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The sun still rises in the same sky. Write about what you think this phrase means. NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE. Oral Literature: Myths and legends. Functions of the Myths. The purpose was to show: Beliefs about the nature of physical world
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The sun still rises in the same sky Write about what you think this phrase means
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE Oral Literature: Myths and legends
Functions of the Myths The purpose was to show: • Beliefs about the nature of physical world • Beliefs about social order and appropriate behavior • Beliefs about human nature and the problem of good and evil • Preservation and communication spiritual beliefs
Origin Myths: -They explain how life began to gave birth to myths and traditional stories passed down (orally) from generation to generation. -Origin myths explain natural or social phenomena: o Customs, institutions, religious rites o Natural landmarks o Events beyond peoples control like seasons, earthquakes, natural processes
Characteristics of N.A. Myths • Major role in the stories is often played by animals • Ordinary people, animals and places • The early myths led into native legends • All were originally oral stories passed down for many generations
Features (cont.) • The stories and legends often have ritual beginnings and endings • Progress and change are shown as cyclical, not linear as many western thinking normally follows • Many of the stories have a “trickster” character (often a raven or spider) • Often uses repetition of elements
Creation Myth • Tells how the world and human life came to exist • Emphasize a strong spiritual bond between the Creator, humanity, and the entire natural world.
Common themes • Movement from a sky world to a water world • Fortunate fall –creation story • Earth-diver myth usually involving an earth made from mud or a flood after the universe is created • Theft of fire • Emergence myth– movement of beings from under the surface to the surface of the earth
Reading • Turn to page 48 in the textbook • Answer: Both selections tell how life on Earth came to be. Write a paragraph that compares and contrasts one of the following aspects of the myths: what life was like before Earth was created; how the sky and Earth are described; significant roles played by plants, animals, or humans.
Closing 3-2-1 • 3 reasons for thesignificance of myths inNative American culture. • 2 examples of theinfluence of nature oranimals in NativeAmerican culture. • 1 way the creation mythdiffers from the origin myth.
H.W • On Canvas, you will have to find an example of either a creation myth or a origin myth. Can be a pdf of the story, or a youtube video. • Post the link, and answer the following questions: • Animal present: • Lesson to be learned: • Creation of what?: