Introduction
The contradiction between what is considered spiritual and worldly has been a critical topic in both philosophy and religion. While all holy things are considered sacred, secular things can be good and bad at the same time. Nevertheless, many traditional societies considered all worldly things unsacred and meant to satisfy human desires rather than spiritual needs. In literature, the opposition between sacred and secular is a common theme. However, different authors represent the contradiction in different ways based on specific social settings. Consequently, this paper aims to evaluate the contradiction between secular and sacred in two works from different backgrounds- Sundiata and Popul Vuh. Sundiata is set in an early African social setting somewhere in the modern-day Mali, while Popul Vuh is based on the Mayan culture in pre-Columbian era. In both texts, there is a representation of the sacred versus secular theme in which both are in constant competition to control the world and humanity, which puts humanity at the center of the competition.
Analysis of Sacred Versus Secular in Popul Vul
Although most of the texts narrating the mountainous Maya culture have been lost, Popul Vuh has survived. In this story, there is a universal calm and serenity in the world, and nothing interferes with the thoughts of the divine sages. An analysis of this phenomenon would reveal similarities with the Bible’s creation story, where the universe was considered void (Bassie-Sweet and Hopkins 222). However, the earth was not created in Popul Vuh, but it freely rested at the bottom of a great ocean as the book states, “…when the sky was in suspense, and the earth was submerged in the water…” (Goetz and Morley 4). Creating the first humans was an attempt by the divine sages, and they used clay, but they failed because there were no pairs. In the second attempt, the divine sages made humans using wood, but again the creations were destroyed by other divine creatures. The third attempt is successful because the sages first destroy the dangerous creatures to provide security for the survival of the humans.
This story of the beginning of human provides evidence of the competition between the sacred and secular. Having created the earth, animals, and woods, the powerful deities fail to get along with the creation of humans as their future servants in the first two attempts (Bassie-Sweet and Hopkins 222). Instead, there is a high degree of intolerance that leads to conflict between the sages and the opposing divine creatures.
Specifically, the contradiction is evident in the scene where the divine twins cope with Macau through deception. In this scene, the closeness of the divine and the secular are intertwined. Although Hunahpu is a great hunter, his prowess in killing his prey is attributed to the divine powers of the sacred sages (Spene 32). However, he also uses cunningness and deception to achieve his goals. In essence, his prowess in hunting and providing food for the others in the setting is partly attributed to divine powers, and partly to the worldly characteristics of cunningness and deception. Consequently, it is difficult to determine whether he is sacred or an earthly being with non-spiritual goals.
Spirituality is also connected to secularity in the story long after creation. When the humans are freely living on their own in the world, they tend to involve both sacred and secular actions and thoughts as they seek to remain attached to the divine creatures. This is evident in the ball game scene, where excitement by humans in the competition attracts the attention of demons. The ball game continues and leads to the demise of the second generation of gods- the identical brothers (Bassie-Sweet and Hopkins 222). The brothers recklessly perform various tests, which amuses the demons, but they fail to stand all the tests. Eventually, they are sacrificed, which indicates the competition between the divine brothers and the evil demons over the control of the world and humanity. However, they are spiritual being because their souls move to another world and remain powerful as divine creatures (Spence 47). For example, the elder brother’s head is hung on a pumpkin tress that never bears fruit, but the plant suddenly started producing. The brother becomes the divine of good harvest and agriculture in the mythology. This god dies every year when the reapers are harvesting but returns in the next spring with new crops. In essence, the scene indicates that there is a continuous competition between the sacred and the evil, but which benefits humans.
Both the second and third parts indicate that deception and cunningness are worldly characteristics necessary to satisfy human desires, but which lead to fatal consequences. However, the divine overcomes the demons and their worldly desires. Whenever the sacred wins, the secular emerges and through deception and cunningness, destroys the good before there is another episode of the competition (Bassie-Sweet and Hopkins 222). This myth indicates that the sacred and secular are deeply connected even though they are always in competition with each other. As they compete, humans are placed at the center of the conflict, but they reap benefits such as seasons and good harvests.
