Unit I: Origins and Creation Myths

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Unit I Origins and Creation Myths
Common Themes, East West  Creation Myths
Sacred Narratives of Creation
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Creation Myth defined
Stan Mulder writes ...Every culture has a story
that tries to explain its human origins. This is
simply a normal human phenomenon. The lucky
cultures are the ones whose creation myths
contain some humor and kindness.... A people's
belief about the world's beginnings is usually
called a creation myth, mythology, story, or tale
by other peoples.  It should be noted, however,
that to the people involved, these are not myths
or stories.  They are real, not in a linear,
literal, scientific sense, but nevertheless real,
and part of the authentic plurality of 
humankind's truths. 
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TRUE OR FALSE? IS THAT THE QUESTION?

• Do you believe in a creation story?
• Would you call it a myth?
• If the purpose is not to convey a timeline of
  occurrences, why might cultures develop and
  maintain creation stories or other important oral
  traditions?

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WEB SEARCHES
In lieu of providing examples for students,
students may search on their own. In groups of
three or four (approximately five groups) ,
choose to search one of the following African
Creation Stories Australian Aboriginal
Stories Japanese Creation Stories Creation
Stories of India Greek Origin Stories Babylonian
Creation Stories Chinese Creation Stories Share
the important aspects or your story with your
classmates and then discuss similarities across
cultures.
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REFLECTION

• What other ideas do you have about the purpose of
  origin stories now that you have heard some new
  ones?
• What are issues, occurrences, or facts of life
  that you think there should be origin stories
  for?
• How does the format of a story differ from the
  format of a scientific brief? Why do you think
  cultures choose the story format?