I visited my family's shore house over spring break and decidedly took a night walk along the mile-long lane. The lane is sandy and heavily wooded on either side, so the only light was reflected from the moon; even so it was too dark to make out much. It was during this walk, without shoes, that I decided that i'd be just as well off with my eyes shut than I was with them open... in otherwords, i challenged myself to walk the better part of a mile, relying soley on my alternate senses (It was somewhat of a dumb idea, but if blind people can do it, so can I.). I got several good paces into my mission and realized that the tough grass bewteen the tire lines in the lane would serve as my buffer zone. I figured out which way the breeze was blowing and used that, as well as listening to echoes as a way to tell general direction. At many points i wanted to open my eyes but I decided that if I managed to survive without major injury, I'd have something to be proud of. Long story short, I stepped on way too many sharp things and tripped on countless sticks, but in the end made it to the gate and paved road.
In a way, I connected this experience with nature literacy and liminality because I put myself in a cituation where i was heavily dependent upon what information I could gather from my surroundings. Also, I sripped myself of my strongest sense in order to better connect with the "whole" rather that the "fragments" of what limited night vision and a quicker paced walk allow.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Lauren Crocker - Practice of the Wild
Snyder speaks of the aboriginal Pintubi tribe’s reverence for the wild in his essay, Good, Wild, Sacred, while noting the walking tales shared by an elder, Mr. Tjungurray (82). The stories passed down to younger tribesmen associate place with legend, which aids in tribal reverence for, as well as connection to the land. The stories highlighted sacred locations which were fantastic in shape or feeling; therefore they were anointed as ‘“dreaming spots” for certain totem ancestors’. I became especially interested in Totemism upon reading about the aboriginal means by which ancestors remain connected to the living. The “dreamtime” described by Snyder refers to the animism associated with a location and fluidity of time which allows for connection with a “mythical past”, or in Dögen’s words, “Time/Being” (Snyder, 84-85).
Dreamtime is the curtain call in theater. Everyone is there; dead, alive, future... unity through symbolic presence.
It is interesting to invision time as having no bearing on the subconscious because reflection is the act of revisiting a nonmaterial subject which may have once been experienced. On the same note, i also wander what dreaming is. How is it that we as humans imagine events which have never directly been a part of? Can dreamtime still be considered a connection if we are consciously building a scenario using what we know in order to create?
Another topic which caught my attention in Synders essay was the use of stories to engrain a map in young Pintubi tribesmen. In a way i relate this to my life in that i recall looking out of the car window as a young child on the way to and from my home and making mental notes of the landscape so that i could know the way back. Now, as an adult, and even as a teenager, I am able to fall asleep in the car and wake up knowing exactly where i am by the feeling of the car and the sound of the tires on the road, or the curves and turns. I link this to the idea of indentifying a cosmos, just as Cabeza de Vaca defined his surroundings when captured by the shaman, or Adam when instructed by God to name the creatures of the earth.
Dreamtime is the curtain call in theater. Everyone is there; dead, alive, future... unity through symbolic presence.
It is interesting to invision time as having no bearing on the subconscious because reflection is the act of revisiting a nonmaterial subject which may have once been experienced. On the same note, i also wander what dreaming is. How is it that we as humans imagine events which have never directly been a part of? Can dreamtime still be considered a connection if we are consciously building a scenario using what we know in order to create?
Another topic which caught my attention in Synders essay was the use of stories to engrain a map in young Pintubi tribesmen. In a way i relate this to my life in that i recall looking out of the car window as a young child on the way to and from my home and making mental notes of the landscape so that i could know the way back. Now, as an adult, and even as a teenager, I am able to fall asleep in the car and wake up knowing exactly where i am by the feeling of the car and the sound of the tires on the road, or the curves and turns. I link this to the idea of indentifying a cosmos, just as Cabeza de Vaca defined his surroundings when captured by the shaman, or Adam when instructed by God to name the creatures of the earth.
Lauren Crocker - Lion's Bridge
It is simple to ask a person to look upon a landscape, yet, to “see” is an entirely different process. The trained eye observes the clandestine qualities of wilderness in ways dissimilar to the common viewer. In this way, I found it difficult to switch of my biological reasoning: numerous concepts and theories which were pumped into my head since seventh-grade life-science. While observing the areas surrounding the Noland Trail and Lion’s Bridge my focus teeter-tottered between seeking minute detail and experiencing the feeling of the place. I caught myself staring intently at bits of bright-colored moss or may apples spiraling up from the ground like unopened umbrellas. Annie Dillard writes in her essay, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, that she “…just can’t see the artificial obvious that those in the know construct” (18). For me it is the same, as well as the opposite. According to Professor Stewart Edward White, the difference is natural and artificial obviousness. I want to see both sides, but the conscious effort limits that ability.
It is difficult to apply what can easily be said about seeing and recognizing the spirituality of a place; even the woods along the Lion’s Bridge voice lessons for those willing to cast aside self-awareness and connect. Artificial obvious and natural obvious can be balanced, so that neither aspect of seeing or experiencing may be leaned upon to heavily. I prefer to be conscious of both the scientific and spiritual aspects of nature in order to get the most from it, yet keep the experiences separate as to prevent a narrowing of subconscious scope.
It is difficult to apply what can easily be said about seeing and recognizing the spirituality of a place; even the woods along the Lion’s Bridge voice lessons for those willing to cast aside self-awareness and connect. Artificial obvious and natural obvious can be balanced, so that neither aspect of seeing or experiencing may be leaned upon to heavily. I prefer to be conscious of both the scientific and spiritual aspects of nature in order to get the most from it, yet keep the experiences separate as to prevent a narrowing of subconscious scope.
Lauren Crocker - Practice of the Wild
I found that Good, Wild, Sacred provided a general understanding of human interaction with nature, and how that relationship often decays with modernized human perspective. Nature is Order (93) and therefore nature trains man. It is limited human understanding that pushes us to control “pests” and pull weeds and mow down perfect patchwork fields for planting. The reason for this is that we do not see natural order, merely because it pales in the grand scheme of human control. It is said, “That which appears to be chaotic in nature is only a more complex kind of order” (93). Biological science reveals daily the inner workings of the wild, however, man lacks in application. Nature can best be described as riddled with order and precision, yet the concept of natural order is seldom acknowledged in the casual setting. This requires training, “a training that helps us realize our own true nature and nature” (92). To accept nature for its predisposition is to connect. To connect is to feel understanding and enlightenment, or perhaps, sense a higher power or force. Through this unity stems association with the sacred and understanding of spiritual value, rather than “goodness” alone.
Modern culture often seeks to develop that which is already productive in order to gain control of natural chaos. By understanding how the wild may change us and individuals, we can better use nature. By applying what nature may teach, we can better identify and protect that which is sacred, rather than endanger what is naturally complex for personal gain. Truly comprehending nature is finding the connection between self preservation and that of the wild
Modern culture often seeks to develop that which is already productive in order to gain control of natural chaos. By understanding how the wild may change us and individuals, we can better use nature. By applying what nature may teach, we can better identify and protect that which is sacred, rather than endanger what is naturally complex for personal gain. Truly comprehending nature is finding the connection between self preservation and that of the wild
Amanda DeSalme, buttercups...
This afternoon on my way to the Ferguson center, I encountered a patch of buttercups. They were all smiling up at me with their shiny yellow petals. There is something simplistic about their lifestyle that lifts my spirits and reminds me not to care/worry too much. They also reminded me of my childhood, when I would run around my yard and pick a handful of buttercups to put in a cup of water on the table of our kitchen. A common theme in my blogs seems to be recalling of childhood memories. Perhaps that is telling us something. The best way to view the world is through a child's eyes. We should view it with wonder and awe, we should marvel at simple beauty. We should appreciate the awesomeness around us. I tend to be extremely optimistic, and so have not written much about the "horrors" of nature. Yes, there are some awful things to witness (or read about) in nature. There is the horror of a tornado or a tsunami or some other awful slap in the face of our civilization. But even this disastrous, destructive force of nature fills me with wonder and a great realization of a higher power. Some unknown omnipotent being has capabilities beyond our intelligence to create and control this world around us. That is some awesome and terrifying power. But back to the buttercups...they were so lovely and happy and they brightened my day, so I felt compelled to write as much. :)
Noland Trail, Noah Ryan
I have recently been trying to change my relationship with the world from an I-It to an I-You. When walking on the Noland Trail, I realized that it is easy to see the human influence on the place, and it is easy, also, to see my own personal impact, small as it may be. What I want to understand is the places influence on me.
The first thing the the place does is fill the senses with itself. Dillard discusses how writing makes one a writer. If one spends time in a place, and fills their sense with the place, the way it sounds and smells and so on, then their mind is in some way formed as something filled with and created by the place.
In relation to something we talked about in class a long time ago, the place also inhabits us. The thoughts it inspires and the feelings we get from it are the place entering us and becoming part of us. One such thought that was inspired by my walk on the Noland Trail was that while humans have had a great deal of influence on the landscape, the most influential beings by far are the trees. They determine the animals and plants that can live in the area, and they inspired our species to make little trails between them. They keep the river from being an eroding influence, and them provide food and shelter to thousands of beings.
I am trying here to leave behind the tradition that would deny the trees any agency in this matter. I have been able to encounter a tree before, but never for more than a second. My self consciousness of my situation and the power of my cultural indoctrination make it very difficult to see a plant as a You. Dillard has some good things to say about losing the ego to be able to interact with the animals she is always interrogating, which makes me think of the change in the I-You relationship that the I will experience. In other words, it seems that to have an I-You relationship with the beings around her, Dillard forgets her I, or maybe changes it into something less self-conscious and limited.
The first thing the the place does is fill the senses with itself. Dillard discusses how writing makes one a writer. If one spends time in a place, and fills their sense with the place, the way it sounds and smells and so on, then their mind is in some way formed as something filled with and created by the place.
