台湾阿美族洪水神话——兼论其中的木臼意象

Myths of Flood of the Ameis in Taiwan——Also on the Symbols of Wood Mortars

中国台湾原住民各族几乎都有洪水神话,而阿美族洪水神话与台湾其他族群有些不同,因为阿美族以洪水后兄妹婚神话母题为主。更值得讨论的关键是,阿美族洪水神话中,幸存的兄妹通常搭乘舂捣小米的船形木臼逃生,而木臼不只在外形上如同独木舟,更代表原住民的小米文化。換句话说,阿美族的洪水神话常与粟种起源相结合。

Flood myths are common to most aboriginal peoples in Taiwan.Flood myths of the Ameis,which often have the theme of brother-sister marriage after flooding,are somewhat different from those of other peoples.It＇s worth noting that in the myths the survived brother and sister usually escape the flood in a boat-like wood mortar,which is used to pestle millets.Resembling canoes in appearance,wood mortars also represent millet cultures of the aborigines.In another word,the myths of brother-sister marriage after flooding are often associated with the origins of millets among the Ameis.