Mean Spirit Essays - Osage Nation, Mean Spirit, Osage Hills

Mean Spirit Mean Spirit/ Linda Hogan/ ?1990 Our story takes place on an oil-rich Native American town, called Watona, on a reservation in Oklahoma. The course of the story extends from 1918 to the mid-twenties. There is a multitude of characters that accompany this story. One of the most important characters is Nola Blanket, a young teenager who is a full-blooded Osage Indian. She is a very delicate girl but still very strong. Her mother, Grace Blanket, is a very beautiful, well-liked young woman who is very outgoing and fun-loving. Belle Graycloud is a feisty, strong-willed Indian woman. She is well respected and is the commanding grandmother of her household. Her family is very close to the Blankets, who are distant cousins. Belle's daughter, Lettie, is a close friend of Grace. Lettie's lover, Benoit, is an Osage man that is married to Grace's crippled sister, Sara Blanket; but he is more like a brother and caretaker to her than he is a husband. Michael Horse is the fire keeper of the Osage tribe, but he also writes in his spare time. He is an old man who observes everything around him and writes it down in his journals. Stace Red Hawk is a Sioux Indian that works for the FBI. He became a federal agent in hopes of helping the Native Americans and protecting them from being taken advantage of. John Hale is a tall, lanky white rancher and oilman. He is trusted by the Indians, and seems to be a generous and helpful person. Watona was a small Indian town that prospered due to the rich rivers of oil flowing beneath it. As part of the Dawes Act, each Indian was allowed to choose an allotment of land not already claimed by white Americans. Although the 160 acres of land per Indian seemed generous, the land was barren and dry. The government did not know, however, that black oil seeped up out of the earth, and many Indians became very wealthy because of their ?worthless? pieces of land. As a result of the Indians' wealth, hundreds of white businessmen, fortune-hunters, traders, thieves, and swindlers swarmed to the reservation to make cash. When Grace Blanket is murdered by John Hale on a warm summer morning, it is made to look like a suicide and the local law enforcement passes it off as such. Nola and her friend Rena saw Nola's mother chased down and shot, but the Indians know that they must not bring it to the law or they will risk Nola's life. Belle takes in Nola as her own and sees that Nola is safe. Mysteriously, men from the nearby Osage tribe appear to keep watch over Nola in her time of vulnerability. The story progresses as more murders occur and the situation gets more and more rotten. Sara Blanket is killed in an explosion and Benoit is framed as the culprit. Other local Osage people are found dead, inexplicably, and foul play is afoot. It is more than coincidence that many of these people had dealings with John Hale, who often benefited from their deaths. But nobody has any proof of the murders, so Mr. Hale gets away with his dirty deeds. Stace Red Hawk is sent down from Washington, D.C. by the FBI to investigate the murders. As he spends more time with the Indian people, he slowly loses the ways of the white world and becomes in touch with his real self. He meets Michael Horse, who is adding his own chapter to the Bible because he feels that it has left out crucial elements. Horse is a seer, and he often foresees events that nobody else knows about. Horse is also trying to uncover the mystery that is tearing the Osage community apart. After years of searching, the combined efforts of Stace, Michael, Belle, and Lettie yield enough clues to put John Hale on trial. John is convicted and it seems that everyone is finally safe. One night, Belle's husband Moses wakes up, and he knows right away that something is wrong with his twin sister. He finds that her husband was in on the conspiracy and that he has shot her. The family realizes that they are still in danger, and

Fear Loathing in Las Vegas Essays

Fear Loathing in Las Vegas Essays Fear Loathing in Las Vegas Paper Fear Loathing in Las Vegas Paper Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson unmasks the reality of the American Dream. In the book Thompson portrays and reveals the American Dream as dead, but also as an illusion created by American society. The American Dream was originally portrayed as the notion that you must work hard to achieve the wealth you wish to gain, but now the American Dream in reality consists of people cheating their way to the Dream. Thompson depicts this reality with different events throughout the book and by setting the story in Las Vegas. Thompson, from the very beginning, mentions the American Dream to the reader. He introduces the American Dream as if it were real: were on our way to Las Vegas to find the American Dream (6). The American Dream is never clearly stated to be a certain information or idea. But we always assume that the American Dream is achieved through hard work and aspiration to do the impossible. Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo sets out on a Journey to Las Vegas to find the American Dream. Duke and Dr. Gonzo dont realize that the American Dream is only an illusion. : The Dream is always in sight, but you are never able to reach it. l tell you, my man, this is the American Dream in action! (10). They think that, because of the good fortune that that they have received, they are living the American Dream. When Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo set out on their Journey at the beginning of the book, they have a carload of drugs and illegal substances. I think, because they are always high, they are living part of the American Dream of not caring what they do. When they go to Las Vegas, they have no regard for the law at all. In Part Two of the book, Duke and Dr. Gonzo attend the District Attorneys Conference on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs with many law enforcers in attendance. They attend the conference high and go unnoticed in front of all