fandomhigh | World Mythology -- Third Period -- Monday

"Today we're visiting with the myths to be found in the Native American cultures." Ghanima grabbed her handouts from the front desk and began walking up and down the rows, dropping papers on desks. "For me to try and cover the history and mythology of every tribe in a single day would be impossible, not to mention insulting to the cultures involved. A thoughtful, anthropologically sound approach to these stories would take up an entire semester, not a class period."

"Among all tribes there is a strong sense that behind all individual spirits and personifications of the divine, there is a single creative life-force, sometimes called ‘the Great Mystery’, which expresses itself throughout the universe, in every human, animal, tree and grain of sand. Every story, too, is a working out of this life-force. One aspect of this outlook is the major role played in the stories by animals, who often speak to humans and assist them. Most tribes thought of individual members of a species as expressions of the spiritual archetype of that species, which in turn embodied a particular spirit power."

"Another key feature of the Native American spiritual outlook is found in the powers ascribed to the Four Directions, which occur either literally or in symbolic form throughout the stories. These are often represented by particular colours, or by animals. The Four Directions have to be in balance for all to be well with the world, and often a central point of balance is identified as a fifth direction; for example, four brothers represent the outer directions, and their sister the center."

"Native American myths include all the types found worldwide, such as stories of creation, and of heroic journeys. However, they are particularly rich in ‘trickster’ myths, similar to the ones we studied recently regarding Anansi. Notable examples are Coyote and Iktome. The trickster is an ambiguous figure who demonstrates the qualities of early human development, both cultural and psychological, that make civilization possible, and yet which cause problems. He is an expression of the least developed stage of life, which is dominated by physical appetites."

"Today we're talking about the Woman Who Fell From The Sky and a version of the story of Sedna," she said, quickly ~~handwavily~~ going over both myths, "and we will discuss the differences, similarities, and how they relate to other creation myths you may know."

[OOC: And lo, there was OCD!]

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Take notes, pass notes, just don't take a nap!

Ben, not terribly surprisingly, wasn't a huge fan of the "good twin, evil twin," version of the creation story, though he felt on fairly solid ground with the idea of individual spirits being a personification of the divine. That was generally how he viewed the Force.

Karla was there, sore, bruised, and tired. She liked the idea of the five directions, though. It reminded her of the four sides of the triangle.

Ben looked up from his notes and gave Karla a worried glance. You okay?

She didn't wince as she turned her head to look at Ben. That was your imagination, really.

*I'm good,* she said, giving him a tired smile and a thumb's up. Lucivar decided I had time for one more workout before I had to come to class. Lucivar could give your grandfather lessons in being a stubborn hard-ass. Her emotions had taken on the same kind of affectionate grumbling normally associated with Morton.

Lucivar? Ben repeated. Is he new?

Karla nodded. *He's Saetan's son by some weird circumstances that no one seemed all that interested in explaining. He meant Jaenelle about ten years ago, back when she still wandered around Terreille. He's been a slave in Terreille for over a fifteen hundred years.*

Karla had seen the scars on his back one day when Lucivar was rinsing off in a horse trough. A lot of his earlier behavior had made sense then. And then Jaenelle had explained a few things as well.

She peeked over at Ben and gave him her best unsure-but-game grin. *You might be able to meet him soon,* she sent.

Is he coming to visit? Ben asked, still more worried than he'd admit to, even mentally. Karla looked worn out.

She'd probably admit to Jaenelle and the Little Terreille stuff later. Outside of class. Perhaps with a little shuddering on the side.

*I'm kind of hoping the visit will go the other way?* Karla sent, looking hopeful. *I got permission from Uncle Saetan to bring some friends home for a visit.*

And hopefully Saetan had properly translated 'some friends' to 'half the school.'

*Ben...* Karla paused, trying to figure out the best way to word this. *...this won't be anything like Briarwood. And we won't be visiting Glacia. I want to show you what Kaeleer is really like. It's magic and unicorns and kindred, not fear and pain and anger. Kaeleer is a good place, Ben.*

Ben didn't look that convinced. Because you don't look completely wrung out every time you come back, he replied. Oh, wait...

Stupid Ben and his stupid habit of looking closer than anyone really wanted him to.

*Jaenelle cut her visit to Little Terreille short to save Lucivar's life and to integrate him with the family,* Karla said, unable to keep the sulkiness from her psychic thread. *The Dark Council made her go back and finish it. I was there when she got home. It was less fun than it could have been, true--but better than it was!*

Are we grading on a curve now? Ben asked dryly, then gave Karla a little smile. Not the place to talk about this. Catch up later this week?

Karla returned the smile. *Of course a curve,* she said, tossing her hair and then trying not to giggle aloud. *We're far too special to grade the normal way. It's like we attended Battle School or something. Ice cream sometime?*

Perfect, Ben replied. I'm always up for ice cream.

*This is my shocked and surprised face,* Karla said, pointing.

Hoshi definitely wasn't napping. She was taking extensive notes to share with her roommate when she got back from her trip.

Yeah, this entire class was definitely a lot more interesting now, after countless conversations with Harrar and the knowledge of the role religious beliefs had played on both sides of the war; Tahiri wasn't taking notes, but she was listening very intently.

It didn't sit terribly well with her either, but she still couldn't help being amused every time twins figured into a culture's beliefs.

Spock took careful notes during the lecture. He found the acknowledgment of the center as well as the four directions interesting; it seemed something that many traditions ignored.

The prevalence of trickster myths might explain a few things about Humanity, he suspected.

World Mythology -- Third Period -- Monday

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