In week IV, my group explored myths about death and disease from a wide range of traditions including Hinduism, the Yoruba and Kapsiki of Africa, Ancient Egypt, and Greek mythology. The diversity of traditions allowed for us to discuss the unique symbolism used for impact in each mythic narrative. Additionally, the myths explored this week further solidified the statement “Body practices as an extension of mythic narratives” in both African and Ancient Egyptian belief systems. This discussion connects to mythology surrounding the ongoing pandemic and highlights the etic and emic perspectives related to this issue.
First, let’s review the meaningful symbolism found in Greek, Hindu and Yoruba mythology on death and disease.
Pandora’s Box
The Greek myth “Pandora’s Box” works to explain the existence of disease, death, evilness, and trouble on Earth (Pandora’s box, 2020). In this myth a box is gifted to Pandora, the first woman on Earth. While this box appears to be a valuable gift from the gods, it is actually a curse for revenge on Prometheus who stole fire from heaven and gave it to humans. This box symbolizes trouble, curiosity, and the unknown future. The symbolism of this box is so powerful because it is believed that when Pandora opened the box, she released illness, disease, bitterness, and misfortune. However, when Pandora closes the lid, she left “Hope” behind. This beautiful action reminds us that although it may seem like the world is ending, we will always have hope (Themes, Motifs and Symbols – Myths and Legends).
Pandora’s Box (Hensmann, 2009)
The Hindu God Chitragupta
In Hinduism, the god Chitragupta is believed to play the role of observer, watching human actions, and then deciding whether a human belongs in heaven or hell following death. Chitragupta oversees actions of humans on Earth and determines rewards and punishment for the individual. In this myth, the most striking symbolism is the “Vedas” or large bodies of religious text. Through this Chitragupta had the ability to write or rewrite the fate of every human being in the afterlife. Chitragupta was created from Brahma’s soul and mind, which gave him the ability to write the Vedas and serve justice to all of mankind (Chitragupta, 2020).
Video:
Chitragupta – The First Assistant of Yama (TheGodsOfIndia, 2012): https://youtu.be/jC2bX4GMc6
Babalu-Aye, the Yoruba God of Illness
The Yoruba god of illnesses known as “Babalu-Aye” is seen as the great one who is miraculous towards those who obey him but severe towards those who refuse to follow his commands. Like Chitragupta, he acted as a judge who decided the fate of humans depending on if they were good or evil. One version of the story of Babalu-Aye that stood out to my group was the myth that describes the origin of disease. In this story Babalu-Aye attends a party of other gods, however, is made fun of for being clumsy and awkward. Angered by the laughter of other gods, Babalu-Aye unleashes a torrent of plagues and diseases that seep into the world. He was then banished for this reason. Babalu-Aye spends the rest of his existence helping people afflicted with smallpox, except flares up again when angered, unleashing more disease (Olmos & Paravisini-Gebert, 2000). Smallpox provides powerful symbolism in this myth because of how this disease has affected many people throughout history.
These mythic symbols show how powerful mythology can be when influencing the emic perspectives on death and disease. The body practices used in Ancient Egypt and Kapsiki tradition highlighted below demonstrate how closely related mythology is to physical rituals and routines.
Ancient Egyptian Mummification Process and Temples
My group unanimously agreed with the idea that “Body practices are an extension of mythic narratives”. One of the best examples of this is the mummification process of the Ancient Egyptians. When the god of death, Osiris, died the cosmos fell into chaos and the tears of the gods turned into materials used to mummify his body. These materials included honey, resin, and incense. Mummification and a properly furnished tomb were believed to provide everything needed in the afterlife. Through mummification, the human body was preserved so that it could be transported to the spiritual afterlife (Egyptian Civilization, Religion: Mummification). This is evidence of how the mythic narrative influenced the actions taken by the Ancient Egyptians to prepare for the afterlife. Without the beliefs, myths and narratives associated with death, the mummification process (or modern embalming process) is not as sacred and important from the etic perspective as it is from the emic perspective.
