First off I wanna say that I really enjoyed these videos. I started watching crash course when I was in European history in high school and I loved them. I've watched the for classes I take whenever they have them, but it never occurred to me that they would have one for mythology. I'm definitely going to be watching more of these on my own time!
I enjoyed how the host went into the nitty gritty of what a myth is. He came up with such a surgical definition for something so abstract. I like how the hosts approach to mythology is very similar to the one we take in the class - it isn't just Greek mythology. When I signed up for this class that's what I thought this class wold be over. I think it is really cool how in both the class and the videos the focus is on exposing people to myths they aren't familiar with.
I'm not good with theory - it usually just goes over my head, but I loved the video of him breaking down the theory of mythology. I'm not gonna pretend like I understand everything he said, but it was still a great video. I like the point about Plato equating myths with lies. Myths were a way for people to blame all of the evils of humanity on the gods. I had never thought about myths like this before.
Finally I really loved the hero video - it was my favorite of the three. I enjoyed learning about monomyths. I didn't know how structured and formulaic these myths are.
All in all I still love crash course videos. The rapid-fire delivery and neat animation are still as cool as they've ever been. I'm a huge fan of educational content that is actually entertaining.
Showing posts with label Week 10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 10. Show all posts
Friday, October 25, 2019
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Reading Notes B: Apache
An old woman gave her boy a present so he might become a medicine man. One day the woman said to the boy, "I am hungry. Do you have any food?"
The boy told her to come back tomorrow and she won't be hungry. The next day the son made a corral close to the river. He gathered men and they killed antelope. Then they did the same thing the next day. After that if the son whistled the antelope would come in to the corral. Eventually the woman said, "that is enough. My wrists ache."
The woman asked her son for the gift back, but he told her he already gave it to the supernatural. The woman cursed him. The son left and he came across a place called Sticks Swim Around. He set up his home there. People came after him, but they could not find him. Two years later men came to his home. They were at war with another tribe. They heard a voice that said, "you must be my people.
They replied, "yes we are."
Then he dropped them a buffalo with its head and back to them. They wanted to leave to attack the warring tribe, but the man said to go in a day becasue they aren't aware of their presence. He told the men, "you'll surround them at noon. Bring me the all black horse. The one with no white spots."
He continued, "If at any time you are in need, make smoke for me. My home is by Sheep Horn Mountain. If you want anything blow smoke towards that place."
The next day the people went in daylight and surrounded the other tribe at noon just like the man said. They saw the black horse with no white and kept it with them. They came by the mans home and the horse took off towards the lake.
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
The boy told her to come back tomorrow and she won't be hungry. The next day the son made a corral close to the river. He gathered men and they killed antelope. Then they did the same thing the next day. After that if the son whistled the antelope would come in to the corral. Eventually the woman said, "that is enough. My wrists ache."
The woman asked her son for the gift back, but he told her he already gave it to the supernatural. The woman cursed him. The son left and he came across a place called Sticks Swim Around. He set up his home there. People came after him, but they could not find him. Two years later men came to his home. They were at war with another tribe. They heard a voice that said, "you must be my people.
They replied, "yes we are."
Then he dropped them a buffalo with its head and back to them. They wanted to leave to attack the warring tribe, but the man said to go in a day becasue they aren't aware of their presence. He told the men, "you'll surround them at noon. Bring me the all black horse. The one with no white spots."
He continued, "If at any time you are in need, make smoke for me. My home is by Sheep Horn Mountain. If you want anything blow smoke towards that place."
The next day the people went in daylight and surrounded the other tribe at noon just like the man said. They saw the black horse with no white and kept it with them. They came by the mans home and the horse took off towards the lake.
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Reading Notes Part A: Apache
In the beginning it began in the underworld. They made a mountain that kept on growing. Then reeds grew. When the reeds got to the top four girls twisted them so they stopped growing. A messenger goes up and discovers the twisted reeds. He tells the people what has happened. He goes back up and sees that there is much water. Then Beaver goes up and see that the water is receding. Beaver doesn't return so they send Badger up. So badger goes up and he see Beaver building a dam so people will have something to quench their thirst when they get up there. Finally the people use all four of the ladders they had to ascend, but they leave and old man and woman behind.
Raven divined to see if people would die. The old couple gave the people lice in their heads and their beds so they wouldn't be able to sleep.
Father tells four children to sit by the fire. He asks them "Why did you come to see me?"
The children responded "We want something to play with."
The father made them the hoop and pole game but tells them to not move to the north. Of course the children don't listen and they head to the north. Owl sees the children and says to quickly put them in the pot to cook. Owl's wife chops them up, puts them in a pot, pours water on them, and sets them over a fire to boil. However, the boys just sit at the bottom telling stories. Owl says "you are something bad. You are using supernatural powers."
The boys continue to tell stories and jump out of the pot again. Owl asks "why do you come here and practice magic?
He gives them the hoop and the pole back. The boys return to their father and he tells them "I told you so."
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
Raven divined to see if people would die. The old couple gave the people lice in their heads and their beds so they wouldn't be able to sleep.
Father tells four children to sit by the fire. He asks them "Why did you come to see me?"
The children responded "We want something to play with."
The father made them the hoop and pole game but tells them to not move to the north. Of course the children don't listen and they head to the north. Owl sees the children and says to quickly put them in the pot to cook. Owl's wife chops them up, puts them in a pot, pours water on them, and sets them over a fire to boil. However, the boys just sit at the bottom telling stories. Owl says "you are something bad. You are using supernatural powers."
The boys continue to tell stories and jump out of the pot again. Owl asks "why do you come here and practice magic?
He gives them the hoop and the pole back. The boys return to their father and he tells them "I told you so."
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
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