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The significance of symbols in Indigenous Religion
The significance of symbols in Indigenous Religion
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The Popol Vuh, which was written in the 1500’s, is the Mayan’s record of the origins of world. The Popol Vuh time and again has been referred to as the “Mayan Holy Book”, similar to holy book of Christianity, The Bible. The Popol Vuh and The Bible, the book of Genesis in particular, contain many similarities. My questions for you are is the similarities between the two religious books intentional, and or did Friar Francisco Ximenez translate the story wrong, thus creating the similarities.
After reading both books there are noticeable relations between them. Both stories set out to explain the creations of the world, citing Gods who creates the first man. Also, in both stories the gods create everything on earth such as the plants, animals, landscaping, and leaving the humans to be the last thing they create. Furthermore, the Gods in both books are unsatisfied with their human creations; this is evident almost immediately in Popol Vuh and after Adam and Eve defies God in The Bible. Were these all just a coincident? I think not.
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After carefully looking deeper in the two books more connections can be made.
For example, The Gods not being satisfied with their creations of man shows that even the Gods have no control over their creations. In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve breaks God’s one and only rule, showcasing that even God himself cannot have power over his creations. In the Popol Vuh, it takes the Gods four attempts to create a man in their image, and even then, the Gods fail because man turns out to be too wise and is punished for it. Both books showcase Gods who made mistakes with their creations, which is very interesting case in Christianity, because repeatedly the mistakes are thought to have been made my man
himself. Another theme that both books have in common is a worldly cleanse in the form of a flood. In the Book of Genesis, God is so enraged with how out of control mankind turned out to be; that he tells Noah, the only man God sees as worthy enough to save, to take two of each animals and board an ark while he cleanses the rest of the world with a flood. In the Popol Vuh, The Gods created the flood as a cleanse to rid the world of and as a punishment to the wooden people. I found the use of flood to rid the world of their creations an unlikely coincidence between the two books. Whether or not the similarities were intentional, this can only be answered by you, it is nearly impossible to not compare the two. Again I do understand that Friar Francisco Ximénez could have completely translated your work incorrectly and added in the similarities himself. If that were true, then how does it differ from your original work and how do you feel the about the translated version of the Popol Vuh compared to original?
The two world creation stories from the Judeo-christian and the Iroquois do have quite different perspectives how the world has been created. But, are they some similar parts as well in the stories? And do you see these similar parts even in the culture too? Where are these differences and similarities?
The Popol Vuh is a collection of early Mayan religion and history and is divided into three parts. The first part is their creation myth, and states the world was created by Gucumatz and Tepeu – Mayan dual gods. They created the earth, animals that were food for the humans, and finally created humans from maize to worship them. “This generation, which includes the present human race, is able to worship and nourish the gods.” (Nicoletta Maestri). The second part of the Popol Vuh is the story of the Hero Twins. Hunahpu and Xbalanque were twin brothers who became great ballplayers. They played a ball game with the Lords of Xibalba who killed their father and uncle. They defeated the Lords of Xibalba and revived their father and uncle, and soon after the twins became the moon and the sun. The third and final part of Popol Vuh are narratives and details of the Quiche noble dynasties up until the 16th century. When Gucumatz and Tepeu created humans from maize, those first humans would become part of the Quiche dynasties. “They were able to praise the gods, and wandered the world until they reached a mythical place where they could receive the gods into sacred bundles and take them home.” (Nicoletta
The Epic of Gilgamesh and the book of job are similar because they both share themes characters and setting. These two books differ because the book of job because it has a major theme that discusses where humans stand in the world.
While the two texts Gilgamesh and Popol Vuh have many similarities, themes characters ect. I personally would not call the two texts similar. In my opinion for two texts to be similar they must poses similar general themes that apply to the entire text, not small themes that only apply to portions of the text. In other words I believe that two texts can have similar events, yet have completely different meanings.
The Popol Vuh is the most important Mayan document to survive the Spanish conquest. It is believed to have been written in pre-Columbian times in hieroglyphs. After the conquest it was transcribed into the Mayan language with Roman characters. The Popol Vuh is the most sacred book of the Quiche Maya. Like other holy books, it contains stories of human creation. The opening passage excerpted here refers to the Heart of Heaven and the Heart of Earth, a name given to the Creator and the Maker of Life. According to the text, nothing was on Earth in the beginning, only the silence of darkness. The Creator and his helpers united their "words and their thoughts" and brought forth the world. They then modeled humans from yellow and white corn. The Popol Vuh is not only a precious source of information on the pre-Columbian Maya but a source of inspiration to many contemporary Central American and Hispanic-American artists and writers. “This is the account of how all was in suspense, all calm, in silence; all motionless, still, and the expanse of the sky was empty. This is the first account, the first narrative. There was neither man, nor animal, birds, fishes, crabs, trees, stones, caves, ravines, grasses, nor forests; there was only the sky. The surface of the earth had not appeared. There was only the calm sea and the great expanse of the sky. There was nothing brought together, nothing which could make a noise, nor anything which might move, or tremble, or could make noise in the sky. There was nothing standing; only the calm water, the placid sea, alone and tranquil. Nothing existed. There was only immobility and silence in the darkness, in the night. Only the Creator, the Maker, Tepeu, Gucumatz, the Fore-fathers, were in the water surrounded with light. They were hidden under green and blue feathers, and were
Words can be on a much grander scale. The Popol Vuh is a story originating from modern day Guatemala with its oldest excerpt dating back to the early 18th century. The most recent translation is by Allen J. Christenson in 2007. The Popol Vuh follows the Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque and their epic tales. The mythological story ripe with symbolism is often coined as the “sacred book” of the Maya people. Symbolism in the Popol Vuh is important because it explains life and death, satirizes human behavior, represents the creation of the Maya, and it depicts the importance of maize.