Egyptian Mummy – Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington DC (Watts, 2015)
The depiction of priests on the Ancient Egyptian temple walls and the practices of communicating to the gods through temple prayers also support the importance of mythic narratives in physical rituals. Priests were the only ones allowed in the temples because their lives were dedicated to serving the gods. According to Teeter (2011), most of the encounters with priests and oracles were instances in which a bad situation, combined with a guilty conscience, motivated an individual to confess their wrongdoings to the gods at the temple. The gods would then be placated by the oracle, allowing the individual to recover. This belief system driven by the mythic narrative that gods would only send a sign of reprimand if provoked is what inspired Ancient Egyptian temple prayers.
Ancient Egyptian Abu Simbel Small Temple (Meskens, 2011)
Kapsiki Healing Rituals and Body Practices
Like the Yoruba personification of illness as Babalu-Aye, the Kapsiki people believe that the smallpox and measles epidemics can recognize the good and evil in people. However, unlike Babalu-Aye, smallpox and measles are not gods, but instead invisible beings with powers. Damara (smallpox) would only infect those who do wrong, leaving those who are truly good healthy and safe. The sick had to retreat to the bush to stay away from the village and await death. While Ancient Egyptians use confessions to cure disease and sickness, the Kapsiki people use different measures depending on the village. For example, the Rumsiki have a stone against smallpox, which is oiled with ocherous oil regularly to keep up its strength (van Beek, 2015). Although the Kapsiki and Ancient Egyptian body practices are vastly different, they are both extensions of the mythic narratives and emic perspectives of each respective group.
The ongoing pandemic is an incredible current example of how body practices are an extension of mythic narratives, and how the etic and emic perspectives on healing differ.
Disease Mythology related to the Covid-19 Pandemic
According to Ross (2020), certain Christians believe that the Covid-19 virus is part of the four horsemen of the apocalypse as described in Revelation 6 of the bible. These four are “given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8)” (Ross, 2020). The extreme emic perspective in the Christian faith would see this as an important time to follow body practices such as praying to God for health and protection and worshiping in church. However, the etic perspective takes into consideration how there has been other pandemics throughout history, such as the Spanish Flu, that have not destroyed mankind. Actions such as social distancing, wearing a mask, and getting the vaccine once available are not extensions of religious myths, but instead motivated by science and the recommendations of modern doctors. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrates how unique body practices are depending on the worldview, mythic narratives, and perspective of each group. While the actions taken to heal and protect are different and oftentimes opposing between etic and emic perspectives, the shared goal of avoiding disease and death is common to all groups.
References
Chitragupta. (2020, August 01). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitragupta
Egyptian Civilization, Religion: Mummification. (n.d.). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcr06e.html
Hensmann, M. (2009, June 26). Pandora’s Box [Digital image]. Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/mycael/3664900435
Meskens, A. (2011, August 8). Abu Simbel Small Temple [Digital image]. Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abu_Simbel_Small_temple_2.jpg
Olmos, M. F., & Paravisini-Gebert, L. (2000). Sacred possessions: Vodou, Santería, Obeah, and the Caribbean. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Univ. Press.
Pandora’s box. (2020, June 26). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora’s_box
Ross, H. (2020, March 23). Is Covid-19 the Plague Prophesied in Revelation 6? Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://reasons.org/explore/blogs/todays-new-reason-to-believe/read/todays-new-reason-to-believe/2020/03/23/is-covid-19-the-plague-prophesied-in-revelation-6
Teeter, E. (2011). Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt. Cambridge University Press.
TheGodsOfIndia (Producer). (2012). Chitragupta – The First Assistant Of Yama [Video file]. Youtube. Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://youtu.be/jC2bX4GMc6.
Themes, Motifs and Symbols – Myths and Legends. (n.d.). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://sites.google.com/site/mythsandlegendsnotes/pandora-s-box/theme-motifs-and-symbols
van Beek, W. E. (2015). Chapter 8. Masters of Healing. In The Forge and the Funeral : The Smith in Kapsiki/Higi Culture (pp. 181-214). East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press.
Watts, C. (2015, August 26). Egyptian Mummy Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington DC [Digital image]. Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/watts_photos/21860559246
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