Myths for Monday -- The Pasto Version of Creation

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One of the indigenous peoples of today's department, Nariño, will offer us their version of creation today. The indigenous group is the Pastos.

Cumbe -- the First Father

The stories that relate the creation of man tell how man came from the marriage of elements with opposite qualities -- up and down, inside and out, and the symmetrical and asymmetrical. This confluence of qualities occurred with the marriage of a hill called Cumbal and a lake called Bolsa. In the area that unites the hill and the lake called the Piedra de los Guacamullos, a container made of clay was found. In that container was found the first man and woman. The man was the Cacique Cumbe and his wife. It was from them that all men descended.

When Cumbe died, he was returned to the Cumbal. It is from that hill that he continues to watch over his people. It is from that hill that he has promised to return.

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