Indigenous Rights

The Forest People Programme (FPP) advocates an alternative vision of how forests should be managed and controlled, based on respect for the rights of the peoples who know them best. They work with communities to secure their rights, build up their own organisations and negotiate with governments and companies as to how economic development and conservation is best achieved on their lands.http://www.forestpeoples.org/ Forest policies commonly treat forests as empty lands controlled by the State and available for 'development' - colonisation, logging, plantations, dams, mines, oil wells, gas pipelines and agribusiness. These encroachments often force forest peoples out of their forest homes. Some conservation schemes to establish wilderness reserves also deny forest-dwellers' rights. Cut off from their ancestral territories, forest peoples face poverty, the erosion of their customary institutions, loss of identity and cultural collapse similar to the first people of Kalahari, Botswana also known as the Bushmen. They were forced out of their ancestral land by the government to settle in camps where they are exposed to AIDS, drugs, violence etc. and are dying. When they try to hunt or gather food they are tortured and/or arrested.
http://www.iwant2gohome.org/ for more info

The judges ruled that our forced relocation from our beloved land was unlawful, and that we have the right to go back and hunt there as we have always done. However, despite the judgment, the government won't let us hunt and is stopping us using the water borehole on our land. It has also refused to help us with transport home. Because of this, most of us have not yet been able to return.
It seems that the indeginous people of the Kalahari have no power or are too small to fight for what they want because the government has the power to do as they please.


　
　
　
　
　

Green green power

Green green water is about power of the hydroelectric dam in Northern Manitoba. The power to destroy an indigenous culture and its people who refuse to be powerless in their struggle to survive , the power of money and power of activism.
In the 1970's Manitoba Hydro, a Canadian government-owned utility company signed a treaty, the Northern Flood Agreement, with the Aboriginal peoples of northern Manitoba to build hydroelectric dams that would change the lives of the Cree forever. Billions of Canadian tax dollars went into creating this series of dams. Since that time, thousands of acres of pristine wilderness have been flattened by rushing water; an Aboriginal economy which relies on hunting and fishing has been all but destroyed; and the many Cree residents claim that Manitoba Hydro is not living up to their end of the Northern Flood Agreement.

According to http://www.greengreenwater.com/ states that Green Green Water exposes the important story of displacement, resistance and insidious public relations that lie beyond the energy grid."

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki museum

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki museum in South Florida is a tribute to the original Floridians - The Seminole Indians. Their culture, artifacts and history are proudly showcased in this beautiful museum in South Florida.
Oral History Program preserves Seminole history, memory, and culture through recording the spoken word. Additionally, the program utilizes the best practices available to the field. The program is currently in the process of digitizing and indexing the existing oral history interviews and conducting new interviews.
The Oral History Collection also houses material related to preserving the Seminole’s two languages, Miccosukee and Creek. The program preserves language through the use of a linguist, conducting interviews in the native language, and translating existing interviews into English.
The conservation program mission is to preserve the artifacts of the Seminole Culture through examination, documentation, treatment and preventative conservation.
Conservation treatments are decided upon through careful consideration and documentation of the physical nature of the object as well as taking into account the object’s place within Seminole culture. Most materials will eventually return to dust, it is the job of the conservator to slow down this process and preserve the original material of an artifact as it exists today. The conservation activities are integrated into the workings of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki museum as a whole, including environmental monitoring, collections care, acquisitions, exhibitions, and education.


http://www.ahtahthiki.com/

Commnunication/ Tattoo and Piercing

Tattooing and body piercing have been customary for thousands of years in a variety of cultures. Tattooed mummies from Egypt, Peru, and the Philippines have been radiocarbon dated as far back as 2000 BC. Historically, the Japanese have used hand-held, non mechanized instruments to apply complex tattoos, which often cover large portions of the body. Polynesia and Japan are believed to be responsible for the introduction of modern tattooing into Western cultures via the exposure of European and American sailors to these practices while on commercial or naval visits.

Body piercing also has a long history, with rumoured reports of Roman centurions wearing nipple rings in their breast plates to hold their capes in place and as a sign of loyalty to their Emperor. The Mayans, Aztec and American Indian pierced their tongues as part of spiritual rituals. Slaves were also forced to pierce their genitals so that they wouldn’t have sexual intercourse without their owners permission.
http://tattoos.iloveindia.com/tattoo-and-bodypiercing.html

History has shown that tattooing and body piercing reveals a form of social/political status ex. Japanese whole body tattooing indicates that the Imperial family was wealthy and were allowed to wear extravagant clothing and they control the law also many tattoos is a form of cultural tradition. During slavery owners would brand their slaves with a hot iron cast with a specific marker to indicate that they were bought.
http://tattoos.lovetoknow.com/Tattoos_and_Social_Status