of the law enforcers. Because they are under the influence of illegal substances at the conference and none of the officers notice, it seems as if they are living in an illusion where crimes go unnoticed and therefore are living the American Dream. Being in Las Vegas, you would expect to find crazy people, people on drugs, and eople who Just dont care what they do and let loose. Las Vegas is bright with lights to capture the attention of people searching for the American Dream. Las Vegas is the short cut to the top. People go to Las Vegas to escape the reality of their lives; Las Vegas is the illusion of the American Dream: Still humping the American Dream, that vision of the Big Winner somehow emerging from the last-minute pre-dawn chaos of a stale Vegas casino (57). Because the book is exemplify mainly in Las Vegas, Thompson displays how the city is the perfect place to set the illusion of the American Dream. Throughout the book, Hunter S. Thompson writes about the American Dream. He portrays the American Dream as an illusion and uses many examples and the setting to us perceive the illusion. In the end, the American Dream is only an illusion portrayed by living the high life but by not working hard to get there. The idea of the American Dream is only there to push us in the direction we wish to go in our lives. Fear Loathing in Las Vegas By paigegibo

Learning Diversity and Authentic Assessment Tools Essay

Learning Diversity and Authentic Assessment Tools - Essay Example LESSON CONTENT: LESSON 1 ELECTRICITY POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE electric field and the movement electric potential electric potential difference INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES a. Focusing event: how to demonstrate the electric field and the movement of the charge. b. Teaching procedures: the lesson will involve two practices and theory c. Formative check : use of short assignments and question that can be take away or end of lesson short questions that need prompt answers. d. Student Participation: students’ participations by use of questions and answers and use of simple calculations that must be done on the board. e. Closure: end by asking the lesson if there is any student who has not understood any concept. If not, give a take away assignment that covers the whole lessons EVALUATION PROCEDURES/ASSESSMENT: use of CATs, Assignments and term paper. MATERIALS AND AIDS: use of a chart, nails, wires, batteries, card board and magnet. DAILY LESSON PLAN NAME OF THE TEACHER: DATE: BIOLOGY LESS ON NUMBER: UNIT: CELL MODELS CELL BIOLOGY INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL: The students should be able to demonstrate the distinctive features of the eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: At the end of this unit the student should be able to know that there are two types of cells for all the living things and their importance in various functions of these living things. RATIONALE: This unit is taught to expose students to the two major categories of cells, their features, the categories of living things that fall under them LESSON CONTENT: LESSON 1 CELL MODELS eukaryote prokaryote INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES f. Focusing event: how to demonstrate the major differences between the cell types g. Teaching procedures: the lesson will involve laboratory practices and theory h. Formative check : use of short assignments and question that can be take away or end of lesson short questions that need prompt answers. i. Student Participation: students’ participations by use of questio ns and answer

Olmstead vs. United States Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Olmstead vs. United States - Term Paper Example As the conversation obtained from such wiretaps was the evidence to decide this case and other similar cases like Green, Mcinnis and several others vs. United States, individually. All convicts were convicted on the same charges based on wiretap-recorded conversation. Based on this, the defendants were charged for violating National Prohibition Act by selling or importing as well as processing illegal liquors. However, as there was no approval for the installation of wiretaps in any of such cases, the evidence based on obtaining record of conversation from such illegally installed wiretaps was debatable and under question.........................(1) Evidence was obtained from the use of private telephone conversation as disclosed by the wiretaps, illegally installed. The question was put before the court if the use of such conversation as any evidence violates the recorded party’s rights under the Fourth and Fifth amendments of the constitution. While the court had a clear answer to the above question as a plain â€Å"NO†; it laid importance on the nature of conversation and not how it was obtained. The court further ruled that since none of the defendants was illegally forced to conduct those conversations. Therefore, the court upheld that there can be no evidence of any violation of their Fifth Amendment protection against self incrimination, while maintaining that the conversations were made voluntarily throughout. Whereby the Fourth Amendment meaning refers to the search and seizure or arrest without warrant, the court ruled that in these cases no such action was present. Therefore, the court upheld that none of the evidences presented violated any rights of the defendants under the fourth amendment, as well. Moreover, there was no physical examination of any papers, any substantial, material effects or the home searches etc., involved in any of these cases. The

Tourism and Indigenous People Essay Example for Free

