== WHY THEY STOLE: PART 2 ==
Namaskar,
Curious why the general Indian public is abandoning 'Namaskar' and
instead involved in 'shaking hands', or why the 'using water' has been
swapped out 'for wiping with toiler paper', or why 'laungotas' have
become a thing of the past and 'western underwear' is now the only way
to go, or why India is now importing more meat than ever before into its
borders.
All these above changes-- as well as others like them by various native
communities in other countries-- are fast taking place today, and have
been in the making for a long while.
That is the sad and unfortunate plight of so many of these previously
colonised nations and subjugated peoples.
Here the point is not to only highlight India. Such transformations are
also occurring with Blacks in the US, Middle-Easterners in Europe,
Native Indians in Brasil, and so many others. It is happening wherever
people have been made to believe that their own cultural is 'lowly'.
That is the reason why so many communities around the globe are
departing from their traditional or cultural heritage and instead
adopting the so-called 'shining ways' of another more dominant culture.
That is why McDonald's, Levis, martinis, and just about everything
western is being embraced in so many lands.
Here is more about this most tragic human tale.
WHAT WAS SAID THE OTHER DAY
Let us just backstep for a moment...
The other day in an AM-GLOBAL posting, the matter was raised about how
the colonial powers took away precious artifacts from various lands and
how now certain countries like Greece are asking for their artifacts
back. This is a big current events item nowadays in the general society.
Plus, it was discussed that those colonial powers took those artifacts
not for their monetary value, but rather because those imperialistic
nations wanted to exploit those local and native people to the very bone.
And it was discussed, that those cultural artifacts must be returned to
those native lands etc. All of this was discussed in the posting of
4/3/08, titled "Why They Stole'.
TRAGICALLY-- THE EFFECT IS LASTING
Now here comes some new segments because it is not only that those
cultural artifacts should be returned. It is not just a simple case of
thievery of an old artifact.
Tragically, the common people from the lands of South Africa, India,
Greece, Vietnam, Mexico, Nepal, Morocco, and so many places have been
stripped of their cultural pride. And we see the ill effect still to
this very day.
Because the stealing of an artifact is the only the very beginning of a
long chain of events.
Just see: The main or only way to exploit an entire people is to first
rob them of their own cultural identity and legacy, and then impose new
cultural norms, i.e. those of the dominant country. Take away their
history, heroes, habits, language, and customs, and then instead inject
the same from the dominant land.
That will shatter the backbone of a people and cause them to fall into
an inferiority complex-- such that they will openly renounce everything
about their own culture background and history, even the most positive
aspects.
Their language, their dress, their history, their music, their
everything will be dropped into one dark chasm, and instead those
oppressed and embarrassed people will run after everything associated
with the more dominant culture. I.e. they will embrace the ways of their
exploiters. Because they have been brainwashed into being totally
ashamed of their native ways.
HAPPENING ALL AROUND THE WORLD
And indeed this is what is going on the world over. And that is the new
point that I wish to raise.
Namely, wherever artifacts have been taken, in that land pseudo-culture
has been imposed, and the people suffer from an inferiority complex,
such that they are totally ashamed of who they are, and then they end up
as prime targets for economic exploitation.
So in any land, where people are swapping out their own cultural
heritage for so-called modern living, or the ways of a more dominant
culture, then it is sure that those people are getting exploited in one
way or another.
Baba has pointed this out in so many discourses.
Baba says, "A particular group which is motivated by socio-sentiment to
exploit others, tries to destroy the local cultural expressions of other
groups. It forcibly imposes its language, dress and ideas on other
groups, and thus paves the way for exploitation by paralysing those
people psychologically. This is how people guided by socio-sentiment
perpetuate exploitation in cultural life." (NH-LOI, Disc: 7)
That is why this whole issue is not just a simple case of thievery
wherein artifacts can be returned and then the whole matter is done. It
is not like that.