In relation to something we talked about in class a long time ago, the place also inhabits us. The thoughts it inspires and the feelings we get from it are the place entering us and becoming part of us. One such thought that was inspired by my walk on the Noland Trail was that while humans have had a great deal of influence on the landscape, the most influential beings by far are the trees. They determine the animals and plants that can live in the area, and they inspired our species to make little trails between them. They keep the river from being an eroding influence, and them provide food and shelter to thousands of beings.
I am trying here to leave behind the tradition that would deny the trees any agency in this matter. I have been able to encounter a tree before, but never for more than a second. My self consciousness of my situation and the power of my cultural indoctrination make it very difficult to see a plant as a You. Dillard has some good things to say about losing the ego to be able to interact with the animals she is always interrogating, which makes me think of the change in the I-You relationship that the I will experience. In other words, it seems that to have an I-You relationship with the beings around her, Dillard forgets her I, or maybe changes it into something less self-conscious and limited.
Eric Stoll - The Practice of the Wild #1
Gary Snyder mentions an instance in which the American Indian Movement attempted to block the expansion of mining into lands in the Black Hills that were not only located within U.S. Forest Service land, but were also considered to be sacred by the traditional Lakota inhabitants. This example Snyder uses leads me to ask what I feel is a valid question: what gives a place the distinction of being sacred? Snyder suggests that the Native Americans have sacred lands as a result of their cultural tradition of connecting religion to the landscape. Snyder believes this connection between native religion and the landscape to be “virtually incomprehensible to Euro-Americans.” (Snyder, 87). I disagree with Snyder’s explanation of what constitutes a sacred landscape and furthermore his generally low opinion of the non-native population, which according to his writings, has little ability to develop a spiritual connection with the land. My argument is that the definition of a “sacred landscape” is not solely determined by the religious traditions of the native population, but it is also developed by the personal experiences of the individual. A childhood experience may lead me to consider an ordinary field or patch of woods to have great significance. While my individual experiences may lead me to consider a landscape to be sacred on a personal level, the lack of religious tradition surrounding it may rule it out of such a distinction in Snyder’s opinion. While I may feel Snyder’s concept of a sacred landscape may be too one dimensional for my liking, I certainly will not discredit the Native American’s tradition of connectedness between religion and nature. I do find it unfortunate; however, that a location in which I consider to be sacred due to personal reasons is more likely to be bulldozed and turned into a strip mall, than a Indian burial site is likely to be mined.
Keenan Lofton- Topic of Choice 1
In class we have watched a lot of movies and slideshows about peoples experiences on the Appalachian Trail. The one that got my attention the most was the one with the guy who carried the camera a long with him and interviewed himself. I’m drawing a blank on the name of the movie but it got me thinking when Dr. Redick mention about if he was actually connecting with wilderness if he is talking to the camera at the same time. When thinking about this at first, I thought, of course the guy was interacting with nature, I mean he is hiking. But then after some class discussion I realized that this was taking away the guys experience of nature. For him to be totally in touch with nature he would have to have no distractions, especially that of a manmade object. Then I got to wondering if having a camera on the trail and interviewing hikers disturbed their experience. I came to the conclusion that as long as the person doesn’t interrupt the hikers hike, then it shouldn’t hinder their experience.
Eric Stoll - A Continuous Harmony # 2
In the chapter of A Continuous Harmony titled "A homage to Dr. Williams", Wendell Berry makes a statement that sticks out to me. In this statement, Berry is referring to the poet William Carlos Williams, who he claims that he "knew, more than white Americans have ever known, that a man has not meaningfully arrived in his place in body until he has arrived in spirit as well." I found this statement to be significant to me as it is something I can easily relate to. I feel as if I have always had a tumultuous relationship with Virginia, the place I have grown up in and continue to live in. For years I have always promised myself that I would leave the state at the first opportunity, eventually settling in a place that better suits me, whether it by somewhere like New York or over on the west coast. Berry's opinion towards William Carlos Williams forces me to contemplate my own viewpoints on the place I live. I have seemingly determined that the grass is greener on the other side and that I would be much happier somewhere else, yet I feel that if I am not happy with who, not where I am, I wont be able to find true happiness anywhere. In the end, I want to achieve what Berry states that Williams' poetry did to him, which was to "satisfy me of the possibility of life wherever I have lived."
Eric Stoll - A Continuous Harmony #1
A passage from Wendell Berry's A Continuous Harmony that sparked my interest can be found on page 5 in the chapter titled "A Secular Pilgrimage." In this chapter, Berry discuses as to what he perceives to be the greatest failure in human religion. Berry believes that religion, most notably Christianity, promotes a negative relationship between man and nature. Berry states that in response to the question on how man should live in the world, Christianity has "usually tended to give a non-answer" by asserting that "he should live for the next world." I agree with
Berry's assessment on Christianity here. I was born into a Christian family, and while we were not regular church goers, I was always surrounded by elements of Christian ideology, especially as a part of my experience while attending Catholic school for 13 years. My exposure to these ideologies, I feel, is responsible for my gradual dissatisfaction with the Christian faith that has grown over the years. While I still consider part of myself to be "spiritual" in common sense of the word, I believe in a higher power and a greater purpose behind life, my belief in the ideologies behind Christianity have dwindled. Berry's viewpoint on Christianity's relationship with nature for the most part parallels my issues with Christian ideology. I feel that too much emphasis is placed upon the afterlife rather than the quality of life we have now.
Berry's assessment on Christianity here. I was born into a Christian family, and while we were not regular church goers, I was always surrounded by elements of Christian ideology, especially as a part of my experience while attending Catholic school for 13 years. My exposure to these ideologies, I feel, is responsible for my gradual dissatisfaction with the Christian faith that has grown over the years. While I still consider part of myself to be "spiritual" in common sense of the word, I believe in a higher power and a greater purpose behind life, my belief in the ideologies behind Christianity have dwindled. Berry's viewpoint on Christianity's relationship with nature for the most part parallels my issues with Christian ideology. I feel that too much emphasis is placed upon the afterlife rather than the quality of life we have now.
Eric Stoll - Lion's Gate Bridge
I realized that the majority of my fellow students have decided to use their experience at the Lion's gate bridge as a topic for this blog. In the spirit of conformity, I have decided to follow suit and address my opinion on this location. The thing that caught my attention at the Lion's Gate was not the natural landscape that surrounded me. Instead it was the people that I encountered while walking along the Noland Trail that led me contemplate about man's relationship with nature. The majority of individuals who I ran into on the trail appeared not to be there in order to experience nature or expand their relationship with wilderness. The people I encountered typically were runners, complete with their ipod headphones in their ears and a completely oblivious look on their faces. I didn't want to be too judgmental, but I couldn't help wonder if these people viewed the park as a true piece of nature, or as just another place for their own benefit. I suppose the value of a location is in the eye of the beholder, but I felt as if the lion's bridge was not true piece of nature, but instead a man made facility given a facade to make it appear as if it were a natural setting.
Keenan Lofton- Continuous Harmony 2
In reading a Continuous Harmony by Wendell Berry, I had a good experience with the paragraph on page 36. It was about walking in the dark, and when doing so all your senses become so much better. This brought up some memories of the times when I was younger and walking in the dark by myself and experiencing the increased level of my senses. It seemed like I was able to hear every noise in my neighborhood, whether it be a stick falling or an animal rustling in the bushes. Whatever it was, I was able to sense so many things. I guess that being in the dark and being scared (since I was young), allowed me to understand all that was going on around me.
Keenan Lofton- Continuous Harmony 1
In a class discussion a week or so ago we talked about myth and the authentic. This location of this discussion was on page 27 in A Continuous Harmony by Wendell Berry. “To imagine is to realize, to sense the authentic.” This was a quote that we concentrated on in class when we talked about what was authentic. In this discussion what really surprised me was Redick’s story about the Greek salads. It was interesting that no “authentic” Greek salad contains lettuce. During this lecture I was thinking to myself that one of my favorite foods to eat is Chinese food. I really have no idea what authentic Chinese food tastes like. It makes me want to go to china or another Asian country one day and experience their culture and eat what the food really tastes like instead of what us Americans want it to taste like.
Eric Stoll - The Tetons
This past spring break I traveled to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This trip deviated from the typical college spring break experience, which usually consists of students escaping from the pressures of college life on a sunny beach and partaking in a wide variety of activities, whether they are legal or not. Therefore I was not very surprised at the responses I received when I told people where I had gone on my spring break. The responses most commonly given was: "what is there to do in Wyoming?" I answered this question with one word: nothing. The "nothingness" that comprises Wyoming is what makes it unique and so attractive. I feel that people often travel to places to experience the attractions located there, not the place itself. The Tetons have these attractions in the form of ski resorts and high end shopping in the nearby town of Jackson, but it was these places that I prefered to stay away from. Instead, I opted to simply enjoy the mountains, the clean air and the wide open spaces around me. My vacation to the Tetons was not a typical one, as it did not focus upon the attractions of the location, but instead centered around finding inspiration from the natural landscape.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Kiara Girkins Annie Dillard Response 1
"Few sights are so absurd as that of an inchworm leading its dimwit life. Inchworms are the caterpillar larvae of several moths or butterflies. The cabbage looper, for example, is an inchworm. I often see an inchworm: it is a skinny bright green thing, pale and thin as a vein, an inch long, and apparently totally unfit for life in this world. It wears out its days in constant panic," Annie Dillard, from "Three" pg. 552.
