MATACOMYTER

Resumé

Bror Westman: Mataco Myths

Taking a point of departure in Levi-Strauss’

concept of the myth as movement in

different ways, the article deals with Mataco

myths as they have been recorded by Niels

Fock during his field work among the

Mataco of Gran Chaco in the northern part of

Argentina between 1958 and 1962. The form

of this body of myths is seen as one of

variation and movement, and the contents

are understood as dealing with becoming a

human being, a cultural being. The figures

Sipilak, the culture hero, and Tokuah, the

bungler, play important roles in the myths.

They incamate different principles, rule over

different domains, create different

phenomena, and act in different ways. Also

the elements fire, water, air, and earth are

dealt with in the myths. The universe of the

myths is static, moving however between

different levels, and the identities of the

figures of the myths change. The myths are

variations of each other and tell about the

sensuous sides of life. The myths deal with

concrete, tangible experience.