Three creation tales from the canon of An Zu legends: the love story of creation of the First An Zu and the unfurling of the Tree of Souls, the birth of the Second An Zu, and the Magnificent Ones. Stories as told by Ki, the last surviving An Zu of the Great Wars. More to come! Based on traditional character of the An Zu from Mesopotamian mythology(with great artistic liberty). “An Zu.” from Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others. Oxford University Press, 1989. from 205-227. Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. Image courtesy of Creative Commons.

This story is inspired by Orphic tales of creation and the ancient Greek creation story of Eurynome who danced and created/mated with the serpent Ophion. In this re-envisioned myth, the sacred creation story or origin story of the first Serpent comes from Night and Chaos itself. The story is said to be held by the serpents of Mesopotamia, such as Sakina, the guardian of the Tree of Immortality/Life and Sabr, the great serpent rescued from the Flood (found wound around the little hupullu saved by Inara (Inanna)) . See “Sakina Speaks of Gilgamesh: A Serpent’s Perspective,” Inara & the Hupullu Tree: A Retelling & “Inara’s Return.” Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. from Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems

Lulu is short for “hupullu” the ancient Sumerian word for a date palm tree. In the original myth, “The Hupullu Tree,” the little tree was found after the Flood and rescued by the goddess of love and death, Inanna, Queen of Heaven. She planted it in her garden and nurtured it. Later, Gilgamesh cuts the tree down to make weapons and a marriage bed. In this story, the tree survives both the Flood and Gilgamesh. Told from the perspective of the little, rescued tree, this story gives voice to her memories of the different stages of her life: from a dream within her parents memories, to a little seed being born, falling into the earth, rooting, and blossoming into maturity, to becoming part of a community of trees, until being brutally uprooted by the flood. Based on “The Hupullu Tree” from Diane and Samuel Noah Kramer, Inanna: Queen of the Heaven and Earth; Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. Harper & Row, 1983. Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and he city of Houston. Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. from Inara & the Tree of Souls: an Anthology of Tales & Poems

This soliloquy is told from the perspective of the last surviving An Zu bird found by Inara (Inanna) in the little hupullu tree rescued from the great Flood (see Inara & the Hupullu Tree: A Retelling). In this poem, the An Zu is a giant Phoenix-like bird who has suffered greatly at the hands of the Sky Gods and wishes to correct their version of history and the demonic portrayal of his kind as seen in traditional Mesopotamian myth. (Stay tuned for more in “ An Account of An Zu history by Ki, the last surviving An Zu of the Great Wars”) Based on the character of Ki in “An Zu" from Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others. Oxford University Press, 1989. pp. 205-227. Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. from the collection Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems

One creature living in the little sacred hupullu tree that was saved by Inara (and Inanna/Ishtar), is a female tree spirit, Lillith, or Lily. In this tale, Lily, the second Lillith, speaks her understanding of the her ancestor, the Biblical Lillith, and her true relationship with Adam. In this version, one can see how the traditional story, “The Hupullu Tree,” may very well have been Hebraic in origin ( i.e. in comparison to other Mesopotamian mythic characterizations of the goddess. See Inara & the Hupullu Tree: A Retelling for the full re-envisioned poetic myth. Full story coming soon!) Based on “The Hupullu Tree” from Diane and Samuel Noah Kramer, Inanna: Queen of the Heaven and Earth; Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. Harper & Row, 1983. Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. from the collection Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems

The traditional Mesopotamian myth “The Epic of Gilgamesh” relates a tale of how Gilagamesh, the well known hero of Mesopotamian myth has his journey’s goal, the herb of immortality, stolen from him by a serpent. The serpent rises up out of the waters of the Tigris-Eurphrates, swallows the herb from the hand of Gilgamesh and returns to the waters before he could blink. Effectively preventing the hero from restoring the life of his beloved and becoming immortal, the serpent is then demonized for its action. In this story however, the serpent herself speaks, sharing her version of events. *Loosely based on the character of Gilgamesh as seen “The Epic of Gilgamesh” and “Gilgamesh” from Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others. Oxford University Press, 1989. pp 39-153. Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. from the collection Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems

In this clip, the traditional myth of Inanna’s descent to the underworld is portrayed as a heroine’s journey rather than one of battle and conquest. This work describes Inanna or Inara as having her journey led by the Spider Maiden’s or Grandmother Spider or Fate who weaves or weds Inara to the Tree of Souls to lead the heavens and earth into a new era. Inara is hung on the Tree of Souls, a.k.a. the Tree of Life, to die and be reborn, fully realized and empowered with a new vision for the Heavens and Earth. While Inara is in the other worlds, the sun gradually vanishes from the worlds and is brought back by Stag to the Tree with the help of Inara’s guardians (Ki and Lily, the An Zu and tree spirit who are all saved by the hupullu; see Inara & the Hupullu Tree: ARetelling). The full story will be published in the coming years. Based on “Inanna’s Descent” from Diane and Samuel Noah Kra mer, Inanna: Queen of the Heaven and Earth; Her Stories and Hymns fromSumer. Harper & Row, 1983. Sponsored in part by a grant through the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork by Tania Day Magallon. from the collection Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems

In this clip, the traditional Sumerian myth of “The Hupullu Tree” is retold to address the violence against the little date palm (hupullu) and the powerful, magical creatures it houses, as well as its savior, the great goddess, Inara (trad. Inanna or Ishtar). In this poetic rendering, the goddess does not run to Gilgamesh for help (an action contrary to her character in other myths), but rather calls on her own gifts of insight and compassion to solve the crisis involving the tree and its residents. Based on “The Hupullu Tree” from Diane and Samuel Noah Kramer, Inanna: Queen of the Heaven and Earth; Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. Harper & Row, 1983. Sponsored in part by a grant through the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston. Original artwork by Tania Day Magallon. from the collection Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems