Myth: The First and Last Word: Recent Episodes
Echo Cain
Myth: The First and Last Word is a biweekly program examining the diverse myths of our world. Join me, Echo Cain, as I tell these myths and discuss their cultural heritage, their implications on a people, and what may have led a people to write the myths they did. We'll consider small folktales and epic poems within the same month, placing an emphasis on equity amongst story. We'll ask what myths say about gender, sexuality, race, religion, and class to better center our understanding of the ancient world and its effect on the modern one.
Listen... Do you hear the first word?
Content Warning: Brief mention of death.
In this episode, I tell a modern myth entitled "What Oldest Human Didn't Know". Normally I cannot tell myths from the modern day, as they are typically inaccessible under copyright law. This story was written by myself, and thus I am able to record it. The tale tells of the Oldest Human's once-in-a-decade walk, the transformation of a boat, and the chance meeting of the Oldest Human and a young child. The themes of the story include the concepts of cyclicity, the lacking of knowledge, death, and natural transformation.
Today, I leave the analysis up to you. You can find a written copy of the myth on my website (linked below). Feel free to send me a response at theechocain@gmail.com.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
In this episode, I tell an Akkadian myth called "The Descent of Ishtar". The story is a reinterpretation of a longer Sumerian work written approximately 500-900 years prior called "The Descent of Inanna". The version of the myth that I will be telling was unearthed at the great library of Nineveh. The author of the stone cuneiform tablet remains unknown, though this myth was ubiquitous across Mesopotamia. The tale makes use of repetition to parallel an ancient, recorded ritual glorifying the change of seasons in which a statue of Ishtar/Inanna was undressed and clothed again.
We'll discuss the transition from matriarchy to patriarchy and this historical conflict's relation to the written word. We'll also seek to understand the characterization of these deities, their perceived effect on the Mesopotamian world, and how these themes were exported to other surrounding cultures.
(I am currently writing a screenplay reinterpreting this myth, so my analysis will be sparse on this episode to reflect the bias I have towards this story).
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of sex, ritual murder, colonization of indigenous peoples, genocide, slavery, kidnapping, classism, and misogyny.
In this episode, I tell a central origin myth of the Inca Empire: "Children of the Sun". The Inca, especially those in the higher social classes, saw themselves as educators working under their King, an incarnation of the myth's "Father Sun". The story was probably first told early in the foundation of the Kingdom of Cuzco, as it decrees a particular way of civilizing so-called wild peoples and mythologizes the first ruler, Manco Capac. The re-education process described in the myth would be what the Inca carried out over the 10 Million people they ruled at the height of their power in the Andean mountain range. The tale has also been recorded numerous times by different anthropologists and recounted by a multiplicity of storytellers.
We'll discuss the complicated and lengthy history of the peoples who historically inhabited the Andes, demonstrating that the development of civilization is not a unique occurrence in any capacity, nor is it always bounded by the same set of rules and worldviews. We'll also make sense of the strict gender roles in the myth, the importance of defining humanity in expansive ways, and critiquing the usage of the education narrative by Imperialists and Fascists.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief mention of colonization and death.
In this episode, I tell a short folktale from Scotland entitled "The Doomed Rider". This entertaining myth is likely quite old and functioned as a campfire-style ghost story throughout Scottish history. The tale surrounds a prophecy spoken by the Kelpie, a mythical creature associated with Celtic stories. Much of the language is in antiquated English which I have modernized for your listening pleasure. The story was initially published in 1889 by Charles John Tibbitts in one of his many collections of folktales. Little information is available concerning this editor's life despite his relatively enormous impression left on folklore studies, as he published numerous stories in multiple anthologies from across Eurasia.
We'll analyze how this story comments on fate, the indigenous connection to the land, and the dangers of "false fords". Furthermore, we'll make sense of the position of mythical creatures in etiological analysis of myth and how the trope of the "encroaching beast" remains in our entertainment today.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief mention of colonization of indigenous peoples and war.
In this episode, I tell "Maui Traps Sun", a myth from the people of Hawaii. The titular protagonist, Maui, is a culture hero present across Polynesian peoples' stories, Maori stories, and Hawaiian stories. He is best known today from his reinterpreted presentation in Disney's 2016 film, Moana. The myth's origin remains a mystery, though it is clearly ancient due to the prevalence of analogues across the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean. The tale was not recorded until the arrival of European colonizers on Hawaii's shores. The occurred almost certainly post-1820, the year that King Liholiho permitted European settlers and missionaries to permanently reside on the island.
