Mandé Creation Myth

The creation myth of the Mandé people of southern Mali is an example of what is called a cosmic egg myth. As is reflected in their culture, the creation myth has elements of an imperfect creation and incest. We present here one of many versions of the creation myth as told to us by professor Bastian in class.


In the beginning there was Mangala. Mangala is the idea of god and is perceived as a round energetic presence. Within Mangala there existed 4 divisions that were symbolic of, among many things, the four days of the week (time), the four elements (matter) and the four directions (space). He also contained two sets of dueled genderness (male and female). Mangala was tired of keeping all of this inside itself so he removed it all and made it into the form of a seed. The seed was his creation of the world. The seed however did not hold together well and blew up. Mangala was disappointed with this and destroyed the world he created.


Mangala began again, this time with two sets of twin seeds. He plants these in an egg shaped womb and it gestates. Mangala continues to put more sets of twin seeds until he has 8 sets of seeds, which then transform themselves into fish (a symbol of fertility). This time his creation is successful. This is important for it illustrates the idea of dual gendered twinship, an idea that permeates the Mande culture.


Mangla tried to maintain this perfection that it had created but chaos crept in: one of the male twins became ambitious and tried to escape the egg. This chaotic character is called Pemba and symbolizes the trickster or mischievousness of the human character. Pemba's first trick was to steal his placenta, which becomes the Earth, and fertilize it (incest) in order to create a new being in his image.


Mangala decides to sacrifice Pemba's brother farro. He castrates him and then kills him but he does all this only to raise him from the dead. Mangala takes what is left of the placenta and transforms it into the sun, thus associating Pemba with darkness and the night. Farro is transformed into a human being and is taught the language of creation by Mangala. Farro and his newly created twins come to Earth and get married (not to each other) and become the horonw. This is the basis for the foundation of exogamy in Mande.


Then an unknown being named Sourakata arrives from the sky with the first sacred drum, hammer and the sacrificed skull of Farro. Sourakata begins to play on the drum and sings for the first rain to come. Sourakata is a magical being who can control nature and teach Farro and his followers. This is the origin of the nyamakalaw.


As one can see from the origin myth, the horonw are the people of the earth. They are destined to become farmers and well bred aristocracy. The nyamakalaw, on the other hand, are destined to be primal. They should understand nature and be able to use it to their benefit. This is exactly what we see in the horonw and nyamakalaw in Mande society today.