Earth – isn’t it great? This ball of dirt, water and air is the planet we get to call home, but where did it all come from? Over the years, many cultures have tried to explain what it was that made Earth. There are so many different theories that have spread far and wide, and now it’s our turn to take a look at them.
Ancient Egypt creation
Ancient Egyptians have many theories, but they are all based on the lifeless water of chaos known as Nu. From the water emerged a pyramid shape named benben which was the first thing to ever appear out of the water. Ra, the sun-god, is also closely linked to many of the stories. One tells how Ra came out of the mound and brought with him the sun. A combination of the fertile soil surrounding the river and the warmth of the sun helped to grow the crops, and pretty soon people were able to survive.
Cherokee creation
Cherokee beliefs tell a story of how Dâyuni’sï first came down from the sky realm to see what lay in the water world below. As he climbed into the water, he realized there was no stable place to rest. Instead of returning home, Dâyuni’sï swam to the bottom of the sea to fetch some mud. This is what he used to make Earth. Many of the animals from the sky realm were eager to see the new creation, with a buzzard being the first animal to investigate. The earth was still soft, so his wings carved the mountains and gorges. The story also continues to tell how the other animals gained all their powers.
Mongol creation
Here, the world is said to have been created by a Lama, one of the first monks. It is said that before there was an Earth, the world was made entirely of water. This Lama came down from the heavens with their trusty iron rod and began to stir the waters below. As the water started to move, fire and wind began to whirl all around. As they all combined, the water quickly thickened. This thickening is eventually what became Earth. Now it was ready to welcome life to the new planet.
Japanese creation
The universe used to be a shapeless and beaten matter made up entirely of chaos and sunken into silence. As time went by, sounds began to come from the mound. These sounds indicated particles were moving inside. Some of these particles were light, meaning they could float all the way to the top of the universe. However, others were heavier. These later became the heavens and the clouds, as the rest of the particles began to rise and move, they created all the aspects of Earth we now know and love.
Islamic creation
There are a few variations between the creation theories in the different branches of Islam, but most state it took six days to create the Earth. The first two were dedicated to shaping and molding the Earth. Then, the next two days were to carve the mountains and bless their new creation. Finally, the last two days were used to create all the stars in the sky and the heavens. It is said that God then created creatures that could fly, crawl, swim, and walk to live on Earth, while the universe is for the stars, moon, sun, and angels. God then used sand, water, earth, and clay to mold a human and breath life into the new creation: Adam.
Although we all live on the same planet, these creation stories have huge variations. All around the world people have been trying to explain why we are here for thousands of years. Who could be right?
