Originally posted 4.23.2009 at 4:21am
Watch one or all three of the videos. One is an excellent ethnographic short of Cargo cults. The second is on Rastafarianism. The third is a dialogue between a Catholic priest and a Brahmin priest of Hinduism.
Cargo cults are compared to the cult of Jesus in this 6:03" segment:
This features a man from a community of Rastafarians, who have settled in the small southern Ethiopian town of Shashamene (3:01"):
This is a fascinating dialogue between a French Roman Catholic official (it seems) and a Hindu official or Brahmin priest.
POST A COMMENT: Decided to give you a bit more direction for the comment here. PICK ONE QUESTION TO COMMENT ON.
Q#1: After viewing the video on either Cargo Cults, Rastafarianism, or the dialogue between the Catholic Priest and the Brahmin priest, how does the example you chose to watch highlight
- the social constructed nature of religion as well as
- how our view of others is a manifestation of our own grinding and their reaction one cultural constructed by theirs.
Q#2: How has the world capitalist economy of core and periphery stratification of nations perhaps contributed to the spread and formation of religions like Rastafarianism and Cargo cults?
Posts
12 comments:
One of the major things that I notice about the third video is the sense of ethnocentrism (somewhat being applied to religion). I believe that when dealing with religion, faith or simply a belief system; it is impossible to make sense of the subject or rationalize the believe and its origins.This is exactly what the Catholic priest is trying to do with Hinduism, trying to apply what he believes into another belief system.
It is interesting to think about cargo cults in the larger context of the origin of Religion.
Religion attempts to explain the unexplainable: the metaphysical, the "magical," the phenomenal.
By introducing advanced technologies to relatively primitive cultures, modern Core nations are shocking there natives into thinking things like combustion, microprocessing, and so on, are "magic." As religion did, cargo cults attempt to explain these things the only way they can: magic, rather than Science.
The formation of religions like Rastafarianism as a result of the separation between core and periphery nation can be seen in the video. The man says that Africa is the richest nation in the world with the poorest people. This is opposing capitalist economies that are culturally poor or morally corrupt, like the nations that rapped his ancestors. This notion lifts its members of the periphery nations.
The Rastafarian's have a religion that allows them to see beyond their conditions in a periphery nation. It helps to remind them that they are just as important as the "englishman." Also the part about how "Africa is the richest country with the poorest people" eximplifies that. America is one of the richest Core nations, but I sometime feel jealous of my friends that come from a country with traditions and ethinic pride that was lost in the settlement of America. Plus Africa is also a rich country of resourses, nonw of us would have working cell phones if it werent for an element found in the Congo..... a civil war a going on over the control of the mines.
The Rastafarian's view of religion to me is a way of holding on to what was lost through the dispora that was caused through slavery.It was through this process of slavery that they lost their languages and had to assimilate to Western culture, however they continually strive to be what their God has created them to be.
In the conversation about Hinduism, you can see both sides of the manifested views of Hinduism apposed to other religions. Everyone has their own unique uprisings and belief systems. ex; it is okay to eat plants,fruit etc. but not living things, but then the priest says fruits and plants are living things.
As a response to question #2, it is the spread of capitalism that lead to the spread and formation of religions like Rastafarianism and Cargo cults. When the 'white man' came and took over this new territory, the people living there had no idea what was going on. They did not live in a more advanced nation like that of the 'white man.' The technology the 'white man' possessed made them superior and the natives inferior. In order to protect themselves, the natives got together to create a leveling mechanism and also a defense shield to support themselves as well as explain what/why the things are happening the way they are with the 'white man' as they take over. This could be seen in Rastafarianism as he mentioned the slave trade and the assimilation of women wearing pants. In the cargo cults, they were surprised how their broken products got 'magically' fixed as they are taken away but the 'white man' was never seen fixing it.
I agree with Carolina that while the Catholic priest and the Hindu priest are talking, they try to understand the other religion's beliefs by applying their own belief system. I had this encounter earlier in my life because I went to Catholic school and i am Hindu. I understand how both priests must feel while discussing this topic of the sacred cow in India. The Catholic priest tries to use beliefs, like if killing an animal is to feed children then its ok, to understand a different religion which has different beliefs.
The Second video caught my attention when it said that the religion potrayed was seen in areas all over. The practice of religion was carried out in almost exactly the same way yet had no knowledge of one anothers existencel. This would allow ones faith to grow stronger not that their faith wasn't strong. The people sacrificed everything based on their faith. I find that most amazing.
I enjoyed the video on cargo cults because it allows us to see how religion is formed from everyday difficulties and how religion is a form of hope for us.
The conversation on why cows are holy seem to generate alot of strong ethnocentric comments from both side. They each agrue and comment on each question with their own belief that their religion and way of life is correct. The fact that in Hinduism, people respect cows like their mother shows their strong belief in the holyness of cows.
Something that I found interesting in the video about the Rastafarian man was when he showed the picture of the lady wearing a skirt and explaining how many women today wear pants and that they shouldn't because it makes them look like "commoners" and like "men". Although he was mostly focusing in on Ethiopian women, I find the same situation when I go to churches in Greece. While the religions may differ, that custom remains the same. For instance, if a woman walks into a church in Greece wearing shorts or pants, she will be given a skirt to wear over her clothes. However here in the US, it almost doesn't even matter anymore; women have started wearing pants all the time to church. This is a sign of religions becoming westernized and some of the traditions changing in order to fit into the surrounding culture.
Watching the Rastafarian video I noticed a strong sense of ethnocentrism. Especially when he says "Ethiopian people are not common people, we are royal people". You could see that he values his native religion and culture. In the end he emphasizes that he speaks English but he is not an "English man". He explains that slaves forced to give up their language, and their culture. It is clear that he believes that his culture and religion are "the right way".
Julie Sesina
Post a Comment