Saturday, June 10, 2017
Insiders and Outsiders
From the Wheel of Change Tarot, the Nine of Wands; from the Oracle of Dreamtime, Platypus:
The Nine of Wands shows a group of Aboriginal didgeridoos and a carved petroglyph. I can't think of a better illustration for being alert and ready to defend than an indigenous people who have been overrun by outsiders. Take away a person's culture and land, and you rob them of their spirit. All over the world today, people are appropriating native culture for their own purpose (usually to line their pockets) without a thought as to how it might dishonor or hurt those from whom it was taken. The story of Platypus tells of the three tribes of animals - the mammals, the birds and water creatures - that asked platypus to join their tribe. Platypus told each of them he recognized a part of himself in each tribe, but decided not to join one of the groups but all of them. The wisdom this story imparts is that of diplomacy, tolerance and unity. It's message is important today as the media constantly reminds us of "the threat of terror" and attempts to convince us we have a terrorist living next door. A conspiracy is knowledge with large gaps of missing information that is filled in with fear and opinionated beliefs. While there is a need to be watchful and cautious, we could stamp out paranoia by getting to know our neighbors (locally and globally); we might discover we have more in common than we thought.
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We have an innate form of arrogance wich tell us we know better and yes we are better then every other ethnicity out there. The only way to get rid of this silly notion is to teach our children by example that we are all connected because we are all just poepele
ReplyDeleteAnd so much beneficial knowledge has come from the native people who generously shared it!
Deletewhat I noticed first was the three groups of wands, like cliques. The Platypus answers that well.
ReplyDeleteTerror management studies have shown when people fear for their safety, they become group joiners, resulting in nationalism, relgious or political zealotry, etc.
DeleteJust been watching a programme on Brexit/divided Britain with the artist Grayson Perry. He asked leave and remain voters to share their tattoos and interestingly there was a lot of cultural appropriation among the leavers. He also asked both sides to share photos of what they love about the country and the images where remarkably similar. Like you say more in common than we thought.
ReplyDeleteWow, that was a sharp way to point out how much the opposing sides had in common!
DeleteI love Grayson Perry a great artist and really astute guy.
DeleteTake away our histories and we become lost. That emptiness has to be filled with something and the propaganda machine fills us with fear, chaos, and despair. Turn it off...
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister.
DeleteAs a past yoga teacher, cultural appropriation is one I struggle with. In that instance, the Indians themselves were almost missionary in their zeal to spread the word. So, how much is it unfair appropriation when it has become a part of so many people's lives?
ReplyDeleteAnd in some ways, isn't that also Platypus' message: recognise yourself in different cultures and ways. Certainly, by creating greater understanding and commonality, we create global communities.
And yes, I wish they'd just turn off the terror propaganda: so harmful to those who fear, as well as those who are feared!
I think there is a big difference between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange. In the first, something is taken selfishly with an intention to use it to benefit primarily oneself. In an exchange, it is freely given, AND it comes with education about its purpose, meaning and how it is supposed to be respectfully used. For instance, I think the better yoga schools don't just teach the poses/asanas, but also the philosophy that surrounds them (from the Yoga Sutras).
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