Weaving the World and the Origins of Life as We Know It. Notions of Growth, Fabrication and Reproduction in Yukpa Origin Myths
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/2179-0892.ra.2016.116915Keywords:
Yukpa, origin myth, life-processes, craftmanship, fabrication, growth, reproduction, life as localized relational activity, life as metamorphical cyclical transformationAbstract
This paper deals with the meaning of life among the Yukpa as depicted and verbalized in their origin myths. Yukpa myths transmit particularly conceptualized knowledge about life-processes, partly conceptualized as skilled craftsmanship, and transformations that create the conditions and forms of life as we know it. By focusing on the processes that create life as it is known today the life-processes of growing, fabricating and reproducing are identified and differentiated. It is argued that life-processes among the Yukpa go beyond a biological self-referential reproduction of different species and instrumental activities of fabrication. Life is conceptualized both spatially as continuing localized relational activity and as metamorphical cyclical transformation. From the localized perspective to leave or disappear from a relational activity are forms of dying or being born. Life in its metamorphical sense includes ongoing existence in co-existing worlds. A definite end of life will onDownloads
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