When I read this passage at first, I really didn't think too much about it, I simply smiled at the thought of a little inchworm making its way across the leaf of one of the trees in my backyard. However, when I thought back over the passage, I realized that if it is the fact that it "lives out its days in constant panic" which makes it unfit for this world, then we all may have a bit of a problem. I mean, think about it. When was the last time you went more than a day without stressing about something? We all do it, it's a fast paced world out there and it can be a major pain to try to keep up with. We work none stop, killing ourselves simply to make it to the next stage of our lives until we finally make it to the end and realize all we did was panic about things that really don't matter in the end because they cannot change the end result. So I guess what Annie Dillard is saying, is that because death is a part of this world, if we are in constant panic over death and getting a million things done before death, then we are not ready for this world, much like the little inchworm.
When I read this passage at first, I really didn't think too much about it, I simply smiled at the thought of a little inchworm making its way across the leaf of one of the trees in my backyard. However, when I thought back over the passage, I realized that if it is the fact that it "lives out its days in constant panic" which makes it unfit for this world, then we all may have a bit of a problem. I mean, think about it. When was the last time you went more than a day without stressing about something? We all do it, it's a fast paced world out there and it can be a major pain to try to keep up with. We work none stop, killing ourselves simply to make it to the next stage of our lives until we finally make it to the end and realize all we did was panic about things that really don't matter in the end because they cannot change the end result. So I guess what Annie Dillard is saying, is that because death is a part of this world, if we are in constant panic over death and getting a million things done before death, then we are not ready for this world, much like the little inchworm.
Kiara Girkins- C.S. Lewis
March 19, 2008
In nature, if you want to truly experience it, you cannot just look at it, you must use all of your senses to experience it. C.S. Lewis says that to have a love of nature, you cannot discriminate against any of its parts. He explains this by refering to a painter who merely sees a scene; he does not feel it or listen to it. Lewis says you must "Look. Listen," and feel the moods of the place. If you allow yourself to use all of your senses to experience and love nature, then you will be moved by its moods of time and season, and you will recognize the spirit of a place. Your understanding of nature in its various forms will enable you to more greatly appreciate and connect with it. It's similar to the saying, "you can't judge a book by its cover." You can't just see something to know it, you must listen to it and interact with it to know and love the spirit of it. When you concern yourself with an act of discrimination by not realizing every part of a place, you cannot truly love it because you do not know it. Annd when you critiqu it by experiencing it with a biased mindset, you are preventing yourself from understanding it because you are trying to experience it in a way that is does not exist. You cannot define nature, let nature define itself for you.
In nature, if you want to truly experience it, you cannot just look at it, you must use all of your senses to experience it. C.S. Lewis says that to have a love of nature, you cannot discriminate against any of its parts. He explains this by refering to a painter who merely sees a scene; he does not feel it or listen to it. Lewis says you must "Look. Listen," and feel the moods of the place. If you allow yourself to use all of your senses to experience and love nature, then you will be moved by its moods of time and season, and you will recognize the spirit of a place. Your understanding of nature in its various forms will enable you to more greatly appreciate and connect with it. It's similar to the saying, "you can't judge a book by its cover." You can't just see something to know it, you must listen to it and interact with it to know and love the spirit of it. When you concern yourself with an act of discrimination by not realizing every part of a place, you cannot truly love it because you do not know it. Annd when you critiqu it by experiencing it with a biased mindset, you are preventing yourself from understanding it because you are trying to experience it in a way that is does not exist. You cannot define nature, let nature define itself for you.
Kiara Girkins- How Europeans Won Out
May 1, 2008
Many opponents of the idea that the conflicting habitus of the Native Americans and the European Settlers was the direct cause of the decline of wilderness as a sacred place would argue that wilderness never became less of a sacred place to Native Americans, but rather European thought simply became the majority. Although this argument may certainly have some validity, it does not account for the full ideals of the Native Americans. They believe that all land is sacred, and though they had a number of specific locations in which they performed certain rituals or considered to be completely forbidden, nature in general was not to be owned or destroyed. Europeans, as explained earlier, saw land as something to be possessed and was expendable. Europeans had extracted themselves from the give and take relationship of the circle of life, and put themselves on top of a theoretical hierarchy. So, what such an argument fails to consider, is that while Native Americans never stopped seeing wilderness as sacred, the quantity of such land leftover after European settlement was greatly decreased. And the very definition of habitus is the way one lives within a particular habitat, so as the two differing habitus of the Native Americans and the Europeans fought for priority within a single habitat, the conflict between the two led to the downfall of wilderness as a sacred place when the Europeans habitus won out.
Many opponents of the idea that the conflicting habitus of the Native Americans and the European Settlers was the direct cause of the decline of wilderness as a sacred place would argue that wilderness never became less of a sacred place to Native Americans, but rather European thought simply became the majority. Although this argument may certainly have some validity, it does not account for the full ideals of the Native Americans. They believe that all land is sacred, and though they had a number of specific locations in which they performed certain rituals or considered to be completely forbidden, nature in general was not to be owned or destroyed. Europeans, as explained earlier, saw land as something to be possessed and was expendable. Europeans had extracted themselves from the give and take relationship of the circle of life, and put themselves on top of a theoretical hierarchy. So, what such an argument fails to consider, is that while Native Americans never stopped seeing wilderness as sacred, the quantity of such land leftover after European settlement was greatly decreased. And the very definition of habitus is the way one lives within a particular habitat, so as the two differing habitus of the Native Americans and the Europeans fought for priority within a single habitat, the conflict between the two led to the downfall of wilderness as a sacred place when the Europeans habitus won out.
