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In some myths they are benign, in others fearsome and malevolent. [12] The Sun is an important deity; [13] [14] other supernatural characters include Morning Star [13] [8] [14] and the Thunderbirds. [15] [12] [16] A common theme is the making of a journey, often to a supernatural place across the landscape or up to the parallel world in the sky ...
Native American cultures are rich in myths and legends that explain natural phenomena and the relationship between humans and the spirit world. According to Barre Toelken, feathers, beadwork, dance steps and music, the events in a story, the shape of a dwelling, or items of traditional food can be viewed as icons of cultural meaning.
American mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to America's most legendary stories and folktale, dating back to the late 1700s when the first colonists settled. "American mythology" may also refer to the modern study of these representations, and to the subject matter as represented in the literature and art of other cultures ...
Comparative mythology has served a variety of academic purposes. For example, scholars have used the relationships between different myths to trace the development of religions and cultures, to propose common origins for myths from different cultures, and to support various psychoanalytical theories.
Folklore of the United States. Folklore is the expressive body of culture shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture, or group. These include oral traditions such as tales , proverbs and jokes .
Many folktales are unique to African-American culture, while African, European, and Native American tales influenced others. [8] In the present, the impact of African American folklore is apparent in Hip-Hop music, where themes like gangsters and pimps draw heavily from the “badman” and “trickster” archetypes. [9]
Folklore lets people escape from repressions imposed upon them by society. Folklore validates culture, justifying its rituals and institutions to those who perform and observe them. Folklore is a pedagogic device which reinforces morals and values and builds wit. Folklore is a means of applying social pressure and exercising social control.
In other stories Raven refuses to use force, and sexual themes are edited out. Trickery is in some instances substituted for magic. These newer tales are also written in conventions of Western rather than Native American literature thus conveying the message that native storytellers' ability or style is inferior. [53]