Jay R. Feierman. What was the copying fidelity across individual story tellers and over generations of the orally transmitted creation myths that eventually.

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Presentation transcript:

Jay R. Feierman

What was the copying fidelity across individual story tellers and over generations of the orally transmitted creation myths that eventually were memorialized in writing and canonized as Genesis (bereshit in Hebrew) sometime between 600 and 450 B.C.E?

 Certain aspects of Christianity, like “original sin” are based on words alleged to have been said in the Garden of Eden in Genesis.  Issues involving the relationship between the two sexes (men and woman) are also influenced by words alleged to have been said in the Garden of Eden.  Etc.

It is not possible to know or even to investigate the copying fidelity of the orally transmitted creation myths in Genesis prior to 600 – 450 B.C.E., when they were written down in Hebrew as a part of Genesis.

 Yes, indirectly in several ways  The Navajo Native Americans in Arizona only officially wrote (published) a canonical version of their creation myths in 1971, Navajo History. Ethelou Yazzi, Ed. Many Farms, AZ: Navajo Community College Press.  There are about 25 unofficial versions of Navajo creation myths transcribed from the oral version by anthropologists and others for about 100 years prior to  We can compare the different unofficial transcribed oral versions with the 1971 canonical version.

 Yes, indirectly among the various Athabascan tribes (Navajo and Apache in the American Southwest) who split into smaller bands and tribes approximately 38 times over the last several hundred years.  We can compare unofficial (non-canonical) written versions of the different creation myths for copying fidelity.

 Yes. The Hopi tribe (located within the larger Navajo Reservation in Northern Arizona) split apart in historical times in  We can compare the copying fidelity of the orally transmitted creation myths of the two factions that were unofficially (non- canonically) transcribed by non-Hopi people based on the orally told stories

 Across the 38 different Athabascan tribes from Alaska and Canada to the Americal Southwest  Within the Navajo over the past 100 years compared to the canonical written version in 1971  Within historical times in the Hopi of Arizona

1. Came across the Bering Straits from Siberia to Alaska about 10-15,000 years ago. 2. Stayed in Alaska for about 10,000 years 3. Divided 38 times in North America 4. We can look at the copying fidelity of their orally transmitted creation myths

1. Almost no resemblance in creation myth theme or details between the northern (Alaska and Canada) Athabascans and the Southwest United States Athabascans (Apache and Navajo) 2. As Apaches splintered into various “bands” the creation myths varied, primarily in detail, occasionally in theme, or similarly named Gods who did different things.

 Of the 25 or so un-official versions published the past 100 years, there is usually a general resemblance in theme.  The details vary over time and over two different medicine men (priests) who told the story at the same point in time.

The Hopi maintain a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries. However, it is difficult to definitively state what all Hopis as a group believe. Like the oral traditions of many other societies, Hopi mythology is not always told consistently and each Hopi mesa, or even each village, may have its own version of a particular story. But, in essence the variants of the Hopi myth bear marked [thematic] similarity to one another. From Wikipedia on Hopi Mythology

Split was over how much contact with Europeans should occur The conservatives, who wanted less contact, left Oraibi and formed a new village, Hotevilla Within a few years the Hotevilla village had a new creation myth that even featured different Gods (creators).

What are the functions (in a biological sense) of religious creation myths?

Orally transmitted creation myths among the Native Americans were and are highly mutable and impermanent There is no reason to presume that the orally transmitted creation myths that eventually became Genesis are any different. Creation myths are group-binding mechanisms. They are not historically accurate or truthful accounts of a group’s origin. The theological implications of this finding are beyond the scope of this paper.