BACKGROUND: My informant, MP, was born in the US but as a child, MP traveled with her parents all over South America. The following piece is one myth she remembers from her time in the Andes — their creation myth. The story was passed down from her parents to her.

CONTEXT: This piece is from a conversation I had with MP about the Andean creation myth.

MP: So it goes like, in the beginning, there was this god — I don’t know if you need the spelling — there was this god, Viracocha who created the Earth, which was totally dark and also giants lived there. The giants were really like, disrespectful of the god so he created a flood to destroy them and start over. This time he created a people in his image and sent a wise man to Earth to teach them how to live properly. He basically ended up creating [the city of] Cuzco. Anyways, when this was done, he eventually left.

THOUGHTS: This story, to me, is very structurally similar to the biblical creation story. In both stories, there is a God who exists by himself in darkness until he decides to create life. In both stories, the god creates life and, unsatisfied with the way they’re living, sends a flood to destroy them. Finally, both gods sent a spiritual representative (in this case it’s Viracochan, in the Bible it’s Christ) who essentially guides humanity towards the right path.