Symbols, such as cave paintings and carvings were mankind's earliest form of communication. Tattoos and piercing became the symbols that are known to have expressed man's deep passions, beliefs and identity.
Tattoo and piercing in the modern world is definitely a fashion item, but are also significant in indicating membership to a gang or association or sexual inclination.
I thought this website was interesting it gives the meaning of some tattoo
shttp://www.brighthub.com/education/languages/articles/25129.aspx

Rastafarians

The Jamaican Maroon were runaway slaves who fought the British in the 18th century. Throughout the long years of slavery Maroons established free communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica, maintaining their freedom and independence for generations. The Maroons intermarried with the Amerindians natives, establishing independence in the back country and survived by subsistence farming and by raiding plantations. Over time, the Maroons came to control large areas of the Jamaican interior. To this day, the Maroons in Jamaica are to a large extent self-governing and separate from Jamaican culture.

The Rastafarian name comes from the crowned emperor of Ethiopia, Tafari Makkonnene but adopted the name of Haile Selassie (which means "Power of Trinity").
who was proclaimed to be a divine being and a champion of the black people. He is revered in the name of Rastafari by the Jamaican Rastafarian movement which is as a religious symbol. Original followers of Rastafarianism believe that all people of African origin should be repatriated to Ethiopia. According to http://everything2.com/title/Rastafarianism the Rastafarians decoded the Bible, freeing it from distortions crated by Christians colonialists. Ideals of Rastafarianism include adherence to non violence, no accumulation of personal material wealth, vegetarian, consuming food unpolluted by industrial chemicals, dressing in clothes made from natural fibres, daily Bible consultations. The growth of hair into dreadlocks embodies these principles by allowing the hair to assume a natural, unprocessed form. An optional part of Rastafarianism is the smoking of marijuana, believed to aid in interpreting decoding the Bible.

Some myths and misconceptions about Rastafarian are that it gives them an excuse to smoke marijuana, they are racist and anti-white http://melissa-interrupted.xanga.com/659166571/item/ states that is somewhat true in most cases.
As long as blacks remained outside of Africa, especially in the United States, they would continue to be afflicted by a "slave mentality" which would prevent them from achieving the true greatness which they deserve. Discrimination against Rastafarians, usually due to misunderstandings but sometimes due to outright prejudice, has always been a problem. From the very beginning Rastafarianism appealed mostly to the lower classes in Jamaica, and those in power viewed any revolutionary movement which organized the masses as a potential threat. Today, the discrimination tends to focus on the prejudice that Rastafarians are drug addicts and unfit for work. There have been cases where employers or the government have discriminated against Rastafarians, in particular with regards to the wearing of dreadlocks.
To learn more about Rastafarians: http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/jamaica/rasta.html

Sikhism

Sikhism- with over 20 million followers and ranking 5th in the worlds largest religion. Sikhism preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its 10 Gurus enshrined in the Sikh Holy Book and Living Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib according to http://www.sikhs.org/

Hinduism- Over a billion followers, ranked 3rd in the worlds largest religion. Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India, characterized by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and the desire for liberation from the cycle of births. If you would like to read more on Hinduism check out
http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/p/hinduismbasics.htm.

In India, Sikhs are considered the minority group because they constitute 2% and is out numbered by the Hindus. Sikhism has influences from Hinduism, arose a seperate religion over some 500 yrs ago.

According to http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/29825 it is stated that Hindus belived in many god(polytheistic) while Sikhs recognises one holy book which is the Granth and believe in only one god
Hindus-worship murti (idol), some emphazises on strict vegetarian,
Sikhs-do not belive or worship physical idol, picture, statue or symbol, do advocate a stance for vegetarian or consumption of meat. Hindus believe in the cast system which is linked to ones past, on the contrary, Sikhs believes ones previous lives Karma do not matter, but what does in this life determines ones status.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_and_Sikhism#Cultural_differences for more indept information.

Operation Blue start was formed in 1984 when Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi (which later resulted for her assasination) ordered the military to wipe out Sikh separatist who was amassing weapon in the Golden Temple. This triggering the anti-Sikh riot. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blue_Star

9/11 plays a major part on Sikh discrimation here in the West, because they appear to be Muslim alike and is proving to be a persistant problem. The following link are actuall stories of discrimination against sikhs after 9/11 http://www.sikhspectrum.com/112006/denise.htm

Sikhs do face horrible cases of racial discrimination, they also deal with issues regarding stereotyping that arise from radical behavior, attitudes and actions differing from the "norm" of any one society, and religious discrimination which pit them against individuals in their own homeland.

