Monday, December 1, 2008

Norse Mythology Vocab.

Vikings- The people of Northern Europe(Norway,Finland,Sweden).
Ginnungagap-kings- The void before all was created.
Nifleheim- Land of ice and fog.
Muspellheim- The land of fire gaurded by Surt.
Yggdrasil - The world ash tree, connects the 3 worlds.
Asgard -Home of the gods.
Midgard-Land of man(middle earth).
Hel -Ruler of dead.
Bifrost Bridge -Divine line between humans and gods(rainbow).
Ymir-Fierce wild giant.
Odin-Son of Buri and bestla, oldest and greatest of 3 sons.
Frigg-Wife of Odin, spinner of clouds, represents love,destiny and earth.
The Valkyries-Odin's daughters, choosers of slain.
Thor-Strongest son of Odin, represents thunder, balttle fertility, has a temper.
Balder-brother of Thor, represent's radiance, rebirth, justice, killed by Loki.
Njord-Represens the wind and sea, patrons of sailors.
Freya- Represents love and fertility the most beautiful of Goddess's.
Frey- Represents fruitfulness and fertility, patron to sailors.
Idunn- Holds the sacred golden apples which keep the gods young.
Loki- Half blood brother of Odin, decietful, cruel, kills balder.
Fenrir-The giant that steals Idunn with help from Loki.
Jormungandr-Home of the giants.
Ragnarok-Doomsday when bad will triumph good and the gods will die.
Runes- The Norse game of predicting the future.

The Norns- Demi-Gods of destiny, control fate of man and gods.

Monday, November 10, 2008



Blackfeet Creation Tale
As told by: Chewing Black bones
The Blackfeet creation tale starts off in the beginning with and old man. Old man originated from down South. Old man starts to travel away from the South and decides to head north. Along the way he creates mountains, animals, rives, forests and much more beauty. The old man walked across the Milk River and laid down to rest. He marked his figure with stones you can still see to today. Along his journey north he tripped over a knoll, and fell to his knees. He then rose up two buttes in the air and named them the knees. He carried on and created the Sweet Grass Hills with rocks he had in his pocket. For all the animals he created he made equal size food for them to flourish on. Still going north, the old man created berries, roots, plums, and all the vegetation in the land. He decided to create women and children out of clay. He took them off to the rive where he revealed his name-NAPI. He showed them what to eat. He told them to eat the berries, roots and animals that they share the land with. He led them across the forests and plains and brought them to the swamps that carry the natural herbs that have the power to heal. Old man went further north and created more people out of clay and showed them how to survive as he did the others. He also gave them the gift of buffalo and taught them how to kill and eat them. Old man went further north and created even more people. Old man decided to take a rest and sat down on a mountain slide. He wanted to have some fun and came to the conclusion that this hill would be a good hill to slide on. You can still see the old mans marks the Blackfeet people called them the “Old Manos sliding ground.” Old man left the people he created and gave life and moved westward telling the people he will one day return.

This myth is important to the Blackfeet people because its always comforting to know where you came from or at least have an entertaining story.

Bodmer, Karl. “Piegan Blackfeet Man Pioch-KiƤiu.” August 21 1833. Painting. Wikimedia
Commons. 11 November 2008.



Black Bones, Chewing. “Legend of the Beginning: Blackfeet Creation Tale.”
Northwest, Montana: Ella E. Clark. 1953. 6 November 2008.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008


Application

Heor Journey

Call to adventure- assigned a goal or quest
-"He would kill and take the head of Medusa."

Friends and guides-People you encounter on your journey who give you information,magic and companionship.
-"Two great gods were watching over him."
-"Hermes himself told Perseus that he would give him a sword to kill Medusa."
-"Hermes was his guide ad could not be led astray."

Initiation-The entering of a strange world, the first test
-"He took ship after leaving the kings hall."

Journey-Road of battles obsticles and trials a hero will face on his quest
-"To find the nymphs abode you must finde the gray women who alone know's the way."
-"The two flew over the ocean to the terible sisters island."
-"Perseus found a beautiful maiden tied to a rock to be devoured by a sea monster."

Ultimate battle-The climax of the journey, usually the final test
-"He aimed a stroke at Medusas head and Athena guided his hand."

Boon-Gift from hero to all, gift fo renewal, gift of something new
-"With his death their troubles were to end."

Transformation-Part of journey where the hero is altered in some way
-"Perseus and Andromeda lived happily ever after."

Death/Rebirth-A form of life coming from a form of death
-"Acrisus was there on a visit to the king and the discuss struck him, the blow was fatal."

Universal-a quality that applies to all mankind
-"They had no children but they cared for Danae and Perseus as their own."

Unique-A special soemthing that seperates each other in own way
-"Zeus who had visited Danae in a shape that is not told, but she knew the child she bore was his."

Major Flaw-A disadvantage of a hero that makes him universal
-"No one in their senses would made such a proposal, Medusa was a gorgon."

Friday, October 24, 2008

A myth is a tale or belief of a culture describing natural events.
Ex: Demeter and Persephone of the Greek culture.

A hero is a founder of something new and inspires people to use model behavior.
Ex: Perseus as he slays the head of Medusa.

Universal is something that apply's to all. Its worldwide and could represent mankind.
Ex: How the gods show emotions just as their human peers doin Greek Mythology.

An archetype is a foundation or original model.
Ex: The myth of Pangu and the egg is an example of an archetype.

Duality is a quality of opposites. Exiting within a whole.
Ex: In Egyptian mythology, chaos is divided into light and dark by Shu and Tefnut.

Cosmology is a study of stars and space.
Ex: Perhaps constellations in the sky, such as the big dipper or Aries.

Life from Death is some form of life coming from some form of death.
Ex: When Zeus kills Cronus and becomes king. Out of Cronus's death came a new life for Zeus.

Matriarchal is the foundation of female power(mother rules).
Ex: In Greek mythology, At the beginning of time there was Gaia(Mother earth).

Patriarchal is the foundation of male power(father rules).
Ex: Zeus as king of all gods in Greek mythology.

Hero journey is the road of obstacles and trials the hero faces from initiation to giving the boon.
Ex: Perseus's quest for Medusas head.

Sacrifice is the taking of life for the benefit of others. Giving up something important for the greater good.
Ex: The ancient Aztecs sacrificing a person for the gratitude of the gods.

Creation is the beginning. The start of something new.
Ex: Uranus blood created nymphs, the Furies and giants.

Cyclical is a repeating cycle. A repeating process.
Ex: Life from Death is a repeating cycle.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Interpertation essay

Well, i wrote my essay on paper so ill give a summary like Mrs. Turcotte said. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience. The essay is a piece by me explaining the relation between the myth of Demeter and Persephone on a physical, social, and a psychological level.