We will be discussing the etiological importance of this myth, the non-dual nature of gender roles in story, and the position of story within modern science education.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of patriarchy and misogyny. Brief mention of colonization of indigenous peoples, genocide, war, exile, and racism.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "When Grizzlies Walked Upright", by the Modoc tribe of Northern California and Oregon. The story was first written down by Ella Clark, an untrained anthropologist, in 1953. Ella Clark's work has been criticized, though this particular myth seems to have been recorded quite well, as modern accounts of this tale from Modoc storytellers follow the same beats. The myth tells the story of how the world was formed, how all beings came about, and how humans came to be through happenstance. Similar to many origin myths across the world, creation centers on a potentially destructive hazard present where the people who constructed the story lived. In this case a volcano, Mount Shasta is the center from which all the world came down from the sky. The Modoc today are mostly assimilated into the Klamath tribe on their reservation in Oregon. In total they represent a part of the estimated 6,000 Klamath.
We'll discuss the many metaphors at play in the tale, the etiological nature of the myth, and the patriarchal worldview baked into the how creation is depicted. We'll also make sense of the non-dual nature of religion, describing the interlocked relationship of monotheism and polytheism across culture.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of war, xenophobia, misogyny, mental health, and classism.
*EDITOR'S NOTE* -- While editing I looked into the name Confucius and found that I was incorrectly calling him Lao Tzu throughout this episode! In my preliminary research, I stumbled into a list of Confucian texts and ancient Chinese philosophy. The consistency with which both Lao Tzu and Confucius wrote confused me and made me assume they were the same person. Lao Tzu was a DIFFERENT philosopher alive at the same time as Confucius and primarily wrote about Taoism. Please excuse my unfamiliarity with ancient Chinese philosophy and my continued misuse of Lao Tzu's name as interchangeable with Confucius throughout this episode and the next. Apologies folx. I will remedy this in parts 3 and 4 of The Analects.
In this episode, I tell the first five books of "The Analects". The title translates to "The Sayings of Confucius" and was likely compiled posthumously by his disciples. Within the text lies a heap of wisdom surrounding the topics of teaching, learning from others, benevolence to one's fellows, and the historical political situation of the Spring-and-Autumn period in ancient China. Unlike many other spiritual texts, the Analects are not bounded by a narrative, dialogue, or other centralizing structure. Instead, the text is composed of individual verses, almost entirely independent of each other. They appear to be grouped by vague theme, though each holds some grain of difference in topic from those around it. Confucius himself did not see himself as spiritually important, and his work today lies somewhere between philosophy and spirituality.
We'll discuss the ancient history of pre-imperial China, the relation of Confucius' beliefs to his time period, the classism inherent in the ruling class' interpretation of the working class' needs, and the meaning of benevolence. Engaged action is a consistent theme in the work, and thus we will be exploring the many ways in which attempts at doing can go well, go wrong, not be done at all, or be done for the wrong reasons.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of classism. Brief discussion of death and misogyny.
In this episode, I continue telling the Bhagavad Gita with the fourth chapter: "Transcendental Knowledge". The text was written in post-Vedic India, responding to the rising popularity of Buddhism via the Vedic scholarship of the Upanishads. This chapter focuses on the mental processes required to attain Krishna Consciousness and pitfalls to avoid in doing so. The Gita was first published in The Mahabharata. The dialogue comes from the end of this long work and has often been republished with purports. I will be telling the version with purports, so as to ascertain cultural attitudes in two different eras of Indian history: during the production of the Upanishads and the 1900s CE. These distinct periods of time represent the original myth and its dialogues respectively.
We'll discuss how the Bhagavad Gita supports metaphorical readings of Holy Texts, how my personal spiritual beliefs conflict and align with the Bhagavad Gita, and how caste systems are implemented via religious conditioning. We'll once again explore the metaphor of Sri Krishna, and thus the god concept. We'll be stripping these confusing spiritual ideas into their human elements, illuminating the ways in which organized religious dogmas reinforce certain human traits and seek to disincentivize others.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
A note on the word "oppression" within this podcast:
While editing I noticed that I reduced the meaning of the word oppression to just physical harm when speaking about religious intolerance. I did this to describe the bounds of RELIGIOUS oppression alone. The critique and even ridicule of religion is particular, in that it does not attack individual people, but rather entire systems of belief. Thus, ridicule does not hold the same oppressive characteristics as it would when used against peoples' identities. Religion is not intrinsic. Intrinsic and uncontrollable extrinsic characteristics such as: gender identity, race, class, sex, sexuality, disability, and ethnicity are readily oppressed in physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual ways. Religion itself is not.
To be clear: oppression often contains ridicule, vitriol, negligence, ignorance, and (at its most intense) physical harm when applied to a person's identity. Religion as a system is beyond a person's singular identity, thus making it incapable of receiving any oppression save the physical. You'll note that most religious oppression occurs along ethnic/racial/class lines (e.g.: pogroms against Jewish peoples in Tsarist Russia, concentration/reeducation of Uyghur peoples in Modern China, racial profiling of Muslim-Americans after 9/11, etc.). Hopefully that clears up any confusion surrounding my slightly vague use of the word in the context of religion.
Content Warning: Brief discussion of poverty, famine, orphans, and indentured servitude. Brief mention of slavery and colonization.
