Afekan is the goddess of creation and knowledge in the Tifalmin mythology of Papua New Guinea. Afekan lived with men in the beginning to teach them "how to live in strength and dignity", along with the secrets and rituals of men. She also created taro, pigs, and various cultural things.[1] She has a brother, Umoim, who became the first man to die.[2]
Afekan is equivalent to the goddesses Afek of the Telefol and Mountain Ok people, Karigan of the Faiwol people, Paatakanib or Fitipkanib of the Mian people, and Fiitiir by the Bimun-Kuskusmin people.[3][2]
Afekan is the namesake of a crater at 25°48′N 200°18′W / 25.8°N 200.3°W on Titan.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ Wheatcroft, Wilson (1973). "Tifalmin". Primitive Worlds: People Lost in Time. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. ISBN 978-0-87044-127-1.
- ^ a b Swadling, Pamela; Wagner, Roy; Laba, Billai (2019). Plumes from Paradise (PDF). Sydney University Press. ISBN 9781743325445.
- ^ MacKenzie, Maureen A. (25 January 2019). Androgynous Objects: String Bags and Gender in Central New Guinea. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-70486-7.
- ^ "Afekan". We Name The Stars. Archived from the original on 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ^ "Name Approved for Crater on Titan". USGS Astrogeology Science Center. 2008-08-04. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
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