Humankind has always been curious and fascinated about their origins. This has played out in several cultures and religions around the world have their own philosophies of how we came about and how the world began. In Africa, there are certain creation stories that stand out. Here are five of them.
1. Egypt’s idea of the origin of humans
In Egypt there were a number of creation myths, depending on the residence of the people. In Heliopolis, the creation of the world and humans was the work of Atum. Atum sneezed out Shu and spat Tefnut, two gods who later coupled to produce two other gods, Geb and Nut, who also coupled to give birth to four other gods: Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys.
In the city of Memphis, Ptah is seen as the creator supreme. Ptah is the god of craftsmen and architects and as such, he is seen as having the ability to envision a finished product. This ability is believed to have resulted in the formation of humans. According to the myth, an idea would appear in Ptah’s heart and he would give it life by naming it with his tongue.
2. Gikuyu and his nine daughters
In Kikuyu mythology, Ngai is the supreme being, who lives atop Mt. Kenya. He had a manservant, Gikuyu to whom he gave the world. As he was walking around looking at his creation, he took Gikuyu on top of Mt. Kenya and showed him a beautiful place called Mukurwe wa Gathanga, where he could live.
On arrival, Gikuyu found a woman called Mumbi waiting for him. He married her and together they had nine daughters: Wanjiru, Wambui, Wanjiku, Wangari, Waceera, Wakiuru, Waithira, Wairimu, Wangui. When they came of age, Gikuyu went back to Ngai to ask him for husbands for his daughters.
3. The Fan and the destruction of the first earth
The creation story of the Fan or Fang tribe that lives in West Africa features a god trilogy comprising Mabere, Nzame and Nkwa. Nzame created heaven and earth and called the other gods to admire his handiwork. In the process, they thought they’d be better off if the earth had a ruler. Therefore they created Fam, a creature in their image and likeness.
Fam was in charge of the animals but over time he mistreated the animals and turned against the gods. Angry and disappointed, the gods destroyed everything except Fam, to whom they had promised immortality. They then decided to create a new layer of earth and a new tree grew on it.
The tree dropped seeds, which grew to more trees. As they shed, the leaves that fell into water turned into fish and those that fell on land turned into animals. Nzame then decided to create a new Fam and called him Sekume. Sekume fashioned a woman from a tree and called Mbongwe. They then had many children.
4. The Efik and the meal in heaven
Abassi, the creator, was not too sure about the two humans he had created for he feared their ambition. He was on the verge of denying them the opportunity to live on earth if not for the intercession of his wife. He, however, gave one condition: that humans must take meals with him in heaven. He forbade them from hunting, farming and procreating.
However, the female human went against Abassi and started growing food on earth and stopped showing up in heaven to eat. The two humans worked the farm together and eventually had three children, whom they were hiding from Abassi. When he discovered their discretion, he punished them with chaos and death.
5. The Fulani and the drop of milk
The Fulani of West Africa believes that the earth was created from a drop of milk. From the drop of milk, the creator, Doondari emerged and made stone. The stone then created iron, which made fire, which made water, which made air.
Doondari came back to earth again and made a man, who then became arrogant. To punish him, the creator made him blind. But he was still proud so Doondari made sleep to keep him out of trouble. When things did not change, he made worry to cause trouble for sleep and eventually created death to beat worry, which had become too strong.