Analysis of Sacred Versus Secular in Sundiata
The West African myth of Sundiata similarly shows the connection and contradiction between sacred and secular. Unlike the case of Popul Vuh where deception and cunningness are the main forms of the secular, destiny, predictions, and sorcery dominate Sundiata (Sundiata 135). Nara Magann Konate is told by a sorcerer that if he marries an ugly woman, she will bear a powerful son (Tsaaior 1306). But he does not marry an ugly woman at the start as he meets a lovely woman in his youthful days (Niane 33). However, he later meets an ugly girl named Sogolon and decides to marry her for the purpose of bearing a strong heir. An analysis of this myth reveals that the divine and sacred are personified humility, fidelity, and acceptance of fate. On their part, Sogolon and Sundiata are portrayed as subjects of the sacred as they remain faithful to the gods’ predictions. Even when they are humiliated, they do not resort to aggression, hatred, and contempt (Niane 21). They represent the common man who is born pure, but weak and prone to adopt the evil thoughts and actions of greed, hatred lust for power, and desire for domination Sundiata 136). Sundiata’s father is an example of the pure soul who is not deceived and dominated by the secular things (Niane 56). He is remained committed to the prophecy and fights fear, hatred, and aggression for the purpose of equality, beauty, and peace for all people (Sundiata 134). Similar to the Popul Vuh myth, the divine in Sundiata works continuously at the common good. Only the strong and pure personalities like him can conquer demons (Tsaaior 1309). On the contrary, the demons and their evil subjects on earth are constantly fighting to overcome and control the sacred using aggression, hatred, violence, and other vices. Weak leaders like Soumaoro and Tumani easily succumb to the power of the demons and are used to perpetrate violence and cruelty on earth.
Comparison the Myth of Sacred Versus Secular in Sundiata and Popul Vuh
Based on this analysis of both Sundiata and Popul Vuh, it is evident that there are several similarities and differences when examining the theme of the sacred versus the secular. In Popul Vuh, the myth shows the continuous competition between the two sides. Right from the beginning, there are both sacred and evil deities competing against each other (Tsaaior 1309). When the divine savages are considering to create human creatures that would eventually become their servants, the evil deities conspire to control or destroy the creatures. Similarly, the evil and the sacred have a long history in Sundiata. The evil powers are constantly fighting what the divine gods are creating. Human actions and desires in both myths are generally secular as they are meant to satisfy earthly needs. In both texts, aggression, hatred, deception, cunningness, and other characteristics are portrayed as tools of the evil creature for controlling humanity. On the contrary, the sacred sages and gods in both texts fight to provide sanity, equality, and peace for the humans (Niane 21). However, humans seem to be confused on whether to stick with one side as they are prone to be influenced by any of the competing parties.
Conclusion
By analyzing the two myths, the reader is able to learn about the divine powers and earthly beings and how they relate or interact. In Sundiata, there is a clear definition of the righteous and the evil in the same as it is in the western religions. The two sides are always in competition and cannot exist in the soul of a person at the same time. If one is evil, then he cannot take any sacred action or thought (Sundiata 136). On the contrary, spiritually strong people like Sundiata only houses the good in their hearts and mind, giving no room for the devils. On the contrary, Popul Vuh is a Mayan cosmology rather than a sacred text, which explains why the sacred and the secular can exist in the same environment even though they are competing.
In the process of the interactions between the two sides, such values as spiritual strength, passion, peace, and equality are considered significant in the societies. In Sundiata, the society values peace, love, harmony, and calmness while in Popul Vuh, the society values equality, prosperity, and harmony. Based on how the texts handle the issues related to sacred and secular, the reader learns the differences in the two settings. In Sundiata, the west African society is largely religious and everything is either good or evil. The society is also highly polytheist as many gods and demons affect humanity. On the contrary, the story in Popul Vuh is not about religion but a cosmology that explains the origin of the universe. The myth tries to explain the origin of humanity as well and the observable phenomena such as seasons and time.
Works Cited
Bassie-Sweet, Karen, and Nicholas A. Hopkins. “Predatory Birds of the Popol Vuh.” The Myths of the Popol Vuh in Cosmology, Art, and Ritual, 2021, p. 222.
Goetz, Delia and Sylvanus Griswold Morley. The Book of the People: Popol Vuh. Los Angeles, CA: Plantin Press, 1954.
Niane, D. Sundiata, an Epic of Old Mali. Longman Pub Group, 1995.
Spence, Lewis. The Popol Vuh: The Mythic and Heroic Sagas of the Kichés of Central America. Good Press, 2019.
Sundiata, Ibrahim K. “Sixteen-Nineteen and the Myth of Return.” Transition, vol. 130, no. 1, 2021, pp. 133-145.
Tsaaior, James Tar. “The Sundiata Epic and the Global Literary Imaginary.” A Companion to World Literature, 2020, pp. 1305-1315.