Global Deluge, Theophany and the Ut-napištim-Noah-Oppehnaboon Connection

Abstract

It is a long established fact that stories of a global flood permeate oral traditions and mythologies in every corner of the Earth. Of these global deluge epics, the most well-known are those of the biblical Noah and of Ut-napištim recorded in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, both of which were recorded in antiquity. As such, any comparisons of flood texts can reasonably begin with a consideration of the similarities and differences of a flood myth with those of Noah and of Ut-napištim, and they often are.Taiwan’s Saisiyat tribal myth of Oppehnaboon is remarkably similar to the accounts of both Ut-napištim and Noah. The current study examines correlations in character background, communication with and manifestation of transcendental messengers (theophany), stated causes for the deluge, post-flood commandments and other parallels which are featured in the accounts. This study sheds light on one of the lesser known Saisiyat tribe’s myths of Oppehnaboon and serves as a first step to a more in depth investigation of Formosan global deluge myths.

Keywords: Formosan mythography; Saisiyat; Theophany; Flood myth; Oppehnaboon; Ut-napištim; Noah

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/83-01

Publication date: November 30^th 2021