In this episode, I tell an archetypal myth from Haiti: "Mother of the Waters". The titular character is likely a Haitian mixture of uniquely Caribbean themes and the West African character of "Mami Wata". The story's narratology is consistent with over one hundred other myths from across the world, mostly from Africa, Europe, the Middle-East, and the indigenous peoples of the Americas. However, representative myths exist among Austroasiatic peoples, just at a less frequent rate. This particular version was originally recorded by Suzanne Comhaire-Sylvain, one of the first Haitian anthropologists. It is one of the few versions to contain deception by the Mother and disobedience displayed by the protagonist.
Based on the characterization of the protagonist, we'll discuss the class differences in perception of food, agency, and attitude. We'll also talk about the importance of compassion, selective breeding in agriculture, and the privileges retained by the ruling class.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, genocide, imperialism, and usury. Brief mention of suicide.
In this episode, I tell the Vietnamese myth: "The Fly". The tale is interested in the wealth dynamics and court-administrated justice in Chinese-dominated Vietnam. The origin of the story is completely unknown. I could find no reference to the myth online and my source had no information concerning who it was written by and when. The myth itself contains a surprising clarity concerning capitalist systems and the exploitation of the working class by the ruling class. These morals surrounding money are central to the tale and were likely used to demonstrate the dangers of choosing fortune over community.
We'll discuss the early history of the Vietnamese, the interactions they had with Imperial China, and the failure of the Trưng Sisters' rebellion. We will make sense of the lack of supernatural elements in the myth, its musings on wealth acquisition, and the failure of court systems to benefit those without capital.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, slavery, parricide, and monarchy.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Gassire's Lute". The story is supposedly the first section of an unrecorded, longer epic entitled "Dausi". The myth is attributed to the Fasa (or Soninke) people of West Africa. Our only reference for even this small section of the epic comes from a German Anthropologist named Leo Frobenius. In the modern day, oral accounts of the myths Frobenius recorded have surfaced, suggesting that he did not invent this tale, despite the lack of analogues in surrounding cultures. The story covers the first decline of Wagadou, or the Ghana Empire, of which the Fasa/Soninke ruled for longer than even the Roman empire existed.
We'll discuss the history of the Fasa/Soninke, their close relations with Islamic travelers, the failure of rulers to listen to their people, and thus the importance of avoiding self-interested rule. We will draw connections between the myths that influenced Islam and themes of parental overthrow by a son within the myth.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, war, dictatorship, and monarchy. Brief mention of SA and slavery.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Romulus and Remus", a story of origin for Ancient Rome. The tale details the strange birth of the two brothers, their subsequent upbringing, and finally their acquisition of power. Likely a pseudohistory, the story is one of our only sources for an explanation of how Roma came to be in the region that was historically known as Latium (and inhabited by Latians, or Latins). I am telling an abbreviated form of the myth which either comes from Livy or Virgil, though the reference to Aeneas at the start of the tale suggests that this is Virgil's account of Rome's origin. The story itself is older than any written account. Our earliest recording comes from Dionysius in 200 BCE, though most scholars date the origin of the oral tale to approximately 500 BCE. The myth is also closely tied to Parilia, a Roman festival celebrating the return of Spring and the founding of Rome.
We'll discuss the history of Roman monarchy, struggles with archaeological work in Rome, the representation of indigenous peoples by an external colonizer, and the implications of Romulus' rule on the subsequent history of Rome. We'll also make sense of the "true monarch" trope and its use by dictators today.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, slavery, racism, xenophobia, and famine.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Dream of Owen O'Mulready". An Irish folktale, this myth was likely written in the late-1800s, though the earliest reference I could ascertain was from an edition of The Boston College Stylus from 1908. The original reference is likely unavailable on the internet, though it is possible that the myth stems from Irish immigrants rather than Ireland itself. The story recounts the efforts of a native Irish farmer to dream. In so doing, he voyages across an ocean to take a message from his master to America.
We'll discuss the implications of dreaming as an oppressed person, the systems of "equal opportunity" that coerced many Irish to immigrate to America, and the associations between dreaming and the ruling class. We will be considering the gender equity enjoyed by the Irish, the wage slavery they endured (and its deep similarities to the American system of economy), and the dominant hegemony's obsession with the sky.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, parricide, and incest.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Theogony of Dunnu". The only surviving record of this tale is a broken stone tablet from the city of Sippar. The tablet has been dated to approximately 1900 BCE, placing its writing at a pivotal time for the region of Mesopotamia. The story represents the sole literature attributed to the small city of Dunnu, which seems to have had a relatively minor role in politics and culture, save for the production of this writing and a brief "golden age" just after the first conquering of Babylon by the Assyrians. The story itself relates a series of deities killing or marrying their own close family members in order to construct an origin for the patron gods of Dunnu.
We'll discuss the multiple colonial forces acting on Dunnu related by the myth via deity-based obfuscation, the different implications of agriculture on small city-states compared to the production of empire, the diversity of story in Mesopotamia, and the alternative reading of the tale as a fable hidden within the narratological structure of a theogony.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of colonization of indigenous peoples, slavery, disease, political strife, classism, and exile.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Opossum Steals Fire ", from the Mazatec people. The story was related by one Pablo Guerrero, and seems to have been quite popular throughout the region of Oaxaca. The story was told by multiple groups of people, even some Christianized accounts exist. The tale follows an archetypal narratological structure unique to mythology. It relates the story of how a trickster reversed the fortune of the people against all odds. The Mazatec have a complicated history, that we will be attempting to connect to this story.
We'll discuss in detail the history of the Mazatec people of Teotitlan, Cuicatlan, Tuxtepec, and Huautla. This is, as far as I know, a first in the world of podcasting, as the only collated history of the Mazatec readily available for purchase exists in a book by an anthropologist named Benjamin Feinberg. This makes discussing the history of the Sierra Mazatec region quite difficult and confusing, as no definitive history has truly been developed. However, we will use this complexity to inform our understanding of how diverse metacultural discourses are imagined into unified cultures, and how this process can damage a people. We'll also discuss the hazards of analysis without proper context and the multiplicity of readings permitted by the myth.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of classism and xenophobia. Brief discussion of death, racism, colonization, misogyny, and mental health.
In this episode, I continue telling the Bhagavad Gita with the third chapter: "Karma Yoga". The text was written in post-Vedic India, responding to the rising popularity of Buddhism via the Vedic scholarship of the Upanishads. This chapter focuses on the particular process of attaining Krishna consciousness and is considered the true beginning of Bhagavad Gita for the devotee. The Gita was first published in The Mahabharata. The dialogue comes from the end of this long work and has often been republished with purports. I will be telling the version with purports, so as to ascertain cultural attitudes in two different eras of Indian history: during the production of the Upanishads and the 1900s CE. These distinct periods of time represent the original myth and its dialogues respectively.
I also tell the history of Vedic India at the beginning of the episode, demonstrating a number of ways in which colonization and nomadism shaped Indian history. We'll discuss how the Bhagavad Gita supports metaphorical readings of Holy Texts, how my personal spiritual beliefs conflict and align with the Bhagavad Gita, and how caste systems are implemented via religious conditioning. We'll once again explore the metaphor of Sri Krishna, and thus the god concept. We'll be stripping these confusing spiritual ideas into their human elements, illuminating the ways in which organized religious dogmas reinforce certain human traits and seek to disincentivize others.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization of indigenous peoples, genocide, war, exile, and racism.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Coyote and Salmon", created by the Klamath people. The story has no referenced origin, but is accumulated from a number of different accounts. The myth is quite short and centered on the interaction between the trickster character, Coyote, and the "Skookums" damming the river, stopping the flow of salmon. The tale is directly connected with the historical reality of ecological oppression on and around the Klamath lands and later reservation. The Klamath Tribe of the modern American state of Oregon is composed of three smaller tribes: Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin. We'll explore how the relationship between the Klamath and the Modoc was exacerbated by American imperialism, settler colonialism, and the politics of rebellion. The Klamath number an estimated 6,000 people today.
We'll discuss the ecological devastation described by the story, the American government's (and its citizens') failure to manage the land of Oregon, and the uncomfortable position of "prospering" oppressed peoples such as the Klamath. I also note the importance of reading mythology with historical relevance in mind.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Lengthy discussion of misogyny and familial death. Brief discussion of colonization and stereotypes.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Beduin's Gazelle" from the Arabian peninsula. The origin of the story is completely unknown, mostly due to issues in researching the tale. Frances Temple wrote a book that has been featured in the American school system by the same name, which covers all search results. The myth can be analyzed in a multitude of ways, somewhat because of this vague origin. The people of the Arabian peninsula are known for their obscure mythology and lack of a major creation myth.
We'll explore the complicated history of pre-Islamic Arabia, comparing the different systems of nomadism, sedentary agricultural society, and trading centers to uncover the many influences that affected the people of the Arabian Peninsula. Colonization events, technological advances, and religious conversion coincide to eventually bring about the religion of Islam, the rise of the Caliphate, and the unification of the peninsula. Our recorded history from the region is mostly post-Islamic, so the sources I draw from to tell the pre-Islamic history derive from external civilizations and anachronistic references, as is so often the case with ancient history.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization of indigenous peoples and death. Brief discussion of racism, misogyny, and genocide.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Woman Chooses Death" by the Niitsitapi, or Blackfoot people. The tale originates from a number of different accounts from the early 1900s CE, including an ethnology by a dubious anthropologist. The Niitsitapi have historically lived in the modern-day regions of Alberta and Montana (the Northern Laurentian Great Plain). There is contention concerning the origin of the Niitsitapi; the most accepted narrative is that the Niitsitapi migrated from the Great Lakes Region and assimilated with previously extant tribes sometime before European expansion, though the timetable is unknown. Today, their peoples are restricted to two separate reservations: one in Canada and the other in the United States. The Niitsitapi are composed of four distinct tribes: the Siksikawa, Kainai, Northern Piikani, and Southern Piikani; estimated at about 16,500 people present today.
