ABSTRACT
There are many ways of exploring the phenomenon of mythology. This chapter aspires to emphasize its innate quality of dynamics. Contrary to the view that mythologies represent "cultural stasis" (frozen symbols), it can be argued that they are better conceptualized as a system of multi-level and multi-directional dynamic processes. Mythology first emerged to explain the "reality in action"—the world coming into being: how it was created, how stars dance around the sky, how the tribe was born, and what its first heroes achieved, so the future community could understand its roots, learn wisdom, survive, and strive. Individual symbols were also sharpened through interactions, sometimes conflictual, with other symbols: for example, the tales of gods dividing their spheres of influence reflect how different realms of nature correlate. The ideological signification of political process by means of traditional myths may lead to the reinforcement of a dominant regime. In the era of globalization, cultural fusion occurs between/among multiple mythological traditions.
