Africans

The cult of the tribes of Dahomy were dedicated to the masters of the divisions of nature, called the Vodu. With Mahu and Liza as the main gods. They are the twin children of Nana Buluku. Mahu is the female (earth, moon, fertility) and Liza is the male (Sun, sky, power). This idea of twins is a way of expressing the balance between earth and sky.

In Nambia, which is in South West Africa lives the San tribe. They are a nomadic people and move around to hunt. Today they live much like they did generations ago and pass their history down to one another by telling the stories that their parents and grandparents told them.

Their story about the Sun's beginnings is this:

"The Sun used to be a man like we are and lived with our tribe but he was not one of us. He was an old man and he would lay on the ground in his hut and raise his arms above his head. When he did this light would shine from his armpits to light the ground around him. We wanted this light but the light was only around the old man.

A wise old woman told the tribe to have the children sneak into his hut as the old man slept, lift him by the arms and legs and throw him into the sky. The tribe thought this was a good idea and sent the children in to do it. Each time the children would approach the old man would wake up and drive them out of his hut with his light.

Finally after trying many times the children succeeded, lifted him all together and hurled him into the sky. As the old man flew upward the tribesmen yelled, 'Stand fast.' 'You must stay in the sky and move across the sky while you are hot and light.'

So now the Sun shines on the San tribe as the old man moves across the sky."