Traditions
Steadfastness is a good thing in most religions, innit?
When I was in the jungle, I came across a group of Orang-Asli, indigenous Malays who eke out livings in their tribal ways of life. They carried bows for hunting (they are given license by the govt), bodies naked except for simple loincloths, and from what I saw, all walked barefoot. These were not the Orang-Asli that are on display to tourists in 'authentic villages' with their handicrafts ready to be sold – these guys were the real thing, and we silently nodded our hellos as we passed – me on the path to getting lost and they towards their home in among the vines.
Why do the Orang-Asli cling onto their way of living? Wouldn't their living standard dramatically improve if they merged with the modern Malaysian society? Sure, it would be hard for the first generation, learning to buy packaged meat from the market instead of shooting darts at game, but as a society, they would improve. What are they holding onto? Tradition? A way of life?
Traditions - based on convictions and habit -- are a big part of us. They give us structure to relate to others, providing holidays and ceremonies and other markers for the passage of time. They hold communities together, they provide anchors against the volatility of progress, and some of them, let's face it, are pretty neat. But a lot of them are also irrelevant to the conditions in which we find ourselves.
Why insist on not eating pork – when it is based on an outdated health code? Why daub ashes oh your head, or fast for a specified month, or burn incense, or chant that particular refrain? What do they have to do with life?
In this part of Malaysia, all girls cover themselves head-to-toe while the men have no such restrictions. I get it – the wardrobe deters temptation... but it seems to me a bit unfair to the girls to protect themselves from the sins of men – couldn't there have been some kind of tradition that made the guys do something? Like wear blurry glasses? In any case, while the guys are in shorts and t-shirts, the girls, I think, must be hot under all that – and it sure is hard to wash your face cause you have to remove the headgear and all...
Where I grew up, some traditions were even sillier. In the Baptist services I went to each week, you stand to sing and pray (they look down on Catholics who had those kneeling things), and of course you prayed with your eyes closed, head bowed – none of this hand raising or moaning going on; the Eucharist was done once a month, any more would smack of Papal arrogance, hymns were sung a certain way, the ushers passed the tithing plates just so, and a baptism was full on dunking... none of this mamby pamby sprinkling... and on and on it went until my head exploded.
Do traditions define a person? Or does the person...
cool about the orang-alsi.. i'm imagining the characters in the movie 'the end of the spear' cept they were ecuadorian...
Posted by: jojo | May 24, 2006 at 08:46 AM
Blurry sunglasses??????? that's awesome.
Posted by: vinny | May 24, 2006 at 07:30 PM
yeah - those aboriginals reminded me of the guys from 'The Mission'. have you seen that one? really awesome movie.
and blurry sunglasses would eff guys up. sorta like beer goggles.. but all the time.
Posted by: j.fisher | May 25, 2006 at 03:35 AM
o yes i have seen 'the mission'... that was a good flick.
:)
Posted by: jojo | May 25, 2006 at 08:08 AM