Was Marshall McLuhan right?

1. Was Marshall McLuhan right? • ”global village” • Internet, satellitephonecalls, media-gigants, movies, gossip • Howaretheyaffectingus? • Are weable to contactanyone? • Shouldwe all speakEnglish and gossipabout Brad Pitt?

2. The media gigants • In 2000 10 TNCshad 2/3 of media revenue ($250-275 billions) • Global media oligopoly • Commersialation – 12 yearolds in the US • Standarizationofbeauty – ”join millions ofwomenworldwide”

3. Pornography • Biggest media category • 1981 – 500.000 men in Swedenboughtonepornmagazine a week • 1983 – everyforth video rented in Swedenwaspornographic • 1985 – 13.6 million pornmagazines sold in Sweden

4. Cosmopolitan • 58 internationaleditions • ”Becauseyouareworth it”. • ”Professional HairCare for you”.

5. Languages

6. English as a linguafranca • British colonialism in 16th century – 7 million native speakers • By 1990s 350 million native speakers, additional 400 million withEnglish as secondlanguage • >80 % ofinternet posts in English • ½ ofexchange students in Anglo-American countries

7. Languagesaredisappearing • 14.500 in 1500 • <7.000 in 2000 • 50-90 % ofcurrentlyexistinglanguagesdisappeared by 2100

8. Case Study The Dani of Irian Jaya

9. Introduction • Nation of indigenous people in the highlands of Irian Jaya • 1200-2100m in the highlands • 100,000 inhabitants in the valley of the Baliem River • Largest settlement is Wamena (pop. ≈8000) • Had no recorded contact with the outside world until 1938. • One of the few examples in modern times where a culture was observed going form complete isolation to a state of contact with the world.

10. History of the Cultural Contact • First isolated expeditions • Island claimed by the Dutch in 1848, but given the area’s remoteness no contact was made • Richard Archibold (USA) in 1938 landed on Lake Habbema and was greeted by some Dani. • Worldwide attention in the May 1941 edition of National Geographic. • Missionaries started approaching by the 1950s • First ones were hostile. • 1954: first “successful” missionary • 1960: All Dani in contact with a missionary • Indonesian government, explorers/tourists, and missionaries have been the major forces of cultural change.

11. Pre-contact dani

12. Domestic Life • Compounds called sili • Direction of opening important to “face sunrise, avoid mountain shadow, etc.” • Fenced 8-12m surrounding • Area for community gatherings • Separate circular huts • Lonai for men and boys (4m) • Enai for women and daughters (3m) • Lower floor for cooking: upper floor for sleep and storing valuables. • No chimneys in order keep warmth • LE is only 38 years due to much pneumonisis

13. Inside a Hut Notice the black stained roofs

14. Social Organization • Two sub-groups: Weya and Wonga • Marriage must always occur with the opposite clan • It is traditional not to call in-laws by their name • Men and women typically sleep in their own huts • Few men had more than one wife • Men typically marry at 20, women at 12 • Menopause is induced early after women have their second child

15. Clothing and Appearance • Though not wearing much, Dani people are still quite modest • Phallocrypts (penis sheath) and grass skirts are most common

16. Food and Agriculture • Sedentary agriculture • Soil are poor due to high rainfall • Land owned individually, and farmed intensively • The sweet potato is the main crop, despite originating from South America • 70 varieties are known • irrigation channels, and techniques like green manuring and mounding present • Pigs are the main protein dish • Reserved mainly for special occasions • As men have priority, women get little protein • Salt acquired by soaking banana leaves in brine pools

17. Trade, Wealth, and Transport • Reciprocity is the norm • Wealth is measured in pigs • Shells are used as money • Rare, being form the coast • Walking, and small log rafts are the few means of transportation • Most never venture beyond the neighbouring village

18. Rituals and Ceremonies • Ritual warfare occurs between village-nations • More of fighting for sake of fighting/ entertainment • Each starts with trash talk, and short 15 minute clashes, repeated up to 20 times in a day • Rain, a few wounded, or one death was enough to end battle • Some isolated sects practiced cannibalism, believing it made them stronger • Pig-kill festivals occurred every 3-six years • Neighbouring villages invited • 3-6 hours of cooking of pig • Dancing, singing, storytelling, and socializing • Boy-initiation, girls marriages, and mourning of dead • Amputating digits a sign of mourning • Few relics, artefacts, or art pieces created, but mummification ritual begins in 17th century.

