Rainbow Serpent
The Rainbow Serpent (also known as the Rainbow Snake) is an important mythological being for Aboriginal people across Australia, although the creation myths associated with it are best known from northern Australia.
The Rainbow Serpent is seen as the inhabitant of permanent waterholes and is in control of life's most precious resource, water. He is the underlying Aboriginal mythology for the famous Outback "bunyip". He is the sometimes unpredictable Rainbow Serpent, who vies with the ever-reliable Sun, that replenishes the stores of water, forming gullies and deep channels as he slithered across the landscape, allowing for the collection and distribution of water.
Dreamtime stories tell of the great Spirits during creation, in animal and human form they molded the barren and featureless earth. The Rainbow Serpent came from beneath the ground and created huge ridges, mountains and gorges as it pushed upward. The Rainbow Serpent is known as Ngalyod by the Gunwinggu and Borlung by the Miali. He is a serpent of immense proportions which inhabits deep permanent waterholes.[1]
Serpent stories vary according to environmental differences. Tribes of the monsoonal areas depict an epic interaction of the Sun, Serpent and wind in their Dreamtime stories, whereas tribes of the central desert experience less drastic seasonal shifts and their stories reflect this.
It is known both as a benevolent protector of its people (the groups from the country around) and as a malevolent punisher of law breakers. The rainbow serpent's mythology is closely linked to land, water, life, social relationships and fertility.
There are innumerable names and stories associated with the serpent, all of which communicate the significance and power of this being within Aboriginal traditions.
The myth of the Rainbow serpent is sometimes associated with Wonambi naracoortensis, a large snake of the now extinct megafauna of Australia.
虹蛇在澳大利亚当地土著人神话中占有很重要的成分。而这些传说大部分是来自澳大利亚北部
虹蛇通常独自占有一个固定的池塘,这可以理解为它们支配着这种宝贵的资源:水源。虹蛇居住在在神话中非常有名的一块大陆"bunyip"上。虹蛇的脾气有时候不可捉摸,常和太阳一较高下(银月:因为虹蛇也司雨水)。满溢的池塘,大地上高低起伏的峡谷和谷地,就像虹蛇蜿蜒盘旋在大陆上,连接并分配着大地上的水源。
"梦的时代"这段传说讲述了这个伟大精灵创造万物的事情,他按照动物和人类的身体构造和生活方式来塑造这片贫瘠且毫无生机的大地。虹蛇会蜿蜒在地下,一些巨型山脊、山脉和峡谷就是这么形成的,就好像虹蛇从地下推它们似的。Gunwinggu人称虹蛇为Ngalyod ,在Miali这个地方的人称虹蛇为Borlung。虹蛇的身体巨大且均匀,栖息在一个固定的池塘中。
关于虹蛇的故事在不同环境下有不同的版本。在季风带的部族的史诗文化中,那些关于太阳,虹蛇以及风的"梦的时代"的记载恰好反映了当地季节变化不明显的沙漠气候。
虹蛇被来自各地的人们看做是为他们带来恩惠的保卫者,以及一些恶意破坏法规的人的惩罸者。虹蛇在神话中是大地、水源、生命、社会以及生命力的象徵。
无数的名字和故事都不约而同地联系到虹蛇身上,这些名字和故事都表明了虹蛇在部落传统中的意义和权力。
神话中的虹蛇在现实中确有其物,通常认为虹蛇的原型是一种曾经生活在澳大利亚已经灭绝的叫做Wonambi naracoortensis的大型蛇。
最后修改: 银月龙 (2009-02-17 18:00:50)
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问个问题…… 为啥无法编辑标题呢……
补充:
Wonambi naracoortensis
