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Journey to the Sacred Sea
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Classroom Activity
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Objective
To review and discuss belief systems implicit in legends of Lake
Baikal.
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copy of "Legends of Baikal" student handout (PDF
or
HTML)
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Copy and distribute the "Legends of Baikal" student handout to
each student. Among Baikal's most dramatic features are the wild
storms that suddenly engulf the lake. One story, cited by a
turn-of-the-century traveler, records a conversation between a
soldier and a Buryat about the reasons for the turbulent waters
of the lake.
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Have students discuss the belief systems implicit in these
stories. How do these writings and stories try to explain some
of the lake's anomalies, and how do their ideas differ from
those offered by scientists in the film?
Although student answers will vary depending on individual
interpretations of the legends, they should find some of the
following beliefs implicit in the stories. Story 1 suggests a
polytheistic belief system, with stronger and weaker gods and
spirits. From this story, a reader can infer that the people in the
story believed the gods could change natural phenomena and the
weather. Story 2 describes witches, spirits, and gods who possess
masculine and feminine traits. Spirits can change from one life form
to another. Implicit in this story is the idea that people were
created by natural forces. Story 3 also implies that spirits can
change their life forms. In this story, humans and gods seem able to
outwit each other.
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