Tourism and Indigenous People Essay 1. 0 AN INTRODUCTION According to the United Nations definition of indigenous people, they are â€Å"descendants of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived† (United Nations, 2011a). It is estimated that there are about 370 million indigenous people around the globe in over 70 different countries. They keep their own political, social, economic and cultural qualities and also their unique traditions which separate them from other major societies in which they live (United Nations, 2011a). Nowadays, when tourists interact with indigenous cultures it is seen to be restricted to a master/servant encounter and sometimes is seen as an unoriginal representation of these people? s long-established and cultural lifestyles (Hinch Butler, 1996). Hinch Butler (1996) go on to say that â€Å"factors within the external environment may have particularly strong influences upon the outcome of indigenous tourism†. These influences which they mentioned included the economy, culture, physical environment, socialdemographics and politics (Hinch Butler, 1996, page 12). The economic considerations to take into account are very important for tourism – the development of the economy through the tourism industry has actually been implemented as an approach to promoting economic independence for indigenous people (Hinch Butler, 1996). It is known that for over the past two decades tourism impacts have been defined under three main headings – economic, environmental and socio-cultural. Within the context of tourism, this report will deal with indigenous people through issues they come to deal with during their everyday lives. From positive impacts which can come in the form of monetary benefits for them through tourism activities and an increased sense of pride for their culture, to more pressing issues, which include exploitation of their traditional knowledge and detrimental effects on their homelands by tourism. Most importantly and of utmost significance in our world today is the manipulation of indigenous people? Rights as inhabitants and I felt a strong need to discuss particular topics which are very relevant today in society and which pose great problems for the future of indigenous people. I separated the topics under 3 classic terms – economic, environmental and socio-cultural. Firstly, I will talk about tourisms economic impact on indigenous people, where I based my research on three short case study examples of tourism and indigenous communities from Mexico, Southern Belize and Namibia. 1 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 2. 0 ECONOMIC ISSUES â€Å"In many developing, or so-called third world countries, the tourism industry has become an economic activity – one that impinges upon social, economic, cultural and environmental structures† (Amador-Greathouse, 2005, p709). The tourism industry, in some form or another, brings about both positive and negative economic impacts for a multitude of people. Particularly in rural areas, the diversification which is created by tourism helps communities that are perhaps dependent on only one industry and in turn, they can create additional income through working in tourism (Kreag, 2001). 2. 1 Importance of the Economy for Indigenous People The main strength that impels the tourism industry is income and literally all of the written matter which deals with these economic impacts looks at foreign income and also the generation of jobs (Bauer, 2008). An example by Hundt, A. (1996) in Jamaica showed that tourism development in the area actually did reap some rewards in the form of increased wealth and an improvement in the position of people? s health, but it also recognized that the money which was generated from tourism was not utilised in the appropriate way and did not improve the health of the people who needed it more than others. On the other hand, Manley (1974) says, when speaking of tourism in Jamaica, that: â€Å"Jamaica cannot afford to go without tourism. No industry grows as quickly in today’s world, nor is as capable of rapid local expansion† (page 101). He went on to say that tourism is one of the most â€Å"labour intensive industries† left to the modern world and that it has a very agreeable multiplier effect when planned successfully (Manley, 1974). According to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody: National Report (1991) the potential for tourism development is strong in certain parts of Australia. In rural areas it is one of a few growth sections for the economy. However, tourism also brings its quandaries regarding indigenous people, in this case, of aboriginal descent. There are two sides to the coin as at one side we have one of the very few ways that aboriginal people have in taking positive action in creating income for themselves through tourism, but tourism can also bring unwanted invasion of people?s community spirit and lifestyle and bringing with that little benefit to the people (Commonwealth of Australia, 1991). 2 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 Altman Finlayson (2003) examined how employment as a form of economic income in the tourism industry (and tourism-related industries) needs people with good communicational attributes and people who can read and write, as well as embracing different cultures. This idea can be discouraging for some people of indigenous ethnic groups. They went on to say how these issues aforementioned result in a boundary being set around employment opportunity for (in this case) Aboriginal employees and can restrict their involvement within the other service industries to un-skilled or semi-skilled work (Altman Finlayson, 2003). Also mentioned was the fact that â€Å"they (aborigines) prefer indirect economic participation† and â€Å"participation in hospitality and other tourism-related services also demands direct and intensive social interaction with tourists which many aboriginal people are unwilling or unable to undertake† (Altman Finlayson, 2003, p79). 2. 