Because when certain people do not like to speak their mother tongue
even in their own kitchen let alone in public, and when some people do
not like the shape of their hair or the color of their skin, and where
people think that all that is good comes from outside their borders, and
where people feel that the traditions from their country are of no
value, then this all speaks to the point that those peoples have become
ashamed of who they are. In that case, inferiority complexes and
exploitation must also be nearby.
Such is the devious and harmful effect of pillaging a country of their
cultural heritage and artifacts. And that is why all across the globe
innocent people are chasing after Euro-American manners and ways.
Because they have been brainwashed into thinking that that is the only
and best way to live.
RETURNING THE ARTIFACTS IS NOT THE ONLY POINT
So it is not just that the museums of New York, Paris, London, Sydney,
San Francisco, and elsewhere need only return thousands of artifacts to
nations like Zaire, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Jamaica, Peru, and
Greece. Although that would be good-- that is not the only point.
Rather centuries and centuries of cultural oppression and suppression
need to be undone.
Innumerable lands were forced to forget about their own cultural heroes
and figures as they were wiped clean from the history, and instead they
were taught to honor so-called western heroes like Christopher Columbus,
Vasco De Gama, US Presidents, Marilyn Monroe, Walt Disney, Bill Gates,
Michael Jordan, Jane Fonda and the list goes on and on.
On the surface it all may look innocent, but the undercurrents of such
cultural imposition is horrific. As people have been brainwashed into
thinking that their own way of living and their own history is
negligible or even sub-human. And still today, in their conscious mind
they are unaware that this has happened. The scar is that deep.
SOME REFLECTION
So it is a painful and unfortunate twist. And none should think that the
current events story begins and ends with the returning of artifacts to
a native area. Rather those stolen artifacts were just the starting
point of the demolition of entire cultures.
And it should also be known that still today those museum curators in
New York, Paris, London, and Chicago have absolutely no intention of
even returning the cultural artifacts to those distant lands from where
they came.
Another aspect is that as we speak the younger generations in those
exploited countries have no idea why they are running after western
values and western ways. They are just plunged in the idea that those
things are better. From nightclubs to McDonalds, from pants to neck
ties, from lipstick to cartoons, from coca-cola to the English language,
inside and out, the long-term effect of have their cultural artifacts
stolen is stinging the youths in those lands.
About this there is much more to be said. And certainly none should walk
away thinking that the people of India, Vietnam, Mexico, Greece,
Phillipines, Zaire, etc are to be blamed. It is not the fault of those
colonised nations that they have fallen into this trap.
Rather those western exploiters from the US and Europe shoulder the
blame. Those top politicians and executives are the cause-- not even the
general public of those wealthy nations. Because those is all the nasty
trick of those cunning leaders. This is not the work of common people.
And one thing is also sure, that each and every member of the human race
must be taught, educated, and made to understand the horrors of cultural
imposition. The history should be known, the effects should be studied,
and everyone should be fully cognizant of what has transpired. Failing
that, the people of those lands will never rediscover their cultural
heritage and such exploitation is bound to happen again and again.
Let us all remember that the current events topic of stolen artifacts is
not just a simple matter of return but rather a starting point for
undoing centuries of cultural imposition and exploitation.
I kindly request others with their own experiences to write in and share
their feelings and knowledge.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace He has created the vibration and introduced humanity to
neo-humanism and verily that is the only formula for unshackling the
world from centuries of cultural imposition and exploitation.
Baba says, "In that supreme neohumanistic status, the universal humanity
will attain the consummation of its existence. Then nothing will be
impossible for human beings; they will be able to do anything and
everything." (NH-LOI, Disc:11)
Namaskar,
Hitendra
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Future Humans-- Body Shape
Baba says, "The situation that will arise in the future as a result of
humanity's ever increasing thirst for knowledge. To meet these
developments the nerve cells and nerve fibres will have to become more
complex. Consequently, the human cranium will become larger and the size
of the head will increase. The hands and feet will become weaker and
weaker and human beings may even lose the ability to walk...In the
future, the legs will be used less and less and the capacity to move on
them will decrease. The arms will become thin, and the head will become
abnormally large." (AV-8, p. 8-9)
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