Don´t Deny It Part I I

Pic: Mum and I.

See part one here

Uganda. The Sky God had two children: Nambi, the Life, and Warumbe, the Death. Kintu, the human fell in love with Nambi and asked to marry her, which he was granted. God ordered them to populate the earth and said, hurry up, it won´t be good if you meet Warumbe. Half way Nambi realized she had forgotten the feed for her chicken and insisted on returning. They met Warumbe – he came down to Earth... and stayed.

Ruanda. When God sent the first couple down to earth, he gave them two bundles, in one was Life in the other Death, and he ordered: Gather all animals and each will decide which bundle he wants. The humans and all animals decided for the one with Death. Only the snake decided for the other. Ever since she rejuvenates by getting rid of her old skin – all others have to die. And they cried. God decided to kill Death, but Death cried to an old women, “please, help me, I´m in peril to life!” She hid Death under her clothes. God saw and said, what a pity for mankind, they´re a victim of their own stupidity”. And Death stayed on earth.

Greece. The tale of Pandora found a place here, too.

East Africa. In the old days, mankind didn´t wander around or sleep, which one complained about by God. God agreed to let them wander and sleep but said, now each of you has to come back to me one day. Mankind agreed because the one who had asked had experienced the sweet sleep on the way to God.

Catchword sleep: In the language you still find the equation of sleep and death: In old Greece graveyards were called sleeping places. In German for pass away you say sleep away, you put a dead person to his last rest.

The old Greek thought of Sleep and Death as twin-Brothers, the old Germans considered them to be Siblings. The Roman poet Ovid pictured Hypnos, the Sleep, as a merciful, friendly God: He brings oblivion and refreshment, he frees mankind of fears and distress. One of his Sons is the Dream, the other the Death, both are Sons of the Night.

Ecuador. The world was created and God decided to make mankind. He sent the Cricket to fetch stones, cause stones are of long continuity. The Cricket moaned that stones are so heavy. A Beetle came by and offered to do the job. God agreed but ordered the Cricket to go get clay. The Beetle was slow… we all know the rest of the story…

Brazil. The Great Ghost who created everything wanted to give mankind eternal life. He said: “Go down to the river, soon there will arrive three canoes, I will be in the third. Greet me gentle and with awe.” The first canoe arrived soon and smelled real bad, it was loaded with foul fish – they assumed it was Death. Some time later another canoe arrived, with a human-like figure on board. They assumed it was the Great Ghost and welcomed him with joy. It was Death.

Sulawesi. At the begin of the world, heaven and earth were close. God one day let down a rope with a stone. The woman and the man refused. God let down a banana and they took the fruit with joy. God said: You´ve chosen the banana, your life be alike: When the banana-plant gets new fruit, the bole dies. So will you, your children will take your place. If you´d chosen the stone, your life would´ve been like his: consistent and eternal.

Nigeria. God created turtle, mankind and stones. When they grew old, they rejuvenated. Turtle one day went to God and asked for children. God said, if you want children, you also have to die. The turtle said: When my wife gets pregnant, I will die. God asked mankind and they answered: We want to see our children and die thereafter. The stones said, no, we don´t want children and we don´t want to die. Be it, said God.

Chapter 3: Death as punishment

Central Africa. God Kalunga one day said to his Son: Go and get a goat from every being.

The Son went to the Sun who gave him a goat. Next he went to the Moon, the Stars and the Savanna and each gave a goat. Finally he came to Mankind. They gave him a goat. Satisfied the Son left. The humans called him back and asked what the goat was for, what they get in return – the Son had no answer and they killed him. Kalunga waited one year, then went to the Sun. The Sun said, he was here a year ago. I gave him a goat and he left. Kalunga got the same answer over and over. So he decided to test all, he ordered to dig a hole each and lie inside. The innocent will come back, he said.

After one day the Sun was out. 28 days passed, then the Moon was up again. The Stars and all plants of the Savanna came back after the dry season. Only the Human stayed inside. Kalunga now knew who had killed his Son and said: it will be this way forever: the humans will not return from their graves, they will not join the living again.