Other flood stories:
There appear to be many civilisations that have catastrophic flood stories, but it is hard to verify the facts, so this page has been put together for interest only.
F.A. Pickering has drawn up a list of stories around the world that involves a gigantic flood destroying nearly all of mankind:
Persia, India, Burma, Indonesia, Sarawak, New Guinea, Tahiti, Hawaii, China,Japan, Siberia, Australia (Aborigines), New Zealand (Maoris),Alaska (Eskimos), North America (Red Indians), South America, Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, Congo, South Africa, Greece, Iceland, Lithuania, Finland, Lapland, Wales & Ireland. [1]
Another provides a list of flood 'myths' from around the world:
Algonquin, Assyrian, Australian, Babylonian, Bakongo (Zaire), Basonge, Batak (Sumatria), Cameroon, Chaldean, Cheyenne, China, Chorote (Eastern Paraguay), Fiji, German, Hebrew, Hindu, Huichol, Ifugaos (Philippines), Ipurina (Upper Amazon), Jivaran Indian (South America), Kabadi (New Guinea), Kammu (northern Thailand), Kikuyu, Kootenay (southeast British Columbia), Kwaya (Lake Victoria), Lake Tyras (Victoria), Makiritare (Venezuela), Mandingo (Ivory Coast)... etc. [2]
The table that follows is a summary of 35 flood stories around the world.
It is adapted from the Northwest Creation Network web site, with thanks. (www.nwcreation.net)
The stories have been broken down into six different elements, so that they can easily be compared with each other:
KEY to the table below:
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~~~~ = Destruction by water.
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Humans = Some humans spared.
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God = Sent by God.
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Animals = Some animals spared.
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!!!! = Warning given prior to flood.
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Vessel = Preserved in a vessel.
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~~~~
|
|
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Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Australia - Kurnai
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~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Babylon - Berossus' account
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~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Babylon - Gilgamesh epic
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~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Bolivia Chiriguano
|
~~~~
|
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Borneo - Sea Dayak
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~~~~
|
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Burma - Singpho
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Canada - Cree
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~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Canada - Montagnais
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
China - Lolo
|
~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Cuba- original natives
|
~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
East Africa - Masai
|
~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Egypt - Book of the Dead
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Fiji - Walavu-levu tradition
|
~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
|
French Polynesia - Raiatea
|
~~~~
|
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Greece - Lucian's account
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Guyana - Macushi
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Iceland - Eddas
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~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
India - Andaman Islands
|
~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
India - Bhil
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~~~~
|
God
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
India - Kamar
|
~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
|
Iran - Zend-Avesta
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Italy - Ovid's poetry
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Malay Peninsula - Jekun
|
~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Mexico - Codex Chimalpopoca
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~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Mexico - Huichol
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
New Zealand - Maori
|
~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
|
Peru - Indians of Huarochiri
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~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
|
Vessel
|
Russia - Vogul
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~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
U.S.A. (Alaska) - Kolusches
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~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
U.S.A. (Alaska) - Tlingit
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~~~~
|
|
!!!!
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
U.S.A. (Arizona) - Papago
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~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
U.S.A. (Hawaii) - legend of Nu-u
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~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Vanualu - Melanesians
|
~~~~
|
God
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Vietnam - Bahnar
|
~~~~
|
|
|
Humans
|
Animals
|
Vessel
|
Wales - Dwyfan / Dwyfan legend
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The first missionaries into the American north west, discovered to their amazement that the remote tribes of Indians had their own legends of a worldwide flood. [3]
Here is one such story from the Ojibwe people (ancient native Americans who call themselves Anishanabe):
"There came a time when the harmonious way of life did not continue.
Men and women disrespected each other, families quarreled and soon villages began arguing back and forth.
This saddened Gitchie Manido greatly, (The Creator) but he waited.
Finally, when it seemed there was no hope left, Creator decided to purify Mother Earth through the use of water.
