From: canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Lithuania
Date: 22 Jul 92 16:06:02 GMT
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

In article <1992Jul22.000642.26260@wolves.uucp> wolfe@wolves.uucp (G. Wolfe Woodbury) writes:
>In article <1992Jul17.180730.3377@burrhus.harvard.edu> 
>canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson) writes:
>>	Well, of course.  That's Europe (more importantly non-US) where
>>there's an ethnically homogenous population with a real frigging folk
>>tradition steeped in pagan stuff.  When I lived in England they Morris
>>dancers and things on May Day (for another example).  Great stuff!
>
>Ethnically homogenous?
>
>HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
>
>{Wolfe is Rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter....}
>
>Ethnically homogenous?  Are you sure that is what you meant to write?
>Are you really trying to say that "Europeans" are a single culture, and
>of a uniform ancestry?

	No you silly man, I  _K_N_O_W_  that "Europeans" are not ethnically
homogenous.  I'm a goddam Folklore and Mythology major and while no genius
I will claim to know whereof I speak.
	I suppose that my wording could be considered a little unclear, but
it never occurred to me that anyone would think I was implying Europeans
are homogenous.  I apologize if this was my post appeared to say.

>Excuse me!  The cultures of Europe are about as diverse and heterogenous
>as can be found in any part of this small planet.
>
>As for "real frigging folk tradition....."
>
>The same traditions occur in North America, since the immigrant
>populations brought them with them from Europe.

	My point was that Lithuania is populated by Lithuanians.  They are
all part of one continous culture (OK - for the benefit of accuaracy
sticklers I'll admit that there are probably a few immigrants here and
there) which stretches back thousands of years.  All Lithuanians can
participate in such festivals, and can understand them because it's a part
of their culture. 
	Hmmm.  That isn't quite clear, but I think you know what I mean.
And in England, the people are in touch with English folk traditions.  I
know.  I lived in England for several years, and the identity with their
folk traditions and culture is much stronger than you will find in America.
	Americans have to a large degree preserved many traditions brough
over from their ancestors homelands (be they Europe, or Asia, or Africa, or
where ever).  But in America these cultures are very mixed up amongst each
other.  My family has a strong Swedish-Danish heritage and observes many
Scandinavian traditions.  But my parents live on Long Island, which is
hardly a Scandinavian-American Mecca!  There might be a few other Scands
around to hook up with for Svenskarnesdag or something, but the whole town
ain't gonna turn out for it.
	Chinese-Americans can celebrate Chinese New-Year, but at best
they'll have a section of an urban population to celebrate with.  It's not
like the whole US is gonna run out a celebrate Chinese New-Year.  Thant
would be pretty ridiculous anyway.
	Now I think that it's very good that people keep contact with their
cultural heritage and the traditions of their ancestors.  But is is too bad
that in the US such little communities are so small and scattered.  I have
Scottish ancestors too, but would have to go a long way on a special trip
to a US Highland games festival or the like.  It won't happen in my town.
	This isn't to say that there aren't some American tradtions too;
the Fourth of July is an example of this.  But they are pale compared to
the richness found in ethnically homogenous cultures found is countries
like Lithuania, England, etc.

>Whew, I'm sorry, this just hit me as one of the most unintentionally
>funny items to pass my way recently.  If the poster truly meant
>"homogenous" (as in uniform) then it is one of the most clueless
>statements I've seen in a long time.

	Well, I certainly didn't intend for my post to be understood as
calling Europe and ethnically homogenous unit (though there are many
similarities between the Indo-European cultures, I wouldn't call them
ethnically homogenous by any stretch).  If I am going to say something
clueless it will probably be about some technical point of neo-paganism or
new-age-ism (I'll try to keep my mouth shut here :)   but I'm probably
pretty safe on IE folk and myth.
	Apologies again if I am unclear.

Lycka till,
Carl

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Carl Edlund Anderson	            	"Hefi ek ok aldri sva reitt vapn
canders@isr.harvard.edu			at manni at eigi hafi vidh kommit."
OR
anderso2@husc.harvard.edu			- Skarphedhinn Njalsson 
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Newsgroups: alt.pagan