The rest of this week, we'll go to Minneapolis Institute of Arts' website on World Myths & Legends in Art. What I really like about this site is the way the stories, the cultural values and other art forms like woodcarving and beadwork all fit together.
"Myths are stories that explain why the world is the way it is," explains a writer for the Institute of Arts. "All cultures have them. Throughout history, artists have been inspired by myths and legends and have given them visual form."
Follow the link that says "What is Myth?" And we'll find the question answered by one of the best explanations I've seen anywhere:
There is no one satisfactory definition, since myths serve many different purposes. The first purpose was to explain the inexplicable. Since the beginning of humankind's existence, myths have functioned as rationalizations for the fundamental mysteries of life, questions such as: Who made the world? How will it end? Where do we come from? Who was the first human? What happens when we die? Why does the sun travel across the sky each day? Why does the moon wax and wane? Why do we have annual agricultural cycles and seasonal changes? Who controls our world, and how can we influence those beings so our lives are easier?People tell stories to answer these questions, and out of the stories grow religions, ceremonies and art. We'll look at four pieces in the Minneapolis museum. Click on "Art by Culture" to find a directory of different cultures, and on "Native American" for a directory of the four pieces:
- A late 19th- or early 20th-century Haida wooden rattle in the shape of Raven, the culture hero of several Northwest Coast and Arctic peoples.
- A sixth- to ninth-century Mayan ceramic rattle from Mexico that depicts a ball player. A game similar to handball or jai lai was part of several Meso-American religions.
- A 20th-century Lakota dress of cotton, leather and beadwork. It shows an abstract form of a turtle sacred to the Lakota people.
- An Navajo or Dine archer's wrist guard made about 1930. Crafted of turquoise and silver, its design reflects the Dine story of how the world was created.
1. What stories do we have in our culture that are like the stories of Raven? Do we have any characters who are also tricksters? (Hint: Other tricksters in other Native American cultures are Rabbit and Coyote. Is Bugs Bunny a rabbit? What about Wiley Coyote?
2. What stories do we have about the creation of the world? (Hint: Does science tell stories? If so, we have at least two, counting the Bible.) How do the stories of creation and Noah's flood compare to the Lakota and Dine (Navajo) creation stories? How are they the same? How are they different?
3. Compare and contrast the Native American stories with our stories of George Washington, Paul Revere, Valley Forge and the American Revolution. What similarities do you find? What differences?
4. What role do ball games play in our culture? What role did athletics play in ancient Greece? Where did the Olympics come from? Is there any connection between religion and athletics in modern American culture?
5. What specific values of our culture (U.S. Midwestern) do kids learn by taking part in athletics?
6. Are there any similarities to the role of religion in the ball games of the ancient Maya people?
25 comments:
1. I'm not sure of any stories that has to do with sunlight other than God saying "Let there be light" in the Bible. But there are characters like the Raven, mostly in cartoons.
2. We have a few stories about the creation of the world, including the Bible. There is also the "Big Bang Theory", which is science's attempt at explaining the creation of the world. The Lakota and Dine stories are similar to ours in the sense that there is a flood in each of them. In the Lakota's story, no human survived, only a crow survived. In the Dine's story, everyone survived because they figured out the cause of the flood.
3. I don't see any similarities between our stories of the American Revolution and the stories of these Native American tribes. Ours have a single human hero, while the tribes have creatures as heros.
4. In our culture I think that sports play a big part. Athletic teams can bring an entire city together. In Greece, athletics probably played a big part, especially since this is the birthplace of the Olympics. I don't think there are many connections between sports and religion in our culture today. It doesn't matter what religion an athlete is.
1. I dont think have storyies in our culture like the raven where we talk about our animals as precious items.
2. there are many stories how the world was created. There was one story my friend told me where the world was created on the back of a sea turtle.
3. there really was not differences in the stories. In our stories there was only a single hero but in Native American stories there are many hero's.
4. Ball games is a huge part of our past time. In greece they fought for fun and for honor that is the birth place of the olympics. I dont think there are any connections between relgion and athletics.
