Keulla is an original creation myth including 3 illustrations chronicling the journey of the Goddess Keulla. Through narrative and illustration, Keulla presents herself as a multifaceted female protagonist traversing the hardships of creation. Keulla is inspired by Afrocentric
and island-based cultures.
For this assignment I wrote and illustrated an original creation myth, taking inspiration from the concepts of bestiaries, aquatic mythical beings, and mythological archetypes.
2023
Illustration
Concept Art
Illustration
Concept Art
There was now nothingness, water, Keulla, and Keunis.
Keulla and Keunis frolicked in the water until they felt something was missing. They needed more than just themselves. So Keunis launched into the void of nothingness creating the sky and weather and Keulla dove deep into the waters bringing back various pieces of land. Once the islands were formed Keunis created a devastating downpour; within each drop slept a human to populate the islands.
Once populated the two divine serpents shed seven scales across the islands. Four from Keunis and three from Keulla. These scales soon grew to become seven different deities.
Keunis returned to the sky and split his being to form the sun, moon, and stars and shed his skin to maintain the sky.
Keulla once again dove deep slowly shedding her skin within the depths to create the underworld and support for the islands. She soon fell into a deep slumber.
Deep within the depths of Keulla a single droplet of water coalesced, brimming with energy. From this droplet, within Keulla, a girl emerged. She was Kuella-a, the product of Kuella’s shedding. Keulla-a traveled through the dark depths of Keulla, collecting the Knowledge of Seven Truths. After years in Keulla, Keulla-a emerged to the surface to find the world Keulla and Keunis created in chaos, on the verge of destruction.
Keulla-a discovered that the seven deities created from Keulla and Keunis had been running amok without the two serpents' guidance, subjugating the remaining humans, desolating the land, and utilizing an element unknown to Keulla-a.
Together Keulla-a and Ama confronted Lunoe and the six children. With ease, Keulla-a defeated the six children but Ama was mortally wounded in the process. Ama gifted Keulla-a the Bead that Bends Valor and fell to the sea.
Utilizing the Knowledge of Seven Truths and the Bead that Bends Valor Keulla-a transformed into a being the size of three mountains; Half woman, half serpent known as Keulla-mar. Lunoe’s blaze roared, creating various beasts and foes for Kuella-mar to face. Keulla-mar’s overwhelming power destroyed the beasts and cleaved through Lunoe and the mountains behind him. Upon Lunoe’s death, the blaze grew uncontrollable. Keulla-a held the Bead close to her body and split her essence into two. One to help the humans and one to hold the flame. Keulla-o joined with the Bead that Bends Valor and consumed Lunoe’s Blaze.
Keulla-a returns to the islands, using her Knowledge of the Seven Truths, to teach the humans their way of life, how to fish, hunt, protect.
Keulla-o remains within a shrine on the peak of Mt. Niseue, laying dormant. But every so often she awakes and sends a spark down to the islands. A spark of growth and destruction.