There Was, and There Still Is

While the gods hurled lightning from the heavens, humans prayed. Giants climbed mountains, dragons waited by the seas. And someone, just like us, gazed at the stars at night, searching for meaning in that infinite void. This journey beyond time would begin with myths, epics, ancient deities, and forgotten peoples—sometimes following the trail of a wolf, sometimes hearing the whisper of a serpent... Within every tale that begins with “Once there was...” lies a fragment of truth waiting to be discovered. And that truth remains with us still—through the language of myths, the power of symbols, and the enduring nature of stories...

Every people has its own creation story: wolves descending from the sky, giants rising from the seven layers of the earth, heroes seeking immortality... But how did the Turks envision the beginning of the universe?

We begin our tale with “Once there was, once there wasn’t.” But in truth, everything emerges from an existence. In Turkic mythology, the universe begins with a dark, endless water. There is no sky, no earth—only boundless water and a sacred being hovering above it: Tengri Ülgen. This dark void feels to him like an unsettling silence. And so creation begins. Ülgen constructs the heavens in layers; he places the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars. The universe takes order, but every order has its shadow. From the depths rises another being: Erlik. He too wishes to create, but what he creates is filled with shadow, evil, and separation. And thus, for the first time, the universe encounters duality. The distinction between good and evil, light and darkness, life and death is born.

This is not merely a myth. It is the foundation of the Turkic worldview toward nature, humanity, and the soul. The sky is sacred because it is the realm of the gods. The earth is fertile because it carries life. The human, living between them, is both spiritual and earthly. This perspective permeates all mythological narratives.

At the center of the universe rises a great tree: the Tree of Life. Its roots descend into the seven layers of the earth, while its branches reach the highest heavens. This tree is not merely a physical form—it symbolizes the interconnectedness of souls and peoples. The god Kayra Han creates nine humans from its branches; each becomes the ancestor of a people. Hence, the number “nine” is sacred. The same tree is also the path of the shamans. During rituals, they ascend through this cosmic tree, speak with celestial beings, and then return to the earth.

In mythology, animals are more than mere creatures. The Gray Wolf is not simply a predator to the Turks—it is a guide and protector. It symbolizes rebirth. According to legend, when the Turkic lineage was on the verge of extinction, it was saved by a she-wolf, giving rise to a new people. The eagle is the symbol of the sky; it watches from above and carries wisdom. The serpent embodies both life and death—it is healing and threat alike. Here, the magic of mythology begins. Nothing is simply good or evil. Each figure reflects the contradictions and potential within the human soul.

This is why mythology is not merely a collection of stories told by people long past. Myths are, in fact, us. To view the universe through their eyes is, in a sense, to look within ourselves. For no matter the age in which we live, we are still chasing the same questions: Where did we come from? Where are we going? Whom can we trust? What is sacred, and what is transient?

Turkic mythology appears before us precisely here, as a mirror to the answers we give these questions. We are children of a world that imbues mountains with spirits, attributes wisdom to water, and recognizes animals as guides. Even if we forget that ancient wisdom in the rush of the modern world, the myths quietly keep it alive within us. Sometimes it surfaces in a dream, sometimes in a symbol, sometimes in a sudden intuition deep inside.

This is only the beginning. Beneath the sky and above the earth, many more stories await to be told, many more deities to be met, many more meanings to be uncovered. Journeys will be made to the mythologies of other lands, but no matter where we go, every tale will always begin with “Once there was, once there wasn’t.” For within every fable lies a fragment of truth—and we are forever seeking that truth.