In Part 1, the description of creation began with a statement or warning that "There is the original book and ancient writing, but the one who reads and accesses it has a hidden identity." (Puchner, 2012) The author went on to say that this account of creation is being written "now amid the preaching of God, in Christendom now".
According to the footnote on page 552, the Christian missionaries suppressed the Quiché version of creation. This influence must have had some effect, and I am left wondering what, if any concessions were made in this version.
Some of the major differences between the Popol Vuh and Genesis are that in the Popol Vuh, creation was the work of several Gods. In Genesis, of course it was by one God. In Genesis, God created the earth and everything in it before creating man. In Genesis, man or Adam, and Eve were found to be sinful and God created a flood to rid the earth of sin. He did spare Noah and pairs of animals.
In the Popol Vuh, the earth began with the sky and water. Earth was created by several Gods after careful consideration and worry. In Part 1 man had not yet been created.
One interesting comparison was the use of a serpent. In Genesis, the serpent led Eve to temptation. In the Popol Vuh, the serpent was one of the creators of earth and mankind. He was described as the Sovereign Plumed Serpent.
In the Popol Vuh, the lighting of the sky was the last part of creation and "It takes a long performance and account to complete the lighting of all the sky-earth:" (Puchner, 2012)In Genesis, creation begins with God's call for light. In Genesis all of creation occurred in six days and nights.
Works Cited
Puchner, M. (2012). Popol Vuh. In M. Puchner, The Norton Anthology of World Lieterature 3rd. Ed. Volume C. (pp. 552-524). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.