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Friday, May 25, 2007

culture halted and culture preserved

Comet over Canada killed Clovis? (ooh, alliteration): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18789488/
Rafe has already debunked it.

I don’t know why I thought the Smithsonian would be immune to political pressure, especially when you’re just down the street from the White House…: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18789206/

Six states in India ban sex-ed because it might be offensive to Indian culture. According to the article, India has the highest amount per capita of HIV. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18723555/

THIS is what I would love to do as a living: help people preserve traditional culture like this woman is doing in her village http://www.slate.com/id/2161053/fr/flyout
Pull quote: "Traditions were always meant to serve the present," she says. "We may not be fully nomadic, as we were in the past, but we still travel to visit family, or pay respects, or attend initiation ceremonies. Hunting is still hunting, even if our men use rifles and Land Cruisers. Our culture doesn't teach us to hide from new things, and in many ways modern life is easier and less violent than our old ways. But that doesn't mean the altyerre is any less important or sacred to us."
The native Australians and Maori seem to be the most successful at preserving and maintaining, just on what little I've read. It'd be fun to figure out what they're doing right and if it could be applied to U.S. (even if it's just nicer politicians).

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