How many cultures have a great flood story?

Quite a few. Cultures like Mesopotamian, Chinese, and Hindu have flood stories in their mythologies.

The biblical flood story has some similarities and differences compared to other flood myths. Similar to many, it involves a great flood sent to punish humanity or cleanse the world. However, in the biblical account, it is strongly tied to the concept of a single, all - powerful God. In other cultures' flood myths, there might be different reasons for the flood, like the anger of multiple gods or natural imbalances. Also, the role of the hero like Noah in the Bible may be different from heroes in other flood stories.

The First Nations flood story has its own unique characteristics compared to other flood stories. For one, it is deeply rooted in the specific cultures and beliefs of the First Nations. It often has a stronger connection to the land and nature compared to some other flood stories from different cultures which may have more of a religious or mythological focus not directly related to the land in the same way.

Mesopotamian culture had a big impact. As I said before, the Epic of Gilgamesh was from Mesopotamia. It had a flood story with similarities to the biblical one, like the building of a large boat to survive the flood. This suggests that the Hebrews, who wrote the Bible, might have borrowed or been inspired by this Mesopotamian idea.

In the Bible, the flood story involves Noah and is a story of God's judgment and mercy. In the Epic of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamian culture, there are similarities. Utnapishtim is the hero who survives the flood. However, there are differences in details. For example, the reasons for the gods' anger might be slightly different. In some Native American flood stories, the flood is also a form of cleansing, but the way the survivors are chosen and the nature of the flood can vary from the Judeo - Christian or Mesopotamian versions.

It depends on your beliefs. Some people take it as a literal and true account, while others view it more symbolically or allegorically.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly who was the first. Ancient civilizations across the world had their own flood myths, but determining the absolute originator is challenging.

Since I'm not familiar with the 'tinggian' in the context of the great flood, I can't give the full story directly. However, generally in flood stories, there are elements like the cause of the flood (such as excessive rainfall, a broken dam, or a divine punishment in some cultural beliefs). There are also the stories of the people affected, how they tried to save themselves, their livestock, and their precious belongings. Maybe in the 'tinggian' great flood story, there are unique elements related to the tinggian people's lifestyle, their relationship with the environment, and their spiritual beliefs that all play a part in the story.

The Judeo - Christian flood story focuses on the salvation of a chosen family and the animals. The Mesopotamian flood story also has a survivor, but the political and social undertones among the gods are more prominent. In Greek mythology, the flood is more about starting anew with a new type of human created from stones. The Hindu flood story is centered around the relationship between Manu and the fish, and it shows a different way of how a single individual can be the starting point for the new human race. All these stories, while sharing the theme of a flood, have different cultural and religious nuances.

Common elements often include a great flood sent by a higher power. For example, in the Noah's Ark story in the Bible, God sends a flood to cleanse the earth of sin. Another common element is the survival of a chosen few. These survivors usually carry with them the seeds of new life, whether it's animals or knowledge. Also, there is often a sign that the flood is coming, like in some stories, strange weather or omens precede the deluge.