Kiara Girkins Defining Habitus
Kiara Girkins- Response to Anthony King’s “Thinking with Bourdieu against Bourdieu”
April 14, 2008
Habitus is a complex concept, but in its simplest usage could be understood as a set of acquired patterns of thought, behavior, and taste, (Habitus). Aristotle first explored the idea of habitus in relation to philosophy believing that habitus is a philosophical notion as it relates to thought and state of mind, (Habitus). By this Aristotle meant that habitus is based upon the way one perceives their surroundings and believes they should interact with it. Marcel Mauss later defined habitus as “body techniques,” which are the aspects of culture that are anchored in the body or daily practices of individuals, groups, societies and nations, (Habitus). Habitus explores the totality of learned habits, bodily skills, styles, tastes and other “non-discursive” knowledge, (Habitus). Such “body techniques” may differ between cultures, even if they live within the same habitat. Pierre Bourdieu is one of the latest thinkers to re-construct the idea of habitus. Bourdieu set out to include a person’s beliefs and dispositions in the definition of habitus. In other words, factors such as religion and morals are greatly influential when constructing one’s habitus. These dispositions include the ideas of perception, thought and action as they are developed by external factors, including family and education. Sociologist, Anthony King of the University of Exeter, says in reference to Bourdieu’s theory that,“The habitus which consists of corporal dispositions and cognitive templates overcomes subject-object dualism by inscribing subjective, bodily actions with objective social force so that the most apparently subjective individual acts take on social meaning,” (King, pg. 417). Such insight into habitus provides reasoning behind why differing cultures can live so differently on the same land.
Anthony King (200). “Thinking with Bourdieu against Bourdieu: A 'Practical' Critique of the Habitus,” Sociological Theory, Vol. 18, No. 3, (November 2000), pg. 417-433. Published by the American Sociological Association.
"Habitus" Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.wikipedia.habitus.com.
April 14, 2008
Habitus is a complex concept, but in its simplest usage could be understood as a set of acquired patterns of thought, behavior, and taste, (Habitus). Aristotle first explored the idea of habitus in relation to philosophy believing that habitus is a philosophical notion as it relates to thought and state of mind, (Habitus). By this Aristotle meant that habitus is based upon the way one perceives their surroundings and believes they should interact with it. Marcel Mauss later defined habitus as “body techniques,” which are the aspects of culture that are anchored in the body or daily practices of individuals, groups, societies and nations, (Habitus). Habitus explores the totality of learned habits, bodily skills, styles, tastes and other “non-discursive” knowledge, (Habitus). Such “body techniques” may differ between cultures, even if they live within the same habitat. Pierre Bourdieu is one of the latest thinkers to re-construct the idea of habitus. Bourdieu set out to include a person’s beliefs and dispositions in the definition of habitus. In other words, factors such as religion and morals are greatly influential when constructing one’s habitus. These dispositions include the ideas of perception, thought and action as they are developed by external factors, including family and education. Sociologist, Anthony King of the University of Exeter, says in reference to Bourdieu’s theory that,“The habitus which consists of corporal dispositions and cognitive templates overcomes subject-object dualism by inscribing subjective, bodily actions with objective social force so that the most apparently subjective individual acts take on social meaning,” (King, pg. 417). Such insight into habitus provides reasoning behind why differing cultures can live so differently on the same land.
Anthony King (200). “Thinking with Bourdieu against Bourdieu: A 'Practical' Critique of the Habitus,” Sociological Theory, Vol. 18, No. 3, (November 2000), pg. 417-433. Published by the American Sociological Association.
"Habitus" Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.wikipedia.habitus.com.
Kiara Girkins Response to Stephen M. Schnell
Kiara Girkins- Response to Stephen M. Schnell
April 28, 2008
The Native American culture is greatly tied to land and nature, and their religious beliefs often showcase such connections. Native Americans view land as a living entity, not something that can be permanently owned by any living creature, (Gulliford). Geologist Steven M. Schnell explores this idea by quoting fellow Geologist Yi-Fu Tuan saying,
“Landscape is personal and tribal history made visible; the native’s identity- his place in the total scheme of things- is not in doubt, because the myths that support it are as real as the rocks and waterholes that he can see and touch. He finds recorded in this land the ancient story of the lives and deeds of the immortal beings from whom he himself is descended, and whom he reveres. The whole countryside is his family tree,” (Schnell, pg. 156).