The caste system has been abolished by the indian constitution, but discrimination tend to exist in the smaller villages in India. In the Indian community an individual last name represented their cast but in 1699 Sikh women were given the last name Kaur and men Singh which initiated the end of the caste system social stratification and much of the Hindu rituals and legalism. The link below has more detailed information http://www.sikhwomen.com/equality/kaursignificance.htm

Sikhs today are part of the indian government, engineers, doctors, lawyers and most of are in agriculture, sportsment. They are also statiscally the wealthiest in the state of Punjab actually India's largest company Ranbaxy Laboratories is ran by the Sikhs.

Polygamy

Anti-polygamy laws arose in Canada out of objections to the lifestyle of early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons. The first Mormons came here from the United States in 1888, just two years before their church finally ended the controversial practice of male devotees taking multiple wives. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/01/21/f-polygamy.html#ixzz0qczEdVse
This is not the care in Bountiful B.C Canada, where polygamy has been silently practiced for over 50 years. Polygamy is an ongoing controversial matter here in Canada. The Muslims believe that the holy Qur’an allows them to practice polygamy under strict rules, in Africa it is to not only to show a man’s wealth but to also assure the continuation of his family.
If polygamy, polygyny, polyandry are derived from religion and are being practiced with abuse and violence then people should not consider polygamy a form of religion belief. I believe that polygamy shouldn’t be legal in Canada if it offences women, man, or child, even though most of the crimes are carried out by men.
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070801_225028_11328

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1156413

Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement used to compare weight and height, defines people as obese (pre-obese) when their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater than 30 kg/m2.

An estimated 5.5 million adults in Canada had a BMI of 30 or more indicated obese, according to the CCHS 2004. Men, women, and children are affected by obesity, but in Canada the Aboriginal Origin (off-reserve) had a higher significant obesity rare.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005001/t/adults-adultes/4053591-eng.htm

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005001/t/adults-adultes/4144184-eng.htm

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005001/t/adults-adultes/4053592-eng.htm

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005001/article/adults-adultes/8060-eng.htm#1

Emotional Factor

People overeat for many reasons. Some simply love food. Many people subconsciously equate food with emotional comfort, and eat to cope with feelings of depression, failure, or low self-esteem. Some use food to reward themselves for minor accomplishments. Many people overeat simply out of habit. A particular problem these days is a dependence on convenience and junk foods, which supply lots of calories but very little nutrition.

Genetic Factor

Genes can directly cause obesity in disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome. However genes do not always predict future health. Genes and behaviour may both be needed for a person to be overweight. In some cases multiple genes may increase one’s susceptibility for obesity and require outside factors; such as abundant food supply or little physical activity.

Social Factor

Food is often used as a centerpiece of social affairs in the west. We have business breakfast, luncheon, dinner, etc. We are obligated to attend social functions such as dinner parties, featuring sumptuous meals. Eating can often carry a sense of social obligation. Television watching and obesity are highly associated; the more of one, the more of the other.





Physical Factor

In spite of a decrease in average caloric intake of 40 percent in the last 130 years, the decrease in physical exertion has been even greater. In the majority of obese people, caloric intake habitually exceeds caloric loss from physical activity, movement, and exertion. Less/no exercising , eating and watching television is a major influence for obesity.

In my point of view, yes obese can be a mental and physical challenge, but I would say obese is a profit base strategy - an easy pray for all those manufacturers and promoting industries. For example ice cream or junk food industries, who do you think is their main buyer? I would say most of it is from the obese families. We would think that they would take in effect this disease and try to help society by promoting healthier food and services. When we go into a grocery store we buy chips, chocolate, pop, etc, when we go to cash out, we see magazines-weight loss this, loose 40lbs in 2 weeks, eat healthy etc. this is all promotion strategies one is making a profit of the other. Why isn’t our society helping this situation, again it’s another selfish way in which society thinks about money. They are not doing anything to help the situation ex Mcdonalds, Burger King, KFC, there only focus is profit, and not all about the health of economy.

Couvade

Couvade is a condition when the husband or significant other of an expectant mother experiences the same symptoms and behaviour as the mother-morning sickness, weight gain, hormone changes(I dont this because men and women have different hormones), also labor pain aka sympathy pain, postpartum depression and nosebleed.

Couvade to some is believe as psychosomatic basically mind over matter or what I would say is a method of somatization. I've heard of sympathy pain in i believe we can feel the pain that is inflicted by a loved one, but to physically feel the pain-has another different meaning i guess. No medical certainty has been determained but theoris has arrived-

Etic- In some societies believed that this was attributed by demons, spirits, inflicting this symptom to cause problems for the family.

Etic- Anxiety, identification with the fetus, ambivalence about fatherhood, partuition envy or statement of paternity.

Couvade is more common where male sex is flexible and female is dominant.

Female Genital Mutilation

I thought circumcision only happened to boys. FGM is usually involves the removal of the clitoris, or other female genitalia. There are four type of circumcision:
Clitoridectomy-partial or total removal of the clitoris
Excision- partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora
Infibulation-the narrowing of the vaginal opening
Other- includes harmful procedures to the femail genitalia for non-medical purposes.

