Observations placeholder
Mircea Eliade - The Sel'nam nomad hunters and Temaukel
Identifier
004380
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Mircea Eliade – Patterns in Comparative religion
Among the Sel'nam nomad hunters of Tierra del Fuego, the god is called Temaukel, but from holy fear this name is never pronounced..... He is eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, creator, but creation was accomplished through mythical ancestors who were also created by the supreme God before he withdrew beyond the stars. For, in fact, this god is set apart from men, indifferent to the world's affairs. He has no images, no priests. He is author of the moral law, he is the judge and ultimately he is master of all destinies. But they pray to him only in case of illness 'Thou on high, do not take my child; he is still too small'. And they make special offerings to him in time of bad weather