This illustration is part of a series that was based on creation myths from all over the world. Their richness and big variety is a source of inspiration to me. Sometimes the stories are astonishingly beautiful but they can also be very cruel or surprisingly humorous. I'm still stimulated by the abundance of amazing stories that try to explain the reason for our existance. That's why it is an ongoing project for personal work.
Woyengi (Iljaw, Nigeria) In the beginning there was a field with a gigantic Irokotree. Suddenly a big table with a pile of dirt on it, a chair and a creation stone descended into the field. Announced by thunder and lightning the goddess Woyengi came out of the sky. She took place on the chair and started to create the first people out of the clay. She then breathed life into them. The people were neither male nor female so Woyengi ordered them to choose a gender. Then she ordered each to choose a way of life and a way of death…
