Kileken
Encyclopedia
Kileken is the subject of a myth
of the Maasai people concerning the planet Venus
. In the myth, the planet Venus is called Kileken, and visits the Earth in the form of a small boy. The boy befriends an old farmer and tends his cattle, the man agreeing to let the boy keep the only thing he has: the secret of his origin. When the man betrays his trust and spies on Kileken, the boy vanishes in a bright light and returns to the heavens. The myth explains why the planet Venus is seen during the morning and evening. The oral tradition
was captured in a book by the Tanzania
-born author Tololwa M. Mollel.
In common with other societies, the Maasai believed Venus to be two separate bodies when seen at morning and in the evening. Kileken was the appearance of the 'morning star'. When it could be seen and the men had not yet returned from the hunt, the women would pray for their safekeeping. The 'evening star' was known as Leken and its appearance heralded the rising of the moon.
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
of the Maasai people concerning the planet Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
. In the myth, the planet Venus is called Kileken, and visits the Earth in the form of a small boy. The boy befriends an old farmer and tends his cattle, the man agreeing to let the boy keep the only thing he has: the secret of his origin. When the man betrays his trust and spies on Kileken, the boy vanishes in a bright light and returns to the heavens. The myth explains why the planet Venus is seen during the morning and evening. The oral tradition
Oral tradition
Oral tradition and oral lore is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants...
was captured in a book by the Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
-born author Tololwa M. Mollel.
In common with other societies, the Maasai believed Venus to be two separate bodies when seen at morning and in the evening. Kileken was the appearance of the 'morning star'. When it could be seen and the men had not yet returned from the hunt, the women would pray for their safekeeping. The 'evening star' was known as Leken and its appearance heralded the rising of the moon.