Creation myths en

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CHAPTER I-THE GENESIS OF THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THE BAMILEKES
1. First story (Léon Kamga, Laakam ou Guide Initiatique du savoir-faire et savoir-être
bamiléké)
In the beginning was the earth and the earth was God (in most dialects of West Cameroon, the
same word "Si" designates God and the earth's surface). God resided in the earth, constituting its male
element and active principle. God the Father found the earth's surface lacking in animation and decided
to populate it with inferior creatures.
Like a potter, the Supreme Being modeled the first man with clay. He used the color of the
same clay and a finishing stone to infinitely diversify the plasticity of his models. He had tall ones,
short ones, light ones, brown ones, black ones, white ones and so on. At the end of the work, God
propelled man from the subterranean workshop to the surface of the earth, "ka" (the top), and entrusted
the earth with the task of carrying and nourishing him. In return for the earth goddess's maternal role,
God gave man four major prescriptions
- The institution of a sabbatical period during which agricultural work will be suspended to allow
the land to rest and regenerate.
- A ban on defiling the sacred ground, the eternal resting place of benevolent souls, with the
bodies of suicides and those of people whose death did not respect the current code of honor.
- The organization of a popular penance ceremony designed to appease the earth's anger when it
punishes human excesses through natural disasters.
- The obligation to bury a stump of the umbilical cord of every newborn baby, so that the human
being remains connected to his land, his people and his God.
To avoid too much promiscuity with imperfect beings, God entrusted their supervision to local
entities - guardian angels scattered across the earth. It is to these local gods that men will erect altars
and sacrifice in times of need. The ancestor who has earned the love of his family and the respect of
those around him will be admitted, after his earthly life, to the dignity of the notables of the divine
empire. As such, he will be able, if requested, to intercede with the Creator on behalf of his surviving
relatives. Particular clues will enable us to identify those who, in God's name, will have the heavy
responsibility of managing people and goods in the city on a daily basis. True to his discretion, God
will make women the exclusive custodians of the sacred art of creation. Thus, young mothers will bear
the prestigious title of "meve" (mother of art or artist). The father will not be "ta'a ve" (the father of
art) but only "ta'a meve" (the father of the mother of art). The married woman who dies without ever
having conceived will be buried with a stone in the palm of her hand.
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Humans will thus entrust her with the task of handing over to God the tool of creation that she
herself has failed to use on earth. In the same way, a young girl who sits on a rock, disrespecting the
modelling stone of the human species, runs the risk of not procreating later. The pregnant woman will
be regarded as a sacred temple whose access is closed to imperfect creations. Her partner will therefore
avoid all carnal relations with her until the baby is weaned. Any contravention of this prohibition will
be tantamount to pro nation of a sacred place.
This sacredness of women in their creative function was the basis of polygamy. As the saying goes, it
was to prevent the male, in his natural ardor, from firing shots at the sacred altar that he was authorized
to take several wives. The woman's first priority is to develop the land, with which she shares the same
fertility attributes.
On the divine calendar, the duration of the earth's transit will be compared to the length of a day; this
is how those who die old will be told that night caught them on earth.
The good Lord, in his infinite mercy, would have refused to create hell". All souls will return
to the bosom of the earth at the end of their stay on the surface "ka"" not to undergo any punishment
but to share the peace, stability and plenitude of their Creator. It is in the earth that they will find the
ancestors who preceded them. All shortcomings will therefore be corrected on the surface; and if, when
the time comes to "return", the dead are not free of reproach, they will pass on their burden to their
descendants or loved ones in the form of a curse. Once life on the surface has been organized, God
closes in on the earth' where he welcomes into his bliss those of his chicks who have completed their
mission in the earthly henhouse.
Note
- We've been told that children born under a full moon or with certain distinctive signs on the
umbilical cord are favorites for the succession race.
- There is no Bamileke word for hell. The notion of "great fire" known to our Christians is a pure
invention of the early missionaries. Fire, as we shall see later in the exegesis of the liturgical
elements of the Bamiléké religion, is associated with the notion of bravery and the flame of life.
Ashes, on the other hand, symbolize destruction and annihilation. Similarly, there are evil spirits
and even evil deities (si tchouepung) who can attack the living, but never the dead. So we're a long
way from the Satan of ....

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Second story (Bernard Maillard, Pouvoir et Religion: Les structures socioreligieuses de la chefferie
de Bandjoun(Cameroun))
CREATION BY "IF
"When the man woke up, he saw that everything was already there: the earth and the rain bowl,
two huge broad leaves, the grasses, the trees, the animals, the sun, the moon and the stars. Everything
was truly made. Man lived well. He was neither hungry nor thirsty, neither cold nor hot. He was happy.
Hunting wild animals was his favorite pastime. The dog was his faithful companion. In his
astonishment, the man questioned his Father, who replied: "I made all these things and all the others".
When King "Si" undertook a long journey on foot to visit the earth, his workshop, to review
and admire his great works, to nourish and enrich creatures, valleys and mountains formed, streams
flowed, air currents blew men and animals of all kinds flocked, the birds of the firmament sang in
unison, the trees waved their green leaves, the tall grasses bent gracefully. Then the God "IF", the One
above men, made all these things beautiful and rich.
While "Si", the Overlord, rested in the shade of the old "yam" tree, which was surrounded by
green "pfunkan", the twins' wails were heard, while the birds of the firmament brightened nature.
Taking the newborns in his arms, "Si", the One Above men, smiled tenderly, named them "pomnye
pa" and told them "Grow up quickly, you too will go to work in my fertile field. Prosper, prosper,
always". Then "Si", the Overlord of men, placed beautiful stalks of "pfuekan" in the hands of "tanye"
and "manye", the twins' parents. You will often return with your descendants to visit me in this sacred
place, precisely at the foot of this sacred "yam" tree, the holy place where I have done so many great
things.
Time passed quickly. "Tanye" and "manye" forgot to visit their good Father "Si". He got angry
with them. Angered, Father "Si" sent the chameleon and the toad to bring them this divine message:
"Since it is so, you will see, you will die", and since then, life has undergone a change in its course.
All is now struggle. The earth, the rain bowl, the grasses, the trees and the animals, the sun and the
moon and the stars are in a constant struggle. Only the strongest emerge victorious. Already, men are
born, work and die. The dog can no longer speak. However, the twins inspired and blessed by the God
"Si" do not die, but disappear. The Bamiléké are careful not to kill the chameleon and the toad, both
of which carry the divine message. Mothers of twins make great use of "pfuen kan". Men pray and
offer sacrifices at the foot of the sacred "yam" tree, a place reserved for God, a holy place where every
man can keep and entrust everything, without fear of theft, fighting, lying or the like. It is here that
man hopes to find lost happiness".