h a l f b a k e r y
I CAN HAZ CROISSANTZ?
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I was deeply disturbed by the various “halls of people.” in
the
Natural History Museum. You know like “The Hall of Asian
Peoples” and “The Hall of Native American Peoples” There
were halls for every people but European peoples and
modern
American people. Who I suppose we aren't supposed to
think
of as peoples. But rather as “us” or god knows what.
Surprised they can still get away with that. Build a new hall
now.
American Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnh.org...ibitions/floorplan/
Floor plan, if you want to check for yourself. [jutta, Aug 19 2001]
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
http://www.hfmgv.org
Henry's cars require roads. One road threatens his boyhood home. In an effort to save it, he decides to capture all Americana. [phoenix, Aug 19 2001, last modified Oct 05 2004]
Ancestors. Who knew?
http://www.theatlan...s/2002/05/olson.htm
You're descended from Confucius. Seriously. [mrthingy, May 24 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004]
Annotation:
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How about "Hall of Caucasian Peoples"? Saves the need for separate European & American halls. |
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What's actually put in these "halls of people" anyhow? Presumably not just people of various ethnic origins standing around chatting. |
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I'm really quite surprised--where do they display such Euroculture things as bullfighting equipment, bagpipes, and brass beds? Maybe the implicit assumption was that American/European people come to the Museum to view artifacts from these other cultures, and so an American/European hall is unnecessary. Seems rather a stupid assumption, though. I'll email the Museum and see if they respond. |
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I suppose it all depends if the Museum collects those kinds of artifacts. I suspect if such a Hall was to be created there would a huge feud between Americans of differing European backgrounds as to what is important enough to be placed there. |
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// This kind of labelling is just ethnocentric racism.
// |
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Isn't all cultural study and display in museums and travel books just that? "Oooohh, look at weird people X, they do weird thing Y, and wear their hair in weird hairstyle Z. Isn't condescending a *big* word, boys and girls?" |
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Odd that all of the continent's names begin and end with the letter A, but for the one which can't be discretely identified on a map, Europe. |
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<pedant mode> I don't recall North America starting with an 'A' </pedant mode> |
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I can't help you if you don't recognise the word America. |
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I wonder if they all start with "A" in Chinese? |
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Probably not, but I believe asshole still does. |
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Doesn't end in one, though... |
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I think that was a bit strong, though, since 'North America' and 'South America' are considered different continents. |
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I just visited this place for the first time since I was a kid (out-of-towners visiting, y'see). Dog Ed and PeterSealy are correct; the museum assumes its visitors to be North American / European. Pretty much all of them were, though, except for a sizeable number of Asians. But that should in no way let the musuem off the hook for the ethnocentrism implicit in thier assumption. |
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Then again, whaddaya expect from a place as boring and stale as that anyway? Screw 'em. Don't go. |
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First-level reply from the Museum: |
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"At the moment their [sic] are not any plans for expansion of these current halls, or to add any additional peoples halls. However, I can appreciate your interest and suggestion, and I have forwarded a copy of your e-mail to the appropriate individual in the Exhibition Department." |
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UnaBubba: //Isn't all cultural study and display in museums and travel books [condescending]?// |
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Well, it isn't all 'gee-whiz them Xlanders are weird'. Sometimes, looking at Native American exhibits, I think "Wow, now *that's* ingenious," knowing full well I would shrivel up and die in short order if I were lost in southeast Oregon--territory where the Paiute made a perfectly good living from the land. I'm perfectly willing to admit that whilst I can touch-type, so-called 'primitive' peoples are much cleverer than I at many rather more crucial skills. And occasionally books and museums remind me of that fact. |
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[The 'their' for 'there' was in the original email I received, angel. El Pedanto should fly at superspeed to NYC and give the righter a peace of his or her mind.] |
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[DogEd]: Is that 'their' the Museum's error or yours? |
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I was referring to the tendency of museums and the like to portray xenolithic culture and paraphernalia in a manner which points up the differences and plays on how 'weird' they are by comparison with our 'correct' culture. I assume this is done to attract the interest of children. The downside of this approach is to perpetuate racial and cultural intolerance and reinforce such stereotypical views. |
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Drawing the attention of children to the similarities between cultures and peoples would surely be more beneficial? |
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[Everyone], I apologise for my intemperate remarks in relation to the letter A. In fairness, Chinese probably does refer to Antarctica, Africa, Australia and both Americas by those names, as they were unknown to the Chinese until real Western incursions into their insular society began a couple of hundred years ago. Having said that, I seem to recall China calls itself something entirely different so anything is possible. |
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You mean, you think they must have been disgusting and miserable from your 21st century, Western, air-conditioned standpoint. |
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Well, compared to the Romans with their baths and various *primitive* Mediterranean and Near Eastern cultures (e.g. the Hittites, who had strong traditions of daily ablutions, similar to Islamic practices today), they were indeed pretty manky. While the Moors were running the show, we Europeans were just stinky barbarians, illiterate and unhygienic, living in our own slops. The Japanese weren't that impressed when they met us either. |
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"Otto The Fart" was a King fer Chrissakes. |
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UB: Perhaps it is I who should apologize for my evidently provocative remark. I had hoped to provoke a grin rather than a growl. |
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Oh well, someone may have got a laugh out of it. |
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[Mephista], spot on! I don't think I'd like to return to a time when the avaerage life expectancy was 42 years and catching a cold may well have been your death warrant. |
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My point is that we consider ourselves far superior to our ancestors of even a hundred years ago. We forget just how contemporary those people would be to us if they suddenly popped into our lives. I still struggle against the ingrained views and values resulting from the indoctrination which I received at the hands of schoolteachers as a child. |
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I added a link to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan (Go Spartans!). Not exactly what the idea is about, but in the same vein. |
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An absolutely wonderful place with an astounding number of items. And they change exhibits often. Of course there are cars there (and not all Fords), but so much more. The village is a collection of historicaly signifigant buildings which mostly pre-date or are contemporary to Ford. There are active blacksmiths, candlemakers, bakers, etc as well. You can also tour the village in horse drawn carriage or a Model 'A' Ford. |
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Great place. I highly recommend it. |
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UnaBubba: I overshot the mark in my response to your anno about condescending displays. You are, in the main, quite right. And I find my own sentiments about not underestimating the intelligence of 'primitive' or historical peoples ably expressed by both you and Mephista. Oh! We really *are* the Happy Cuddle Club. |
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I wouldn't be prepared to wager on your last remark. "Sharp minds have sharp tongues", according to my rather contemporary great-grandmother. (She rode astride when most women rode sidesaddle late in the 1800's and shot and killed three men who attempted to waylay her and two servants on a trip into town in 1898. She was 17 at the time. Remind you of anyone Susen?) |
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Come to think of it, her home was something like a museum. She had an amazing array of stuff from her childhood... silver tea service etc. which would be the sort of thing displayed in a Eurocentric museum today. |
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Funny old dear, perhaps not so contemporary, as I recall, at times. She'd watch cricket on TV if Australia was playing England or New Zealand, but switch it off if we were playing India or the West Indies ("Those blessed 'darkies' playing cricket of all things, who could countenance it?") |
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