some notion of multiple gods who direct the cre-
ation. It is inescapable in that the Ennead is the
work of Atum. All other energies, forces, spirits,
and powers, celestial and terrestrial, are based on
Atum’s energy.
Nothing was so powerful in the mythology of
the ancient Egyptians as the story of creation that
stood at the beginning of their religious conscious-
ness. Without the creation, all is lost and nothing
is possible in terms of the moral and ethical lives
of the people. They believed that the emergence of
the sun god from the primeval waters of nun to
step on the hillock and bring into being all of the
creatures, including deities, in the universe was the
moment of magic.
The deities of the Great Ennead appear fre-
quently in the literature of the Egyptians and were
especially significant during the New Kingdom. It
was thought that the First Occasion, that is, the
moment of creation, occurred as a prototype for
all subsequent creation. Thus, when Atum, of the
On theological tradition, created Shu and Tefnut,
air and moisture, the elements had been set in
motion that would ultimately result in human
society. In one sense, Shu and Tefnut may be
called the children of Atum. Geb, Earth, and Nut,
sky, may be called his grandchildren and Ausar,
Auset, Set, and Nebhet, the great grandchildren of
the deity, Atum.
Another way of grasping the importance of the
Great Ennead is to say that when Geb and Nut
gave birth to their offspring, who were terrestrial,
unlike the celestial creations that preceded them,
this marked the beginning of real time. This was
time after the First Occasion that was now locked
in mythology. Now with the arrival of Ausar,
Auset, Set, and Nebhet, the Earth had found itself
with citizens who would contain all human traits
and characteristics. One could see, in almost every
example ofThe Book of the Dead, some reference
to some of the deities of the Great Ennead.
It might be said that the difference between the
celestial components of the Great Ennead and the
terrestrial components is one of personality.
Whereas one is struck by the abstract nature of
Shu and Tefnut, although materialized in the air
and moisture, one sees in the terrestrial figures
something of the fallibility of all humans. When
Ausar is killed by his brother Set and Auset and
her son Heru and her sister Nebhet went to find
the pieces of the body of Ausar, all of humanity
was in search of its hero, its leader, and its god of
the resurrection. This was the great drama acted
out in the imagination of the ancient Egyptians
on a daily basis. When Heru defeats Set, then
humanity could rejoice because good had won
the day over evil. The Great Ennead was the most
complete dramatic myth told and retold in
ancient Egypt.Molefi Kete AsanteSeealsoAtum; Ausar; Auset; Maat; TefnutFurther Readings
Asante, M. K. (2007).The History of Africa. London:
Routledge.
Grimal, N. (1992).A History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford,
UK: Oxford University Press.
Hornung, E. (1992).Idea Into Image(E. Bredeck,
Trans.). New York: Elizabeth Bredeck Books.EPASOCIETY
The Yoruba of Nigeria recognize the ancestors in
many ways. One structure that has been institu-
tionalized for hundreds of years is the Epa cele-
bration to honor the great ancestors of the
Yoruba. The Epa Society is responsible for creat-
ing the masks and the occasion for the ancestral
ceremony. The tradition centers on the creation of
Epa helmet masks that are among the most elabo-
rate among the Yoruba. They are monumental
structures, some reaching to 5 feet and weighing
60 pounds. Because the Yoruba believe in the
African philosophical system, they build the Epa
out of a single block of wood from the Iroko tree.
These Epa masks are displayed on the heads of
youthful athletic dancers who are able to handle
the huge masks. Because the masks are huge
objects used for dancing in honor of the ances-
tors, they must be treated with respect and honor.
Epa masks are presented annually at the Epa
festival. The masks are meant to help the people
recall the impressive deeds of kings, soldiers,
adventurers, hunters, and mothers who are
praised for their great moral values and theirEpa Society 241