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A '''culture hero''' is a [[mythological]] [[hero]] specific to some group ([[Culture|cultural]], [[Ethnic group|ethnic]], [[Religion|religious]], etc.) who changes the world through [[invention]] or [[Discovery (observation)|discovery]]. Although many culture heroes help with the creation of the world, most culture heroes are important because of their effect on the world after creation. A typical culture hero might be credited as the [[Theft of fire|discoverer of fire]], [[agriculture]], [[Folk music|songs]], [[tradition]], [[law]], or [[Religious founder|religion]], and is usually the most important legendary figure of a people, sometimes as the founder of its ruling [[dynasty]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Scott|first=William Henry|date=1964|title=The Legend of Biag, an Igorot Culture Hero|journal=Asian Folklore Studies|volume=23|issue=1|pages=93–110|doi=10.2307/1177639|issn=0385-2342|jstor=1177639}}</ref>
== Culture heroes in mythology ==
See also:▼
=== History of a culture hero ===
The term "culture hero" was originated by historian [[Kurt Breysig]], who used the German word ''heilbringer,'' which translates to ''savior''. Over the years, "culture hero" has been interpreted in many ways. Older interpretations by Breysig, [[Paul Ehrenreich]], and [[Wilhelm Schmidt (linguist)|Wilhelm Schmidt]] thought that the journeys of culture heroes were ways in which humans could attempt to understand things in nature, such as the rising and setting of the sun, or the movement of the stars and constellations. Eventually, their interpretations were rejected and replaced with newer interpretations by scholars such as [[Hermann Baumann (social anthropologist)|Hermann Baumann]], [[Adolf Ellegard Jensen|Adolf E. Jensen]], [[Mircea Eliade]], Otto Zerries, [[Raffaele Pettazzoni]], and Harry Tegnaeus, which evolved as a result of having more access to ethnological data, creating the present version of the culture hero.<ref name=":0" />
=== Creation of a culture hero ===
Culture heroes can perform unbelievable tasks in life because they are different from normal people. Typically, a culture hero's power originates from birth, an event that rarely occurs regularly. When their mothers conceive, it is generally not by her husband but by the wind, or a drop of water. Newborn culture heroes are either very powerful babies or full-grown men, an attribute highlighting their exceptional nature.<ref name=":0" />
=== Characteristics of a culture hero ===
A culture hero generally goes on an adventure (often called the [[hero's journey]]) that does one of the following:
* Saves humankind from a dangerous monster
* Shapes the world (rivers, mountains, etc...)
* Creates distinction between humans and animals
* Makes economic life possible for humans (teaching the humans)
* Sets the origin of death
Because culture heroes often possess [[shapeshifting]] abilities, they often can transform from man to animal and back. The typical culture hero possesses both admirable and deplorable personal qualities, a combination that is often responsible for sending him on his great journey. Some culture heroes are [[trickster]]s, acting selfishly and ultimately benefiting mankind only unintentionally.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/|title=Encyclopedia.com {{!}} Free Online Encyclopedia|website=www.encyclopedia.com|access-date=2019-05-05}}</ref>
=== Disappearance of a culture hero ===
Once culture heroes have finished their task, they usually disappear. In many stories, the hero is transformed back to his origin, and his death place is marked with a stone, tree, or body of water. The end of a culture hero's life will generally lead to the creation of something else, such as a river, constellation, food, animals, and the moon and sun. Culture heroes are the [[Etiology|etiological]] explanation for many humans about the things occurring in their daily lives.<ref name=":1" />
=== Examples ===
{{main|List of culture heroes}}
In many [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] mythologies and beliefs, the [[coyote]] spirit stole fire from the gods (or stars or sun) and is more of a [[trickster]] than a culture hero. Natives from the Southeastern United States typically saw a [[rabbit]] trickster/culture hero, and [[Haida mythology|Pacific Northwest native stories]] often feature a [[raven]] in this role: in some stories, Raven steals fire from his uncle Beaver and eventually gives it to humans. In Greek mythology [[Prometheus]] has a similar role. The [[Western Africa]]n trickster spider [[Anansi]] is also common. In Norse mythology, [[Odin]] steals the [[mead of poetry]] from [[Jötunheim]] and is credited as the discoverer of the [[runes]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Long|first=Jerome H.|editor=Lindsay Jones |display-editors=etal|title=Culture Heroes|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Religion|publisher=Macmillan Reference USA: Thomas Gale|year=2005|volume=3|edition=second}}</ref>
* [[Folk hero]]
* [[Founding myth]]
* [[List of culture heroes]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Culture]]
[[Category:Heroes in mythology and legend]]
[[Category:Literary motifs]]
[[Category:Mythological archetypes]]
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