E5C — People from the sky.

The first humans or deities-ancestors descend to earth from the sky.

Berezkin category: The origins of people and culture

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 5, Origin of human beings, ethnic groups, etiology of human anatomy, strange body configuration, ways of behavior, marriages before the establishment of the present norms.

E5.  God makes man out of clay. He must wait until it dries, but tries to stand up earlier.
E5a.  The first humans (or only the first men or first women) were not created by a demiurge, but emerged from under the ground (from a cave) or from a small object on its surface (a tree, stone, pumpkin, etc.). There are many emerging humans (or humans and animals). Cf. motif E5B: first ancestors from the underworld.
E5aa.  The first people grew out of the ground like trees, grass, and mushrooms.
E5b.  The first human (a group of brothers) or the first human couple emerge from underground (from a cave) or from a small object on the surface (a mound, a reed, a tree, a stone, a pumpkin). Cf. motif E5A: people from the underworld.
E5c.  The first humans or deities-ancestors descend to earth from the sky.
E5d.  The first people to arrive on earth and settle within a limited space are threatened by a predator or monster.
E5e.  People or animals come out from under the ground or descend from the sky. The two-headed creature following them gets stuck in the opening or is not allowed to come out.

This motif has been recorded in 123 traditions: Malagasy, Nuba, Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Bari (incl Fajulu), Kakwa, Bongo, Murle, Me'en (Bodi), Didinga, Turkana, Toposa, Efe Pygmies, Kango (Mbuti) Pygmies, Mangbetu (Ngbetu), Mangbutu, Moru, Madi, Lugbara, Lendu (=Bale), Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Zande (Azande, incl Nzakara), Banda, Gbaya (Baya), Manja, Ngbandi, Mbum (incl Mbaye), Fali; Mündü, Omotic: Ari (incl Baka, Male, Schangama, Ubamer), Kafa, Dime, Banna, Basketo, Nao, Oromo (Galla), Konso, Sidamo, Darasa, Bussa (Bassa), Kambata, Guji, Masai, Yao, Makua, Ila (Baila), Fipa (Bafipa), Iramba, Bende, Chagga (Jagga; incl Wasu), Pare, Digo, Kamba, Tharaka, Safwa, Mkulwe, Ngonde, Kinga, Nyakusa, Nyamwanga, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Rwanda (incl Hutu, Tutsi, Kiga), Rundi, (Ma)Shi, Banyabungu; Rega, Luba (Baluba, Luba-Katanga, Shaba), (Ba)Holoholo, Tumbwe, Bena-Piana, Tabwa, Benabena-Mitumba, Zela, Bene-Marungu, Bemba (Wemba, Babemba; incl Ambo, Lala, Lamba, Bisa), Holoholo, Kaonde, Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Bushoong: (Ba)kuba, Dengese, Ngongo; Yansi, Mongo (Mongo-Nkundu), Nkundu, Ngelima, Ngombe, (Ba)Tetela), Pende, Wu(Kusu), (Ba)Mbala (incl Saie, Kwilu), Luchasi (Ngangela), Chokwe (Konwe); Mbukushu, Zulu, Swazi, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Enenga, Mpongwe, Kuta (Koto), Nkomi, Masango, Mindumu, Mbede, Mitsogo, Bawunga, Ndumu (Ndumbo), Duma, Teke, (B)wende, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha), Sara, incl. Ngambaye (Ngambaï), Mbaï, Igbo (Ibo); Isoko, Urhobo, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Mandingo (Manden, incl San, Samo), Kagoro, Bambara (Bamana), Malinke, Kassonke, Diula, Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Kru: Kru proper, Sapo (Sapã), Grebo, Kran (Krahn, Guere-Krahn; incl. Putu, Tchien), Bete, Neyo, Wobe, Devoin (Dey), Belle (Kuwaa), Bassa, Sikon, Ewe, Kposso, "Togo-Restvölker" (Adele, Akebu, Akposso, Bowiri/Bowili, Santrokofi, Lelemi, Borada Akrade, Teteman, Baakwa, Bowiri), Songhai, Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi), Bia: Anyi, Agni, Baule, Nsema, Ifaluk, Woleai, Lamutrek, Faraulip Satawal, Elato, Western Fayu, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Alor, Solor, Wetar, Atauru, Bunak, Ceram: Alune and Wemale (West Ceram), Patasiwa (Ceram), Honitetu (West Ceram Highlands); Nusawele, Hatuolu, Huaolu, Patasiwa; Ambon; Buru, Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), To Loinang, To Wana, Balantak (Mian Balantak), Banggai Islands, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Simeulue, Nias, Kayan, Bahau, Kenja, Aoheng, Punan (Bukat, Basap, Oloh Ot, etc); "Klemantan", Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Palawan (incl Agutaynen), Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Ami, Yami, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Khmer, Wa (incl Kawa), Bulang, Palaung (De Ang, Deang), Northern Naga: Konyak, Lungshang, Wancho, Nokte, Moclum, Lunshan, Chang, Maring, Naga of Myanmar, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Hungarians, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Mongols (Khalkha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Ainu, Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa, Aleuts, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Western Swampy Cree (incl. Rock Cree), Eastern Swamy Cree, Eastern Cree, Potawatomi, Winnebago, Shawnee, Omaha, Ponca, Plains Cree, Hidatsa, Comox, Pentlatch, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Yana, Ute, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Mixtec, Trique, Cuicatec; Amuzgo, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Chimila (Ette), Bari, Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Warao, Akawai, Locono, Wanana, Tucano proper, Pira-Tapuya, Arapaso, Yagua, Yuracare, Bakairi, Caraja, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá), Selknam, Mende, Loma, Gbunde (Gbandi, Bandi), Kodiak, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Congo, China, Japan, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)