culture hero

culture hero

A person, either real or mythical, who embodies or is seen as the foundation of the cultural values or achievements of a society, group of people, or period of time. Karl Marx became both a villain to those opposed to Communist ideology and a culture hero for those who embraced the ideals of Socialism. Mythical figures such as Cúchulainn and historical figures like Brian Boru have long been held as culture heroes in Ireland.
See also: culture, hero
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • hero
  • God's gift
  • God's gift to
  • God's gift to (something)
  • God's gift to something
  • tooth fairy
  • rise from the ashes
  • Faustian bargain
  • speak the same language
  • speak/talk the same/a different language
References in periodicals archive
Ancient Chinese 25 11.4% 106 21.5% Foreign 9 4.1% 105 21.3% Chinese revolutionary 23 10.5% 7 1.4% Other 163 74.0% 274 55.8% Total 220 100% 492 100% Table 2: "Culture Hero" Distribution 1990s 2000s Culture hero Freq.
To the Montagnias, Tcikapis is a culture hero who has a great concern for mankind (Fisher 1946:230).
He was, in fact, the first American 'culture hero.' Few, if any fans even realized that their lofty ideal man was not only a homosexual but a kept man, the live-in lover of the famed artist who thrust himself into such an exalted status."
Ho observes that African American teenagers have been attracted to Asian martial arts since the appearance of Bruce Lee, an Asian culture hero, in 1973.
Sahlins is a sensitive reader of myth, especially regarding the Attic culture hero, Theseus, and succession of power by daughters' husbands.
An Iroquoian culture hero, he converted to the cause of Deganawida, another culture hero who had taken on as his mission no less than the cessation of feuding among Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, and others.
118), where he has remained as a wonderfully puzzling, paradoxical culture hero every since.
He produced, not only a show but a pseudoreality." One would be interested in Buhle's analysis of the Mel Brooks movie, musical and cultural phenomenon that is named for and ambivalently celebrates this Jewish culture hero.
Wenger describes how Jews tried literally to "sculpt" a Jewish-American culture hero in Haym Salomon, the financier who probably helped raise money for George Washington.
The Blondie singer said: "Logically speaking, I should probably choose the New York Fire Department or Mayor Rudi Giuliani but I think I would rather stick with a culture hero."
Evidence of widely shared cultural traditions is provided by two papers relating to Sawerigading, the great culture hero of Luwu', variants of whose story are found all over Sulawesi.
Russell sees Henry as a "more interesting if also far more perplexing figure than the uncomplicated culture hero of the mythmakers" (3).
At least in America, the age of the novelist as culture hero has largely passed.
Anishinaabeg legend tells how Nanaboozhoo, our culture hero, was introduced to rice:
Transmeta employs some of the most well-respected and colorful characters in the IT industry - including geek culture hero, Linus Torvalds.