What concepts in the Sawi culture intrigued / reviled / saddened / angered / surprised you?

What concepts in the Sawi culture intrigued / reviled / saddened / angered / surprised you?


I found the most horrifying aspect of the entire book was when the other tribe ate one of the Sawi's peace child as a way to keep the peace lasting. It made sense in a sick, twisted kind of way; eating the child made the child a part of everyone in the community. At the same time, what kind of sense is it to eat a baby? 





The next part of Sawi culture that interested me was how it was possible, after so much fighting, for someone to give up a child and BAM, instant peace. I dont think I've ever seen people get nearly mad enough to think about killing someone. The Sawi people go from knifing and shooting each other to complete peace.  After all, it is part of their society to betray other people. It just interests me how quickly  feelings can change. 


The next part of Sawi culture is pretty normal in our society today. People dont go looking for change. The Sawi culture just took it to a new extreme by refusing to do anything different. They believed doing things different would result in, put simply, bad things happening to them. The Sawi even had a tradition to ingest some of the corpse after it had rotted a few days. Believe it or not, the Sawi were pretty excited to hear they didn't have to do that anymore after the missionaries came. Another part of change to Sawi had a hard time coping with was when the missionaries were trrying to revive a Sawi tribe member. Even though the man had not stopped breathing, the Sawi tribe wanted to bury the man because the witch doctor told them his soul had left his body. Even after days of the man living, the Sawi did not believe the missionaries. After the man was finally brought back out of a coma, they Sawi tribe's trust in the witch doctors was severely weakened.  After reading through then entire book, it seems obvious the Sawi tribe did not like change, and until faced with a better option, they Sawi stuck with what they knew. 

What should society do for “uncivilized cultures” like the Sawi?

What should society do for “uncivilized cultures” like the Sawi?



Now, I know this isn't the Sawi Culture, but the question asked for uncivilized. This was the first thing I thought of. To get to the question, I feel like society should not just give cultures like the Sawi the modern world on a platter all at once. I saw this because I came to Korea, and everything changed for me all at once. Everything I knew to be true, wasn't always true anymore. I can remember the first couple days I was in Korea I felt like I was suffocating because I couldn't read anything. I have always been a very word dependent person. Billboards, cleaning supply's, everything. So, when I moved to Korea and I couldn't read or recognize anything, it was really hard for me. I think this experience would be exponentially worse for cultures untouched by the modern world. 



The best way to introduce an uncivilized in my opinion would be to slowly increase the culture's knowledge. Dictionaries and translations of the language should be made before the culture is thrown into modern society. Social taboos such as cannibalism and incest might NOT be a problem for some cultures. While rare, they do exist. These cultures are not going to learn over night their entire way of life if frowned upon and must decease to exist. Cultures such as the Sawi found common products such as axe to be a revelation. Technology like computers, the internet, telephones, and other common wonders of the 21st century would be inconceivable to "uncivilized cultures." Cultures such as the Sawi should be introduced into their surrounding area, such as other similar tribes and nearby civilization. Then slowly branch out into their country and eventually international dealings. This process should take years, not days. Introducing a culture too fast would be like taking Pocahontas to New York City and telling her to have figure it out. Can you say, culture shock? 


Something to be avoided with new cultures would be the exploitation of the people. Large companies should not be allowed to take advantage of new workers who would not know safe working conditions, fair wages, or issues dealing with slave labor. Everything is good in small doses right, except cigarettes. 


So the key phrase in this is "slowly," as long as society does that, the undiscovered cultures should do just fine. Well, relatively speaking of course. 

What factors of your native culture have informed your religious world view?

 What factors of your native culture have informed your religious world view?


My family would be the main factor of my religious world view. My father has always been a paster, and every Sunday for the last 17 years of my life (except for a handful of times) , I have sitting in the pews waiting for the sermon. To add to that, my mother is a bible teacher at our school, so you could say I am being pressured on both sides to be Christian. Then, my older siblings, I have four, are all much more...free spirited. Being the youngest, I've always wanted to be as cool as my older siblings. I do get nicer clothes and more cool technology amongst other things that my siblings didn't get. At the same time, mum and dad wont let me drive as early as my older siblings, or run around as late. Not nearly as late. So you could say I have been in sort of a middle ground between wishing to be like my older siblings and kept under tight wraps by the parents. 


The next factor I would say would be what is considered normal. Where I lived, rural southern culture in general tells people to accept the norms of life (I cannot say for other places, but I think it is probably similar). Taylor Swift and Eminem are "normal" so I should listen to them. Christianity is the "norm" so I should "say" I am Christian if I really dont have an opinion. At least, that is what I've come to see from many people and stereotypes. 


The normal where I lived would be to disregard Islam because they are all bombers and sadists. That is making a generalization before I even get to understand what the religion teaches. Do I personally agree with Islam? No, I dont, but it isn't my job to tell people they are wrong. I do not have to agree with Islam, but as long as they are not shoving their beliefs down my throat they can be tolerated.

I dont understand why people feel this need to be right or wrong. My right, doesn't have to mean you are wrong, it just means I think a certain way and disagree with you. Yes, it is postmodern and I agree with it. Which is my last factor in what has formed by religious world view. I wouldn't say I am a postmodernist. I am not nearly that well educated in its type of thinking to say that. However, I agree with many of the main points and beliefs, but not all. One major contributor of postmodernism believed someone could have an answer and think it completely true and correct, and at the same time think it to be false. No, I think thats a load of....falseness. 


So, my family, my location and its stereotypes/norms, and postmodernism have all effected my religious world view. 

For your Nortification

My name is Norton, my nick name is Norty, my job is to Nortify you with know Noledge.

Sorry, that was a bit much, but if it made you laugh my work is done. This is where I'm going to post all my work for DP HL English. Prepare to be...informed. Haha, and you thought I was going to say Nortified.

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