Myth
The word myth often has three meanings.
1. “something widely accepted but is really false.”
2. Stories in early societies which tell of heroic actions
or forces of nature or gods or goddesses. usually
sacred,
3. Primitive belief about nature and the universe.
“Pre-scientific”
Usually a traditional story of ostensible historical
events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a
people or explain a practice, belief, or natural
phenomenon; parable, allegory; an ill-founded belief
held uncritically especially by an interested group.”
Webster's
Myths
are considered
•true sacred stories
•that occurred in the remote past
•and have non-humans (gods, monsters) as the
principal characters.
•“presents in the form of a
narrative the basic world
view of a society.” (Ellwood)
Subjects of myth
•Creation of world and humans
•Cosmic catastrophes
•Origins of institutions
•Phenomena of birth and death
•Relations of the gods with
each other and mortals
Functions of Myth
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Gives contours to the meaning of life: to answer the sort of
awkward questions that children ask, such as: 'Who made the
world? How will it end? Who was the first man? Where do
souls go after death?'. .
Gives validity to and explains certain ideas and principles eg.
incest taboos, food taboos
teaches morality and social behavior - what types of things
should and shouldn’t be done and the consequences for those
wrong doings
validates the existing social order (e.g Trobriand myth)
enshrines conservative social values, raising tradition on a
pedestal.
It expresses and confirms, rather than explains or questions, the
sources of cultural attitudes and values.
The Four Functions of MYTH
1 The first is the mystical function...realizing what a wonder the
universe is, and what a wonder you are, and experiencing awe before
this mystery...
2 The second is a cosmological dimension, the dimension with which
science is concerned--showing you what the shape of the universe is,
but showing it in such a way that the mystery again comes through...
3 The third function is the sociological one--supporting and
validating a certain social order...It is this sociological function of
myth that has taken over in our world--and it is out of date...
4 But there is a fourth function of myth, and this is
the one that I think everyone must try today to relate
to--and that is the pedagogical function, of how to
live a human lifetime under any circumstances.
Myths can teach you that.
Joseph Campbell: The Power of Myth, page 31.
FORM
BELIEF
TIME
PLACE
Different
world:
other or
earlier
Myth
Fact
Remote
Past
Legend
Fact
Recent
Past
World
today
Any Time
Any
Place
Folktale
Fiction
ATTITUDE
Sacred
of Secular
sacred
Secular
(nonsacred)
PRINCIPAL
CHARACTERS
Non-human
(often
gods)
or Human
(heroes)
Human
or
non-human
Religion and Power
Priests versus Shamans
institutional functionaries
authority comes from his
service in a sacred tradition
power is inherited or is
derived from the body of
codified and standardized –
from society
Inspirational functionaries
Authority from
supernatural
Shaman’s powers come
from divine stroke and
personal ability
must have competence in
conducting ritual -
efforts are individual and
occasional
Symbols of a rite are
sensorial perceptible to a
congregation and have a
permanence in that they are
culturally transmissible
shaman deals with spirits
and lesser deities
The priest is an actor in a
culturally scripted drama
most frequently performs a
curing rite
tends to dominate in foodgathering societies
A shaman
of the SitkaQwan
Indians
(Alaska),
wearing a
ritual mask,
is doing a
healing.
The shamanistic complex
Source of power comes from
Belief in magic which has
three aspects
1. The sorcerers belief in the
effectiveness of his
techniques
an hamatsa (shaman) who has
become possessed by
supernatural madness after
spending many days in the
woods as part of the hamatsa
initiation ceremony.
2. The patient’s or victim’s
belief in the sorcerer’s
power
3. The faith and expectations
of the group,
Revitalization Movements
deliberate and organized attempts by
some members of a society to
construct a more satisfying culture by
rapid acceptance of a pattern of
multiple innovations
The Ghost Dance
Wovoka
(Jack Wilson )
A wickiup
A wickiup
The Ghost Dance
Ghost Dance Shirt
Wounded Knee Massacre South Dakota Dec 29th 1890
Revitalization Movements
 NATIVISTIC: rejection of alien values and customs
 REVIVALISTIC: return to (presumed) ancient ways
 VITALISTIC: emphasis on importing alien elements
(e.g. Singer sewing machines, Gordon’s gin)
 MILLENARIAN: apocalyptic transformation of the
world, involving overturning of present social system,
predicted to occur in near future
 MESSIANIC: spiritual savior will appear, or is already
present, to transform the world through his personalized
power
Wicca: What is it?
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Witchcraft also called Wicca or the Craft
a neo-pagan, nature-centered religion
It worships a Goddess and usually a God
uses magic as a tool of personal and
global transformation.
Gerald Gardner
1884-1964
Rituals & Beliefs
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Most rituals take place in a
circular formation
Symbolizes boundary between
outside world and the world of
the goddesses
Earth religion: primary beliefs
revolve around environment
Rituals also honor birth, death
and reincarnation. Beliefs
expressed through music,
dancing and/or meditation as a
way for members to experience
their own power and
connectedness.