Areop-Enap

Areop-Enap ( Nauruan for "old spider"; also Areob Engab or Areow Eñab ) is a mythical figure from the creation story of the Nauruan religion. According to legend, Areop-Enap is said to have been a large spider .

At the beginning only Areop-Enap and the endless ocean existed , both of which swam in infinite space. One day Areop-Enap found a large, round object, a mussel , and took it in his hands. He looked at her from all sides, because he wanted to know if there was an opening so that he could crawl into it; but there was none. Then he tapped the large conch, and since it sounded hollow, he concluded that there was nothing inside. He tried in vain to open the shell and finally, after casting a spell and trying again, he was successful, holding the two strong shell sides slightly apart.

He crawled in but could not see anything in the darkness, since neither the sun nor the moon were created; besides, he could not stand upright because the space in the shell was too small. Areop-Enap looked everywhere to see if he could find something, and finally he discovered a snail . He took this under his arm and slept for three days to give the snail strength. Then he put it aside and looked further, whereupon he found another, larger snail, which he treated like the first.

Then he took the first, smaller snail again and asked her if she could raise the roof a little so that they could sit on it. The snail replied yes and lifted the roof slightly. Areop-Enap then took it, placed it in the western half of the shell and formed it into the moon. Now there was some light and Areop-Enap discovered a large worm named Rigi . Areop-Enap asked Rigi if he could raise the roof any further. Rigi said yes and had to work very hard so that he could slowly continue to lift the upper shell side. Much salty sweat flowed from his body; this sweat became the sea . Ultimately Rigi was able to lift the upper shell of the shell very high, and so it became heaven . But Rigi, completely exhausted, fell over and died. Areop-Enap formed the sun from the first larger snail and placed it in the eastern half of the shell. The lower side of the shell eventually became earth .

Areop-Enap finally created man out of stones so that he could continue to support the sky. Areop-Enap then traveled to the newly created world . There he discovered other creatures, but he didn't know what to call them. So he created a winged creature out of the dirt that got under his nails while searching the shell. This flying creature molested the people so much that they called to each other to kill the creature. When Areop-Enap heard the people, he knew from then on what the being is called.

Areop-Enap

See also