fandomhigh | World Religions, Wednesday, 2nd Period

Jesse's once again sitting with his feet up on his desk while the students file in. This time the clipboard is already waiting on one of the student desks to be passed around for sign-ins. Under the sign-in sheet is a stack of handouts. "Take one of those handouts on the clipboard when you sign in. Today we're gonna talk about a few things and you're gonna need that to keep up."

"First things first. Take a minute to read the academic meaning of the word 'mythology.'¹ I want to get this straight up front - if I talk about myth in here, I'm not giving it a higher value than if I use the word 'religion.' Some of the resources I'm gonna use are gonna talk about myth and that doesn't mean I'm saying these things are fairy tales. People around the world take their beliefs very seriously and we're gonna respect that." Jesse's personal opinions notwithstanding.

"We've got some big territory to cover today. Animism², American Indian beliefs³, and Australian Aboriginal beliefs⁴. They've got some things in common - in general all of them appreciate that there is value in nature, usually some idea of the soul in all things, or at least all living things. They've got some differences - animism isn't so much a religion as a general world view, American Indians and Australian indigenes developed their religions in widely separated places with different environments; they have different myths and rituals.

After a general introduction, he goes more in-depth to compare and contrast the three topics before giving the students their in-class work.

"Work alone or in groups, up to you. Pick a character, god, mythical creature, whatever you want, from American Indian or Australian mythology. Pick one you can identify with, whether it's because you've experienced something similar, it shows your own feelings, it's just something you think is cool, and explain that. If you're working in a group, I don't care how many of you get together to talk. If you're gonna go it alone, you've got to write it down for me and turn it in."

He sits back down behind his desk and grins at the students. "I hate homework. If I give y'all homework, I gotta do homework, so get this stuff done in class. Show me you're payin' attention, and that's good enough for me. We'll find out on the tests whether you were or not."

¹Academic views of Mythology
²Animism
³Overview of American Indian religious beliefs
⁴Aboriginal mythology

Dreamtime
Native American mythologies

Syllabus

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Blair was tempted to work on his own just so he could write the paper, but he looked around for a partner.

"Hey, Blair,"

Nadia figured Blair probably already knew a lot about this stuff, and would thus make a good partner.

"Hey there, Nadia." Blair grinned. "Isn't this interesting?"

"It is. I didn't know half this stuff about the Guarani."

"I knew a little bit about it." Blair said with a bounce. "But I tend to study South America mythology a lot."

"You'd think I would, too. But there was never much time for a lot of studying of myths when I was back in Buenos Aires. So, which character or myth do you identify with?"

"I like Tumé Arandú, the wise man and prophet." Blair said. "Although Angatupry seems peace-loving."

"How about you?"

"I like this stuff about Coyote."

"What do you like about it?"

"He's clever. But also sometimes really dumb. Like a real person. And he's always trying to get one up on the world without having to do too much work. In Catholicism, the different . . . I guess you would call them characters, never seem that human, while still keeping their powers and stuff. Coyote can wear different shapes and disguises, but he uses it for the sort of stuff that just about anyone would, and he has to have consequences like everyone else." Nadia smiled. "And he discovered fire. Which is very cool."

"Clever, real, spying." Blair smiled. "Except for the discovering fire part I can see why you identify with Coyote. You're a lot alike."

"Spies are the modern day trickster. It's also interesting that he seems to be in a bunch of different tribes in the western US. And there are other tricksters for other tribes, like the blue jay, over here. Makes you think that maybe there's something important to it."

"So you're saying that spies are a neccesity in society and they have been for a very long time?"

"Exactly. It's a very noble job."

"Totally." Blair grinned.

"So how are you feeling after this weekend?"

"I'm fine. Didn't even end up with a concussion, for once." Nadia nodded to his cast. "Or anything broken. Broken bones definitely suck."

"I hear that." Blair nodded and then dug in his bag for a pen. "Wanna sign (http://lovechildblair.livejournal.com/25002.html)?"

Nadia thought for a moment, then started drawing.

"There."

Blair watched her draw and grinned. "You so totally rock, Nadia."

"Thanks Blair. You're pretty awesome, too."

Blair blushed a little and moved onto a different topic. "Have you gone to see River, yet?"

"No." Nadia answered flatly.

"Oh." Blair couldn't really tell what she was feeling and he looked at her carefully. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"She's bit, kicked, and now tasered me for no reason. I don't really think there's that much to talk about."

"I didn't know she bit you, man." Blair winced. "Are you okay?"

Re: Groups or solos

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