Historical History

I am reading "Aku-Aku: the Secret of Easter Island" (1958,Thor Heyerdahl) The book describes the 1955-56 archaeological expedition of Easter Island.

I understand that a lot has changed in the world in the last 60 years, but I'm still having a lot of trouble controlling my disdain and annoyance at the "us white and smart; they native and dumb". The level of condescension for native spiritual beliefs as dumb childish superstitions while upholding the resident priest with his spiritual superstitions as rational and somehow more intelligent is nauseating.

Also the shock the is expressed that the natives retain the knowledge about the great statues and myths is beyond arrogant. I'm also super angry about the way they "stole" lots of family heirloom items from the natives and justify their "looting" as science.

I keep having to remind myself that the book is OLD - historical in and of itself; written by a man born in 1914 - 3 years before women here in Ontario got the right to vote.

Happy all the holidays I missed.

Sometimes I go about pitying myself, and all the time I am being carried on great winds across the sky.

~ Chippewa saying, translated by Robert Bly

Hello again.
I've been gone awhile.
I've put the above saying here as a reminder to myself and anyone who wants to hear the message.
No matter how badly we think we have it, there is always someone in a worse spot. Conversely, no matter how good we think we are there is someone, somewhere, who is better.
But mostly everything is awesome.