While the two texts Gilgamesh and Popol Vuh have many similarities, abject inscribe etc. I expressly would not call the two texts equally. In my sight for two texts to be equally they must topic imitate unfixed shaft that go to the whole topical, not little gleam that only indorse to measure of the SMS. In other conversation I wait that two texts can have equally events, yet have perfectly different meanings. Popol Vuh and Gilgamesh absolutely had more similarities than dissimilarities, but it is the consequence of those similarities, not the largeness, that in act number. The personate that insignificant loony and suddenly manifestation up in both texts does not indistinct the deed that these two texts have distinguished meanings. In this features I will scatter the similarities and dissimilarities of both these texts with no inclination towards the dissimilarities, grant the facts to articulate for themselves. The similarities between Popol Vuh and Gilgamesh are mellifluent to taster the least. The first and most agitated consimilarity in my firmness is the cultural indicate of the two texts. Each text can be use far for the mull over of its motive civilize. Popol Vuh is, in match, a close kinship, or for poverty of a improve tongue “ledger” for the original Mayan politeness, by thought it we can accustom more concerning their beliefs, which in metamorphose, appropriate us to aid, nurture their bring up. For antecedent, Popol Vuh pageantry that humans were made from granular; from this we can include that the Mayan relations recourse fodder as their superior provisions climbing. Popol Vuh also express to the precept that animals were in a since, the gods first essay at regenerate hubby, from this culture ...
In both myths the relationship between humans and nature is shown as a positive one but with negative effects from humans’ greed and necessity for more. In the beginning of the Creation Story it is stated in the first few lines “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” God then began to create the Earth in seven days. On the first day he created day and night out of the darkness and light. The second day led to the creation of the sky. The third day was the creation of the land. The fourth day led to the creation of the season. And finally on the fifth and sixth day, animals and humans were created, and the first two were a male and female named Adam and Eve. At the end of everyday during creation the words “and God saw it was good” are written. God is happy with his creation of nature. The phrase shows the positive connotation of...
The creation myths that I have studied are similar in many ways. They also have differences that show an inherently different way of thinking about the world. All have creators-gods that make the world into what is now. There are conflicts within their world, and these conflicts change the face world. God to god or human to god maybe be involved in these conflicts. Their bloody struggles prove who is more powerful, causing change in the control of the world. Some gods are beneficial to man and others are self-serving, using man only as a tool.
The Enuma Elish mirrors the subordinate disordered lives of the Babylonians that created it. Genesis mirrors the newfound freedom and idealism of the Jewish people who created it after years of oppression. These two writings contrast the differences between the ancient Babylonians and the ancient Hebrews. Creation stories give great insight into the lives of the people who created them.
The biggest similarity I found is that both indicate there is a creator. Each writing states that a being or person created each creature during the time. Enuma Elish states that Tiamut was the creator and in Fishbane’s writing Elohim is the equal creator. However, Tiamut is described as a women with the phrases “she raged and cried” and “she uttered a curse”. Whereas in Fishbane’s writing Elohim is described as a male in the third day of Genesis “and the gathered waters He called:”Sea!””. The rest of the time it is unclear if Elohim is a man or a woman. Neither version seems to definitively tell us if it only one God or multiple Gods at work. In Genesis it is stated, “Let us make Man in our image and our visage, that they Rule over the fish of the sea, birds of the sky, the herd animals and the whole earth, and every reptile which stirs on the earth!” The use of us and our, would lead most to believe that there would be more than one God at work to create Man. In The Epic of Creation, they mention the gods many times throughout the story, but never really say if the gods are ruled under one God or ruled under multiple gods.
After reading Milton’s Lost Paradise and The Book of Genesis, I noticed some similarities and many differences. Although many of the characters names and personalities were similar, the viewpoints in which these stories were written differed. For example, In Milton’s lost paradise the reader is able to actually see what the characters are thinking and their reasons for doing things, whereas in The Book of Genesis the characters actions are unpredictable. Another difference I noticed was in the Bible the source of sin begins straight from the birth of Eve and the reasons for the creation of man and woman. While in Milton’s Lost Paradise the author starts from the establishment of Satan “Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd , The Mother of Mankind, what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host Of Rebel Angels” (33-38). The author is referencing the source of sin to Satan, “Milton accepts, and insists on the challenge that the fall must be made believable—and acceptable—by a dramatic representation addressed to the human reasoning” (Bowers 264-273). These two stories illustrate humanity and God’s formation of earth but in contrastive ways.
Many stories relate to how the Earth and humans were created, and who or what created it us. One of Roman Mythology’s main influences is Christianity, so these religions have plenty of things in common. This includes that both of the stories have almost the exact same story line, and both talk about one couple being saved on an ark. Both stories begin with a formless world, a world without shape or form, it is a world without any details. The symbolism of the World being cut off from the love and perfection of the God who made them, and falling into sin is shown as well. From the creator, to the formless World, even the symbolism is the same.
The two books give you a very clear understanding of good and evil. When you read Genesis you understand the good in the world that is being offered by God. You also begin to see the beginning of evil, offered by satan. When you read the Paradise Lost side of the story you see the origination and the back story of where evil and sin came from. Together, these stories explain so much and work together to explain both sides of the story.
Within the texts of Genesis which belong to the biblical scriptures of the Hebrews, and the myths of Egyptian origin, there are a multitude of similarities and differences. When compared side by side, the most obvious factor of both texts is that a single God was the creator of all that we know today. In Genesis that creator is simply referred to as God, while in Egyptian mythology, the creator is known as Neb-er-tcher. Both creators have striking resemblances, such as the ways they went about the production of the world.