Comments on: First Contact

First Contact

ITheCosmos — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 17:56:11 -0800

First Contact: Is it ethical to charge people for the privilege of making "first contact" with nomadic hunter-gatherer groups when the situation of indigenous peoples is so dire? Are we still entranced by the idea of the "noble savage"?

By: ITheCosmos

ITheCosmos — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 17:57:08 -0800

second link via kottke.

By: sour cream

sour cream — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 18:09:07 -0800

Is it ethical to con tourists into paying for what they think is the privilege of making "first contact" with nomadic hunter gatherers? Why yes, it is. The tourists get their show, the savages get their cut of the tourism spoils -- everybody wins.

By: emdog

emdog — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 18:11:16 -0800

absolutely, and if a person is willing to die an ignoble death in the process, that's all the better. a member of an anthro camera crew was killed in s amer not too long ago under similar 'first contact' conditions. after all, it's minimal interest for all the previous atrocities that have been heaped upon those 'dirty savages'

By: sled

sled — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 18:14:51 -0800

Used to get my kicks by stepping/climbing/traversing that which wasn't touched before. It becomes overwhelming and you waste a lot of firsts before you realize what you're doing. I'm awfully sure that is what would happen here. At the end of that day you realize you don't need it, but don't tell anyone who feels they should do this that. Regardless, it's rough and is a battle for all involved. The indigenous here don't realize the flame they are playing with and those that venture may or may not realize the long term questions..

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 18:48:25 -0800

ummm.. NO.

By: snsranch

snsranch — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 19:04:37 -0800

Wasn't there something from Star Trek like a Prime Objective or something? Trekkies help me out with this. I think it might apply here.

By: jesourie

jesourie — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 19:27:40 -0800

Yup, snsranch, it's the Prime Directive.

By: mischief

mischief — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 19:33:57 -0800

Time they arrived into the 21st century anyway. ;-P

By: jimfl

jimfl — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 19:37:10 -0800

This is absolutely the worst possible thing.

By: spock

spock — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 19:54:46 -0800

Interesting post. I think this leaves a bad taste in the mouth for multiple reasons: a) treating another culture like some zoo exhibit is distasteful to me b) i'm reminded of how outsiders brought decimating disease to a previously closed culture in past history c) it sounds like it has the potential to become some Buffalo Bill show where the natives will one day be paid to act like the savages who have never before seen an outside human.

By: nebulawindphone

nebulawindphone — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 20:04:24 -0800

(Off the top of my head, I'd be willing to guess that c has already occurred here.)

By: snsranch

snsranch — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 20:40:36 -0800

Thank you jesourie! I knew there was something to that. Oddly enough, Spock has spoken and his comments are brilliant and sum things up perfectly.

By: cusack

cusack — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 23:02:16 -0800

y'all should just leave them peeps alone!

By: zaelic

zaelic — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 02:25:44 -0800

If this is legit, it is outrageously wrong. The arrogance of thinking that your culture gives you a "right" to intrude on somebody else's is as culturally-defined and narrow as one that says it is good to cut your head off and place it above my doorpost. First of all, disease. Although Papuans have had trade contact with each other and with the outside world for centuries, a new flu strain could wipe out a population quite easy, and yes, you can transmit it within five miunutes. Which is why the Indian goivernement does not let this type of tourism go on with the Andaman Island natives. Simple diseases wiped out Native American cultures well before most of them had actually met Europeans face to face. And I agree with the anthros that most traditional cultues don't go traipsing through the jungles in elaborate headresses.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 06:25:35 -0800

For those worried about the morality of first contact, I'm pretty sure this is bogus, based on this:

"I'm 95 percent sure it is a hoax," the University of Sydney's William Foley declares after watching it. He's struck by the fact that the natives didn't appear to have any skin diseases, which are endemic among bushmen. "This is unheard of for people living in the forest," he says. "The guys are too clean. Secondly, their dress is far too elaborate. That's the kind of dress they wear when doing a ceremony. That's not what they wear when they go out hunting and collecting food. All those headdresses—no way."

So I have to agree with sour cream. Great post!

By: carmen

carmen — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 07:31:51 -0800

For info about a similar situation in Africa, see A Kalahari Family. This is a long documentary that deals, in part, with the same type of "eco-tourism." The San's land has been taken away to the point that hunting and gathering is not a viable option. Now they live on government reserves surviving on tiny rations. They're attempts to farm were undermined by WWF (they were restricted from protecting themselves from elephants who invaded their water sources). Now they participate in tours where tourists can come and see their so-called way of life. The tourists are not told that it is an act, and no, the San do not get a share of the profits. They are also restricted from pursuing farming or other forms of sustainable livelihood within the area of the tours, so they are totally reliant on the meager pay from tourist activities. I don't know about the Papuan case, but I do know that there is a general consensus in hunter gatherer studies that there are no groups left in the world relying on hunting and gathering anymore.

By: jkaczor

jkaczor — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 08:43:10 -0800

> Why yes, it is. The tourists get their show, the savages >get their cut of the tourism spoils -- everybody wins. Hmm, you gave me a grand idea. Step right up folks, make first contact with this tiny tribe of "suburban savages"... Individually they are quite endearing, reminiscent of days gone by, but when gathered together, fed copious amounts of sugar - they can turn into deadly hunters. In constant search of amusement and entertainment these dwarfed humanoids will stop at nothing to satisfy their insatiable lust for parental attention.

By: Kirth Gerson

Kirth Gerson — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 10:31:13 -0800

Or you could do this instead.