Your local mythology.

[an anarchist]

I was reading a book called Parallel Myths, which is a book which covers many of the world’s mythologies and compares them. Like, it covers all the great flood myths, for example.
In the chapter that covers all the various creation myths, I came across my hometown! My town is a smaller one, so I was happily surprised to see it covered and I learned something I didn’t know about this place I love so much. It was in the section of the creation myths of native Americans.
I will explain my town’s local mythology.
I would like to hear about your local mythology, if you know about it!

In the beginning, there was nothing but water and darkness.
Kokomaht, the creator, lived underneath the water as two beings in one. Kokomaht rose out of the water. But out of himself came another being called Bakotahl. This being was evil, so when Bakotahl asked Kokomaht if he had his eyes open or closed when he came out of the water, Kokomaht lied and said his eyes were open. So Bakotahl was blinded. All things made by Kokomaht were good, while all things made from Bakotahl were evil.
Kokomaht made North, south, east, and west, by stepping in those directions. Then he scattered the waters on the earth to reveal dry land.
Wishing to outdo his brother, Bakotahl decided to make human beings. He took clay and water and made them, but they did not have fingers. When he showed his brother, Kokomaht knew they were not right and decided to make human beings himself.
So Kokomaht made human beings with complete hands and feet. He took the male and swung him four times north and four times south, which brought life into the man. Then Kokomaht did the same thing for the female.
While Kokomaht had been busy doing this, Bakotahl had made seven things! Kokomaht asked his brother what he was doing. Bakotahl said he was making humans too. Kokomaht told him to examine the perfectly made humans who had fingers, but Bakotahl was jealous and did not like these well made humans. Kokomaht stamped on Bakotahl’s humans and they fell into the water, becoming geese.
This angered Bakotahl, which created a whirlwind which had all the enemies of mankind: plague, disease, and bad intention.
Kokomaht was now alone with only one male and female. So he went on creating more humans. He created the ancestors of every tribe. The last group of people he made were the white people. Then Kokomaht taught them how to propagate the human race.
Kokomaht made himself a son, Komashtam’ho, who took up the post as creator. He created the sun.
Kokomaht died, causing a great despair among the people. Before Kokomaht died, he told the coyote “Take my heart, and be good to all the creatures.” He meant “to be as I was” but the coyote misunderstood him and thought he was to eat the heart of Kokomaht.
Komashtam’ho built a funeral pyre, but had no fire. Coyote prowled around, waiting for a chance to steal the heart. Komashtam’ho knew coyote’s intentions, and sent him east as the sun was rising to fetch fire, because he knew people would need fire. When coyote returned with the fire, he again plotted on how to steal the heart. But the badger jumped on the pyre and stole the heart. None of the animals could catch the badger. Komashtam’ho told coyote “you will always be a thief, men will despise you and defend their flocks against you.” And all the people heard this.
Komashtam’ho then told the people “Kokomaht had died, so so will you. Had he lived, you would be immortal and the world would become overpopulated. But his spirit lives on, so yours will as well.” The fire from the pyre was so hot that it made the desert where (I) live.
Just then a whirlwind formed around the ashes of Kokomaht and the people asked what it was. Komashtam’ho said that the wind was the mighty spirit of Kokomaht. Although the body dies, the spirit lasts forever. Each man’s spirit, at death, leaves the body and goes with the spirits of whom it loved in life.
The spirit of Kokomaht lives on to protect all that is good. Bakotahl lives under the earth and turns around, causing earthquakes. Bakotahl still causes suffering and evil among men. But the good spirit of Kokomaht can overcome any evil.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I would like to hear about your local mythology, if you know about it!

Well, I was born in the town of the Giza Pyramids. Need I say more? Probably most people on earth have heard about my city's local mythology at one point or another.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I was reading a book called Parallel Myths, which is a book which covers many of the world’s mythologies and compares them. Like, it covers all the great flood myths, for example.
In the chapter that covers all the various creation myths, I came across my hometown! My town is a smaller one, so I was happily surprised to see it covered and I learned something I didn’t know about this place I love so much. It was in the section of the creation myths of native Americans.
I will explain my town’s local mythology.
I would like to hear about your local mythology, if you know about it!

