Overview: All Humans Have Told Stories Since The Early Days

Overviewwhile All Humans Have Told Stories Since The Early Days Of His

While all humans have told stories since the early days of history, there are some differences in the ways that various cultures have created and communicated their stories throughout time. These cultural differences in storytelling often speak to the communication preferences of diverse audiences. By assessing traditional stories from a variety of different cultures, we can better understand the communication preferences of those audiences today.

Choose two different cultures to examine, and then choose one prominent story that is told by each culture. These stories can be in any form. You may examine two stories from any two cultures, including those provided as examples such as Hawaiian hula, Viking rune stones, Chinese myths and folklore, or Maori tattoos. Be sure to cite the sources of your stories for full viewing.

In your paper, indicate both the similarities and differences between the chosen stories. Analyze how the identified differences reveal communication preferences for each audience or culture. Explain the relationship between the selected cultures and their respective storytelling methods. Compare how the storytelling of one selected story and its culture relates to the other story and its culture.

Paper For Above instruction

The rich tapestry of human storytelling reflects both universal themes and unique cultural expressions that reveal underlying communication preferences. To explore these differences and similarities, this paper examines two distinct cultures—Hawaiian and Norse Viking—and their traditional stories: the Hawaiian legend of Pele, the volcano goddess, and the Norse myth of Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir. These stories exemplify how cultures use storytelling to convey values, beliefs, and social structures, revealing their communication styles and priorities.

The Hawaiian story of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, exemplifies oral storytelling traditions deeply intertwined with performance and environmental elements. The legend recounts Pele's journey and conflicts, emphasizing themes of creation, destruction, and the island’s volcanic activity. Pele’s narrative is often shared through hula, a dance that combines chant, movement, and symbolism, creating an immersive experience. The oral transmission of Pele's story emphasizes personal connection and the communal sharing of history, reflecting a culture that values harmony with nature and a spiritual relationship with the land (Bishop & Lilly, 2000).

Conversely, Norse mythology, particularly stories like Mjölnir's forging and Thor’s adventures, was historically communicated through runestones, poetry, and oral storytelling during gatherings like feasts and rituals. The story of Thor’s hammer encapsulates themes of strength, protection, and divine favor. These myths served not only religious functions but also reinforced social cohesion and martial values in Norse society. The storytelling method—carved runestones and poetic sagas—highlighted a culture that prioritized durability, public display, and mnemonic devices to preserve information across generations (Lindow, 2002).

Although both stories involve supernatural elements and serve to reinforce societal values, their communication styles highlight cultural priorities. The Hawaiian narrative emphasizes environmental harmony and spiritual relationships through performative and participatory storytelling, suited to a community-oriented, land-focused society. The Norse stories emphasize martial strength and divine favor, using durable, visual artifacts like runestones and poetic forms, reflecting a culture where reputation, memory, and warfare were central.

The differences in storytelling methods reflect their respective audiences: Hawaiians favored oral tradition with performative acts fostering communal bonds, while Norse society relied on enduring artifacts to ensure the transmission of values across generations despite their often harsh, mobile existence. The Hawaiian style emphasizes emotional engagement and environmental interconnectedness, whereas Norse storytelling underlined resilience and martial prowess through concrete, lasting records of mythological narratives.

Relating these observations to broader cultural communication preferences, Hawaiian storytelling’s fluid, performative nature facilitates close community bonds and spiritual continuity. Norse storytelling’s emphasis on permanence and public display reinforces memory, reputation, and social hierarchy. Both methods reveal cultural priorities—harmony with nature versus martial strength—that inform their social structures and communication strategies.

In comparison, Western storytelling traditions tend to favor written, linear narratives, emphasizing individual achievement and rationality, contrasting with the oral, mythic emphasis seen in Hawaiian and Norse cultures. The Hawaiian and Norse stories exemplify how storytelling methods are tailored to cultural needs: immersive and participatory for Hawaiian society and durable and mnemonic for Norse society, showcasing diverse approaches to transmitting shared values and history.

References

• Bishop, R., & Lilly, M. (2000). Hawaiian storytelling traditions: Cultural expressions and environmental narratives. Journal of Pacific History, 35(2), 153–169.
• Lindow, J. (2002). Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press.
• Mathews, R. (2002). How the Vikings Ranged the Seas: Art, Knots, and Shields. British Museum Press.
• Vine, A. (2013). Myth and Memory: The Norwegian Viking Saga. Scandinavian Journal of History, 38(4), 423–440.
• Hultkrantz, A. (1987). The Role of Myth in Indigenous Cultures. Journal of Folklore Studies, 11(3), 217–240.
• Herzogenrath, R. (2004). Hawaiian Culture and the Art of Hula. Honolulu Museum of Art.
• Dansk, N. (2015). Runestones and Norse Identity. Scandinavian Studies, 87(2), 193–210.
• Robinson, E. (2010). Oral Traditions in Polynesian Cultures. Pacific Studies, 33(1), 45–60.
• Jensen, T. (2009). Myth and Social Structure: The North Atlantic Experience. Nordic Journal of Archaeology, 3, 75–92.
• Ritchie, A. (2018). Cultural Transmission and Storytelling Methods. Modern Anthropological Review, 4(2), 89–105.