1. We look at the sly people like villians. People who do anything to get what they want.
2. There is a story of creation in the book of Genesis. This explain the creation of the world or the big bang theory in evolutaion.
3. I do not see any thing that is the same with Native Americans and our fore fathers. They had more European values.
4. Sports are very popular no matter where you go. Look at this past summer olympics in 2008. There are so many cultures and people there from all across the planet. The best of the best.
4. a.) Ball games are very important in our culture because really thats what more than half America does. Wether it be in highschool college or professionally even if you dont play you just enjoy watching it. So it plays a huge role in our culture.
b.) For Anicent Greece I feel like it was more of a way of life. They didnt know anything other than the games they played and I believe it was for pride for themselves and their tribe.
c.) The olympics came from all these games played so far back in time. We find it a way to shine and show who really is the best.
d.) I dont think religion and athletics go together. Maybe in other peoples eyes they do but I am a softball player and the only thing religious about it is that I attend school at catholic school!
Kids learn the value of hardwork and determination through sports. They also learn to be respectful no matter the situation. There are more values that they will learn but these are the most important. There are similarities in the mayan ball games. They played for religious reasons but that also learned the value of hard work , because if they didnt work hard and lost the game they would be sacrificed.
Ball games in our culture provide children with many values. It teaches them patience, respect, responsibility, and discipline. Also, it teaches the children to keep going even if they happen to lose a game, and to not give up.
I believe this is similar to Maya ball games only dealing with the values possessed. However, as far as the human sacrificing which took place, I would have to fortunately agree that we do not take place in such actions.
Kids learn many things from playing sports such as confidence, determination, and hard work to name a few.
There are some similarities however i think that the reason for the games being played are different. Today people play for fun and entertainment whereas back then they played for a real purpose such as religious reasons.
i think that the role it plays in todays society gives people ways to stay out of trouble give both young and old people something to look forward to it allow people to get rit of stress and it motivate strengthens and give people things to look forward to
1.Kids learn how to work together as a team. They learn how to not be sore losers.
2. i dont beleive there is any similarities. we don't have religion in the game today.
3. There are a few different stories in our culture today like the Raven. They are all justs legends or myths.
4.
1. kids learn respect and how to listen becasue they have respect an listen to their coach to learn more about the game and better themselves. they also learn discipline becasue they will learn how to get back up after a failure and take criticism as a way to better themselves. they also learn responsability because they have to be responsible for their role on the team. they also learn unity because working together is what makes a team better.
1.)Kids that take part in athletics learn how to work together as a team. Some kids also learn how to be a leader by being a captain of a sports team. Kids also learn how to work hard to achieve a goal.
2.) yes there is some similarities when it comes to the ball games and the religion of the Maya people.
Kids learn many values through athletics. They learn team work, leadership, respect and the simple value of having fun.
I believe religion played a role in the acient Mayan times.The Mayans played games to show interset and respect.In our culture people who get paid to play, play religiously. And some bring religion into the game, for example praying before your up to bat, or perhaps kissing a budha miniture statue. No matter what sport you play if your a religious person you will bring your religion into it because you value it.
1) When kids take part in athletics, they learn alot. One thing they learn is leadership. Every team needs a leader to keep the team together. Kids also learn how respect each other. In order to have a successful team, they all have to get along. Also they learn that hard work will eventually pay off.
2)In some ways there are religous values when it comes to working together.
1) Our kids learn leadership, as well as how to get along with others to reach a specific goal. They learn trust in their teammates as well as in their friends. They learn sportsmanship along with manners and respect. kids that play sports learn alot of life values that will help them live a good life.
2) There are similarities beacause the maya people take their religion very seriosly and bring it to the playing field as well as in their everyday lives.
1. I think that when kids are involved in sports they learn a lot. From when they are young, they learn how to play with others. When they get older it is easier to make freinds. Being apart of an organization helps them be a team player. And eventually sports will show them that they can do anything if they put there mind to it. The discipline and determination the one learns from being on a team is a great expirence.