2 Cuetzalan, Mexico: a positive outcome In the case of Cuetzalan, a county in Mexico and country full of various indigenous ethnic groups, tourism has had a positive economic impact – by generating a fresh and busy economic place it has brought forth a totally new understanding in people and has shown the way for a transformation in the likes of shared relations between different societies native to the area (Amador-Greathouse, 2005, pp709-10). One of the top reasons why tourists go to Mexico is to gain insight into the so-called undamaged and unspoiled way of life that Mexicans have in their native setting. The tourists almost expect the indigenous people to put on a show for them in their own style of living. This is what the natives believe the tourist wants to experience in this way and the tourist then seeks out a new awareness of what this indigenous way of life really is (AmadorGreathouse, 2005, pp709-10). 3 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 2. 3 Tourism in a Mayan Village, Southern Belize: Do it at Local Level One case study which sheds lights on the economic impact of tourism is the â€Å"Maya Village Indigenous Experience† in 1990. This programme was a way in which the local Mayan villagers in Southern Belize could take part in a plan which would see them benefit economically from tourism to their area by doing it all at local level, but without compromising their way of life and culture (Steinberg, 1994). In the past the Mayan people had been seen as only useful for strenuous labour and agricultural work, without any economic hopes for them. Their view on tourism was that it would benefit them by concentrating on natural assets that they held. The aim was to invite tourists to stay in the local people? s homes, with a fee and with the profits shared fairly between all (Steinberg, 1994). The main outcome was that now the Mayans believe that tourism was an intricate part in the wheel of economic development for their country and has given them hope that the economic benefits from tourism can help in moving their line of work solely from income through agriculture to other forms of income. Of course, there are negative impacts to be seen also. The idea that tourism would bring immediate money to the people was quickly shattered; the native craftspeople left their jobs because craftwork was not being sold to tourists (due to small numbers arriving) and arguments started between members of different neighbouring villages as they all vied to be in the lead as regards the creation of new plans for tourism development (Steinberg, 1994). These impacts were perhaps inevitable, but the Mayans had a strong community spirit in the start-up phase and this did benefit them. Next we move on to Caprivi in Namibia, where both positive and negatives impacts were experienced. 4 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 2. 4 Caprivi, Namibia: Complement vs. Conflict Another economic impact of tourism is seen in the livelihoods of rural people around the world. It is a matter of sustaining their livelihoods through proper management of tourism in their area. One such case study details positive and negative economic impacts on a Namibian Community (Ashley, 2000). Tourism in the native community of Caprivi is seen as a rural activity, one which is seen as an addition and not as a substitute. A key theme in the study showed that not only did tourism complement other activities, but it also conflicted with them. It strengthened individual household production and increased skills. Sometimes if people get jobs in tourism, they believe it will increase their income over a short space of time, but in fact this is not the reality of it and this is also to the detriment of their traditional way of life. In Caprivi, Namibia, the natives believe that tourism is much easier to link in with their current livelihoods, e. g. agriculture, craft-making, etc These particular tourism jobs are nearer to home, essentially meaning, that if they are farmers working on the land, they can remain farmers working on the land, as well as being involved in tourism (Ashley, 2000). As we have seen the complementative side of tourism for the Caprivians, we will now look to the other side. The conflicting side of these economic tourism impacts come in several ways. 1. Staple activities for income generation are through livestock husbandry and crop production. Tourists have now had the blame put on them for disturbing the wildlife, especially elephants and lions, which in turn, damage water points and kill livestock when the animals aggressively move closer to farms. 2. Grazing lands are lost for farmers whose main income is through livestock-keeping. All of the natural resources are reduced as so much land is set aside for wildlife and for the benefit of tourists. Poorer people dependent on harvesting a variety of natural resources, such as plant medicines, food, weaving materials and items made for selling find that they have little access to these resources, therefore, directly affecting their income (Ashley and LaFranchi, 1997). 3. Time-conflicting: Agriculture and the income generated from this have been affected as community leaders or people who want to set up a tourism enterprise spend a great deal of time working on this. For example, community leaders in Caprivi would need to spend on 5 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 average about 360-720 days between themselves, park authorities and the public sector to establish a lodge in Mudumo National Park (Ashley and LaFranchi, 1997). What we see from the case studies above, and from the general outcome of economic activity from tourism in these areas, there have been both positives and negatives. Perhaps, for the most part, they might always remain hand in hand to some extent, but hopefully in the future with better resources and tourism management in indigenous cultures, we will see a steady distance made between the two. From the economic section we will now move on to issues of environmental importance for indigenous people. 