Women on a Quest: The Hawaiian Saga of Pele the Volcano Goddess and Hiiaka
The saga of Pele’s youngest sister Hiiaka is a heroic quest across the Hawaiian archipelago. It conveys a perspective of women throughout Hawaiian culture.
Why Werewolves Eat People: Cannibalism in the Werewolf Narrative
The one constant throughout visual and literary representations of the werewolf is the willing – or unwilling – consumption of human flesh. This trope is drawn directly from the ancient origin of the werewolf myth.
A Thousand Years Before Tolkien: The Original Evil Magic Ring
An evil magic ring, associated with dwarf and dragon – what a great idea Tolkien had for his books! But he actually borrowed it from ancient Viking legends…
Top 5 Mothers in Brazilian Folklore, Mythology and Beliefs
Mother goddesses are present in all kinds of mythology around the world. They all bring the archetypical mother qualities: giving birth, nurturing, taking care, and teaching their offspring, for example. In Brazil, we have the influence of three big –- and totally different –- cultures that shaped customs and beliefs we have today.
From Thor to Twitter: Flyting and the Norse Tradition of Insulting Your Enemies
One of the main tactics the Norse gods employed in their struggles, aside from outright trickery and brute force, was trading verbal insults.