Warning: Depressing in the Depression

This video and article totally compelled me. The way that they talk about losing Navajo culture, the way that they blame each other for loss, but also definitively identify whiteness and white America, once again reminds me how sharply people feel personal responsibility for things that are widely systematic, and how deeply people internalize this. But the futility that I palpably comprehend from the film seems too dark for me. Can we ever really compensate for what people feel is a loss of culture? What is at stake in its loss? From an anthropological perspective, how and what kind of documentation and understanding is required to stave off or even restore this loss? What does it mean to lose culture to whiteness, emotionally, socially, economically? How can this attitude of futility be combated? The reporter doesn't ask these questions so much. He just seems to present it as a pitiable human interest story without really reflecting on his place in presenting this narrative.

Yes, I am gearing up for the school year. Classes start Tuesday. Determination to find many more ways that scholarship can still mean something real.

Can you dig it, baby?

Leiden has been a wonderful place to me so far. Thanks to a wonderful string of coincidences, I have ended up staying with Bert and Marjolein, a couple who live in a quiet Northern area of Leiden called Merenwijk. It is tranquil, and oh so green here. And Marjolein and Bert have been the kindest hosts.

I have been borrowing Marjolein's bike for now, when I need to go into the city center or the university buildings, etc. It's a flighty 15 minute bike ride (at my slow unaccustomed pace) from the house. I don't yet have piccies of the center, but it is a bit different from this grassy tucked-away haven. It is a nice contrast and precursor to my move into my solo apartment the city center on September 1st.


Here's the album from my stroll around the Merenwijk park, replete with mini animal farm.

And here's a little muziek to set the mood:

Cologney Baloney

As always, the bifurcation of my blogosphere is split thus:

Here at The Avera Palimpsest, you can always find the personal life updates,the travelogues, the newsworthy, and the serious social justice reflection. Over at PopCornucopia, you'll get my musings on pop culture, often with critical slant, as well as any arts and entertainment rocking my world.

Recently, I took a trip to Cologne, Germany to visit my Auntie Mary who was there on business. After landing in Amsterdam and spending a day there, I hopped on a train the next morning to go on yet another whirlwind journey. It was nice killing time in Cologne, before I got my housing situation sorted in the Netherlands. And especially nice to spend some QT with the Aunt. I'd be more detailed, but I am pooped out and now trying to get geared up for the commencement of school.

The Dom cathedral spire (1 of 2)

Click here for more pictures in a facebook album of my little trip to Cologne (Köln) it seems I have trouble spelling Germany in German :( What a stupid monolingual American am I!

Please excuse me while I move to the Netherlands

Yep, I will do my utmost to post some good stuff in here once again, but life's just gotten in the way.

The blogging dropoff is largely due to the manic activity of the last three weeks of my job, with a jazz festival, camp and residency program going at full force, and being marooned on the island that is Stanford. Thankfully, the storm from that weather front has subsided.

Alas, further complications have lead me to moving to a faraway place that requires international wire transfers, deciphering the indecipherable, and the general stress of relocation at a breakneck pace. So until that is fully in swing, don't expect anything regular.

Thanks for your patience and understanding of the intermittent nature of posting in the coming weeks.