6 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 0 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES According to Ceballos-Lascurain (1996) the term „environment? refers to all the â€Å"conditions, circumstances and influences surrounding, and affecting the development of an organism or group of organisms†. He speaks of ecotourism, coining it as â€Å"environmentally-responsible travel to relatively un-disturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature that promotes conservation, has low visitor impact and provides for beneficially active socioeconomic involvement of local populations† (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). Tourists may class themselves as „ecotourists? , but this term does not represent who they are. A lot of the time, thinking we are „doing good? for the environment, actual amounts to us being the producers of negative impacts for native people and the ecosystem. This arises due to the problem of littering, the locals producing vast amounts of their resources, i. e. firewood for the creation of log cabins, as well as the de-population of some species of animal native to a particular area due to the visitor? s impacts (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). 3. 1 Ecotourism and Indigenous Lands Indigenous people, for some time now, have been present in the context of „ecotourism? and its marketing campaigns. Even still, the native people have stayed ignorant to the real fact of what it? s all about. This is happening without them understanding the full extent of what they are dealing with. Indigenous people are taking their own initiative on the matter and are contesting against the so-called industry „experts? to make their own views and opinions heard on ecotourism (Johnston, 2006, pp. 3-4). At the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues which took place on the 15th May, 2003, many issues were brought to the fore– among the issues were tourism and the severity of damage it had done to the land of indigenous people (United Nations, 2003b). Ayitegau Kouevi, a member of the forum and also an indigenous expert stated that: â€Å"all indigenous people shared a social and ecological relationship with their land† (United Nations, 2003b). People worried regarding the way in which the land was used and the controlling of their resources (United Nations, 2003b). Tourism helps families in indigenous communities is true to some extent, but when it takes these people away from their traditional working of the land for food and crops to work in tourism jobs, then the outcomes become significant. Tourism increases the amount that these people will have to hand over to buy staple foods. A cycle of these people being held in the poverty trap is seen, even when/if they decide to work in tourism (Johnston, 2006, page 8). 7 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 2 Ifugao Rice Terraces, Philippines: Under Threat A publication by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) (2008a) was completed on a specific example of one such indigenous community bearing the brunt of these environmental impacts. The Ifugao are an indigenous people who hail from the Cordillera Mountains in Northern Luzon, Philippines. Through their own way of life, they have been able to preserve and carry on their own traditions which are alive within their rituals, land and native craftworks. They are a people who have depended solely upon themselves to maintain their cultural heritage (Bulilan, 2007). As with other cases on environmental impacts of tourism, much the same is seen to be happening to the native people and their land. As tourism became more pronounced in this area of the Philippines in the early 1920? s, tourism development started to take place. From then until now, a lot of this development has severely impacted on the local land. This area of Ifugao is well-known for its beautiful undulating rice terraces, for which it has become a world heritage site (UNESCO, 2008a). Even still, the dire planning of infrastructure in the area (due to the lack of or non-zoning policies) has led to many problems. Water resources are not up to liveable standards and the land is left with little strength as it is drained of all its natural reserves for infrastructure. A direct result of this is that staple diet foods, i. e. the sustainable rice crop is destroyed and this directly impacts upon the people of the area and their natural food source. Rivers which held innumerable amounts of fish are now used as dumping grounds and the clean air is filled with harmful gases from transport vehicles which frequent the area (UNESCO, 2008a). The first tourist destination to arise in Ifugao was in Banaue (UNESCO, 2008a). With this development, tourism was said to have been the core cause of the deprivation that the environment was experiencing. More problems came in the form of water supply to the rice fields being exhausted as the influx of tourism increased the want for locally carved souvenirs made from wood. In turn, this has increased the level of deforestation in Banaue, as well as in other towns. In what should have been an attractive and aesthetically inviting area, Banaue now has a stark contrast between garish concrete buildings and the native Ifugao homesteads (UNESCO, 2008a). 8 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 3 Sanitation Systems, Littering and Waste Disposal Another extremely important, but still very prominent environmental impact of tourism which can affect local communities is the area of sanitation systems, littering and waste disposal. According to Ceballos-Lascurain (1996) waste can affect soil, vegetation, cultivation and even our air which we breathe. There is no „safe? way of disposing of waste, but the only thing to inevitably stop it is to prevent its production in the first place. Of course, this would prove an immediate problem. In some national parks around the world visitors are given small plastic litter bags to dispose of waste in, but even still, a fundamental mistake was made in the bags being made of plastic, when they should be made of paper. Human waste and littering is leading to the contamination of local people? s water systems, which in itself brings a whole host of health problems. In many areas of the world, indigenous people still fight for their right to the land they were raised upon. They want to be recognised as the owners of the land, the people who cultivate, nurture and maintain