By Mahin Zia
Storytelling, a cherished tradition in my childhood, is slowly dying. Growing up in a rural
area, I was fascinated by folktales, fairytales and fables. Lamenting this loss, I started
studying the folklore. Folklore and fairytales survived till technology appeared. But even
before technology, only folktales and fairytales existed, and it was rare to have myths as
religious beliefs prevailed.
Fortunately, some myths survived and were existing that I heard in my childhood. These
myths, three of them, left a mark in my memory.
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Sun and Moon Brothers
This myth recounts the story of two brothers, Sun and Moon, warned by their
mother not to gaze upon her bath. Disobeying, Sun peeked and moon,
respectfully, looked away. As punishment, Sun burns into fire till this day, while
Moon shines serene.
This mythological story was told to me by my childhood friend who heard it from her
grandma. Her maternal family was from Gujarkhan. What amazed me is that this myth existed in Islamic culture when mostly grandparents were telling the folktales -- and this myth has a plot that would be considered vulgar by such Islamic-influenced grandparents. Secondly, it is the 21st century, a scientific and rational age, while this myth is cosmogenical (a story that explains and justifies existence of cosmos). A myth like this, which explains the existence of the sun and moon for being what and why they are, were told from the mouths of my grandparents over a decade ago. A myth like this is truly astonishing.
The Old Woman in The Moon
It was a common belief in our childhood that an old woman is sitting in the moon,
weaving cloth on a traditional loom. This creative explanation emerged to satisfy children’s curiosity about lunar features. Children would ask their parents “What is in the moon?”
Parents would reply, “An old woman is sitting in the moon weaving the cloth." It was not only the question which existed 10, 20, or 30 years ago. It was there even before scientific
explanation arrived. So, the women in old times weaving cloth with their own
hands would find no answer to this question, except that there is a
woman sitting in moon and making cloth on a loom (just like them). This myth is
symbol of the feminine energy that flowed like rivers and nurtured so many fields
and highlights traditional textile-making techniques in old times.
Moon as “Mamu” (Maternal Uncle)
I don’t know if I can call it a myth; maybe more like a common gesture in childhood that the moon
is affectionately called “Mamu,” or maternal uncle. Is it because Earth is mother and Moon being considered a part of Mother Earth is her brother and our relationship to it becomes Mamu?
Studying world mythology, I wondered if this term stemmed from the earth-moon
connection, with earth as mother. However, this perspective seems hardly applicable
in Central Asian cultures where we don’t have any concept of Earth being Mother or
Goddess. Instead, it likely reflects the cultural significance of maternal love and
familial bonds, instilled in children by mothers.
A Brother never eats or drinks from her sister’s house. He comes and talks
without drinking a drop of water -- and then goes away. It’s a common tradition still followed in
rural areas. Most of the responsibilities given to the brother include taking care of his sister
and his nephews & nieces. This type of tradition promotes the glory of Men in the family. So, the husband’s family will be superior always and the woman’s family subdued. In such culture, children will have more bonding with their maternal family. In such environment, the Moon for a woman is not her husband but her brother.
Being mostly with their mothers causes children to see with the same lens as hers,
which would lead them to believe that their Mamu is a Moon. They would call their
Mamu as “Chand” (Moon) and would call Moon as “Chanda Mamu."
Who know which was first: the Moon who was first called Mamu or Mamu being called
Moon.
These myths captivate me, yet their meanings remain elusive. Whatever their
origins, they deserve preservation.
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