Eclipses have been a known and normal acts of nature that could be explain astronomically; however, other cultures see and react to them differently and to some defiantly. This paper will explore different cultures and how they reacted to an eclipse, and scientifically explain the occurrences on each phenomenon questioned.
Eclipses have been perceived in many different ways. Everyday before a total eclipse is about to happen, people in the Philippines are notified to stay indoors especially pregnant women. It was believed that the Sun’s invisible rays will harm and even kill the unborn child. In the same way, pregnant women in India were advised to stay indoors, confined themselves to a curtained room even in regions that is not affected by eclipse.
Like the Philippines, the Indians are afraid that the invisible rays of the Sun will harm the fetus, and the baby will be born with disfiguration, birthmarks, or a congenital defect. Sonya Chadha, a New Delhi Accountant who is seven months pregnant, stated that “I have been told to lie straight on the bed with my eyes open and to chant prayers and verses from the Hindu holy texts during the eclipse.” She also added that, “if even a tiny silver of light falls on me, it could harm my child” (Mail Online). Pregnant women are refrained from sewing, using knives, or getting close to any sharp objects to keep their child from having unwanted wounds or birth defects. “Bathing in holy rivers is also highly recommended to cleanse the body from the impurity of the air as the result of the eclipse” (Kaur). It is also another reason for pregnant women to stay indoors.
Furthermore, China, believed that young couples are not to tie the knot during an eclipse as it is considered bad luck. Most Chinese are encouraged to stay home to avoid breathing the “bad energy” released during the eclipse. If only pregnant women are advised to stay indoors in the Philippines and in India, in China everyone are to stay indoors.
Every culture believed that something had done something to the Sun. Children in the Philippines are encouraged to fill a bucket with water, so they could watch as the Sun disappears through the reflection on the bucket of water. It was believed as the safest way to witness the eclipse without harming their eyes. Older folks in the Philippines thought that a huge big serpent swallowed the Sun, and the only way to bring it back is to make noise. They make noise from the time the Moon starts covering the Sun until the Moon completely uncovers the Sun. They make noises using kitchen utensils, pans, pots, drums, and by banging wood together to scare the serpent away.
To a tribe in the Southern Mindanao of the Philippines called T’boli, an “eclipse is considered their worst fear” (Jones). They stored extra food and water to last them for days in case the Sun does not come back. Every night before the eclipse, an elderly story teller sang parts of a long and sacred T’boli epic about mythical hero, Todbulol. They believed that Todbulol prevented his sister from using an eclipse to destroy the Earth after she saw the people living in misery. Jones stated that during the eclipse, T’boli people “hid their babies indoors, locked up chickens, and struck brass gongs.” They are afraid that something will happen during the course of the eclipse that is why they locked their prized possessions. While the mothers are in the house with the babies, other T’Boli are out dancing, playing flutes, bamboo zithers, jew’s harps, brass gongs, and drums. It was their way of driving the serpent away and for the Sun to come back.
Similarly, China “believed that the sight of the Sun disappearing behind the Moon was interpreted as the work of a hungry dragon that was eating it and people would shout, bang pans, and let off fireworks to create enough noise to scare the beast away” (Smith). In the same way in India, they believed that the sun was swallowed by a dragon-demon based on their superstitions and fables on Hindu Mythology. Birokar stated that to the Indians, “an eclipse is looked upon as unholy and inauspicious.” During this occurrence, people follow quaint practices like immersing images of Gods in pitcher full of water, observing fast, conducting Yagna (fire sacrifice), and holding special prayers to enable the eclipse to pass.
Another belief that is common among these cultures is they believed that an eclipse is the start of chaos, or the end of the world. As the darkness falls, Filipinos believed that it is the end of the world if the Sun will not reappear. They think that an eclipse is a reminder from God to keep away from sins and to reunite with Him. In fact, during totality, one could hear the cry of several spectators asking for the forgiveness of their sins while some of them yelling making a bargain that if the serpent will give back the Sun, they will start doing good deeds. Other cultures such as of the Chinese alleged that the eclipse is an ill omen that could do harm to people. To the Indians, an eclipse is considered catastrophic that could be eliminated with intense prayers.
Even with the advancement of technology, some of these beliefs still stand the same. However every claim presented has its own scientific explanation. For example, with the belief that the invisible rays of the Sun will harm the baby, there have been no reported cases of babies born disfigured or with congenial defects as a result of the exposure to the Sun’s invisible rays during an eclipse. The Sun and its rays during an eclipse could do no harm to a pregnant woman not unless if she watches the Sun without appropriate protection which could cause serious and permanent eye damage.
In the three cultures presented, they all have a common belief that something had eaten, devoured, or swallowed the Sun. Actually, “the way the Earth’s shadow gradually falls over the Moon’s surface in an eclipse had led many observers over the centuries to believe that the Moon was being eaten” (Champkin). This explains why the Philippines, China, and India thought that something devoured the Sun. It is the disappearance of the Sun, covered with “something black” up in the sky, followed by complete darkness is what makes these cultures wonder. “When the orbital planes intersect and the distances align favorably, the new Moon can appear to completely blot out the disk of the Sun” (Rao). This is when the Moon is casting its dark, slender cone of shadow known as the umbra upon the Earth’s surface hence giving off a total solar eclipse that people witness on Earth.
Another interesting theory that the people from the Philippines thought of an eclipse is it is the end of the world because of the ghostly scene it brings to the spectators. Actually, the “Moon turns dark orange or red” during a lunar eclipse adding the eeriness to the scene (Schneider, Arny 66). It is very eerie that sometimes they thought that they are witnessing divine intervention. During an eclipse, the Moon takes on a reddish color which is explained as when Earth gets between the Moon and the Sun. The Earth’s atmosphere bends the Sun’s light filtered blue out that only red remains. So, while the Moon is in the darkness of the Earth’s shadow, some red light is still being deflected round the Earth on to it- and most of that bent light is red.
The disorientation of the animals, as a result, is also associated as the end of the world. The birds and bees are sensitive to these changes that as soon as the Moon completely covers the Sun, they would take darkness as nightfall. Some animals also panic when they notice a sudden change.
The Chinese and the Indians believed that an eclipse marks the beginning of chaos, fall of empires and even death. As Champkin stated, “the lunar eclipse in the year 3 BC was quickly followed by the death of King Herod.” When an eclipse happens, people have the tendency to tie every death to the eclipse and blame this act of nature as the culprit. The Athenians were defeated on their battle with the Syracusans because the Athenians took eclipse seriously and refused to set off for battle in August 113 BC. Their enemy however, was less superstitious and attacked all the same and won.
Eclipse is a happy act of nature that gathered millions and millions of fans across the globe. Most of them considered an eclipse as a special opportunity to witness an out of this world phenomenon. It is not a miracle or a punishment of some sort. It is a way of explaining how the orders of things work here on Earth and beyond. No matter how differently cultures see or interpret an eclipse, it is here to stay.
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