Trickster Jumps Sides (Re-Issued for Tricky Times)

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Apr 2, 2025

Dive into the world of Tricksters, those mythic troublemakers like Loki and Coyote, who challenge societal norms and spur change. Discover how they balance chaos with renewal, often finding themselves on the margins in modern culture. The discussion spans from transformative rituals in the Hopi community to the cultural disruptions seen in hip-hop. Delve into the necessity of honoring these disruptors, as they can lead to either inspiring change or darker consequences when overlooked. This exploration reveals the Trickster's vital role in our shared narratives.

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ANECDOTE

Hopi Ritual

Josh Schrei visited the Hopi Nation and witnessed sacred dances and celebrations.
He was warned about runners, whippers, and clowns who were part of the ceremony and known to disrupt the normal order.

insights

INSIGHT

Sacred Clowns

Clowns in Hopi rituals disrupt sacred ceremonies, highlighting the importance of chaos in tradition.
This contrasts with Western traditions where clowns typically appear in expected contexts like parties or circuses.

insights

INSIGHT

Global Tricksters

Tricksters, like Coyote and Loki, appear in mythologies worldwide.
They disrupt order, challenge norms, and often act inappropriately, even in sacred contexts.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Trickster's Role in Cultural Disruption

02:47 • 5min

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Nourishing Reciprocity and Community Support

07:34 • 3min

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Embracing Chaos: Rituals and Reflections in the Hopi Community

10:20 • 4min

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The Trickster Archetype Across Cultures

14:36 • 22min

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The Trickster's Role in Cultural Disruption

36:45 • 11min

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Cultural Disruption and the Trickster Archetype

47:57 • 27min

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Tricksters and culture disruptors populate global mythology. From Loki to Coyote to Èṣù and Hermes, they bend rules, cross boundaries, commit deliberate and unintentional offenses and generally mess with established orders. Yet they are often seen as indispensable to these orders — they are renewers and cultural innovators and often pave the way for great change. So in many cultures, Tricksters, despite their shenanigans, are seen as sacred. In modern society, we have no such ritualization of cultural disruption. Trickster is relegated to the margins. So when Trickster comes along these days, he tends to upend everything. Sometimes, we welcome that change — it’s a wonderful thing when Trickster shows up and topples the gods that we want toppled. It’s a lot more disconcerting when it’s our gods being toppled. And ultimately… Trickster isn’t on our side. He’s the mythic embodiment of the other side. From ritualized mockery in Ancient Greece to the Merry Pranksters to Ol’ Dirty Bastard to the Capitol riot, this episode explores how a society acts in relation to its own dirt…and how, when Trickster is not honored by keeping a society fed and renewed, he shows up in darker ways. Warning: This episode contains explicit subject matter — because that’s how Trickster rolls.

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