Wonambi,动物界,脊索动物门,蜥形纲 ,有鳞目,蛇科,Madtsoiidae属,Wonambi种。
是一种生活在更新世的动物,它的化石有五千五百万年的历史,而它在五万年前就灭绝了。它常常埋伏在池塘里袭击来喝水止渴的袋鼠和其他的猎物。这种蛇是虹蛇的原型
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补充:梦的时代
澳大利亚的土著居民阿泊利基尼在五万到六万年前定居澳大利亚,靠狩猎和采集为生。那时候澳大利亚与东南亚还有陆地相连接,后来随着海平面的上升,才逐渐与其他地区隔绝。
阿泊利基尼人把梦作为自己生活的规范加以重视,这种习惯是从被世界各国称为”梦的世道“的古代继承下来的。所谓”梦的时代“指的是创造天地的时代,是确定人、动物、地形、各种传统和各类事物形状的时代。因此阿泊利基尼人口传下来的”梦的时代“民间传说里,说明他们身边的事物的起源和原因的起源神话是很多的。
虹蛇就是从”梦的时代“起一直受到阿泊利基尼崇敬的、以大蛇姿态出现的伟大精灵的体现。
虽然都是”梦的时代“传承,但记载的内容有明显的地域性。不过,不论在哪个传说中,虹蛇都是有深远的睿智和无限的审理的伟大精灵的象徵。发出彩虹般光芒的、身材巨大而美丽的大蛇,在”梦的时代“和其他图腾生物一起,给平坦的世界勾画出各种各样的地图。有峡谷,有高山,有谷底,还有蛇一般蜿蜒曲折的江河。他们相信,这都是虹蛇爬行的痕迹。
在乾旱的澳大利亚,旱季之后的雨水是孕育生命不可缺少的,可以说是上天惠顾人类的雨水。支配水源的虹蛇同时也支配着闪电、彩虹、雨水、云彩等天象,因此是创造生命和重生的力量的象徵。虹蛇有时是生产万物的伟大的母亲,有时是伟大母亲的配偶即伟大的父亲,都倍受崇敬。
虹蛇的形象在澳大利亚各地的壁画里都有描绘和雕刻,很容易找到。阿泊利基尼的神圣舞蹈都是用来祭祀虹蛇的,作为宝物装饰的宝石也据说是虹蛇的蛋。
银月:阿泊利基尼在当地语言中的含义就是虹蛇。
最后修改: 银月龙 (2009-02-12 21:01:27)
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Julunggul - goddess of Aborigines. Eternally pregnant, she vomits and produces Sisters of Dreamtime. While she is noted as female, she could trasform herself into a male or back into a female whensoever she pleased. As a symbol of manhood initition, she was obviously an important goddess. Other names include: Mumuna, Kalwadi, and Kungpipi.
Julunggul,阿泊利基尼神话中的女神。那是一次不朽的孕育,她吐出了Sisters of Dreamtime(银月:我怀疑是那对被吃下的姐妹)她平常是雌性的,不过她在高兴的时候可以随时改变她的性别。她是成人礼节的标志,显然可以看出她是位极其重要的女神。她的其他的名字还有Mumuna, Kalwadi, and Kungpipi等。
In Aboriginal mythology, the Djanggawul are three siblings, two female and one male, who created the landscape of Australia and covered it with flora. They came from the underworld, Beralku, and were eventually eaten by Galeru.
The two female Djanggawul made the world's sacred talismans by breaking off pieces of their vulvas. They included Bunbulama, a rain goddess.
A possible source that includes the "Djanggawaul Song Cycle," partially available (with other links) on google books:
在阿泊利基尼神话中,Djanggawul是三兄妹,两位女性和一位男性,他们创造了澳大利亚这片大陆,并将其隐蔽在植物丛中。他们来自地狱,Beralku,最后被Galeru所吃掉。
其中的两位女性刺破她们的阴户,制作了世界上最神圣的护符。她们当中有一位是雨之女神Bunbulama。
这些很可能是来源于“Djanggawaul组歌”节选的内容。来自google book。
下面这些是这本书的信息,不翻译了。
Djanggawul: An Aboriginal Religious Cult Of North-eastern Arnhem Land
Berndt, Ronald Murray
London, Routledge: 2004 (first published 1952)
Galeru - swallowed the Djanggawul in order to demonstrate the "maintenance of life". She was a giant, rainbow serpent, too. (Found basically in Arnhemland beliefs.)2
Galeru吞下Djanggawul,她用这一行动来证明了她是“生命的保卫者”她是一位巨人,也有一种说法她是一条虹蛇。这个说法来自Arnhem land当地的信仰。
银月:阿纳姆地(Arnhem Land)位于澳大利亚北海岸线的中部地区,并与卡卡杜国家公园, Arafura海,以及Carpentaria海湾接壤。
In Yoruba mythology, Oshunmare (also Oshumare, Oxumare) is a rainbow serpent, both male and female, and is a symbol of regeneration and rebirth.