FGM tames a girl sexual desire and tames her honor for marriage and adulthood. In a FGM society it is believe that a girl is not considered an adult until she has undergone this procedure. FGM is mostly said to be practised by Muslims and Christians alike, and is deeply rooted from the Nile Valley region and parts of the Sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen and Oman which started 2000 yrs ago.

FGM to me, is a inhumane practice. I think it's a custom that decieves a woman's right and desire in this society. Even though is a social cultural behaviour, this shows that they dont care about the harm and suffering it does to these women/children such as hemmorrhages, shock, benigh tumors, depression. Some long term effects are Urinary Tracts Infections, Kidney stones, and sexual Dysfunction.

In Canada, FGM was considered child assault and criminal offence. In 1994, the Federal Interdepartmental Working Group for FGM was establised. It mandates is to identify and promote methods to prevent FGM living in Canada. Inspite of laws against FGM, this ill-treatment is still being practiced or criminalized in many parts of Africa. The above map outlines where FGM practiced.

Child Mortality

Child mortality can be linked with poverty. Every year approximately 10 million children die, very often from preventable causes. The countries that are most affected by child mortality are Middle East, Latin American, Caribbean but half these deaths occur in Africa. According to UNICEF, most of these child deaths and (70% in developing countries) one of the following if not a combination of malnutrition, measles, malaria, diarrhea and respiratory infections. Lack of malnutrition and safe water are the main causes for half of these deaths. Most countries of the world are reducing child mortatlity rates too slowly to meet the Millenium Development Goal of a 2/3 reduction by 2015. Yet, some countries have recieved impressive reductions.

Personally, I if man is capable of reaching the moon, invent extraordinary, beyound our minds developments, then why is it they cannot solve poverty or even child mortality. I think that its because the goverment is scared that it over ran by the people and its the way they - the government controls the society. If the world was well fed, healthy easy flowing society then we wouldnt need a government to control us. So when we hear about poverty, violence etc. to me i think its all being controlled.

United Nations World Food Programme-Hunger

1 in 6 people do not get enough food everyday.

Greater than AIDS, Malaria and TB hunger and malnutrion are the number 1 factors affecting the world. In Asian, African and Latin American well over 500 million people are living in what the world bank called "absolute poverty."

Besides and empty stomach, death, infections and the sufferings, poverty , natural disaster, agriculture infrastucture, conflict are just some of the major factors caused and affected by starvation.

World hunger, particularly chronic persistant hunger, can be solved even within our lifetime. From distribution techniques, education, cancellation of world debt, peace negotiations, governements involvement are some ways we can contribute to solving this issue.

For the prce of one missle, a shool full of hungry children can eat lunch everyday for 5 yrs.

The link below shows the statistical report of hunger in the most affected areas

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45111000/gif/_45111978_wo_hunger_226.gif

The Amish of Pennsylvania Old Dutch Country

The Amish have their roots of the Mennonite Community and the population as a whole stresses humility, family and community from the seperation of the modern world. They take seriously the biblical commands to seperate themselves from the things in the world. Their lifestyle involves using air or hydraulic motors as the source of their power energy, they use horses and buggies for transportation, although, even though owning a car is not permitted in the Amish community, being a passenger or hiring is another way of transportation. They are also called the "Plain People" due to their simple and plain clothing, they work together as a unit to form a strong bond in the Amish community. They use horse drawn carriages for field work, basically they live simple-technologically impaired I would say. Although they resist cultural influences, they are they are willing to compromise with the modern world tapping in its benefits, at the same time preserving the Amish identity.

Peace Corps

In 1961 John F. Kennedy developed the Peace Corp. to promote world piece and friendship. Their mission was to help people of interested countries on thier understanding of the Americans and to train men and women.

Peace Corp. have helped people build better lives for themselves around the world. For the volunteers it was a challenge adapting to the daily lives in these countries-food, clothing, weather, environment, society etc.

The volunteers would interact while observing the locals in their community to determine how they can educate, train, encourage positive reinforcements to the people and at the same grow the knowlege for the Americans.

Almost all of these countries that the Peace Corp. visited are fighting for survival so when these volunteers involve themselves in those envinroment they too are fighting for survival, so the outcome of this experience is that they've gained a sense of independence, reliabilty and a high level of confidence. This is to show that culture is derived from one's being and that times are changing and people can change when it comes to survival and life.

Meaning of Culture

Culture is the formation of a community by it's significant values traditions, beliefs, customs, etc. Culture is a system of social control where people shape there behaviour and standards. Cultural values forms the founding principles of one's life. It influences one's way of living and impact of life. Culture is the way in which people choose to live their lives and value their customs.