:~ti~r

' 'simi..:
versions, the·~fifj}1ji :

~:=n~l~f~:i ~:~~
r
{,A~friding a white ·godifflYand
f ; "

"~e;\~!t~t
Both ·t s· ·1 1
~.a 'Uentra'I puny. im1 ar y, the
stornach can symbol-
gliage anq . ize either the house of
~sterp r;>art of ceptra;L~frica, the d~ad or the womb. If death is the
}ci \:fa~~.c:>.~thqf tre:rttqpical contrblling image, then Bumba enables
~.9>fif=mt~,r79•on, tf-t~;.~gpgo life., to emerge from death. If birth is the
ts:{ri9ytari~t These,'ma{ ~e· cQntrolling image, then Bumba sym-
fc:!h~, Ba.~tu~speaking p~o-. bblrzes :' great fertility. A particularly
lat tradition records at least appealing aspect of this myth is the cre-
.~~ 1:tw~nty ~ulers since th~ir ator-god, who not only functions as a
· '"<'originated in the fifth culture hero, but also leads his people
, ,st. , . to appreciate the wonder and beauty of
im'e these .·rnyths were col- the uf'tiverse.
·J?t~*' lhe :·Boshoogo and the, 1:t,; The f9llowing version is adapted
\;)Ji ~.~~ple ,h9d an , econorny, th~t /4, fr9fn.\ th~t pf Maria .Leach in The
,9ied 9nc fishing and. h.unting \~egir11J/ng: Creation Myths Around the
s.,on the q.1 ltivation of c·ro
c\',;;~ l , ' . ,"
· d~'-1~
.,'.;
· ·
:'.__ ;)/ ,

,Was· also an important acti~'i

,;~i~~~d. iron as m~ney. · ·
,, ' ;rt ditfer in their interpt
.~Wm~nts in this myt,n;';r'L:·i-,
, '!.',
,i"\T'l'.10> '

