Many modern cultures are very similar. These similarities have been around since the origins of the cultures. Even though most cultures may seem very different, they have similar beliefs. Many of these beliefs are expressed in a culture's creation myth and by comparing the myths from different cultures you can find many similarities.
The African and Chinese myths for example, show a close similarity in the creation of humans. In the African myth "The Creation of the Universe, Ife, and Human Beings," Obatala becomes lonely and decides to make humans for companionship. He starts digging in the soil and finds clay. Using the clay, he shapes figures that look just like himself. He gets thirsty so he makes some palm wine to drink. After drinking many bowls, he continues making humans. He then calls on Olorun to breathe life into them. After they are alive, he realizes that the ones he made when he was drunk are all disformed.
Human cheek cells
Human cheek cells
English: "The Deluge", Frontispiece to Doré's ill...In the Chinese myth "The Creation of the Universe and Human Beings," Nugua isn't satisfied with animals and fish and decides to make a more intelligent being that would be superior to all other living things. As she is gliding along the Yellow River, she decides to use the clay from the riverbed to create them. Sitting down along the shore, she makes figures that look like herself but have two legs instead of a dragon tail. After they are made, she breathes life into them and impregnates some with yang and some with yin. She becomes tired of making them this way thinks of a faster way. Nugua rolls a rope in the riverbed until it is completely covered. Then she shakes the rope and each drop of mud that falls off becomes a human. The second method...