Protoplast Religion

In religious and mythological traditions, the term protoplast—derived from the ancient Greek word meaning “first-formed”—refers to the earliest human or the primordial couple from whom humanity descends. Across cultures, protoplast figures appear not only at the beginning of creation but also after catastrophic events such as floods, functioning as regenerators of humankind. These ancestral beings serve both symbolic and cosmological roles, expressing cultural understandings of human origin and the relationship between humans, deities, and the natural world.

Etymology and Conceptual Background

The Greek term originally applied to the first human created by divine power. In early religious texts such as the Apocalypse of Moses, the concept represented the first organised human form. Over time, the term became associated not only with singular figures such as Adam but also with paired ancestors and with survivors of mythic cataclysms who renewed human existence.
Protoplasts frequently embody moral, spiritual, or ritual significance, marking the beginning of human lineage and shaping cultural notions of identity and ancestry.

Protoplasts in Abrahamic and Esoteric Traditions

In Abrahamic contexts, Adam and Eve represent the primary protoplasts. Esoteric and mystical interpretations include concepts of a “hidden Adam” and a “bodily Adam”, as found in Mandaean religious thought. These traditions often extend beyond literal creation to encompass ideas of primordial humanity, spiritual ancestry, and the differentiation between physical and metaphysical human origins.

Protoplasts in Indigenous and Regional Mythologies

Various Indigenous and regional cultures possess rich cosmogonies featuring protoplast figures who emerge from earth, water, or supernatural realms.

• Australian Aboriginal mythology includes diverse ancestral beings whose creative acts established the social and moral order.
• Ayyavazhi mythology contains Kalicchi, a significant primordial mother figure.
• Aztec mythology identifies Tata-Coxcox and Nana-Xochitl as post-flood progenitors, while Cipactonal and Oxomoco are regarded as the first human couple.
• The Baganda describe ancestral origins rooted in cultural heroes and founding figures.

Across these traditions, protoplasts often serve as culture-bearers, establishing laws, customs, or traits that persist within their societies.

Protoplasts in East and Southeast Asian Mythologies

Protoplast traditions in East Asia frequently combine cosmological creation with anthropomorphic symbolism.

• Chinese folk religion includes Nüwa, sometimes associated with human creation and, in some accounts, linked to Pangu’s creative acts.
• Vietnamese mythology features u C, a founding ancestral figure linked to primordial lineage.
• Mori mythology identifies Marikoriko as a first woman, reflecting cultural narratives of emergence.

These traditions often present the origin of humanity as intertwined with the formation of the cosmos and natural landscape.

Protoplasts in European and Near Eastern Mythologies

European mythologies offer multiple accounts of first humans or first couples:

• Germanic tradition recounts Ask and Embla as the first ancestors shaped by the gods.
• Greek mythology includes Pandora as the first woman, Prometheus’ creation of humanity, and the postdiluvian couple Deucalion and Pyrrha.
• Norse mythology distinguishes between earlier and future human ancestors, reflecting cyclical cosmological structures.

Such myths often explore themes of divine craftsmanship, moral transgression, and renewal after destruction.

Protoplasts in South Asian Mythologies

South Asia holds extensive genealogies of primordial beings:

• Hindu mythology identifies Manu and Shatarupa as the first couple, with Vaivasvata Manu and his wife Shraddha serving as the progenitors of the current cycle of humanity.
• Flood myths involving Manu illustrate continuity between ancient origins and post-cataclysmic regeneration.

These narratives are deeply integrated into cosmological cycles and ritual traditions.

Protoplasts in the Americas

Mythologies across the Americas contain numerous accounts of foundational human figures:

• Inca mythology includes ancestral beings who emerged from caves or underworld realms.
• Lakota traditions recount the first human rising from beneath the earth.
• Muisca mythology describes Tena and Fura as a primordial couple.
• Navajo mythology presents changing women such as Asdzáá Nádleehé as creators and transformers of humankind.

These accounts frequently link human origins to journeys across layered worlds or sacred landscapes.

Protoplasts in Pacific and Polynesian Traditions

Protoplast narratives in the Pacific emphasise earth formation and ancestral continuity:

• Polynesian mythology includes pairs such as Eleele and Lalo-Honua and individuals such as Tiki, who is often represented as the first man.
• Tongan mythology features Tu-Mea and Papa as significant ancestral figures.

Such stories underline the integration of land, genealogy, and spiritual ancestry.

Protoplasts in African Traditional Religions

African traditions present complex genealogies involving divine creation and ancestral heritage:

• Kikuyu mythology regards Gikuyu and Mumbi as the primordial couple.
• Lozi mythology describes Kamunu as the first human created by the deity Nyambe.
• Serer religion identifies pairs such as YAAB and YOP, who represent early ancestors of humanity, alongside further ancestral figures tied to historical migrations and lineage divisions.
• Yoruba mythology attributes the creation of humans to Obatala, a deity entrusted with forming the first people.

These traditions often integrate creation narratives with social structures, lineage systems, and communal memory.

Protoplasts in Central and Inner Asian Mythologies

• Turkic mythology includes Ece and Ay Ata as ancestral creators linked to the emergence of the Turkic peoples.
• Zoroastrian mythology, though differing in structure, traces humanity to primordial figures shaped by Ahura Mazda, reflecting dualistic cosmology.

Significance of Protoplast Narratives

Across cultures, protoplasts fulfil several key roles:

• They explain the origin of humanity, providing foundational stories for communities.
• They act as moral exemplars or cautionary figures, demonstrating ideal conduct or illustrating the consequences of transgression.
• They serve as genealogical anchors, connecting contemporary groups to a mythic ancestry.
• They articulate relationships between humans, deities, and natural forces, framing cosmological and ritual worldviews.