Fascinating creation myths from around the world

Every culture has its own story to explain how everything came to be. The plants, the animals, and us humans, we all had to come from somewhere, right? Whether the universe was made by gods, horses, giant spider-women, or rainbow-colored snakes, the stories that explain the origin of everything are fascinating.

Intrigued? Read on to learn more about creation myths from around the world.

The Romanian mole myth

According to old Romanian folklore, the beginning of the world is actually quite endearing. While God was spooling out a thread to measure how large the Earth should be, a mole came along and started to help by unspooling the string while God carried it along.

By accident, the mole unspooled too much string, and the Earth became too large. Ashamed of his blunder, the mole hid underground, where moles still live to this day. When God asked the mole what to do with the extra space, the mole suggested God squeeze the Earth, and thus the mountains and valleys were formed.

The tale of Mbomba

The tale of Mbomba originates from the Boshongo tribe in the Bantu region of southern Africa. In the beginning, Mbomba was the only being in the universe, sitting alone in endless nothingness. Then, the stomach pains started.

Rangi and Papa

One of the creation stories told by the Maori people of Oceania concerns two celestial beings known as Rangi (Sky-Father) and Papa (Earth-Mother). Since the beginning of time, Rangi and Papa had been locked in a loving embrace, never letting the other go, and were quite content like this.

Eiocha, the horse from the sea

There is an ancient creation myth of Celtic origin that tells the story of Eiocha, a beautiful white mare that was made out of sea foam, who emerged from the endless ocean and became pregnant after eating berries that she found growing on an oak tree.

The Hopi spider-grandmother

According to the Native American Hopi tribe, who inhabit the southwestern portion of North America, the universe was created by three beings. First there was Taiowa, the supreme creator; Sotuknang, referred to as Taiowa’s nephew; and the Spider Woman, created by Taiowa to assist in the formation of humanity.

Nyx and the first Greek gods

According to this Grecian myth of creation, the goddess Nyx existed alone in a vast expanse of nothingness. Personified in this story as a black bird, Nyx laid a golden egg, from which hatched Eros, the Greek god of carnal love.

Izanagi and Izanami

Izanagi and Izanami are the main protagonists in one of the numerous Japanese tales of creation. Before the Japanese deities, or kami, sent these two siblings down to Earth, the world was covered by one vast ocean.

The Zoroastrian creation story

At one point in time, Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion of the world. Practiced by only a small number of people today, there are two figures at the center of their theory of creation: Ahura Mazda, who represents goodness and light, and Angra Mainyu, who embodies darkness and ill will.

The Mayan creation myth

The Mayan creation story is told in an ancient hieroglyphic text known as the Popul Vuh. The old gods of Mayan tradition looked upon the nothingness before them and decided to create humanity, apparently for the sole purpose of keeping track of time as it passed.

The tale of Obatala

In the West African Yoruba tribe, stories are told of Orunmila (son of the chief god Olorun) and the lesser god Obatala. Obatala, seeing the potential of the universe and believing that more could be done with the space, asked Orunmila for permission to go down to Earth.

The story of Pangu

Pangu, a great primordial giant from ancient Chinese mythology, is said to have been stuck holding yin and yang together for 18,000 years, before eventually being torn apart and falling down to Earth.

The Egyptian creation story

According to legend, Atum was the first and original deity in the Egyptian pantheon. Atum emerged from the edge of the Sun, which had itself risen from Nun, the endless black ocean that existed before anything else.

The story of Viracocha

Another creation story that begins with a vast ocean is the Incan tale of Viracocha. Viracocha rose from the ocean and created the skies and the stars, and then a small group of stone men.

The Norse myth of Ymir

In Norse mythology, the universe consisted of three planes at the beginning of time. Muspelheim was the land of fire, Niflheim was the land of ice, and between them lay the void of Ginnungagap.

Goorialla the rainbow serpent

Most Aboriginal creation stories revolve around an entity widely known as the Rainbow Serpent. In one particular story from the Northern Territories, he is known as Goorialla.

This story tells us that Goorialla was wandering around the flat subcontinent of Australia, looking for signs of life. His massive body carved out features and landmarks from the flat landscape. After eating two brothers known as the Bil Bil brothers, Goorialla was cut open by the other tribespeople in order to save them. To hide from the snake’s wrath, the tribespeople transformed into the myriad of creatures that roam Australia to this day.

Sources: (History Collection) (New World Encyclopedia) (The Celtic Religion)