The Afrikan View of the Purpose of Myth
Revised from my book “Ìwákiri: An Afrikan Spiritual Quest”
What is Xɛxó (Myth)?
In the Ajã language, the word 𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 xɛxó means tales, story, fable, narrative, myth. Myths are stories that narrate the structure and origins of a 𞤸𞤱𞤹𞤲𞤣𞤮𞥊𞥅 hwɛndò (culture). They reveal the symbols, meanings, and values that make up the foundations of a culture. They are far from the stereotypical “fanciful” ideas that many deem them as. They deal with the very real and essential concerns of the culture that created them. Regardless, all people must keep a sense of their origins as many historical facts are intermingled within their myths.
Purposes of Myth
𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽 𞤿𞤤𞤹𞥇 𞤢𞤤𞤭𞤿𞤤𞤹𞥇𞤥𞤹 𞤩𞤹𞥁𞤫𞤲 𞤼𞤽𞤲 Xɛxó lɛ nɔ xlɛ́ alixlɛ́mɛ gbɛzán tɔn. Myths present guidelines for living
For instance, when myths tell about the attitudes and activities of deities, the moral tone implies society’s expectation for our own behavior and standards based upon the heavenly example.
𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽 𞥁𞤽𞥇𞤲 𞤦𞤽 𞤶𞤱𞤹𞤣𞤮𞥊 𞤣𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤣𞤽 𞥂𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤣𞤮𞥊 𞤼𞤫 𞤦𞤮 𞤲𞤽 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽𞤼𞤫. Xɛxó lɛ nɔ zɔ́n bɔ hwɛndò ɖé nɔ kpó ɖò te bo nɔ lɛ́ nɔte. Myths grant continuity and stability to a culture
They foster a shared set of perspectives, values, and history. The myths of the culture reflect a collective worldview in which all life’s challenges are handled according to the ancient accumulated wisdom of their own cultural myths.
𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽 𞤿𞤤𞤹 𞤣𞤽 𞤸𞤱𞤹𞤣𞤮𞥊 𞤣𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤧𞤭𞥊𞥅𞤲 𞤲𞤵𞥇𞤱𞤭𞤱𞤢 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽 𞤧𞤽𞤩𞤫. Xɛxó lɛ nɔ xlɛ́ ɖɔ hwɛndo ɖé sín nǔwiwa lɛ nɔ sɔgbe. Myths justify a culture’s activities
Through the traditionalism contained within myth and its respective “characters” (deities, hero, sheros, etc.), myths establish a culture’s customs, rituals, religious tenets and structure, laws, social order, power hierarchies, territorial claims, aesthetics, holy days, and other recurring events. By extension myths can establish a culture’s technical approach to civilization.
𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽 𞥁𞤽𞤲 𞤦𞤽 𞤩𞤹𞥁𞤢𞥉𞤲 𞤲𞤽 𞤼𞤭𞤲𞤥𞤹. Xɛxó lɛ nɔ zɔ́n bɔ gbɛzán nɔ ɖó tinmɛ. Myths give meaning to life
A true understanding of myth within this realm all of a sudden makes our pains become our sacred lessons.
𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤽 𞤼𞤭𞤲𞤥𞤹 𞤲𞤵𞥇 𞤫 𞤫𞥊 𞤥𞤢 𞤧𞤭𞤿𞤵 𞤼𞤭𞤲𞤥𞤹 𞤢𞥇 𞤥𞤹 𞤫𞥊𞥅. Xɛxó lɛ nɔ tinmɛ nǔ e è ma sixu tinmɛ ǎ lɛ é. Myths explain the unexplained
They reveal our fate after death and the reasons for crises or miracles, but yet they even retain an aura of mystery for our existence. Every individual has their personal myth. Consciously or unconsciously, we create our own myths. We are heroes in mythic journeys by which we develop our own sagas – our tales of tribulation and triumph. Thus, the truly satisfying and exciting myths are those which arise from our own passions, dreams, visions, and experiences. Myth, combined with ritual, gives us very sure methods in dealing with the core of the human psyche. 𞤫𞤼𞤹 𞤳𞤢 𞤻𞤭 𞤿𞤹𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅 𞤥𞤭𞤼𞤽𞤲𞥟 Etɛ ka nyi xɛxó mitɔn?What is your myth?