6.I think kids learn respect, teamwork, and discipline in sports. Also I think kids like to be good in sports so one day they can go to college and then go profesional to make a lot of money. Kids also want to be successful and going pro equals a lot of money or getting rich.
1) I think childrens stories like folktales are stories that are like the raven. Theres always a bad guy a good guy a problem and usually the problem is solved in the end.
2) think there are two major theorys in our culture about creation- the scientific big bang theory and the story of creation and noahs ark from the bible. these are similar to the dine because there is a flood in both. in the lakota only one person suvived where as in noahs ark two of every kind of anmial survives and many people.
3) ball games are a form of entertainment a job for people and it shows how people rank and its pretty much steady throughout history
1) Athletics teaches kids to be dedicated, responsible, active, accountable, leaders, teamwork, respect, and dignity.
6) Religion plays a role in the ball game because the Mayans believe that if no human is sacrificed, the sun will not rise the next day.
1. There are many children's stories that are similar to the Raven story. One, such as The Big bad Wolf and the three little Pigs. In the story, the wolf goes on a selfish, greedy hunt in search of these three small pigs just so he can eat them. But with him only thinking about himself and being considered a trickster, he never prevails.
2.What specific values of our culture do kids learn by taking part in athletics?
- Young kids learn many values simply by participating in sports. As the coach, he/she should be able to teach these values to the children as time goes by. One very important value that everyone learns in athletics is to always have respect, for yourself and the opposing team. If you play another team and they win over you in the end, you should continue to stand tall and shake the opposing team's hand with respect and dignitiy. Showing respect will get you far in life while showing others how far you've come and how you've grown.
3.Native American stories compare alot with stories from our culture such as Paul Revere. It really doesnt matter what culure you come from, most of our values reamin the same. A story that can also be compared is the Salmon Boy and Paul Revere. In both stories, a lesson is taught and the good will prevail.
1).Kids learn respect, responsibility, leadership, cooperation, hard work, dedication, and many other key values present in today's culture.
2). The mayan people do take their religion seriously, however, in todays sports, you will not find human sacrifices. Having said this, there are many religious rituals practices during the course of games. these include superstitious acts in addition to various underlieing religious acts
1. There are many children's stories that are similar to the Raven story. One, such as The Big bad Wolf and the three little Pigs. In the story, the wolf goes on a selfish, greedy hunt in search of these three small pigs just so he can eat them. But with him only thinking about himself and being considered a trickster, he never prevails.
2.What specific values of our culture do kids learn by taking part in athletics?
- Young kids learn many values simply by participating in sports. As the coach, he/she should be able to teach these values to the children as time goes by. One very important value that everyone learns in athletics is to always have respect, for yourself and the opposing team. If you play another team and they win over you in the end, you should continue to stand tall and shake the opposing team's hand with respect and dignitiy. Showing respect will get you far in life while showing others how far you've come and how you've grown.
3.Native American stories compare alot with stories from our culture such as Paul Revere. It really doesnt matter what culure you come from, most of our values reamin the same. A story that can also be compared is the Salmon Boy and Paul Revere. In both stories, a lesson is taught and the good will prevail.
Kids learn many different things from sports today. They can learn different values such as respect and courage, and they also learn never to give up and keep working hard.
There are not too many similarities in mayan ball and our sports today. But there are some importance with both values of learning.
1)There are many stories like the Raven but mostly in cartoons or in fairy tales. For example, the three little pigs.
2)The Lakota and Dine stories are a lot like our stories for an example "Noah's Ark."
3)I don't think there are any stories that see creatures as heros.
4)Sports are a huge part in many cultures, and it is a very popular pastime.
5)Kid's learn a lot of values in sports. Such as respect, teamwork, discipline,confidence,hardwork, and many other values in sports.
6)I think that religion does play a part in sports. For example,you might pray before a game.
1.) The story reminds me of a make believe story that you would tell to children. Cartoon characters such as bugs bunny can be described as tricksters.
2.) We have the story in the bible how God created adam and eve and thats how the world started. There is a flood in each of them.
4.)You learn to work together as a team and it also brings people together.They both are pretty much like family.
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