We'll explore how the Niitsitapi navigated the complicated political world of the Buffalo Wars, the encroachment of Euro-American colonizers, and attempts to limit the practice of their customs post-reservation. We'll also discuss how the myth convergently evolved the "humans-as-clay" metaphor found throughout a number of different creation stories, the inherently misogynistic nature of the patriarchal creator god, and how the myth conceptualizes of death.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Lengthy discussion of anti-semitism and the methodologies of colonization. Brief discussion of misogyny, anti-paganism, racism, and xenophobia. Brief mention of classism and fascism. Occasional narrated graphic violence.
In this episode, I finish my oration and critique of the myth: "Beowulf". This epic poem set in pre-Viking Denmark and Geatland comes to us from the hands of Christian scribes from the late 900s CE, though the original story is speculated to have first been written in the 700s CE. The section of the myth I tell in this episode covers more historicized battles, the death of Beowulf, and how Geatland continued after his passing.
We'll discuss what the monster of the Dragon could represent and how the formation of monsters in literature often demonizes specific ways of life, people, and cultures. We'll compare the masculinities and violent tendencies of heroes (Gilgamesh and Beowulf) to better understand our modern conceptualization of masculinity. At the beginning of the podcast, I tell my own personal experience of anti-semitism while in high school and relate it to the demonizations of Jewish people found throughout the epic of Beowulf. Please refer to episode 18 if you would like a refresher on the historical reality of pre-Christian Scandinavia.
I was not aware while recording, but the "mark of Cain" was defined racially in order to rationalize the pogroms and discrimination against Romani, Jews, or darker-skinned people in Europe as early as the 1300s CE (The reference is from a Norman Franciscan Friar Symon Semeonis). This solidifies my analysis concerning the characterization of Grendel and Grendel's mother as being monsters demonizing the presence of Jews, exiles, Romani, POC, and pagans in Europe as early as the late 900s.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of misogyny, antisemitism, anti-paganism, racism, and xenophobia. Brief mention of classism, colonization, and fascism. Occasional narrated graphic violence.
In this episode, I continue my oration of the myth: "Beowulf". This epic poem set in pre-Viking Denmark and Geatland comes to us from the hands of Christian scribes from the late 900s CE, though the original story is speculated to have first been written in the 700s CE. The section of the myth I tell in this episode covers the a historic betrayal between Kings, the fight between Grendel's mother and Beowulf, and finally Beowulf's return to Geatland and his King, Higlac.
We'll discuss what the monster of Grendel's mother could represent and how the formation of monsters in literature often demonizes specific people. We'll be deconstructing the imagery found within the battle between Beowulf and Grendel's mother to determine what fears were present in Scandinavian culture during the late 900s CE. Please refer to the previous episode (EP 18) if you would like a refresher on the historical reality of pre-Christian Scandinavia.
I was not aware while recording, but the "mark of Cain" was defined racially in order to rationalize the pogroms and discrimination against Romani, Jews, or darker-skinned people in Europe as early as the 1300s CE (The reference is from a Norman Franciscan Friar Symon Semeonis). This solidifies my analysis concerning the characterization of Grendel and Grendel's mother as being monsters demonizing the presence of Jews, exiles, Romani, POC, and pagans in Europe as early as the late 900s.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of misogyny, antisemitism, anti-paganism, and colonization. Brief mention of SA and slavery. Occasional narrated graphic violence.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Beowulf". This epic poem set in pre-Viking Denmark and Geatland comes to us from the hands of Christian scribes from the late 900s CE, though the original story is speculated to have first been written in the 700s CE. The section of the myth I tell in this episode covers the history of Danish kings, Beowulf's offering of help to King Hrothgar of the Danes, and finally Beowulf's confrontation with the monster Grendel.
We'll discuss what the monster of Grendel could represent and how the formation of monsters in literature often demonizes specific people. I believe Grendel is a demonization of multiple groups including: Romani/other nomads, Jews/other exiles, and Pagans/other religiously discriminated people. We'll also explore the historical reality of pre-Christian Scandinavia, using archaeology to make sense of an unrecorded world.
I was not aware while recording, but the "mark of Cain" was defined racially in order to rationalize the pogroms and discrimination against Romani, Jews, or darker-skinned people in Europe as early as the 1300s CE (The reference is from a Norman Franciscan Friar Symon Semeonis). This solidifies my analysis concerning the characterization of Grendel as being a monster demonizing the same people as written above.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization. Brief discussion of classism, sexism, and xenophobia.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Maiden". The tale originates from Japan and was written by an unknown author close to the year 900 CE, in the Heian Period of Japanese history. The story is considered the first instance of narrative, fictive prose; though this distinction does erase the work of numerous scholars who read texts as either metaphorical, or even purposefully fictive prior to the 900s CE. The myth is also known as the Taketori Monogatari (竹取物語) and has been adapted into numerous forms of media including: manga, anime, tv series, films, and even an opera.
