Award Date

1-1-2005

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

First Committee Member

J. Michael Stitt

Number of Pages

103

Abstract

Embedded deep within humanity's blood and bones lies the need to explain how: how we came to exist, how the world originated and functions as it does. While some basic rhythms express themselves time and again, they may not necessarily do so in the same fashion. While one culture values the power of an almighty male creator god, another may place just as much, or greater, emphasis on a female creatrix, or yet again, focus on creation evolving in an ordered manner, with little if any interference from a deity at all. Creation accounts may contain elements of humor, such as the appearance of a trickster making a grand mess of the forming of the first human beings, while others are somber accounts taking on the tone of material found in history books. Within the corpus of Austronesian creation mythology, all of these variations, and many more besides, make an appearance.

Keywords

All; Ascendant; Austronesian; Creation; Myths; Papa; Rangi; Tangaroa; Water

Controlled Subject

Comparative literature; Ethnology

File Format

pdf

File Size

2232.32 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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