not actually have children. Only their names reflected the mother-father theme. However the Sun Mother was portrayed as one that gives life to the sleeping spirits. A human mother also gives life to a spirit.