: Hey, this may seem like harping on a subject, but for some
: unknown reason IAMPUSHING this point because IT MATTERS
: VERY MUCH RIGHT NOW!!! I don't know why or what it refers
: to. Mr. Thomas has some very good ideas. But take it one
: step further. LISTEN to YOUR EARTH CONNECTION, NOW.
: Or get one.
: Find your songline and pray there. Stand still if only for a
: few minutes. CONNECT. Please.
Interesting, Terra - I've been feeling "musical" lately, after a long dry spell of not feeling that way. Last night I had an idea I should learn to do 'ceremonial drumming' of the sort the Japanese folks are acquainted with - but Native American drumming could be interesting too - or, hey, who wouldn't like to have his own dijeridoo...? :)
: When Westerners generalize about the physical
: environment, we categorize it with terms defining country,
: state, or regions. Aborigines do not apply such abstract
: terms to their environment but refer only to specific land
: formations. When Aborigines have to describe an area or
: give directions, they use a language strategy indicative of
: their world view. For example, if one tribal man is
: directing another to a place where a type of quartz crystal
: can be found, he begins by naming one near-by land feature
: to establish the locality, such as a prominent mound or
: significant tree. He may then sing a line of a Dreamtime
: song that tells of a great Ancestor whose exploits occurred
: around or through the quartz-covered area. The sites he
: names in the fragment of song coincide with the extent of
: the stone deposit. While he is singing, he carefully
: observes how much the listener seems to be understanding.
Sounds downright Southern, to me. :)
When asked for directions, my father would haul out one or two of his extensive collection of local maps, then say, "First, get your car keys; then go to the front door and open it; step outside and close the door; go to the car; get into the car; turn on the engine; then go down the driveway; look for oncoming traffic; when it's safe, turn left, and drive for exactly 3.4 miles; then...."
But when asked for the same directions, my mother would say, "You know where the Dairy Queen is, right? Okay - go there and turn right; continue till you see the university, and then..."
Southern directions use landmarks and people, mostly: "Go up thisaway till you see Gilbert's farm - likely as not you'll see Gilbert a'settin' and a'rockin' on his porch - then keep going till you see the grove owned by the Clementses and look just past there for a fork in the road. You'll wanna go left at the fork, unless'n you're of a mind to see some really purty countryside along the way, in which case go right at the fork...." :)
: ...Aborigines relish
: oblique references because they encourage individual
: expression that adds to the possibilities for humor and
: cleverness in conversation. There are innumerable
: engaging ways to convey a single piece of information: the
: line of a song might well be replaced with a fragment of a
: dance or a tale of a fire or a death that occurred years
: ago in that vicinity.
Roger that. :) "The letter of the law killeth but the spirit of the law giveth life." Life is fluid, mostly, not concrete - except that, well, concrete is concrete, so....
--hobie
Serving Freedom
and Liberty
