Contents. Letter From The Crisis Director 2. Rules and Procedures 3. Introduction 4. Questions to Consider 7. Characters 8.

Transcription

1 The Dawn of Egypt 0

2 Contents Letter From The Crisis Director 2 Rules and Procedures 3 Introduction 4 Questions to Consider 7 Characters 8 Family Tree 14 1

3 Welcome! Dear Delegates, I am Mariam Hassoun, your crisis director. I am a sophomore majoring in Political Science, Quantitative Studies and Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies. Apart from MUN, my interests are service, community building, social justice, education, and international affairs. With my friends and family, I love making Spotify playlists, visiting art museums, and travelling. This committee was directly inspired by an Ancient Egyptian Art History class in which my final research paper dealt with the ethical implications of the display of human remains. That project allowed Mariam to reflect deeply regarding the way in which the history of this civilization and its artifacts are presented -- oftentimes with a dark tint of racial bias. As an Iraqi Muslim who grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, the representation of peoples of color in an academic, historical, and political context is in need of more analysis and thought. Therefore, this committee has come to existence from a need to reevaluate how we discuss Ancient Egypt -- along with other Ancient civilizations that receive no credit for their former accomplishments. In my studies of political science and my participation in Model United Nations, I find the current political atmosphere disheartening. I hope this committee will allow delegates a doover. This committee asks for a revolutionary mindset, cooperative attitude, and political prowess. What would you change about humanity? The course of history? The way religion holds influence over the mortal world? Considering that the purpose of this committee is to recreate the world and the structure of the Parthenon, prior knowledge of Ancient Egypt is helpful but not entirely necessary. That being said, delegates should be doing research regarding their specific characters, portfolio powers, and potential allies by mythology. The committee will be creative in the sense that we will work with exactly the world that delegates create. Peace, Mariam Hassoun (Crisis Director) 2

4 Rules and Procedures Committee This committee will run as a typical crisis committee with interactions between committee members and behind-the-scenes crisis staff. The committee will be composed of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, with each delegate holding individual portfolio powers. Each delegate will be able to take private actions independently or with other members depending on their specialties. Communication Communication will be conducted through the double notepad system. Any plans for actions sent to crisis must clearly articulate what the action is, who is taking the action, the purpose of the action, and which resources it will use. Debate There will be no formal speaker s list in this committee as the dais expects delegates to propose the appropriate caucuses for informal debate. Sufficient debate, such as moderated caucuses, question and answer panels, or two-for and two-against, is expected before moving into voting procedure on public documents. Additionally, the suspension of the rules of debate for a roundrobin on discussions will be entertained by the chair when adequate. Documents Any documents (directives, communiqués, and press releases) to be put before the committee requires at least 20% of attending delegate s signatures to be submitted to the dais. Remember there must be separate motions to introduce, debate, and move into voting procedure on all documents. Public documents may be passed by a yes vote from 50% +1 of the body in attendance. Language and Attire Please wear western business attire. The official language in this committee is English. 3

5 Introduction In this committee, delegates will have the opportunity to recreate one of the most amazing civilizations that ever graced history: Egypt. Drawing on aspects of the Heliopolitan, Memphis, Thebes, and Hermopolitan cosmologies, participants will act as deities who will reshape the narrative of Ancient Egyptian mythology. Nun, the initial and oldest creator God who was responsible for creating all the Gods in the committee, will guide his fellow immortals through the formation of new civilization as chair. Nun, also referred to as Nu, represents the lifeless waters of chaos from which the world originated. Nun is the God of the primeval waters and sky. The primordial waters (often called an abyss) were seen as a route to the underworld. Although Nun as creator God does not directly align with Ancient Egyptian mythology as recognized today, for the purposes of this committee, Nun is the creator god. He has tasked the Egyptian parthenon with the responsibility of creating the mortal world, since he has aged greatly due to the burden of creating the divine world. Nu is a well-respected leader by all deities. He is loved and will continue to be worshipped in the mortal world. Delegates will cooperate in order to design said world, including its location, climate, size, geography, culture(s), and religion. They will create beings to dwell and protect their world. Alliances among delegates, a quest for power These Gods each have their perspective divine strengths and allies, and will be grappling to hold influence over this newborn world and the parthenon. Perhaps most important to consider is the rivalry between the Heliopolitan and Hermopolitan cosmologies, which will play an important role in deciding stances and alliances in the committee. Additionally, it is important to consider that many of the Gods delegates were born in pairs and/or are considered husband and wife. In these cases, delegates should carefully consider their alliance with their counterpart, specifically with respect to overlapping spheres of influence, similar relatives, and shared powers. The Gods must concern themselves not only with the creation of the world and its sustenance, but also their own survival. While competing with each other for influence, they 4