The water came, flooding the Earth, catching all of creation off guard.
All but a few of each living thing survived. How could life begin again?
Waynaboozhoo, or the spirit of the original people, found himself floating on a log in the water covering Mother Earth.
As he floated some of the other animals still alive would come a rest on the log.
All would take turns and through this sharing they saved themselves and each other.
After floating for a long time and not seeing land, Waynaboozhoo finally said,
"I'm going to swim to the bottom of this water and grab a handful of Earth.
With this and help from Creator, I believe we can create a new land......" etc. [4]
The Araucanians in Chile, have an ancient story about a flood that was the result of a volcanic eruption and a violent earthquake. In the past they used to climb to the top of a mountain whenever there was an earthquake because they were afraid that it would cause the sea to drown the world again.
They believed that if the sun deviated from its regular course it had a huge effect upon the Earth - it would cause earthquakes and a massive wave of water to engulf the earth, just like it had done before.
So they had a "mystical cord" to secure the Earth to the Sun and so guide it across the heavens.
Solar megaliths (known as Sun Stones) which are all around the globe may be attempts to secure the sun in its path and so stop the sky from falling in - like it had done at the great Flood. [5]
The Epic of Gilgamesh:
"Utanapishtim spoke to Gilgamesh, ...."The hearts of the Great Gods moved them to inflict the Flood.....
Tear down the house and build a boat! .....
I provided it with six decks, thus dividing it into seven (levels). The inside of it I divided into nine (compartments).....
The launching was very difficult. .....
All the living beings that I had I loaded on it, I had all my kith and kin go up into the boat, all the beasts and animals of the field and the craftsmen I had go up....
I watched the appearance of the weather-- the weather was frightful to behold! I went into the boat and sealed the entry..... All day long the South Wind blew .....
blowing fast, submerging the mountain in water, overwhelming the people like an attack. .....
Six days and seven nights came the wind and flood, the storm flattening the land. When the seventh day arrived, the storm was pounding, the flood was a war--struggling with itself like a woman writhing (in labor). The sea calmed, fell still, the whirlwind (and) flood stopped up. I looked around all day long--quiet had set in and all the human beings had turned to clay! The terrain was as flat as a roof. I opened a vent and fresh air (daylight!) fell upon the side of my nose. I fell to my knees and sat weeping, tears streaming down the side of my nose. I looked around for coastlines in the expanse of the sea, and at twelve leagues there emerged a region (of land). On Mt. Nimush the boat lodged firm, Mt. Nimush held the boat, allowing no sway...
When a seventh day arrived I sent forth a dove and released it. The dove went off, but came back to me; no perch was visible so it circled back to me. I sent forth a swallow and released it. The swallow went off, but came back to me; no perch was visible so it circled back to me. I sent forth a raven and released it. The raven went off, and saw the waters slither back. It eats, it scratches, it bobs, but does not circle back to me. Then I sent out everything in all directions and sacrificed (a sheep). I offered incense in front of the mountain-ziggurat..." [6]
Conclusion:
There are many, many more flood stories. Most of them are obviously not factual accounts and many are pure fantasy.
But they could easily have originated from an actual event, where some people and animals were saved from a massive flood, because they obeyed a warning from God to build a boat. Over many thousands of years the story has got distorted because of it being passed on by word of mouth.
I believe that the Biblical account of the Flood has been safeguarded by God - it forms part of the revelation of Himself to mankind.
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© 2004 seeking-god.co.uk
[1] 'The flood reconsidered; a review of the evidences of geology, archaeology, ancient literature, and the Bible'. Filby, Frederick Arthur Pickering (London) 1970 ISBN 0720800366
[2] www.halexandria.org/dward193.htm
[3] www.nwcreation.net/noahlegends.html
[4] www.ancestraltrails.org/ojibwe.html
[5] "When the Sky Fell: In Search of Atlantis" by Rand & Rose Flem-Ath
[6] The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet XI http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab11.htm