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"Nuwa Makes Human Beings"
in
Five Heavenly Emperors:
Chinese
Myths of Creation
Written
and Illustrated by Song Nan Zhang
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Song Nan Zhang's
collection of Chinese folklore offers sequential glimpses
of the Chinese creation account, beginning with the universe
and the establishment of gods to the creation of humanity
and the many human details (fire, food, homes, an alphabet)
that come into play. The story of Nuwa tells of the gods making
a collective decision to create "intelligent beings on
earth that would entertain them and make the earth a lively
place" (10). Nuwa, the younger sister of the Eastern
Emperor Fushi, travels to the earth. While playing in the
clay, her little figurine comes to life! She sculpts figure
after figure but, displeased with her production, expediates
the process by throwing water onto the clay. Every drop comes
to life. In an early display of hierarchy, the story details
that those figures sculpted by hand become the leaders while
those born of drops are destined to follow. Each story in
Zhang's compilation is beautifully illustrated with carefully
selected color schemes that yield a definite integrity of
composition. Also included is a brief listing of Chinese characters
and a "Who's Who in Heaven" guide.
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"Ta-aroa the Creator"
in
In the Beginning
Written
by Virginia Hamilton
Illustrated
by Barry Moser
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It would be impossible
to attempt an introduction to creation myth without considering
Virginia Hamilton's lush collection of beginning tales. Carefully
researched, full of explanatory notes and firmly rooted in
the spirit of international sharing, Hamilton's collection
is a feast for the eyes and mind, a collection that, she explains,
"shows us how humanity learned to live upon the earth".
Twenty-five stories are included in her text, richly illustrated
by Barry Moser. Featured here is a tale from French Polynesia
that describes Ta-aroa's decision to come out of the egg and
create the god Tu, his great companion and helper in creation.
Together, they create other gods, the universe, the land,
the many creatures that populate it, and man. Called Ti-i,
the first man, while declared "perfect" by his creators,
is actually a mean-spirited character who rejoices in others'
suffering. The first woman, Hina, possesses all the positive
attributes her husband lacks and is "full of good".
Ti-i sends out a cursed heron so that unhappiness comes to
settle upon the earth. The creators retort with curses, putting
out the stars and moon and cursing the sea, rivers and trees.
Hina, in her everlasting goodness, counters each curse by
assuring that the moon and stars come back, little at a time,
that the low tide follows high tide and that the trees return
in the spring. Thus Hina's actions account for what we perceive
as the natural occurances of the passing of time and the turning
of the seasons.
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Other Tales
from Asia/Oceania
Joyce, Susan. Naro, the Ancient
Spider; illustrated by D.C. DuBosque. Peel Productions,
1989.
Susan Joyce's tale, inspired
by Oceanic myth, features a spider as creator of the world,
a motif found in several cultures. The story is interwoven
with a melody (notation is included) whereby knowledge
and power are passed from one generation to the next.
Early in the tale Naro fades away, leaving her son to
finish up creation. In a particularly beautiful description,
humanity is created from the fallen petals of a blossoming
tree.
Matthews, Andrew. Marduk the
Mighty and Other Stories of Creation; illustrated by
Sheila Moxley. Millbrook, 1997.
This vibrant collection of
creation tales includes stories from throughout the world,
among them several from Asia. The story of "Iznagi
and Izanami", adapted from Shinto legend, accounts
for the creation of the seven islands of Japan. "From
the One", an Indian creation story, offers a tale
that, in light of today's overpopulation issues, pains
the reader in telling of a husband who refused to let
his wife escape becoming pregnant, no matter what animal
form she takes. Matthews' collections lacks in substance
but is ideally suited for read-aloud; the tales are short
and the illustrations funky and wild, a far cry from the
often muted use of color in other stories.
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