6 must vie for the worship of the beings they create in hopes of increasing their power. If their creations neglect their existence, they face the weakening, or worse, complete loss of their powers. The different creation stories The different creation myths stemmed from a cult of a deity in one of the major cities of Egypt: Hermopolis, Heliopolis, Memphis, and Thebes.These myths represent competing theologies and together form the process of creation. In this committee, delegates should closely study the cult most directly associated with their character for a better understanding of their God. Hermopolis The creation myth emphasised in the city of Hermopolis focuses on the nature of the universe before the creation of the world. The primeval waters, or Nu, were represented by a set of eight gods, the Ogdoad. The Ogdoad includes Nun, Naunet, Huh, Hauhet, Kek, Kauket, Amun and Amaunet, most of which are acting delegates in this committee. The Gods are considered creators, since the primeval waters are considered a part of the creation process. In the creation myth, the male-female pairs eventually joined together creating a mound that produced the sun. Heliopolis In Heliopolis, creation was attributed to Atum, who is closely related to Ra. Atum created himself in a way, having been a potential being in Nu, the primeval waters. Atum, the initial creator God who was responsible for creating all the Gods in the committee, will guide his fellow immortals through the formation of new civilization as chair. His name literally means, "the one who is complete". He is both male and female, and he created the world by masturbating. Atum first created Shu and Tefnut. Shu and Tefnut then produced Geb and Nut, who in turn created the forces of life, Osiris, Isis, Set,and Nephthys. The group of eight Gods, extensions of Atum, were called the Ennead. 5

7 Memphis The Memphite story of creation focuses on Ptah, the patron god of craftsmen. The Memphite theology said that Ptah created the world like a craftsmen might, using raw materials to handcraft a product that has involved extensive planning. Ptah was an intellectual, his ideas came to fruition upon his speech. Therefore, Ptah created gods by uttering their names. Egyptians regarded Ptah to be the basis of human reason and thought. The Memphite creation myth goes alongside Heliopolitan creation myth, as it was believed by some that Ptah's speech were believed to have created Atum and the Ennead. Thebes Theban creation story maintained that Amun was more than just a member of the eight god Ogdoad, rather, he was the ultimate creator god. Amun is a mysterious and powerful god, whose true nature is unknown. As the source of creation, the other gods are considered aspects of Amun. This creation myth is most closely aligned to a monotheistic theology. Thebes was the location of the emergence of the primeval mound from which all was created at the beginning of time. The Theban creation story draws from the Ogdoad, the Hermopolitan creation myth, with its eight gods parthenon. 6

8 Questions to Consider 1. Here are some things that I think you all should consider when you begin to brainstorm regarding your goals in this committee. 2. What would the mortal beings look like? 3. What might these beings be capable of? 4. Will the beings who dwell the earth be joined by other creatures (ie. animals, plants, etc.)? 5. What will these beings eat? 6. How will your beings communicate with each other? 7. What are these beings called? 8. What will the mortal world be made of? 9. Will there be a hierarchy among this world? (Who will ensure it does not devolve into chaos?) 10. What will it be named? 11. Will this mortal world include a singular planet? Some of these questions might seem frivolous, but they are incredibly important. The survival of these mortal beings depends on your ability as delegates to create a sustainable world, for the Gods survival as well as that of the mortals. 7

9 Character Descriptions The following characters will be the participants in this committee. If you notice that you are connected to another character (especially through marriage or lineage), please note that extra information might be found in your pair s description. Delegates should loosely attribute their portfolio powers to their character connections and that which their divinity is associated. Some of the information offered specifically pertains to how a deity s influence played out in Ancient Egypt Understand that as a delegate, if you want to a repeat of history, you will need to fight to ensure that happens in committee. Shu, God of Dry Air and Luminous Space Shu is the God of dry air and luminous space. His name and powers are correlated with: emptiness, dryness, wind, air, light. He is married to Tefnut, and hails from the Heliopolitan theology. Shu is the God of the space between the Earth and the sky. Atum created the twin gods, Shu and Tefnut, by masturbating. They were the first Gods created by the creator god Nu: forth from thee became Shu, and that which was emitted by thee became Tefnut. Shu is often represented as a lion. Tefnut, Goddess of Moisture Tefnut is married to Shu; they are considered twin gods. She is the goddess of moisture, such as morning dew, rain, air, weather, dew, fertility, and water. Tefnut hails from the Heliopolis parthenon. Tefnut is often represented as a lioness. In Ancient Egypt, water was considered the source of life; it brought the wet and dry seasons, attracted people to settlement, and most importantly, made it so that they could grow crops such as wheat. 8

