Bringing together the wisdom of the Earth found in nature, science, mythology and spirituality
The ancestry of myths: memory and cultural transmission
Perhaps it is just serendipity, a pleasing sort of coincidence. Or synchronicity. But at any rate, I was delighted to find this read by Manvir Singh in the New Yorker, giving an depth discussion on whether all myths can be traced back to an original myth. Whether all myths in fact have a common ancestor. It is an intriguing discussion and one that builds on the EarthWise blog posts on what is known and why some practices and knowledge are forgotten while others remembered, even if in sometimes altered forms.
This post explores the connection between myth and memory, building upon the idea that storytelling remains a valid way in which memory (and all of the rich knowledge garnered over deep time) can be accessed and expressed.
Myths and memories: the layers underneath the stories
Myths are more than just stories. Yes, there is a story telling element embedded in them. And this in no small way is an attribute of how they survived. A story– an oral recounting– does not require a physical object, a place, a building. Stories are easily portable. They simply require someone who can tell them– which may not be as simplistic as it sounds. They can withstand bad weather, moves, and do not deteriorate as physical objects might. Stories are survivors.
Storytellers held exalted places in pre-literate and mostly non-literate societies. One example of this is the storyteller– the seanchai— of Ireland. This post explains that the forerunner to the seanchai were “the bards of ancient Ireland.” These bards held a special and exalted place within their communities, more than mere just storytellers: “bards were part of a highly organized, professional class. They underwent years of rigorous training in poetry, history, and law. Bards were often attached to noble houses, composing praise poetry and recording genealogies and histories.”
But perhaps it is not right to say that storytelling holds some lesser space. For it is storytelling that survives down the ages, in its portable, flexible format. Storytelling and the myths that stem from stories should not be dismissed or ignored. For to do so is to overlook vast stores of deep memory and knowledge, whispers and clues to a past which may have left scant other clues.
And storytelling is something of an omnipresent feature. What culture or community, even in our high-tech modern world, does not have storytelling of a kind? And the purpose that storytelling has in a culture or community is also a common one: “Storytelling is universal and is as ancient as humankind. Before there was writing, there was storytelling. It occurs in every culture and from every age. It exists (and existed) to entertain, to inform, and to promulgate cultural traditions and values.”
The enduring appeal of storytelling
There is without a doubt a deep appeal of storytelling. We need only think of how children enjoy a nighttime story ritual, even in the modern era. Adults as well enjoy stories. Think of the appeal of a well-told, verbal message. For instance, podcasts well done might well continue story telling elements. But stories go beyond entertainment. As this quote explains: “Stories also allow us to share information in a memorable way, which might have helped our ancestors cooperate and survive. By telling a story rather than merely reciting dry facts, we remember the details more clearly.”
That is the format of the story itself creates a way in which information is retained and recalled. The appeal of story telling may then also appear in a well-crafted podcast. What is memorable and why? The story becomes a way in which vital information is and was communicated. But the story went beyond communication. It provided a medium for preservation and revision of information.
Myths and storytelling: explaining and remembering
So, then, what about myths? Is there a meaningful distinction to be made between a myth and a story? Are there connections and links between them?
As noted, there really is no set definition of what comprises a myth, and what comprises a story, or what the distinction between them might be. What should be associated with “truth” and which should be associated with “fiction”? Which has to do with deities or the supernatural and which does not? To what extent do these labels matter?
If a myth is associated with storytelling, it can be considered a specific type of story, perhaps. It may seek to explain an event. The explanation might have to do with the origin of life, or with a particular community, or a weather event. The possibilities for what a myth may seek to explain are endless. But if we consider a myth as an explanatory story, then it becomes one that offers nuggets of remembered wisdom and knowledge and information. Perhaps over time it became fiction rather than fact.
Perhaps it is impossible to tell where fiction ends and so called fact begins. It is important to remember that what science considers as acceptable knowledge is constantly changing. Thus, the labels and distinctions of fact and fiction are perhaps a false dichotomy. What can be learned from a myth is to look at what story it is telling, why it is being told, if possible, its origins, and to consider how it has survived and changed and not changed over time.
In this proposed view, the myth then becomes a literal portal to the past. It becomes a way in which deep ancient knowledge can be retrieved and understood. It becomes a way to not only understand the past but to consider whether there are applicable lessons for the present and the future.
Continuing the EarthWise journey through story and myth
Storytelling and myths are more than just mediums of entertainment. Given the form of the story– entertaining, yes, but also flexible, changeable, and portable over time and space– oral stories become a way in which ancient knowledge and wisdom can be both preserved, altered, and carried along into the present. Dismissing stories and myths as fiction is to overlook the rich portal into the past and the lessons for the present and the future that they provide. Stay along this EarthWise exploration in future posts about learning the past from stories, myths, and other sources of ancient memory and collective knowledge from the past.