anthropology with no apology

[Andre Cramblit]

hey all discussion group means we can discuss things that come up as  
an extension of our language and technology focus ( in my own  
sometimes humble opinion)

On Apr 30, 2006, at 12:57 PM, Jan Tucker wrote:

Richard, thanks for your story, I'd like to share it with my applied  
anthropology class and race and ethnic relations class ....with your  
permission of course. More of your perspective needs to be heard and  
this story is a great way to share your perspective. I agree with  
you, and I can certainly talk to some of your points, however since  
this is a language and technology discussion group, I'm respectfully  
not going to. Let me however apologize for those who aren't willing  
to even have dialogue and share this quote by John Kenneth Galbraith  
Oct 15 1908-Apr 29th 2006. "The modern conservative is engaged in one  
of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy;
that is, the search for a superior moral justification for  
selfishness." and "People of privilege will always risk their  
complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their  
advantage."

Jan Tucker

-----Original Message-----
From: Indigenous Languages and Technology  
[mailto:ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU]On Behalf Of Richard Smith
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 3:26 PM
To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: [ILAT] anthropology with no apology




Kweh omateru,
(greetings friends.)
thanks for all these resources
this is a language egroup with very great leads and info!
but culture and language are really inseperatable so anthropology  
will wade in
and sometimes set its OWN standards. As tribal members we need to be  
careful.
Sometimes all this “professional intelligence” creates its own  
language, laws and bi-laws.

Years ago visiting Chaco Canyon one weekend I was curious about the  
pottery found in the area.The
  resource person I asked stated no one was certain if pottery was  
actually made in the canyon .
Later that day, I scooped out a handful of clay out of a park rangers  
muddy tire track,
sat on a boulder and made a pot...since its what I do anyway.Camping  
that evening I burnished it with
a socket from my socket wrench set,and by morning it was dry ...hey,  
great clay!
I went to the visitors center and looked for someone to talk to.
I set it on the desk ...and for the next hour I was interogated with  
suspicion and rudeness.
I had hoped to converse with an archaeologist, but he would not even  
show his face.
He only would send instructions to the desk as to what to do with  
this “situation”.
Finally, I was told I would NOT be prosecuted if I returned to the  
place where I picked out the mud
and place the little pot where it could erode back into the soil.
I am a very patient person,even my wife will tell you! But I was  
burning up.
So...i realized something that day
Anthropology/Archeaology can create a culture of its own.
It can set itself up to be only correct view to observe and learn and  
to even to teach.
even set up its own ”police force” to deal with nonconformists

I’m not against anthropology(some of my best friends are  
anthropologists! seriously!)
But as a science it tends to set up its own grids from which to pass  
OUR cultures through.
Anthropology itself, as an alien science needs to be  
studied...evaluated...by native peoples
“what makes an anthropologist” might make a good study ..turn the  
tables a little.
what makes outsiders come study us?
NOW, that would make an interesting thesis!

Oh ,I know,no need to remind me,
I know why Chaco Canyon must be strict,its obvious,because of all the  
tourists coming through.
”if everyone came and took a piece of mud out of the tire track...”   
yeah...yeah...

this is not meant to stir up arguments or justifications,
paint one people good and another bad
no , I just want to share a little
from experiance and cautions gained
richard




















I want to share something that happened to me that makes me worry  
sometimes












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