在非洲的约鲁巴神话中,Oshunmare (也写作 Oshumare, Oxumare)是一条虹蛇,它有雄性也有雌性(银月:还是雌雄同体?)是新生和重生的象徵。
最后修改: 银月龙 (2009-02-17 21:07:11)
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Aido Hwedo / Dan Ayido Hwedo
Folkore of the Dahomey in West Africa
History: This creature helped to create the universe by transporting Mawu, a god, through the cosmos. Aido Hwedo also created the mountains of the earth as well, which were said to be its excrement. However, the Earth became far too heavy, so the god Mawu ordered the Rainbow Serpent to coil underneath the world to hold it up. In order to help Aido Hwedo, the oceans were created to comfort the dragon while it held up the world. However, the oceans would sometimes not help, and therefore this dragon would tremble and thus make the Earth quake.6
In order to remain strong, it is said that Aido Hwedo needed a great amount of iron, and there would sometimes not be enough. When this happens, it is said that Aido Hwedo would eat its own tail. Thus the problem comes: the iron, supplied by the ocean for Aido Hwedo, would someday give out. When it does, this mighty dragon would eat its own tail, and the world, unable to support itself, would slip into the oceans.
Symbolism: In a sense, Aido Hwedo is seen as both a creator and a supporter of the world. The end of the world, as predicted in this folkore, is said also to be the weakness of this giant serpent - the shear mass of Aido Hwedo can not be maintained. Therefore, Aido Hwedo can be seen as a symbol of eternity and rebirth, much as any Ouroboros.
Physical Description: Aido Hwedo was said to be a vast rainbow serpent, so vast that it could hold up the entire world.
来自西非达荷美共和国的民间传说
传说故事: Aido Hwedo驮着Mawu并帮助他创造世界。据说Aido Hwedo的粪便变成大地上的山脉。然而,这个世界变得越来越沉重,所以创世神Mawu命令Aido Hwedo这条虹蛇蜷在世界下并将世界托起。为了帮助托着世界的Aido Hwedo,让它感觉更舒服一些,Mawu创造了海洋。然而,有时候海洋也不能令它舒服,每当Aido Hwedo移动自己的身体时,地震便发生了。
为了保证它有足够的力量(托起世界),据说Aido Hwedo需要极其大量的铁,而它所接收到的通常不能满足它的需求。据说当它感到饥饿(需要摄入铁的时候),它就会吞吃自己的尾巴。然而这个问题一直没有解决,供给Aido Hwedo的铁常常被用尽。于是Aido Hwedo在没有铁可摄入的时候,它会吃自己的尾巴甚至是世界,然而这依然不能满足它,于是他滑落到了海洋中。
象徵意义:某种意义上来说,Aido Hwedo同时被视为世界的创造者和支撑世界的虹蛇。民间传说中预言:在世界的尽头,依然可以看到这条虚弱的大蛇,它的身体已经支离破碎而且已经不能继续维持它自己的生命了。因此,Aido Hwedo也被视作永恒以及新生的象徵,就像那条Ouroboros(含尾蛇)
形态描述:Aido Hwedo是一条极其巨大的虹蛇,它巨大到可以支撑整个世界。
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahu
哦卖糕的,出交通事故了
http://yinglong.org/pedia/pedia/Aido-Hwedo.html
最后修改: 银月龙 (2009-02-18 10:06:57)
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