Moon Gods and Goddesses in Mythology across Cultures Essay

Moon Gods and Goddesses in Mythology across Cultures - Essay Example The different mythologies that have focused their worship feelings on the moon include Aboriginal mythology (Daramulum), Ainu mythology (Chup-Kamui), Akkadian mythology (Enzu, Sin), Arabian mythology (Illat, Hilal, Hubal, Sin, Ta'lab, Wadd), Aztec mythology (Coyolxauhqui, Metztli, Tecciztecatl), Babylonian mythology (Sin), Basque mythology (Ilazki), Cahuilla mythology (Menily), Canaanite mythology (Jarih, Nikkal), Celtic mythology (Gntia, Lair bln), Chibcha mythology (Chia, Chie), Chinese mythology(Chang'e or Heng O. – unlike in other cultures, in Chinese mythology moon represent the place where fairies and immortals live), Dahomean mythology (Gleti), Elamite mythology (Napir), Egyptian mythology (Chons, Thoth), Etruscan mythology (Losna), Greek mythology (Artemis, Hecate, Phoebe, Selene ), Hattic mythology (Kaskuh), Hindu mythology (Anumati, Chandra, Nandi, Prajapati, Ramachandra, Shiva, Soma, a famous Indian devotee Mira use to cry a lot seeing the moon since it reminded her about Krishna/God), Hurrian mythology (Kusuh), Incan mythology (Coniraya, Ka-Ata-Killa , Mama Quilla), Indonesian mythology (Dewi Shri, Silewe Nazarate), Inuit mythology (Alignak, Igaluk, Tarquiup Inua), Japanese mythology (Marishi-Ten, Tsuku-yomi), Kachin mythology (Shitta), Latvian mythology (Meness), Mandjindja mythology (Kidili), Maya mythology (Ahau-Kin, Ixbalanque, Ixchel, Itzamna), Mochican mythology (Si), Navaho mythology (Yolkai Estasan), Norse mythology (Brunhild, Mani), Orokolo mythology (Papare), Pagan rituals in Medieval Italy (Madonna Oriente), Palmarene mythology (Aglibol), Pawnee mythology (Pah), Persian mythology (Mah, Mao), Philippine mythology (Mayari), Phoenician mythology (Nikkal), Phrygian mythology (Men), Polynesian mythology (Avatea, Fati, Ina, Hina-Kega, Hina-Uri, Lona, Mahina, Marama, Sina, Ul), Pygmy mythology (Arebati), Roman mythology (Diana, Luna), Semitic mythology (Terah), Seran mythology (Dapie), Slavic mythology (Myesyats), Sumerian mythology (Nanna, Ningal), Sumu mythology (Ud), Thracian mythology (Bendis), Tupinamba mythology (Ari), Ugaritic mythology (Nikkal), Urartian mythology (Selardi), Vodun (Kalfu). Greek mythology is a valuable collection of narratives of Greek God, Goddesses, heroes, and heroines (Kerenyi, 1951). In the Greek mythology, Selene or Lunar was an ancient lunar deity, and was sometimes described as Artemis. Titans Hyperion and Theia are the parents of Selene. Helios, the sun is the brother of Selene. Eos, the Goddess of dawn is the sister of Selene. The journey of Selene begins when the earth turns dark at night. The story tells that Eos carried off a human lover Cephalus (Burkert, 1985). The story also narrates that Selene loved a shepherd, or otherwise named Endymion. The man was so handsome that Selene asked Zeus to make him immortal so that they won't ever depart. Endymion made a decision to live forever in sleep. Thus, Selene and Endymion had fifty daughters. The story adds that Selene and Zeus had a daughter called Pandia (full moon). Hecate, originally a Goddess of the wilderness and childbirth is today seen as a Goddess of witchcraft. She had her connotations as a Goddess of sorcery and played the role of Queen of Ghosts. The title, Queen of Ghosts with Hecate has its in-depth association with the then prevalent belief that she can prevent the occurrence of harm