THE ORIGIN OF LIFE AND FIRE

At first, only water existed, unseen in the darkness. Bumba alone was alive. The
universe was barren and without life. However, Bumba, the white creator, lived.
Then it came to pass that Bumba felt terrible stomach pains. His pains grew
and grew until, finally, he vomited up the sun. Now the sun's rays brightened the
world each day. And the heat from the sun's rays caused much of the water to float
into the sky and become clouds.
Then it came to pass that so much water floated into the sky that the hills
rejoiced. They now climbed out of the waters and dried themselves off. Then it
came to pass that so much water floated into the sky that the reefs and sand-banks
rejoiced. They now climbed out of the waters and dried themselves off. And so it
came to pass that now, when Bumba looked down upon the earth, he could see
black reefs, black sand-banks, and the black edges of the world.
Then it came to pass that once again Bumba felt terrible stomach pains. His
Pains grew and grew until, finally, he vomited up the moon an~ the stars. Now
the moon's rays and the stars' lights brightened the world each mght.
 Then 1t · came to pass that again Bumba felt terrible
. . stomach pains. His pains .
·1 fi
grew and grew unt1 , m y,all he vomited up the first hvmg creatures.
h He vomited
up Koy Bum ba, th e 1eopard . He vomited up Pongo Bumba,
. t e crested. eagle. He
· d up G and a Bum ba, the crocodile· And he vomited up Yo, bthe lmle fish.
vomite .
Still Bumba was not finished. He vomited up old Kon~ Bum a, t~e tortoise.
H e vom1te· d T: t the lightning-who was as beautiful and qmck as Koy
up se se, d • k' H · d
Bumba, the leopard, and as deadly as she was beautiful an qmc . e vom~te up
Nyanyi Bumba, the white heron. He vomited up one beetle. And he vomited up
Budi, the goat. . . .
Then once again Bumba felt terrible stomach pams. His p~ms grew and grew
until, finally, he vomited up the first human beings. He vomited up many men
and women. But only one man, Loko Yima, was white like Bumba.
Bumba had now finished his part in the creation of the universe. However, it
came to pass that many of the creatures that Bumba had produced now continued
his work. Five of the nine living creatures that Bumba had produced now fash-
ioned creatures who resembled themselves.
Nyanyi Bumba, the white heron, created all the birds that fly through the air,
except for the kite. Ganda Bumba, the crocodile, created the iguana and all the
serpents that crawl forth on the earth or swim in the waters. Budi, the goat, cre-
ated every horned animal that walks the earth. Yo, the little fish, created all the
fish that swim in the streams and rivers and in the lakes and seas. And the beetle
created all the insects that fly through the air, crawl on the earth, and swim in the
waters.
It then came to pass that Ganda Bumba's iguana proceeded to fashion all the
animals that walk the earth-except for those with horns. And Ganda Bumba's
serpents proceeded to fashion grasshoppers.
The creatures that Bumba had created had now finished their part in the cre-
ation of the universe. However, it came to pass that Bumba had three sons. And it
was they who then finished their father's work.
Bumba's eldest son fashioned the white ants, but then he died from the strain
of his creative effort. The ants were joyful to be alive, and, seeing that the lifeless
body of their creator was lying desolate and exposed upon the barren sands, they
decid~d to honor and protect him w~th a burial. Therefore, the white ants dug
deep mto the depths of the earth until they found black soil. They then carried
this soil to the earth's surface, where they used it to bury the lifeless body of their
creator and to cover most of the barren sands.
Bumba's middle son created a wonderful plant that scattered its seeds
througho~t the _earth, and from these seeds grew all of the trees, shrubs, and
grasses, with the1r flowers, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
~umb~'s youngest so? also wanted to be a creat~r, but he failed at everything
he med, with one exception. He finally succeeded m making the bird known as
the kite.
The creation of the universe was now complete. And the beasts of the forests
and fields, the birds of the air, the· fish in the waters, and the men and women
who walk the earth all respected one another. Tsetse, the lightning-alone of all
that had been created-caused trouble.
 It came to pass that Tsetse started many fires on the earth · And so Buma b
told her that she would
. have to live in the sky· However' even from the sky, -r..1setse
can reach out and strike the earth. And from time to time, that is just what she
does. So all who live upon the earth fear the fires that she causes.
Yes, Tsetse is a troublemaker because she starts fires where no one wants
them. And yet, once Tsetse began to live in the sky, Bumba's human beings had to
live without fire's gifts. They had to eat their food raw, and they could not make
good tools.
And it came to pass that Bumba felt sorry for the men and women whom he
had created. And so, he taught his people how to find the fire that lives in every
tree, and how-by making and using the fire-drill-to take this fire home with
them. Then Bumba walked the earth and visited each village. And in each village,
he assembled his people and declared, "Men and women, rejoice! Look at the sky
above. See the sun that brightens each day. See the moon and stars that brighten
each night. See these wonders! And let joy flood your hearts that they are yours!
"Look at the land that lies at your feet. See the grasses that come forth from
the soil. See their gifts of flowers and life-sustaining fruits, nuts, and grains. See
these wonders! And let joy flood your hearts that they are yours!
"Look at the waters that flow past your feet. See their gift of refreshing and
life-sustaining drink. See this wonder! And let joy flood your hearts that it is
yours!
"Look at the birds of the air. See their grace and beauty, and hear their cheer-
ful songs. See this wonder! And rejoice that it is yours!
"For I-Bumba-your creator and first ancestor, have created all the won-
ders that please the eye and the ear. I have created all the wonders that please the
nose and the tongue. I have created all the wonders that please the hand and the
foot. And as if that were not enough, I have created all men and women and all
the animals that live in forest, field, and stream to live in peace with one another.
" . . I"
'And so, men and women, reJotce.

QUESTIONS FOR
Response, Discussion, and Analysis
. h fl h eople to whom it belongs?
1.How does this creatton myt re ect t e P
. h f Bumba and the universe that he creates?
2. Wh at 1s t e nature o
. h . w human beings and their purpose?
3• How does th1s myt v1e
.. h t'llage and speaks of the wonders that he has
4· Wh en Bum ba v1s1ts eac V
created, what does this reveal?