Wilderness to Native Americans was, and still is, a large part of everyday life. Learning to live off the land was essential, and being able to coexist peacefully with the wilderness was crucial to survival. It is because of this very reason that we can understand why Native Americans found their sacred places to be within the wilderness, which for them was the very thing that sustained life. Every scrap of what they took from the earth was utilized with very minimal waste. Fish provided not only food, but their small bones were perfect for making sewing needles. Bones and rocks we used to make tools, and the skin of animals was turned into shelter or clothing. Native Americans were highly skilled at working the land.
Many of the spiritual rituals were directly tied to the land as well. Native Americans worshiped the “spirits” of their surroundings. The various entities of the wilderness provided for spiritual enlightenment, which then led to the development of various wilderness locations as sacred places. The idea that earth is the mother, and people are its children is found in the religious ideologies of numerous tribes throughout what is now the United States. Pasha Spa in the Black Hills of South Dakota was considered sacred by the Lakota tribe as their creation myth revolves around the cave, believing that humans, buffalo and other creatures first stepped out onto earth from this cave. The cave makes a unique “whistling” noise as it sucks air in and out due to air pressure. The cave was the first ever to be named a national park, (Shick). In addition, they constructed the Big Horn Medicine wheel between 1200 and 1500 A.D., which was utilized for medicinal and teaching purposes. Fortunately, the medicine wheel and the geysers are now protected by national law; however, many Native American sacred places were not so lucky. When the European settlers arrived in the Americas, they took over the land once utilized and worshiped by the Native Americans. Their conflicting beliefs over the ability to own land or not led to many battles fought in order to defend their particular habitus, and therefore, way of life. Many of the Native Americans’ sacred places were destroyed in the process. An example of such being the sacred lands of the Haskell Indians in South Lawrence, Kansas that have been overtaken by the State Government and turn into what is now known as the “South Lawrence Trafficway.” This initiative has single handedly destroyed these ancient sacred lands, including ancient burial grounds, a medicine wheel and sweat lodge, (Martin). Another problem lies in the fact that a large portion of the locations of Native American sacred places are kept secret within the tribes, which has prevented many to be protected by National law, (Gulliford). In Gary Snyder’s Practice of the Wild, he speaks of such strict preservation of tradition saying,
“To well-meaning sympathetic white people this response is almost comprehensible. In the world of [Native American] people, never over-populated, rich in acorn, deer, salmon, and flicker feathers, to cleave to such purity, to be perfectionists about matters of family or clan, were affordable luxuries…a matter of keeping their dignity, their pride, and their own ways,” (Snyder, pg. 4).
Such pride over traditions and sacredness may be incomprehensible to some, but to many, Native Americans’ secrecy is the only way to truly preserve such places. Many of the secrets of their various tribes largely help to define who they are, and as such, secrecy is the only measure that can be taken to guarantee to some degree, however small, the preservation of their habitus. Several other famous Native American sacred places include the Devil's Tower National Monument, Mount Shasta in California, Mount Graham in Arizona, and the Sweet Grass Hills in Montana
Stephen M Schnell (2000). “The Kiowa Homeland in Okalahoma,” Geographical Review, Vol. 90, No. 2, (April 2000), pg. 155-176. Published by The American Geographical Society.
April 28, 2008
The Native American culture is greatly tied to land and nature, and their religious beliefs often showcase such connections. Native Americans view land as a living entity, not something that can be permanently owned by any living creature, (Gulliford). Geologist Steven M. Schnell explores this idea by quoting fellow Geologist Yi-Fu Tuan saying,
“Landscape is personal and tribal history made visible; the native’s identity- his place in the total scheme of things- is not in doubt, because the myths that support it are as real as the rocks and waterholes that he can see and touch. He finds recorded in this land the ancient story of the lives and deeds of the immortal beings from whom he himself is descended, and whom he reveres. The whole countryside is his family tree,” (Schnell, pg. 156).
Wilderness to Native Americans was, and still is, a large part of everyday life. Learning to live off the land was essential, and being able to coexist peacefully with the wilderness was crucial to survival. It is because of this very reason that we can understand why Native Americans found their sacred places to be within the wilderness, which for them was the very thing that sustained life. Every scrap of what they took from the earth was utilized with very minimal waste. Fish provided not only food, but their small bones were perfect for making sewing needles. Bones and rocks we used to make tools, and the skin of animals was turned into shelter or clothing. Native Americans were highly skilled at working the land.
