Re: Language, Religion, and an information quest (or somesuch) [Mildly OT]

axiem@swbell.net writes:
>Well, I'm not going to get into why, but now I'm trying to come up with
>a good word that expresses "God" or a supreme entity, etc, and I was
>wondering how all of you came up with that word/words for your conlangs,
>if you even have them? IMO, this is one word that is a very defining
>word for a culture, is how they treat this word. Like, is there a single
>word to describe a deity, or different words depending on the type? I'm
>on an information quest right now, and I wouldn't mind some
>suggestions/advice/etc. on a good way to come up with a word to
>represent this, or even what your word/words are.

Well, the Daga Bundogs believe in a creator god named Badala (related to
the Tagalog "Bathala", which in itself comes from Bhattara (If I have the
Sanskrit right on that). However, he is believed to be so distant from
humanity and the world that he is rarely venerated with festivals (he is
important no doubt but he is not seen as a direct influence on this
world). They believe in varieties of spirits who control nature. I don't
have the names for their different gods but there are supreme spirits that
control different aspects of nature while the lesser spirits inhabit
everything in nature (trees, rocks, rivers, etc.). These spirits would be
called by their different aspects. Badala is also a synonym for god in the
Daga Bundog religion.



        The Saalangals have had a much more Hindu influence in their religion. A
few of their god's names are of Sanskrit origin. Fire is considered a god
and is called "Angi" (from Agni), But like with most Hindu's today his
importance has fallen and the name is becoming more of a synonym for
common fire, which is "binda" (originally, the name Angi meant the word
for the god of fire as well as that of the holy fires used in rituals).
The name for the destroyer (Siba) comes from "Siva". The supreme god is
Enda (from Indra). Other spirits are referred to as gulu (teacher, from
"guru"), as they are also seen as teachers that provide valuable lessons
to mankind.

Other gods have names according to what they have dominion over, or an
aspect that is peculiar to them. All of the gods are referred to according
to their proper names or their aspects (mostly to prove a point in a
myth).

The original meanings of the names of gods of Sanskrit origin have slowly
been lost as Hinduism lost ground and a Hindu/native mix religion has
taken over.

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'The beginning calls for courage; the end demands care'