it. There needs to be more community involvement with local and indigenous people and the development of tourism. If the locals are recognised as having a part to play in protecting their land and having it „used?in the right way, without it being exploited by tourism development, then perhaps a happier, more sustainable ending might be seen. 9 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 4 Nepal: Tourism Effects on the Environment and the Indigenous Sherpa Environment: Nepal is a well-known tourist destination these days. Many people go there for the purpose of trekking and hiking for days with the help of Sherpa? s, an ethnic group of devout Buddhists living in north-eastern Nepal (Reid, 2003, p54). Due to the large number of tourists who visit this area every year, tourism has taken its toll on the environment. Pollution is visible on most routes, working on its own or as a combination with other underlying issues, such as: lack of hygiene, lack of proper sanitation systems (for locals, guides and Sherpa porters) and the lack of awareness people actually have about the environment (Pandey et al, 1995). Deforestation and pollution issues are still major causes for the environments deprivation, especially in the mountainous areas, but tourism has still become an opportunity for people here to make a decent living (Pandey et al, 1995). Indigenous Sherpas: Out of the 30 or so indigenous groups in Nepal, Sherpas are the most well-known. In fact, Sherpas have a role within the tourism industry rivalled by few indigenous people around the world (Reid, 2003, p54). While less can be said for the environmental impacts of tourism, the tourism industry has been, as a whole, decent enough to the Sherpa people regarding income, better lifestyles and opportunities. When most Sherpa families relied on herding their yaks and harvesting their potatoes, they turned away from the advances of modernization, but now the Sherpa? s are tied to tourism and its development through a very strong hold (Reid, 2003, p55). Ang Rita Sherpa, a graduate of the Khumjung school who now leads the Edmund Hillary foundation in Kathmandu defined three advancements in history which helped the lives of the Sherpa to become what it is today the incoming British tourists of the 19th century brought with them potato plants which was recognised as a new staple crop, the introduction of iodine in the 20th century meant that public health was improved considerably and finally, the westerners who came and saw the mountains and longed to climb them paved the way for the foundation of a tourism economy. This economy has given more stability than the Sherpa? s agricultural or trading activities ever gave (Reid, 2003, p57). The Sherpas are still a strong people, rooted in their history and culture. Through tourism, some of their culture has given way to modernisation and their land has been negatively impacted upon by tourism, but for the most part, they remain true to their way of life. So much so, that the whole idea of building roads through these tourist mountain passes seems 10 6/12/2011. BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 senseless and environmentally wrong to them. They believe having no roads is an â€Å"essential element of the Sherpa condition†. The rimpoche, an important Buddhist lama who lives on Mt. Tempoche in Nepal, said that â€Å"there will never be a road – not in my life-time, not in our children’s lifetime. We are Sherpas. We walk† (Reid, 2003, p71). As we can see, the Sherpas of Nepal are advancing slowly with tourism, but still have a grasp on their traditional ways. Tourism has most definitely brought new opportunities to them so far, but it is the way in which they manage the incoming tourists to their destination which will help in protecting their indigenous culture. 3. 5 Traditional Knowledge: Medicinal Plant Misuse through Bio-Piracy Bio-piracy, according to the ETC Group (Action Group on Erosion, Technological and Conservation, 2005) is â€Å"the appropriation of the knowledge and genetic resources of farming and indigenous communities by individuals or institutions who seek exclusive monopoly control (patents or intellectual property) over these resources and knowledge†. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, 2004) â€Å"the market for herbal remedies in North America and Europe has risen by 10% every year for the past decade, research indicates. It is now thought to be worth at least ? 11bn†. There is no doubt that this trade is so huge because companies want to market these remedies in a consumer marketplace. They are not taking into consideration the environmental effects it has on the land and the effect it has on the local people. According to Malani (2003) the importance of traditional knowledge to indigenous people is enormous. Local people around the world rely on this knowledge, handed down for generations, to advance through their daily lives and through their healing in times of sickness. Worryingly, due to the increase of value in this traditional knowledge, many organisations have essentially thrown themselves on the bandwagon to profit from this knowledge (Malani, 2003). The awful truth is that whereas indigenous people see these medicinal plants as having an important therapeutic value, the only „value? companies? associate with using this sacred knowledge is commercial-based (Malani, 2003). Some communities are still somewhat oblivious to bio-piracy. In a remote village in Kenya, the Maasai have introduced an interactive exhibit of plants which shows tourists what particular plants/shrubs they use for curing illnesses and how they use them. The plants are 11 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 labelled by name and are each presented on a coloured stone tablet (Johnston, 2006, p103). Visitors are not allowed pick the shrubs, but are shown their uses which might satisfy them enough and deter them from taking a sprig of one home with them. A different approach was taken by the Nlaka? pamux people of Canada who have set in stone their own rules and regulations when it comes to disclosure of their traditional knowledge. They have created their own line of herbal soaps for tourists under the name „Siska Traditions?. These soaps come with an information pamphlet with describes the basic medicinal properties which they hold, and nothing more. A simple introduction is all that is needed to ensure, for now, protection of their indigenous knowledge (Johnston, 2006, p103). The practice of bio-piracy is still widespread around the globe and is drying out the land of its natural herbal remedies. The utilization of indigenous people? s knowledge of medicinal plants and the exploitation of their lands for this purpose is still a major issue. 