2017-19 Class Presentation (a series of classes) for a University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain 4th year undergraduate course: CULTURAL ASPECTS OF ENGLISH_SPEAKING COUNTRIES by Prof. Anuradha Mitra Ghemawat UB Dept. of Language & Literature

1. Culture & Storytelling
Anuradha Mitra Ghemawat
UB 2018-19
DAY5-6: 25 February -- 01 March 2019

2. Storytelling
* certain aspects*
— Curiosity
— Close listening
— Realization of commonality amongst cultures
— Same stories told with slight differences across
certain cultures

3. Storytelling
— Celebration of cultural diversity
— Leads to support of language learning
— Mutual understanding of cultures is fostered
— Leads to self-esteem

4. LEGENDS, MYTHS,
FOLKTALES & FABLES
— Legend: semi-true story, based on historical fact
— Myth: based on legend conveys a symbolic meaning
— Folktale: traditional tale passed by word-of-mouth
from parent to child
— Fable: short stories illustrating a moral (usually for
children)

5. FOLKTALES & MYTHS
— Universal themes
— Specific features that can illuminate and alter our
perception and empathy of other cultures, often through
metaphor.
— Entertainment/ bed-time stories
— Customs, values, attitudes & philosophies of a culture
— http://myths.e2bn.org/mythmap/
— URBAN LEGENDS: The Hitchhiker, England
— http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/story13483-
the-hitchhiker.html

6. INDIAN Folktales
— Panchatantra tales
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtND9ya4nIo
Pancha: the number ‘five’ (Sanskrit)
Tantra: refers to codes of conduct
— http://www.talesofpanchatantra.com/short-stories-for-kids
— The Cobra and the Crows
http://www.talesofpanchatantra.com/the-cobra-and-the-crows
The Tricky Merchant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF5SGt3wsSk

7. AFRICAN Folktales
— Tanzania: How Anansi* (the spider) came to
Americahttp://anansistories.com/Anansi_Came_to_America.ht
ml
— Anansi and the Turtle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkZ_4T2mPqo
http://mocomi.com/indian-folk-tales-anansi-and-the-turtle/
— AritsFables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkZ_4T2mPqo
— Kenya folktales
— http://www.johntyman.com/africa/folk/
* [Jamaica: Anansi tales]

8. GREEK: Aesop’s Fables
— Aesop (Greek) lived from 620-560 B.C. He
was a slave.
— http://www.taleswithmorals.com
— Most characters are animals who take on
human characteristics.
— Animals are personified in speech and
emotions.
— Tortoises are slow;
— hares are swift;
— tigers are fierce.
— Each tale has an accompanying moral to be
‘learned’ from the tale.

9. NATIVE AMERICAN
Myths & Folktales
— The Orphan Boy and the Elk Doghttp://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-
Legends/TheOrphanBoyAndTheElkDog-Blackfoot.html
— Native American Mythshttp://www.livingmyths.com/Nativesum.htm
— The Voice, the Flood and the Turtle
http://www.livingmyths.com/Nativesum.htm
— The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. dePaola, Tomie
— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKS5ofhyspk
— https://www.bestbeginningsalaska.org/wp-content/uploads/il_indianpaintbrush.pdf
— How the Earth was Made. YouTube
(06Apr2010)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44ZenHI6HQM

10. NEW ZEALAND
Creation Myths
— The Maori pantheon
— Mauri: Life force
— Wairua: Spirit in people
— Mana: Spiritual power
— The Legend of Mataora & Niwareka (2011).
— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KO_Eiop4hU
Maori Sovereignty flag

11. AUSTRALIAN Folktales
— Why Koala has a Stumpy Tail
https://storycove.com/index.php/
why-koala-has-a-stumpy-tail-
summary
How the Birds got their Colours
http://jadurruindigenousart.com.
au/how-the-birds-got-their-
colours/

12. HW5 (Optional) due 03
March 2019
1. Read the Australian Folk Tale: How the Birds got their
Colours
2. Complete the Worksheet: A Dreamtime Story
3. Compare and Contrast: West African and Australian
folktales Anansi and the Turtle and How the Birds got
their Colours.
Last Name, First Name HW5: Dreamtime Story & West
African-Australian stories

13. CW due 01 Mar 2019
LISTENING exercise: Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of
a single story
— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg (first
12 min)
— Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she
found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we
hear only a single story about another person or country, we
risk a critical misunderstanding.
— Complete this written CW (in class) and upload it to the
course HW blog.
— Last Name, First Name HW5: Listening: Adichie’s Single
Story

14. ‘One Day at a Time’
— TV Series (US): Season 2, Episode 1
— www.netflix.com
— https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80095532&jbp
=1&jbr=3
What are the miscellaneous cultural aspect that are
specifically being discussed in this episode?

15. References
1. Storytelling to celebrate cultural diversityhttps://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/storytelling-
celebrate-cultural-diversity
2. Auld, Michael (2007). http://anansistories.com/Anansi_Came_to_America.html
3. Anasi Stories http://anansistories.com/
4. AritsFables (01Oct2011). Anansi & the Turtle. YouTube (2011).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkZ_4T2mPqo
5. The Maori Pantheon
http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/eng_maori_pantheon.htm
6. Creation Myths http://www.mythome.org/creatnza.html
7. YouTube ( 06March2014). The Tricky Merchant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF5SGt3wsSk
8. Netflix TV series (2018). One Day at a Time – ‘The Turn’. www.netfix.com

16. Bibliography
1. Storytelling response tasks (teaching English)
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/storytelling-response-tasks
2. Scared Texts (storytelling resource) http://www.sacred-texts.com
3. http://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/publications/yl/1101/110104.
html
4. E2BN, East of England Broadband Network Company (2006). Myths,
Legends and Folktales http://myths.e2bn.org/teachers/info311-what-
are-myths-legends-and-folktales.html
5. Legends of the world http://www.worldbook.com.au/myths-legends
6. Maori Legends and Myths http://history-nz.org/maori9.html