Selkʼnam mythology is the body ofmyths of theSelkʼnam andHaush peoples ofTierra del Fuego.
Selkʼnam mythology is known today primarily from the works of the AustrianethnologistMartin Gusinde and the Franco-AmericanethnologistAnne Chapman.
In the Selkʼnam and Haush mythology, the cosmos is divided in fourshóʼon or infinite skies, which represent the fourcardinal directions:[1]
Eachshóʼon is associated with one of theseasons. Kamuk symbolizes thespring andsummer, Kéikruk symbolizes thewinter, Kenénik symbolizes theautumn and, finally, Wintek symbolizes all the seasons and, possibly, even thetime.[5]
The religion of the Selkʼnam people tends to be described aspolytheistic, mainly because of the existence of various characters which are usually considereddeities. However, according to the beliefs of the Selkʼnam people, only Temáukel is recognized as agod, while other characters are identified as mythological ancestors rather than gods. On the other hand, the characteristics attributed to these mythological ancestors are typical of those beings whom might be calledgods. Because of this, it is possible to consider that the religion of the Selkʼnam people was, rather,henotheistic. Thus, there is a superior being, similar to theGod of the Abrahamic religions, which corresponds to Temáukel; mythological gods or ancestors called howenh, of which the first to inhabit theEarth was Kenos, a creator andterraforming god, sent by Temáukel;[2] and, finally, Xalpen and her subordinates, soorts, who were inhabitants of the underworld, which were represented by men in theHain ceremony.
Temáukel is the supreme god of the Selkʼnam and Haush pantheon[2][3] and, in theory, of all Selkʼnam deities, is the only one that is considered a god, since the other deities are identified, rather as mythological ancestors. He is a primordial god and, therefore, has always existed.[1] He dwells in thecelestial dome, in the eastern sky or Wintek and is the creator of it and the primitive Earth.
Howenh were not recognized as gods by the Selkʼnam people, but rather as mythological ancestors, since the only divinity as such is Temáukel. They constitute the great forces of nature and terraforming elements, but before becoming such elements, they existed as humans. Among the most important are Kenos, the first howenh; Kwányip and Čénuke; Kojh, howenh of the sea; Kren, howenh of the sun; Kre, howenh of the moon; Josh, howenh of the snow; and Shenrr, howenh of the wind.
Kenos was the first howenh to inhabit the Earth. He is the creator, organizer and civilizing god in Selkʼnam mythology, and the most important deity after Temáukel. He was sent by him from theCelestial dome to the early Earth, with the mission to organize it and create the mythological ancestors who would shape the Earth.[2][6]
Xalpen is the goddess of the underworld. She has seven companions called Soorts: Sate, Yoisik, Wakus, Keyaisl, Talen, Pawus and Sanu. Besides them, there are many subordinate Soorts who are not assigned a specific name.[2]
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