Quaoar (mythology): Difference between revisions
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'''Quaoar''' |
'''Quaoar''' is the creation deity of the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] [[Tongva people|Tongva]] people, native to the area around [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], California. According to Tongva mythology, Quaoar sings and dances the world and other deities into existence. |
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Like in most other creation myths, at first there was [[Chaos (cosmogony)|Chaos]]. Then along came Quaoar. He was sorrowed by the emptiness in existence and began to dance, whirl, and twirl all about while he sang the Song of Creation. God of the Sky, [[Weywot]], was first to be formed of the creation melody. Next came [[Chehooit]], who became Goddess of the Earth. These two new deities joined in the dance and created the sun and moon ([[Tamit]] and [[Moar (god)|Moar]], respectively). |
Like in most other creation myths, at first there was [[Chaos (cosmogony)|Chaos]]. Then along came Quaoar. He was sorrowed by the emptiness in existence and began to dance, whirl, and twirl all about while he sang the Song of Creation. God of the Sky, [[Weywot]], was first to be formed of the creation melody. Next came [[Chehooit]], who became Goddess of the Earth. These two new deities joined in the dance and created the sun and moon ([[Tamit]] and [[Moar (god)|Moar]], respectively). |
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In 2002, a large [[Trans-Neptunian object]] was named [[50000 Quaoar|Quaoar]] after the Tongva deity. |
In 2002, a large [[Trans-Neptunian object]] was named [[50000 Quaoar|Quaoar]] after the Tongva deity. |
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==Pronunciation== |
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Tongva is only preserved in scraps, and the [[Tongva language|Tongva]] pronunciation of Quaoar is not certain. It's not even entirely clear if it had two syllables or three. There have been several transcriptions. The Spanish transcribed it '''''Quaguar''''' {{IPA-es|ˈkwawar|}}, reflecting the Spanish use of ''gu'' for {{IPA|[w]}}. Hugo Reid recorded the name as '''Qua-o-ar''' from Tongva elders in 1852, and, apart from the hyphens, this is the spelling preferred by the Tongva today. [[Alfred L. Kroeber|Kroeber]] (1925)<ref>Kroeber, Alfred. 1925. ''Handbook of the Indians of California'', Volume 2</ref> spells it '''Kwawar''', though he notes Reid's spelling as well: ''Kwawar (" Qua-o-ar ")''. [[John Peabody Harrington|Harrington]] (1933) gives the most precise transcription, '''K(w)á’uwar'''. Given the general quality of Harrington's work, this might be expected to be the most accurate as well, approximately {{IPA-azc|ˈkʷaʔuwar|}}. In English it is {{IPA-en|ˈkwɑːwɑr|}}. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}} |
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[[Category:Gods of the indigenous peoples of North America]] |
[[Category:Gods of the indigenous peoples of North America]] |
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Revision as of 19:23, 20 August 2011
Quaoar is the creation deity of the Native American Tongva people, native to the area around Los Angeles, California. According to Tongva mythology, Quaoar sings and dances the world and other deities into existence.
Like in most other creation myths, at first there was Chaos. Then along came Quaoar. He was sorrowed by the emptiness in existence and began to dance, whirl, and twirl all about while he sang the Song of Creation. God of the Sky, Weywot, was first to be formed of the creation melody. Next came Chehooit, who became Goddess of the Earth. These two new deities joined in the dance and created the sun and moon (Tamit and Moar, respectively).
Together these five sang and danced everything else into existence: animals, plants, people, and the other gods as well. His work finished, Quaoar faded into obscurity, perhaps returning to wherever it was he came from originally.
In 2002, a large Trans-Neptunian object was named Quaoar after the Tongva deity.
Pronunciation
Tongva is only preserved in scraps, and the Tongva pronunciation of Quaoar is not certain. It's not even entirely clear if it had two syllables or three. There have been several transcriptions. The Spanish transcribed it Quaguar [ˈkwawar], reflecting the Spanish use of gu for [w]. Hugo Reid recorded the name as Qua-o-ar from Tongva elders in 1852, and, apart from the hyphens, this is the spelling preferred by the Tongva today. Kroeber (1925)[1] spells it Kwawar, though he notes Reid's spelling as well: Kwawar (" Qua-o-ar "). Harrington (1933) gives the most precise transcription, K(w)á’uwar. Given the general quality of Harrington's work, this might be expected to be the most accurate as well, approximately [ˈkʷaʔuwar]. In English it is /ˈkwɑːwɑr/.
References
- ^ Kroeber, Alfred. 1925. Handbook of the Indians of California, Volume 2
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