12 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 4. 0 SOCIO-CULTURAL ISSUES Sofield (1991) (cited in Ramchander, 2004, p4) described socio-cultural impacts of tourism as â€Å"the sum total of all the social and cultural influences that come to bear upon the host society as a result of tourism contact†. Many studies have been done which deal with the local people? s feelings and attitudes towards tourism and impacts of tourism to their area. According to Swarbrooke (1999) the socio-cultural impacts of tourism are sometimes invisible and intangible and the most worrying as aspect of these impacts are that they are largely irreversible when they have been done. Normally, the effects of these impacts lie on the host community. The answer lies in the relationships which the tourist and the host community create with one another (Swarbrooke, 1999). Increasingly in the last number of years, tourists have been travelling to destinations with have an inclination towards travel for a varied product offering – they now travel for historical, archaeological and traditional purposes, as well as for the atmosphere they get from being in a particular place (Besculides et al, 2002). Cultural tourism, in general, sees a want in the tourist to establish communication with the host culture and with their environment. Tourists now have a curiosity to understand the native? s behaviours, traditions and cultural identity (Besculides et al, 2002). Kreag (2001) identified several positive and negative socio-cultural impacts of tourism which can have profound effects on indigenous people. They ranged from improving the quality of life of the host community and promoting cultural exchange, to drinking, alcoholism and gambling, displacement of residents and an unwanted lifestyle change. As we can see, impacts of tourism to a community can either be an asset to that community or can be to their detriment. Relevant and ongoing socio-cultural issues will now be discussed further. 13 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 4. 1 Aiming to Please and Relative Deprivation Acculturation: Sometimes host communities want to please the tourist and sometimes they can adopt tourist behaviour. This is known as acculturation. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM, 2004) acculturation can be defined as â€Å"the progressive adoption of elements of a foreign culture (ideas, words, values, norms, behaviour, institutions) by persons, groups or classes of a given culture and this partial or total adaptation is caused by contacts and interactions between different cultures through migration and trade relations†. This can be detrimental to the host community – they slowly lose their own way of life by being influenced by the tourist. Relative Deprivation: It seems that the impact tourists have on a particular area may actually affect the native people? s feelings about themselves and this, in turn, can cause bitterness toward the visiting influx of tourists to their homeland. (Runciman, 1966), cited in (Walker and Smith, 2002) explained that relative deprivation deals with the idea of people comparing their own lives with that of the other individuals or other social groups. Depending on what type of person they compare themselves with; this will determine the level of resentment which they will inevitably feel. An interaction which takes place between both cultures (tourist and host) can provide new opportunities, but could also suppress independence, as well as forcing a community to adopt a different ethical behaviour, one which they are not used to. This could come in a positive way, e. g. improved understanding between males and females (as many countries think differently about this aspect of social life) or by an increased use of drugs, perhaps (Kreag, 2001). This can create a whole host of other problems, such as an increase in violence in the area. 14 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 4. 2 Traditional Ceremonies and the Tourist Gaze Traditional ceremonies native to specific tribes or groups of indigenous people may be rejuvenated by incoming tourist interests in culture, but these traditional ceremonies may also be lost (Kreag, 2001). Many see culture as a product or service when they travel. It? s as if it? s part of the whole experience and they demand to have it. According to Johnston (2006), whether a tour which tourists partake in whilst on holidays is nature-oriented or ethnicallyoriented, the local indigenous culture will be included in this whole „package? , a lot of the time without the native? s say-so or contribution. This is an unacceptable use of people? s culture for marketing tourism and is one of the negative impacts on indigenous people – it is an ethical issue which has been brought up by indigenous people constantly. The Toraja people of Sulawesi, Indonesia, took the idea of a traditional ceremony shown to the outside world to the extreme, one might say. Following the death of a high-status Toraja figure in December, 1991, a camera crew came, with consent from this man? s family, to film the funeral ceremony in full. The idea behind it was to capture an â€Å"exotic† Toraja funeral, complete with animal sacrifices and rituals being performed in front of the camera lens (Yamashita, 1994). The son of the deceased, a wealthy businessman who had made it big in his