In Asian countries, bamboo is used for a multitude of things. It is shelter and flooring, cookware and food, jewelry and clothing. With its abundant presence and many uses, it’s no surprise that bamboo figures prominently in the creation myths of their culture.
According to Philippine creation myths, the first man and woman emerged from a bamboo stick. When the world began, there was only sea and sky, and between them was a kite (a bird resembling a hawk). The kite grew tired of having nowhere to land and stirred up the sea until the waters raged against the sky. The sky responded by showering many islands into the sea until the water could no longer rise to the sky, but only bounce back and forth among the 
islands. The sky then ordered the kite to build her nest and leave the sky and sea in peace. So the kite lived peacefully and meanwhile the land wind and the sea wind were married. From their marriage came a child which was a bamboo. One day the bamboo was floating along the seashore and it struck the feet of the kite. The kite was shocked and angry and pecked hysterically at the bamboo until it split into two. Out of one section came a man named Malakas (strong) and out of the other section came a woman named Maganda (Beautiful). After that, the earthquake called on all the creatures of the land and sea to see what should be done with those two (Malakas and Maganda) and it was decided that they should marry. And from this marriage came many children who became all the different races of people on this earth.
Malaysian creation myths tell the story of a man who falls into a deep sleep and dreams of a beautiful woman. When he awakes, he is surrounded by bamboo plants and parts them to see a beautiful woman standing among these symbols of fertility. From their marriage they populated the earth.
Through the many tribes that share these creation stories, no matter how many variations, there remains a consistent theme of bamboo as life-giver and provider. With its rich presence, the bamboo plant is revered for its past importance and future possibilities.
For more news on how bamboo is shaping the future of countries around the world, visit Green Earth News section on Bamboo’s Worldwide Impact.
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Thanks for sharing this! We love all your posts but had to say a special thank you for this one since we are so involved with bamboo. It’s nice to learn how bamboo has played this role in history and culture. For us, our mission at Bum Boosa Bamboo Baby Products is to provide an alternative to commonly used non-woven products that do not rely on tree pulp (or synthetic materials). We are not only reducing deforestation, but we are participating in reforestation by promising to plant a tree for every product we sell. We already have baby wipes from bamboo – but we will have the world’s first bamboo bathroom tissue coming out next month! Here’s to bamboo!
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