Solar Eclipse Myths From Around the

World
People around the world, and through time, have come up with many a tale to explain the
sun's disappearance.
Viking sky wolves, Korean fire dogs, and African versions of celestial
reconciliationthese are only some of the many ways people around the world,
and through the ages, have sought to explain solar eclipses.
People in equatorial Africa will be treated to a rare view of a total solar eclipse this
Sunday, November 3. Those living on the eastern North American coast, northern
South America, southern Europe, or the Middle East, will get to see a partial solar
eclipse.
"If you do a worldwide survey of eclipse lore, the theme that constantly appears, with
few exceptions, is it's always a disruption of the established order," said E. C. Krupp,
director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California. That's true of both
solar and lunar eclipses.
"People depend on the sun's movement," Krupp said. "[It's] regular, dependable, you
can't tamper with it. And then, all of a sudden, Shakespearean tragedy arrives and
time is out of joint. The sun and moon do something that they shouldn't be doing."
What that disruption means depends on the culture, and not everyone views an eclipse
as a bad thing, said Jarita Holbrook, a cultural astronomer at the University of the
Western Cape in Bellville, South Africa.
Some see it as a time of terror, while others look at a solar eclipse as part of the
natural order that deserves respect, or as a time of reflection and reconciliation.
(Related: "Pictures: Solar Eclipse Creates Ring of Fire.")
Swallowing Fire
Many cultures explain eclipses, both solar and lunar, as a time when demons or
animals consume the sun or the moon, said Krupp.
"The Vikings saw a pair of sky wolves chasing the sun or the moon," said the Griffith
Observatory astronomer. When one of the wolves caught either of the shining orbs, an
eclipse would result. (Read "Vikings and Native Americans" in National Geographic
magazine.)
"In Vietnam, a frog or a toad [eats] the moon or the sun," Krupp added, while people
of the Kwakiutl tribe on the western coast of Canada believe that the mouth of heaven
consumes the sun or the moon during an eclipse.
In fact, the earliest word for eclipse in Chinese, shih, means "to eat," he said.
Eclipse Wizard
In order to combat this devouring, people in many cultures made noise in order to
scare the demon or animal away, said Nancy Maryboy, president of the Indigenous
Education Institute on San Juan Island, Washington. She's currently working with
NASA on bringing indigenous astronomy into mainstream awareness.
People banged pots and pans or played on drums to get whatever was swallowing the
sun or the moon to go away, she explained.
Krupp orchestrates a modern version of this during lunar eclipses on the front lawn of
the Griffith Observatory. He dons a wizard's outfit and leads the public on a march in
front of the observatory while banging pots and pans to chase away whatever's eating
the moon.
"We're always successful," Krupp said.
Celestial Larceny
Other myths tell of deception and theft to explain the sun's disappearance during an
eclipse. Korean eclipse mythology involves fire dogs that try to steal the sun or the
moon, said Krupp.
On orders from a king, the mythical canines try their best to capture the fiery sun or
the ice-cold moon. They always fail, but whenever they bite either orb, an eclipse
results.
One of the more colorful stories in Krupp's opinion involves the Hindu demon Rahu,
who disguises himself as a god in order to steal a taste of an elixir that grants
immortality. The sun and moon see what Rahu is up to, and they report his crime to
the god Vishnu.
"Vishnu slices off his head before [the elixr] can slide past his throat," said Krupp. As
a consequence, Rahu's head turns immortal, but his body dies.
The demon's head continues to move through the sky, chasing the sun and the moon
out of hatred. "Every now and then he catches them and swallows them," explained
Krupp. But since Rahu has no throat, the sun and the moon fall out of the bottom of
his head.
Nature and Reconciliation
"My favorite myth is from the Batammaliba people in Togo and Benin" in Africa,
said Holbrook.
In this myth, the sun and the moon are fighting during an eclipse, she said. The people
"encourage the sun and the moon to stop fighting."
"They see it as a time of coming together and resolving old feuds and anger,"
Holbrook said. "It's a myth that has held to this day."
A Navajo tradition regarding eclipses has also endured into the present day, notes
Maryboy.
The Navajo regard the cosmic order of the universe as being all about balance, she
said. "Something like an eclipse is just part of nature's law. You pause to
acknowledge that that time is special, [and] you reflect on the cosmic order."
Maryboy explained that some Navajo still observe traditions associated with an
eclipse by staying inside with their family, singing special songs, and refraining from
eating, drinking, or sleeping.
You're not supposed to look at an eclipse either, she added. "They say if you look at
the sun during an eclipse, it will affect your eyes later." A person who looks at the sun
goes out of balance with the universe, leading to problems down the road. The same
goes for eating and drinking during this time.
Modern Misunderstandings
As director of the Griffith Observatory, Krupp has heard his share of
misunderstandings and fears regarding eclipses.
Perhaps one of the more persistent ones, according to Krupp, is that there is a danger
to pregnant women and their unborn children during an eclipse.
"It seems irrational," he said, but they can get dozens of calls asking about it.
Another misconception is that people can't look at the sun when it's completely
covered during a total eclipse. Both Krupp and Holbrook mention that of course
people shouldn't look directly at the sun. Doing so can cause eye damage. But if the
sun is completely covered, it's ok to look at, said Holbrook. "That's when you should
be out there experiencing it," she added
"It's an amazing experience, even though you know it's just the moon moving in front
of the sun," Holbrook said. "That's why there are eclipse chasers."
Eclipses are certainly something Krupp experiences as often as he can. "I've gone
after 13 total eclipses so far," he said.
"They're a chance to see the universe working," Krupp explained. It's "the solar
system doing its thing right before your eyes, and it's a deep and personal pleasure."