Many of the spiritual rituals were directly tied to the land as well. Native Americans worshiped the “spirits” of their surroundings. The various entities of the wilderness provided for spiritual enlightenment, which then led to the development of various wilderness locations as sacred places. The idea that earth is the mother, and people are its children is found in the religious ideologies of numerous tribes throughout what is now the United States. Pasha Spa in the Black Hills of South Dakota was considered sacred by the Lakota tribe as their creation myth revolves around the cave, believing that humans, buffalo and other creatures first stepped out onto earth from this cave. The cave makes a unique “whistling” noise as it sucks air in and out due to air pressure. The cave was the first ever to be named a national park, (Shick). In addition, they constructed the Big Horn Medicine wheel between 1200 and 1500 A.D., which was utilized for medicinal and teaching purposes. Fortunately, the medicine wheel and the geysers are now protected by national law; however, many Native American sacred places were not so lucky. When the European settlers arrived in the Americas, they took over the land once utilized and worshiped by the Native Americans. Their conflicting beliefs over the ability to own land or not led to many battles fought in order to defend their particular habitus, and therefore, way of life. Many of the Native Americans’ sacred places were destroyed in the process. An example of such being the sacred lands of the Haskell Indians in South Lawrence, Kansas that have been overtaken by the State Government and turn into what is now known as the “South Lawrence Trafficway.” This initiative has single handedly destroyed these ancient sacred lands, including ancient burial grounds, a medicine wheel and sweat lodge, (Martin). Another problem lies in the fact that a large portion of the locations of Native American sacred places are kept secret within the tribes, which has prevented many to be protected by National law, (Gulliford). In Gary Snyder’s Practice of the Wild, he speaks of such strict preservation of tradition saying,
“To well-meaning sympathetic white people this response is almost comprehensible. In the world of [Native American] people, never over-populated, rich in acorn, deer, salmon, and flicker feathers, to cleave to such purity, to be perfectionists about matters of family or clan, were affordable luxuries…a matter of keeping their dignity, their pride, and their own ways,” (Snyder, pg. 4).
Such pride over traditions and sacredness may be incomprehensible to some, but to many, Native Americans’ secrecy is the only way to truly preserve such places. Many of the secrets of their various tribes largely help to define who they are, and as such, secrecy is the only measure that can be taken to guarantee to some degree, however small, the preservation of their habitus. Several other famous Native American sacred places include the Devil's Tower National Monument, Mount Shasta in California, Mount Graham in Arizona, and the Sweet Grass Hills in Montana
Stephen M Schnell (2000). “The Kiowa Homeland in Okalahoma,” Geographical Review, Vol. 90, No. 2, (April 2000), pg. 155-176. Published by The American Geographical Society.
Kiara Girkins European Settlers
Kiara Girkins- European Settlers
February 28, 2008
European Settlers came to the Americas in pursuit of religious freedom, they did not, however, come with the notion to preserve the natives’ religious practices. For European settlers, sacred places were not tied to nature or wilderness; they were rooted in their everyday atmospheres, such as churches, homes and even specific rooms in ones own home. For many of the settlers, wilderness was viewed merely as an obstacle, not a divine gift tied to a higher power. The unknown was not useful to them; the wilderness had to be tamed. The European settlers mindset largely hindered their ability to sympathize with the Native Americans as they only saw America as untamed territory. Finding rhyme and reason for the extraordinary was important as they were not religiously invested in the wilderness. This idea can be seen in George Caleb Bingham’s famous painting, Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers Through the Cumberland Gap, according to Anne F. Hyde as the painting depicts a skewed view of what America looked like before European settlers arrived. Hyde says that the picture illustrated a land that was completely wild and uninhibited and unexplored saying,
“This concept of a blank wilderness, long challenged by scholars but powerfully supported by popular culture and national ideology, allows for a telling of western history that centers on the American nation as discoverer and developer,” (Hyde).
The truth, however, remains that this so called “blank wilderness” did not exist, but rather was land preserved in a way that was unfamiliar to Europeans, but was the foundation of the Native American culture. Unfortunately the former mindset has continued on, passing from generation to generation.
Anne F Hyde (2005). The Disadvantages of Hindsight: A Re-Reading of the Early American West. Magazine of History, 19(6), 7-11. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 990500581).
February 28, 2008
European Settlers came to the Americas in pursuit of religious freedom, they did not, however, come with the notion to preserve the natives’ religious practices. For European settlers, sacred places were not tied to nature or wilderness; they were rooted in their everyday atmospheres, such as churches, homes and even specific rooms in ones own home. For many of the settlers, wilderness was viewed merely as an obstacle, not a divine gift tied to a higher power. The unknown was not useful to them; the wilderness had to be tamed. The European settlers mindset largely hindered their ability to sympathize with the Native Americans as they only saw America as untamed territory. Finding rhyme and reason for the extraordinary was important as they were not religiously invested in the wilderness. This idea can be seen in George Caleb Bingham’s famous painting, Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers Through the Cumberland Gap, according to Anne F. Hyde as the painting depicts a skewed view of what America looked like before European settlers arrived. Hyde says that the picture illustrated a land that was completely wild and uninhibited and unexplored saying,
“This concept of a blank wilderness, long challenged by scholars but powerfully supported by popular culture and national ideology, allows for a telling of western history that centers on the American nation as discoverer and developer,” (Hyde).
The truth, however, remains that this so called “blank wilderness” did not exist, but rather was land preserved in a way that was unfamiliar to Europeans, but was the foundation of the Native American culture. Unfortunately the former mindset has continued on, passing from generation to generation.
Anne F Hyde (2005). The Disadvantages of Hindsight: A Re-Reading of the Early American West. Magazine of History, 19(6), 7-11. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 990500581).
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