19. Religion and Worldview • Everything was living • Sun was a man, Moon is a woman • Rain was urine or menstrual blood • Earthquakes are movement of the pig the entire earth lad upon • Ghosts inhabit the surrounding world, and the cause of many natural phenomenon • Kugiwak (charms) are used for protection or laying curses Worldview comprises of 4 aspects The way people view the universe Values and ethics of the people Perception of reality Meaning of human existence

20. Impact of the Missionaries

21. Religion and Worldview Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Though their perspective is broader, they still see ghosts and spirits as a part of the world These ghosts are subject to the higher authority of god • Christianity was viewed as a more powerful set of belief; freedom from the power of evil spirits and magic. • Many Dani felt burning their kugiwak was a natural step. • Major burning climaxed on Feb 14, 1960 • Dani travel more, and more self-aware of the extent of their people

22. Clothing and Appearance Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Traditional dress still worn, as it is practical • Many Dani now take on Christian names • i.e. Moses, Issac • Western dress used, but not frequently, as it is easily dirty and irritates the skin

23. Rituals and Ceremonies Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change • Christmas and Easter most important • Pig kill fests held, but more frequently and on a smaller scale • Means a more regular intake of protein • More pig kill fests mean better relationships between neighbouring villages. • Less like to attack someone who owes them a pig-kill fest! • Taking of human life and cannibalism stopped, being incompatible with the Christian faith

24. Trade, Wealth, and Transport Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Wealth is synonymous not with prestige, but with social responsibility • Dani often travel for an entire day to reach markets • Missionary Aviation Fellowship is the backbone of transport • Missionaries brought new tools (Shovels, hammers) • Dani’s desire to have them initiated their first interest in money • Shells were flown in from the coast, and hence lost value • Subsistence farming replaced by commercial farming

25. Air Transport The most efficient means of transport in the remote Baliem Valley.

26. Market in Wamena Dani people now have an ambition to acquire wealth, and markets have appeared in larger villages. Notice the mix of clothing styles: both western and

27. Social Organization Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change living patterns with family still traditional • Traditional sub-groups have faded away • Boy-girl relations can now be confusing • Tradition of not uttering in-laws names was phased out • Smoking is far less common, as Dani were impressed by missionaries Important note: Most of these changes from these previous slides were voluntary changes by the Dani. A few missionaries were not powerful enough to do this solely on their own!

28. Impact of the Indonesian Government

29. Some Notes • The Dani are Melanesian in decent • Most Indonesian are of Malay ethnicity • The Indonesians took control of the Dutch territory Irian Jaya in 1962 • Many argue that this is neo-colonialism • The only relation is that the two areas were both previously under Dutch control • Most Indonesians view the Dani as “savages” • Violent clashes resulting from the government trying to quell “Free West Papua” movement peaked in 1997

30. Culture and Clothing Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Aside from clothing, Dani people have been ignored in this regard Ironically, this has helped preserve Dani culture Indonesian government promised social welfare, health facilities, and agricultural help in exchange for wearing modern dress and learning Bahasa Indonesian (Operation Koteka) The Dani, being proud, resented being called “primitive” Ha no use for health clinics, not being able to pay for them.

31. Domestic Life Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Largely rejected by the Dani, being too cold and draughty. Many live in adjacent traditional huts, using square houses for storage or animals • Indonesian gov’t built western style, metal, square houses for nuclear families in response to premature reparatory deaths • More of these are seen in the main town of Wamena, where the influence is greater

32. Food and Agriculture Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Some resistance with livestock, as Dani prefer fish and pork Troubles with encephalitis has lead to many deaths since the introduction of Balinese pigs Goats and Chickens typically not eaten by Dani, but instead sold • Indonesian government sponsored growing new types of crops and livestock • Rice has nearly replaced sweet potato as the staple food • Dani children no longer recognize the different varieties of sweet potato • Wet rice cultivation is more intensive, dampening ritual warfare even further

33. Trade, Wealth, and Transport Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change So far, the road is incomplete, so walking remains the primary means of transportation • Indonesian government has plans to build the Trans-Irian Highway • Walking paths criss-cross airport runways, so sirens blow to alert walkers • Hollowed out tree trunks have replaced log rafts

34. A Street of Wamena Rather than looking like any other Dani village, the town of Wamena feels more like a typical Indonesian village. Notice the paved road, rows of houses, and the presence of the rickshaw.

35. Social Organization Aspects that changed Aspects that did not change Dani who attend missionary schools receive lessons in their own traditional though forms and logic However progress to higher levels of education is more difficult along this path. Fewer than 1% of Dani children proceed to high school • Indonesian schools teach the Indonesian language, values, and to see themselves as Indonesian rather than Dani. • In 1989, the Indonesian government expelled the missionaries, who previously supplied major community support, literacy, and aviation network.

36. Impact of Tourists and Explorers

37. Notes About Tourists in Irian Jaya • The first Tourists arrived in 1984 • A peak 6019 arrived in 1995, but numbers dwindled since due to • Political instability • Inflation of the rupiah • Tourists bring new: • Social ideas • Economic ideas

38. New Economic Phenomena Positive Aspects Negative Aspects Removes them from farming and important activities Little money goes to Dani people, but primarily to Indonesian businessmen Risk of dependence • Jobs such as carrying luggage, guides allows Dani to earn cash • Gifts from outside given to Dani, like balloons, T-shirts

39. New Social Phenomena Positive Aspects Negative Aspects Most tourists in seeing traditional culture. Mock wars, pig slaughtering take place, but risk reducing the villages to a `human zoo While coming in search of an “uncontaminated, traditional culture,” tourists in the process “contaminate it” • Priority of preserving cultural sites increases with tourism • Chance for Dani people to share culture

40. Culture Contact is 2-way Dani people tend to prefer a traditional lifestyle, but are in a state of transition. Meanwhile, visitors acquire can acquire Dani traits, such as warmth and gentleness, and help diffuse Dani culture worldwide.