In the beginning, there was nothing but water and darkness.
Kokomaht, the creator, lived underneath the water as two beings in one. Kokomaht rose out of the water. But out of himself came another being called Bakotahl. This being was evil, so when Bakotahl asked Kokomaht if he had his eyes open or closed when he came out of the water, Kokomaht lied and said his eyes were open. So Bakotahl was blinded. All things made by Kokomaht were good, while all things made from Bakotahl were evil.
Kokomaht made North, south, east, and west, by stepping in those directions. Then he scattered the waters on the earth to reveal dry land.
Wishing to outdo his brother, Bakotahl decided to make human beings. He took clay and water and made them, but they did not have fingers. When he showed his brother, Kokomaht knew they were not right and decided to make human beings himself.
So Kokomaht made human beings with complete hands and feet. He took the male and swung him four times north and four times south, which brought life into the man. Then Kokomaht did the same thing for the female.
While Kokomaht had been busy doing this, Bakotahl had made seven things! Kokomaht asked his brother what he was doing. Bakotahl said he was making humans too. Kokomaht told him to examine the perfectly made humans who had fingers, but Bakotahl was jealous and did not like these well made humans. Kokomaht stamped on Bakotahl’s humans and they fell into the water, becoming geese.
This angered Bakotahl, which created a whirlwind which had all the enemies of mankind: plague, disease, and bad intention.
Kokomaht was now alone with only one male and female. So he went on creating more humans. He created the ancestors of every tribe. The last group of people he made were the white people. Then Kokomaht taught them how to propagate the human race.
Kokomaht made himself a son, Komashtam’ho, who took up the post as creator. He created the sun.
Kokomaht died, causing a great despair among the people. Before Kokomaht died, he told the coyote “Take my heart, and be good to all the creatures.” He meant “to be as I was” but the coyote misunderstood him and thought he was to eat the heart of Kokomaht.
Komashtam’ho built a funeral pyre, but had no fire. Coyote prowled around, waiting for a chance to steal the heart. Komashtam’ho knew coyote’s intentions, and sent him east as the sun was rising to fetch fire, because he knew people would need fire. When coyote returned with the fire, he again plotted on how to steal the heart. But the badger jumped on the pyre and stole the heart. None of the animals could catch the badger. Komashtam’ho told coyote “you will always be a thief, men will despise you and defend their flocks against you.” And all the people heard this.
Komashtam’ho then told the people “Kokomaht had died, so so will you. Had he lived, you would be immortal and the world would become overpopulated. But his spirit lives on, so yours will as well.” The fire from the pyre was so hot that it made the desert where (I) live.
Just then a whirlwind formed around the ashes of Kokomaht and the people asked what it was. Komashtam’ho said that the wind was the mighty spirit of Kokomaht. Although the body dies, the spirit lasts forever. Each man’s spirit, at death, leaves the body and goes with the spirits of whom it loved in life.
The spirit of Kokomaht lives on to protect all that is good. Bakotahl lives under the earth and turns around, causing earthquakes. Bakotahl still causes suffering and evil among men. But the good spirit of Kokomaht can overcome any evil.

There is going to be similarity in myths at times because basic human needs exist. For example humans need fresh water. And a reliable source of fresh water can also be used for transport. That is two good reasons for having towns along streams or other navigable waterways. Navigable water ways also tend to flood at times. And some are more severe than others. As a result flood myths are common since people live where it floods.

Two exceptions. Where floods do not tend to exist flood myths are often absent. Japan is a good example of this. The streams tend to be much steeper due to the nature of its geology meaning that the same sort of floods do not happen there. Another time that they can be absent is if floods are very regular and needed. In Egypt the local myths do not have a flood, but then the culture relied upon the annual flooding of the delta. It made for excellent farmland. Floods are seen as a good thing there.

 

[sun rise]

Kokomaht stamped on Bakotahl’s humans and they fell into the water, becoming geese.

I wonder what their attitude toward geese is given that thought.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

We live in a town called Ajijic on a lake called Chapala in the mountains of Mexico. Ajijic means “place of water” or “place where water bubbles up” in the Aztec language Nahuatl," and much of the local mythology is water based.

Teomichicihualli first appeared to the Nahuatl and then the Aztec at Lake Chapala. They professed:

“To see her is to believe in her. To believe in her is to honor her. To honor her is to hold her sacred. For now and forever more.”

Teomichicihualli the goddess-fish princess was first seen at Lake Chapala. Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent, the precious twin, another symbol of nature and spirit coming together was also first seen at Lake Chapala.

Can you imagine the mystical magic of these spirits moving across the face of the waters? The face, the ancients said, that we can call our own. For El Mago and La Maga are our own reflections.

“Honor me and I will feed you” said the voice of Teomichicihualli and the fish were plentiful. Teomichicihualli always gave Lake Chapala curative powers. A splash of water from Lake Chapala is said to have healed the sick. Just looking at the lake expands our spiritual horizons.

Mother Nature has always been there for us and yet we have raped her, robbed her, polluted her and taken her for granted. If you need a reminder of what was and forever more will be go to the Cultural Center of Ajijic and drink in the mural Jesus Lopez Vega, a master artist and storyteller, has painted on the ceiling. Magic Realism, Jesus calls it.

Teomichicihualli and the Pre-Columbian Mexican symbols come alive again. And in our continuing quest for beauty, the spirit of Teomichicihualli will re-capture your heart. Her face, the face of the Spirit of Lake Chapala, La Magica, La Diosa del Lago, Teomichicihualli inspires us and re-connects us to the memories of the oneness of us all.​

These images of the water goddess Teomichicihualli are from the mural in our local cultural center and various murals about the village

 

[an anarchist]

There is going to be similarity in myths at times because basic human needs exist. For example humans need fresh water. And a reliable source of fresh water can also be used for transport. That is two good reasons for having towns along streams or other navigable waterways. Navigable water ways also tend to flood at times. And some are more severe than others. As a result flood myths are common since people live where it floods.

I live by a major river so I did a little more research on google about my local town mythology. Sure enough, next in the story of the local mythology is a flood myth.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

y'all have heard stories about Abraham Lincoln, right? He was from around here.

 

[Viker]

In the Louisville area we have a cryptid/legend called the Goatman or often the Pope Lick Monster. It seems to herald back to Native American legends like the Algonquin speaking tribes Wendigo.

He's supposed to be murderous and is attributed to local disappearances and unsolved homicides, mostly of youths and the homeless. His killing style is blunt force trauma to the head or decapitation.

 

[Ashoka]

I'm a little late to this thread. But we have different myths around here as well. There's mothman, for example. He's said to have tried to warn about a bridge collapsing, but unfortunately, no one really heeded his warning and people ended up dying. In Point Plesant WV, there's a statue of him where people routinely offer him pepperoni rolls and other things.

There are also local ghost stories, such as the ghosts that haunt a local hotel. And, in my own personal lore, the inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility I used to work for has a memorial to those who passed on after completing the program. There's a lot of spiritual energy there, and I truly believe it is a protected place.