Comparing mythologies /

"In Comparing Mythologies [Highway] addresses a theme that is central to much of his work: the ways that Canadian culture today is shaped by the mixture of Aboriginal and Western Mythologies. Like many Native writers, Mr. Highway is fascinated by the resilience and vitality of North American Aboriginal cultures, many of which are grounded in a matriarchal tradition. What interests him is not merely the differences between these cultures, but the ways that inherited beliefs enable Native communities to cope with the cultural and social challenges facing them today. Tomson Highway explores these themes with poetic eloquence." - Provided by Publisher

"Comparing Mythologies by Cree playwright and novelist Tomson Highway is the publication of his Charles R. Bronfman Lecture in Canadian Studies at University of Ottawa given in 2002. In this brief pamphlet Highway brings his extensive knowledge of Euro-Western and Cree mythologies into an analysis of Canada's mythology. By drawing on Christian, Greek, and Cree myths and narratives, Highway explores the basic principles of each and compares them. From the Christian with one male God and the Greek with many gods, he explores these concepts with the Aboriginal (Cree) deity figure which is female. It is Highway's belief that the Canadian mythology or narrative is based on a combination of each of these founding myths. The lecture is introduced by John Moss who provides a brief background to Tomson Highway's artistic career." - Provided by GoodMinds.com