I muse about some of the ways in which this podcast functions and define how to interpret spiritual concepts within a human-focused lens . I define myths, holy texts, and folk tales as literature, demonstrating how spiritual concepts act as an additional tool for the writer similar to metaphor and figurative language. Along with this sojourn in the first part of the episode, we'll discuss the aspects of classism and xenophobia present in the tale as well as how the myth responds to the changing attitudes of aristocrats and military leaders towards China's influence on Japan at the time of the writing of the Taketori Monogatari. We'll also delve into the characterizations of the Lady Kaguya and the Emperor; how their pairing reinforces the theocratic idea of divine right of rule.
(Shhhhh, this episode isn't a week late... Shhhhhhh...)
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of death. Brief discussion of sexism and suicide.
In this episode, I continue telling the Bhagavad Gita with the second chapter: "The Contents of the Gita Summarized". The text was written in Vedic India and post-Vedic India, responding to the rising popularity of Buddhism via the Vedic scholarship of the Upanishads. This is the most accessible and easily read section of the Bhagavad Gita containing a relatively concise summary of the major themes and ideas promoted by the Gita. The Gita was first published in The Mahabharata. The dialogue comes from the end of this long work and has often been republished with purports. I will be telling the version with purports, so as to ascertain cultural attitudes in two different eras of Indian history: during the production of the Vedas and the production of the Upanishads. These distinct periods of time represent the original myth and its dialogues respectively.
We'll discuss how the text supports metaphorical readings of Holy Texts, how my personal spiritual beliefs conflict and align with the Bhagavad Gita, and how death is understood by many cultures. I'll enumerate and explain the spiritual metaphors of the formal God, informal god, reincarnation, enlightenment, and void (along with others). We'll be stripping these confusing spiritual ideas into their human elements, illuminating the ways in which organized religious dogmas reinforce certain human traits and seek to disincentivize others. Sometimes this is a good thing; other times, not so.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, slavery, human trafficking, and war.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Quarrel Between Sagbata and Sogbo". The tale originates from the Fon and Aja people of modern-day Benin and Togo. However, the time when this story was first told is lost; all we know is that it was told by those in the Kingdom of Dahomey. The region of coastal West Africa was known as the Kingdom of Dahomey since 1600 CE or so, oftentimes associated with the migration of the Aja into the region from ~1100 CE (according to oral histories). The Fon and Aja have a complicated history with the topic of the Transatlantic Slave Trade that we'll explore quite deeply today. As for this story, it follows a typical disaster myth formula in its narratological structure and demonstrates a number of constructed binaries (power; gender; spiritual/physical).
We'll discuss how the Fon and Aja became complicit in Europe's trade of slaves and how they were also victimized by Europe at the same time. We'll consider the many avenues of formation that the myth could have gone through to become the recorded version that I read now. Finally, we'll break down the binaries created by the myth, demonstrating their non-dual nature, using support from the text.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization of indigenous peoples, racism, and war.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Flood" created by the Tlingit people of modern-day Southern Alaska. This story is another flood myth, but one that differs from all those I have told thus far. It is unknown from which moiety, or tribal sub-group, that our tale today comes from, nor when the myth was told or recorded. It was likely recorded by either the Americans, Russians, or British during the late 1700s and early 1800s. We'll discuss the history of the Tlingit, their subdivisions, and their long conflict with European immigrants settling in the region. I also tell the history of the Battle for Sitka, a conflict between New Russia and the Kiksadi Kwan.
We'll discuss how the Tlingit navigated the turbulent era of European contact and how this may have influenced the creation of this myth. The structure of this flood myth makes use of a number of metaphors that are found primarily in Jewish discourse surrounding the creation myth of Genesis in the Torah. Could this be an influence from European missionaries or a convergent evolution of the same metaphor? We'll explore these metaphors and their implications on all stories of floods/disasters/exiles.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Lengthy discussion of slavery, anti-black racism, exile, human trafficking, and genocide. Brief discussion of the Holocaust, colonization, and private prisons.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Riddle Tale of Freedom". This folktale originates from the African American Diaspora (Black American community) likely during the pre-emancipation era due to the presence of chattel slavery. The myth was retold in 2014 by Virginia Hamilton, finally bringing it out of extreme obscurity. The story is short, humorous, and follows the structure of a basic trickster tale of luck and cunning. The dialectic between the slaver and the slave is questioned through the structure of the myth, dismantling the concept of ownership in the process.