10 Geb, God of Earth Geb is the God of Earth. As son of Shu and Tefnut, he hails from the Heliopolitan theology. It was believed that Geb s laugh caused earthquakes. Additionally, he had the power to allow crops to grow. Geb is heavily associated with snakes, and is considered the father of snakes. Nut Nut is the Goddess of the sky and heavens. She is the daughter of Shu/Tefnut and wife to Geb. She hails from the Heliopolitan theology. Originally, Nut was the goddess of the nighttime sky but over time became more general known as the goddess of the sky. She is often represented and associated with a cow. Isis, Goddess of Health, Magic, and Wisdom Isis is the Goddess of Health, Magic, and Wisdom. She hails from the Heliopolitan parthenon. She is the daughter of Geb and Nut and husband to Osiris. She is often depicted with a lotus, which is symbol for life. Additionally, she is often represented as a sycamore tree. 9

11 Osiris, God of Afterlife, Death, Resurrection, and Life Osiris is the God of Afterlife, Death, Resurrection, and Life. He is the son of Geb and Nut and husband of Isis. He hails from the Heliopolitan mythology. In light of these divine characteristics, Osiris is often associated with the nature cycles, specifically those that deal with the cultivation of crops. He is often depicted with a crook and flail, which is sometimes seen as a symbol of Osiris identity as the shepherd God. Ptah, God of Thought, Speech, Creation, the Arts, Fertility, and Craft Ptah is the God of thought, speech, creation, the arts, fertility, and craft. He hails from the Memphite theology. He is incredibly important to Memphis, and is seen by some as a type of creator God. He is often depicted as a naked and deformed dwarf. He is the husband of Sekhmet and father to Nefertum. Nefertem, God of Healing and Beauty Nefertem is the God of healing and beauty. He was often depicted with waterlillies. He hails from the Memphite theology and his parents are Sekhmet and Ptah. His name means beautiful Atum and he is closely related to Atum. He was also an ancient sun god considered to be a portion of Atum s being. Sekhmet, Ptah, and Nefertem form the Triad of Memphis. 10

12 Sekhmet, Goddess of Sun, Fire, Plagues, Healing, War, and Fertility Sekhmet is the Goddess of sun, fire, plagues, healing, war, and fertility. She is the mother of Nefertem and spouse to Ptah. She hails from the Memphite theology. She is often represented as a lioness donning a sun disc with a cobra on her head. She often holds an ankh, the symbol of life, when seated. Sekhmet, the Powerful One, was associated with kingship. It was believed that she protected the pharaoh during war times. She was a fearful sun goddess associated with the scorching, searing and burning heat of the sun. Naunet Naunet is wife to Nun and Goddess of the primeval waters, chaos, and sky. She hails from the Hermopolitan theology. The primordial waters (often called an abyss) were seen as a route to the underworld. She protects the veils of negation known as the twelve flaws of the original creation. Access to the twelve flaws leads to Nun. She embodies the primal womb where cycles of life, death and rebirth continues for all creatures and beings. She is depicted as the one who have freed all creations to pursue their individual life cycles making her the Mother of all Mothers. 11

13 Amun, God of Invisible Power and Wind Amun is the God of invisible power and wind. He hails from the Thebes theology. He is married to Amunet. His name means the hidden one or invisible. His invisibility was often associated with Amun s great depth of knowledge and impartiality, making him a god for those who felt oppressed. To the Hermopolitans, he was considered the King of Gods. Amun shares a close relationship with the sun God Ra. Amunet Amunet is the Goddess of invisible power and breath of life. She hails from the Thebes theology and is married to Amun. Her name, like her pair Amun, also means hidden one. She is a member of the Ogdoad and part of the Hermopolitan creation myth. Amunet is androgynous, meaning that she does not need a male pair to procreate. Kek Kek is the God of primeval darkness, hailing from the Hermopolitan theology. Kek holds no gender. Often, Kek is seen to loosely represent the day and night. Kek is often associated and represented as a serpent. 12

14 Atum Atum is extremely important deity in the Heliopolitan creation myth. In a way, he is considered to have created himself out of the primordial waters, Nu. His name literally means, "the one who is complete". He is both male and female, and he is believed by some to have created Gods Shu and Tefnut through metaphoric masturbation. Atum has been linked with the evening sun, while Ra has often been connected to the midday sun. Sometimes, he is shown as a serpent. He was considered the father of the Pharaohs, so much of Atum s identity revolved around kingship. Ra Ra is the God of the midday and morning sun. Ra represents more than simply the sun, however, he also represents warmth, sunlight, and growth. Considering the importance of the sun to the continuation of life, solar deities are very important. He is usually shown in human form with a falcon head, donning a sun disc which was encircled by a sacred cobra named Uraeus. Ra is known to have created Bastet, Sekhmet, and Hathor. His is known to be an enemy of Ptah, Isis, and Apep. 13

15 Family Tree 14