Words- "Epic!" and "Myth"

Ever since listening to Fred Turner's presentation in class last week I've been hearing the word "epic" more often. Though I had heard friends and peers use "epic" to describe things that are "cool" or "awesome" I had never made the connection the epic poetry such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Now when I hear my peers using, or when I use the word "epic" I smile and remember Turner's presentation.

In my Multicultural Education class I just finished up a presentation on Native American Literature. I had to create lesson plans to be implemented in an 11th grade English class and naturally, after enjoying this class so much, I choose to discuss Native American Creation Myths. I looked at two creation myths from different tribes, the Yupik and the Blackfoot tribes. In my presentation I briefly explained the two myths and what I would do in the lesson. Afterwards I was given written feedback from my peers about my presentation and I was sad to find that someone was severally insulted that I used the word "myth" to describe the creation stories from the Native American tribes. They said that I should not have used the word "myth" because to their culture these stories are what they believe in and see as true. Though initially I was upset that I was perceived as being culturally insensitive in a lesson designed specifically to be culturally sensitive, I realized this shouldn't be an issue. Over an over we have discussed that myths are the president to every action. They are going back to the origins, the beginning, and this is exactly what I was trying to teach my potential students. I wasn't insulting Native American Culture by calling their stories "myth;" I easily could have called the biblical creation story a "myth." I wish whichever of my peers wrote that feedback would take Professor Sexson's Mythologies class and see that the word "myth" has more to it than most people see.   

For anyone interested this is a video for part of the Yupik creation my preformed in the oral tradition style by Jack Dalton.

Also click on the picture for a link to the Blackfoot creation story if your interested.