We'll be discussing the history of Black Americans and thinking in a Humanist way about the practice of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. I draw connections between the slave trade and other genocides, demonstrating the extreme scope of European-controlled chattel slavery. We'll also be exploring the ways in which Black people have benefited the British Colonies and later America, willingly and non-willingly. The racism from the Northern states will not be ignored. The race riots, racial caste systems, and the complicity of the founders will be displayed in all its wickedness. Do prepare for the history this episode, as it makes up a majority of today's podcast.
I want to add that I recorded this before the recent tragedy of the Buffalo Shooting. The event reinforces a lot of my feelings expressed in this podcast and shows you what the race riot of the Information Age appears as. White supremacists, Nazis, and fascists still hold a disturbing amount of power in America. Conservatives and self-proclaimed Centrists are becoming radicalized by Fox News, certain Churches, conservative talk radio, and the decentralized web of nationalists on the internet. I fear that America is becoming even more dangerous for marginalized people than it already is. We'll likely discuss this topic in more depth next month.
Keep your eye out everybody, it's a scary world out there right now.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of colonization.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Telepinu". This Hittite story named after one of their kings is structurally similar to other etiological disaster myths (e.g.: "Atrahasis", the Mixe flood myth, "Persephone", etc.). This suggests a connection between this myth and a number of stories found throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. "Telepinu" was likely written during the Hittite golden age between 1400 BCE and 1200 BCE, though the exact date and author remain unknown. The first tablet has never been recovered, casting a haze of uncertainty over the source of Telepinu's anger and his reasoning for effectively destroying the world. This haze of uncertainty does not cease with the tale, as the Hittite Empire was completely forgotten until the early 20th century. For most of modern history, the Hittites existed as a few momentary references from the Torah. Our tale today is one of the few original Hittite stories, as much of their recorded writings are transcriptions of Mesopotamian myths.
We'll discuss the connections between these civilizations, the forgotten history of Anatolia and the Hittite Empire, and the neglect that adherents of Biblical Literalism give to ancient texts that refute their worldview. We'll also consider the ways in which stories were used by monarchs to portray their rule as divinely ordained.
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization, racism, fascism, and famine.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Shee An Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire". This story is a hero's journey that follows a narratology surrounding deception as a theme and plot device. The tale was first published in 1892, though it was likely told during the era of the Irish Potato Famine (1840s) due to the prevalence of themes of starvation and violence stemming from an invader.
We'll discuss the entire history of Ireland, race in Ireland, and the complicated interactions of colonization in the hyper-colonized Kingdom of Erin. Today, I am excited to begin exploring the constructed concept of whiteness and its relation to the historically oppressed people of Europe, as this concept will be a major theme when we talk about European myths. We will also be discussing the binary of Assimilation and Liberation within the context of indigenous and neo-colonial studies.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of misogyny and death.
In this episode, I finish telling the myth: "The Epic of Gilgamesh". This story stems from a number of disparate oral myths told across the entirety of ancient Mesopotamia. The section I am reading for you today incorporates a myth we previously discussed, "Atrahasis". It was a common oral storytelling practice to mix different stories into one performance. This practice is likely the source for the presence of this earlier myth within "The Epic of Gilgamesh". The section retelling "Atrahasis" is told by the title character, representing one of the first uses of a first-person point of view in literature.
We'll discuss the emotional experience of grief found within the latter part of the myth, the characterization of friendships in Ancient Sumeria, and the misogyny present in the myth's depiction of women.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of misogyny.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Epic of Gilgamesh". This story stems from a number of disparate oral myths told across the entirety of ancient Mesopotamia. The version I am reading for you today was written just prior to the second Babylonian Golden Age (Mid-600s BCE) and represents the most complete, standardized, and coherent version of the Hero’s tale. Initial versions of the myth were a short form of competition literature that eventually was stitched into the longest work ever written in Akkadian cuneiform.
We'll discuss the use of homoeroticism in the myth, the characterization of friendships, the non-dual nature of gender politics in Sumeria, and the early narratological expression of the Hero’s Cycle (and how the Epic of Gilgamesh deviates from expected norms in structure). I also tell the later history of Babylonia and give a quick update about my current recording set-up/life changes.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief discussion of sexism/misogyny.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra". This story from Vedic India was first published in the highly important cultural work: The Mahabharata. The myth comes from the end of this long work and has often been republished with dialogues in The Bhagavad Gita. I will be telling the version with dialogues, or "purports", so as to ascertain cultural attitudes in two different eras of Indian history: during the production of the Vedas and the production of the Upanishads. These distinct periods of time represent the original myth and its dialogues respectively.
We'll discuss the use of familial themes, the characterization of Arjuna and Sri Krishna, the emphasis on tradition, and the patriarchal sexism of certain parts of the myth/dialogue. I also tell the history of the Harappan, or Indus River Valley, Civilization, which was a precursor to Vedic India, though not explicitly tied to it due to a significant time gap between the two. This will act as a primer for further Indian history in future episodes.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization and war.
