Cultural Myths

A race or culture will develop cultural myths as a way to ensure its people adhere to a particular behavior, religion or set of values.  These values and beliefs are a way to make sure an individual stays loyal to their people.  It is a way to develop one collective conscience of fidelity and group pride.  However cultural myths can also serve to keep knowledge and understanding away from a group of people so as not to poison the culture with outside influence.

Aztec Mythology

The Aztecs are an excellent example of a people immersed in cultural myths.   Their origins are explained in myth with their ancestors coming from Aztlan under the guidance of the force of Huitzilopochtli.  When they came to an island in a lake they saw an eagle sitting on a cactus.  In some myths the eagle is eating a snake and in others he is just perched on the cactus.  Either way this was a sign to the Aztec people to make this land their home.

Hopi Mythology

The Native American Hopi Indians also have a history rich in cultural myths.  According to one cultural myth, earth is the fourth world the Hopi’s have lived on.  They were forced out from their other worlds due to disobedience and war.  Those who were most loyal to their metaphysical symbolic forces were led by Spider Woman to this world.  They arrived through a bamboo read at sipapu.  Supposedly sipapu is the Grand Canyon.

Consequences of Cultural Myths

While people of a specific race can use these myths to promote “good behavior” and adherence to the societies norms, there can be detrimental consequences.  These myths can lead to a narrowing of the mind and unwillingness by an ethnic group to accept any outside knowledge or truism as fact.  Gallileo was persecuted for insisting the Earth moved around the Sun and was not the center of the universe.  Because his belief was not accepted, Europeans remained in ignorance of the truth of the universe for quite some time.