Patterns of belief in Bushman creation tales: an interpretive study relating to /Xam, Maluti, and Zu/'oasi sources

Howard, Nadine B

Title: Patterns of belief in Bushman creation tales: an interpretive study relating to /Xam, Maluti, and Zu/'oasi sources
Creator: Howard, Nadine B
Subject: South Africa
Subject: Creation -- Mythology
Subject: Spirituality -- Africa
Subject: San (African people) -- Religion
Subject: San (African people) -- Folklore
Date Issued: 2000
Date: 2000
Type: Text
Identifier: vital:549
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019978
Identifier: Donated by Geoffrey Howard, 2010.
Description: “Patterns of Belief in Bushman Creation Tales” regard /Xam, Maluti, and Zu/’oasi mythology. The study divides into three sections. The Early Period of Conceptual Unity concerns creation of the eland, a symbolic antelope. All beings are animal-persons of the early race. The /Xam deity /Kaggen creates and secretly cares for an eland to whom he feeds honey. The family, missing honey, sends Mongoose to spy on /Kaggen. He sees the eland and informs his father who kills it without Kaggen’s knowledge. Kaggen weeps bitterly. Elsewhere, when Cagn’s away Maluti sons hunt and discover an unknown creature. They try repeatedly to stab it as it breaks away, but returns to lay down. Finally Gewi kills it. They take meat and blood home, but later see Cagn’s snares and feel afraid. The Transition Period of Conceptual Separation and Restoration follows. Separation of animals and people takes place through re-creation and naming. The former animal-person world passes away. Maluti elands are re-created as Gewi tries to undo his “mischief”. Churning the eland’s blood, it scatters, becoming snakes, then hartebeests. Cagn and his wife help: spinning blood, adding fat from the heart. They produce multitudes of untamed elands. Gewi who “spoilt” them must hunt and kill one, but he fails. Cagn then teaches both sons to hunt. However, his elands are swift, and he will now dwell in their bones. “That day game were given to men to eat,” and the transition to knowing is made. Zu/’oasi animal-persons journey to the fire of creation; there to be beautifully marked or otherwise distinguished. /Xam antelope await their naming through the eating or drinking of liquid honeys which colour their hides. The Third Section offers an overview of concepts the thesis presents. It also bears the key to unlock a very old mystery.
Description: Intended as a Masters of Arts thesis for the University of Natal, the author was unable to complete the final chapter before her death, and the thesis was never submitted for examination. It was the wish of her husband that her careful study should be brought to light and be made available to other students of this field.
Format: 267 pages
Format: pdf
Language: English

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