In this episode, I tell a short, fable-adjacent myth from Scotland. The myth is humorous and is related to a style of myth called a "Trickster Tale". The story was first recorded by George Douglas in 1901 and was often referred to as a nursery tale. Its unclear when the myth was actually created or where it originated from in Scotland. However, the use of Christian themes places it after the Roman invasion. We'll discuss Scottish history, the affect that the colonizing influences of Rome and England had on its inhabitants, and how the Scottish assimilated into the "United Kingdom".
We'll analyze how this story comments on Christianity, how the history of the Scots affects the myth, and more throughout the episode. Furthermore, we'll discover some of the dichotomies set-up by classism and how they are translated into mythic interpretations, often in the form of animals.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of colonization of Indigenous peoples.
In this episode, I tell the flood myth of the Mixe. The Mixe people originate from the Eastern Oaxaca region of Mexico and were never completely colonized by any other culture. They still maintain a tradition of subsistence farming and the exportation of luxury coffee in order to benefit their community. However, they did interact with the Spaniards and Germans from the 1500s on. The story itself is likely a syncretic mixture of Catholic missionary teachings and the Mixe religion's beliefs; though the structure appears to follow the narratology of Genesis or even Atrahasis.
We'll analyze how this story compares to other flood myths, how the history of the Mixe affects the representations of the myth, and more throughout the episode. Furthermore, we'll discover some of the ways in which spiritual colonization is harmful in absence of physical colonization.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of war, colonization of Indigenous peoples, and the American Political Hellscape.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Dogs Hold an Election". This story was told relatively recently in 1969 at Winner, Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. John Fire Lame Deer, a storyteller of the Sičháŋǧu Oyáte, was recorded by Richard Erdoes telling this metaphorical tale of politics in which the white people who so often intruded on the Sičháŋǧu Oyáte peoples' own governance are represented as dogs in the story. The telling occurred at a volatile time in Amerindian politics and a changing time in general American politics. The Sičháŋǧu Oyáte community is one member of the larger Lakota-Sioux Nation and are still known in English as the Brulé Sioux due to the Eurocentric linguistic standards of our society.
We'll discuss these topics and more throughout the episode as well as learn about the complex history of the Sičháŋǧu Oyáte people, the afterimage politics of conflict, and the current presentationalism of the American political//entertainment system.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
In this episode, I tell a Hawaiian myth detailing a conflict between two Goddesses of the natural world: the snow and the lava. These two forces battle in a sled race that gives the story its name in some English translations: "A Strange Sled Race". The story was initially told and recorded in the early 1900s, though the structure and oral tradition surrounding it are likely much older.
Alongside the telling, we will also be discussing the etiological nature of myth, the intracultural history of Hawaii, its relationship with colonial oppressors, and how Hawaiian myths may be commenting upon some of these dynamics that were present in their lives. The Goddesses clearly represent a form of conflict, but the nature of that conflict remains unclear, like so much in myth...
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Brief mention and discussion of sexism and suicide.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Of a Mirror and a Bell". This Japanese ghost story was first written in The Kwaidan in 1903, though the reference describes the myth to be much older, from the Heian Period. We're delving deep into history today to unearth some complexities about political philosophy, sexism, and capitalism. Don't let all my analysis fool you though, this myth was made to be told and enjoyed, and it certainly is! The tale is structured in a particular way that permits the fusion of three different genres via the use of time jumps.
We'll also discuss the unique animism present in Japanese mythology which stresses the life of everyday objects. This personification of the everyday is a driving force in the myth, pushing the narrative itself along.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
Content Warning: Discussion of slavery, poverty, war, colonization (and a brief mention of SA and racism).
In this episode, I tell the myth: "Bouki Dances the Kokioko". This Haitian tale was initially told by a farmer known only as Eduoard in Carrefour Dufort circa 1975 CE. The oration was attended by a folklorist named Diane Wolkstein, who recorded the myth. The story uses humour, the narratology common amongst Trickster myths, and themes of greed to make sense of the poverty foisted onto both the island of Ayiti and the African Diaspora who make up the majority of the population there.
We'll discuss these themes throughout the episode as well as learn about the complex history of the Haitian people, colonization, and the interpersonal dynamics of intergenerational poverty.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com
In this episode, I tell one of the oldest recorded myths: Atrahasis. This Sumerian/Babylonian myth was written by Nur-Aya around 1750 BCE and stories the diplomacy between the Gods that yields the world, humans, and a massive, devastating flood. Atrahasis is based on an older myth: Eridu Genesis from approximately 2800 BCE, and is referenced by countless other myths from a wide variety of cultures (even to the modern day).
I also explain the goals of Myth: The First and Last Word and analyze the contents of Atrahasis through my particular intersectional lens.
Thank you for listening!
You can find all of my work through the following links:
https://linktr.ee/echocain
www.echocain.com