early life in the city of Ujung Padang, paid $10,000 as a „co-operation fee? to the production company. We are still taking into account here that even though Sampe (son of the deceased) was well-off, the majority of the Toraja are peasants. Two things were happening in this situation – 1. Sampe, the deceased? s son, was conscious that showcasing his father? s funeral would promote Toraja for tourism purposes. The Indonesian government was also getting on the bandwagon and had endorsed this behaviour by influencing ethnic culture so that it could then market the area to tourists from elsewhere. The second was that the tourists could photograph and record the ceremony, under the spell of the „tourist gaze?. The „tourist gaze? , described by John Urry, is when â€Å"Places are chosen to be gazed upon because there is anticipation, especially through daydreaming and fantasy, of intense pleasures, either on a different scale or involving different senses from those customarily encountered† (Urry, 2002, p3). Other re-enforcers of this „tourist gaze? are seen through watching T. V. , reading magazines, etc The local tradition of the Toraja became removed from the culture of these people and was turned into a commodity for the tourist to consume (Yamashita, 1994). The Toraja of Sulawesi was one such case study whereby not only the tourists were taking full advantage of 15 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 a traditional ceremony, but the local people too, to some extent, for the beneficial outcome it would give them regarding tourism to the area. Needless to say, these cultural impacts are having a profound effect on indigenous people worldwide and some have come to reject tourism altogether. The American Indian Movement (1984) stated its warning many times – â€Å"We condemn those who seek to profit from Indian Spirituality

Essay example --

The role of courts and constitutional judicial review in constitutional structures. To understand any social value or goal is important to get the pulse of a certain society but standing alone tell us nothing about law and public policy outcomes, so the central question resides on institutional choice. The answer of how can a society know the outcome of a certain policy resides on the institution chosen to best carry out the protection of that policy. The strengths and weakness of one institution versus another vary from one set of circumstances to another and will let us measure the efficiency of that particular institution. Any constitutional framework is exposed to its own society’s goals and values evolution, but seeking to revise existing constitutions or establish new ones, as well as creating new legislation, one will always be exposed to the scrutiny of its people. That scrutiny is most of the times, in democratic regimes, established by a regime of judicial review. This practice, where courts are called upon to review a legislative act in order to determine its compliance with the constitutional framework, stems from the balance aimed by the separation of powers, granting the courts the monopoly of this review for reasons of independence and transparency. In order to understand the allocation of resources in this particular institution we have to understand the link between any society goals and values and that adjudicative process chosen, having done so, we should be able to understand the factors that make a social or law and public policy issue more or less attractive for judicial revie w with a comparative institution analysis comprehensive approach. The system of constitutional judicial review is the most common ins... ...nk will always be exposed to the several factors exposed and one’s ability to manage them is decisive to any major player in the institution at stake. In the constitutional framework the same constants and variables influence the link between policy and outcome but with some striking factors being more decisive: higher threshold access cost, limited scale, and judicial independence. To effectively revise or draft new constitutions or implement new legislation regarding fundamental rights one has to always consider all this factors, only doing so it is possible to generate harmony within a society, or else there will always be a big gap between various sectors of that society. Only by recognizing the heterogeneity of a certain society one can manage the variables that compose it and be effective on addressing fundamental values or rights. Antà ³nio Pinto de Mesquita

Letter to Macduff

A Letter to Macduff Dear Macduff, Oh, what you have missed! I have important news to tell you. A series of events happened at the banquet you failed to attend. The majesty left all of us thanes speechless and suspicious. It is not that I ever doubted your thoughts about Macbeth, but it is now clear to me that he is a guilty man with a conscience filled with remorse. The ceremony seemed as if it were going to be elegant and pleasing. There were an equal number of thanes on each side of the table.The king presented himself honorably as he sat down with the rest of us to â€Å"play the humble host† and announced that Lady Macbeth would keep her state. However not long after that things began to get strange. A dirt and bloody man walked through the doors of the dining room and Macbeth quickly got up and attended him. Suspicious it was, my lord, for Macbeth seem unsatisfied with the news the ruffian delivered and before anything else could be said, Lady Macbeth interrupted and remi nded Macbeth of his duties as a host.She seen overly agitated, embarrassed and desperate to get Macbeth away from the doors and back to the feast. She rightly said that a guest must be treated with social rituals and courtesy and must be reminded of how welcomed they are. However as she did this, those looking at his majesty discretely could tell that the bloody man was bringing him bad news and as soon as he heard Lady Macbeth he quickly dispatched the man from the banquet.In all honestly, it looked like Macbeth had someone do his dirty work for him and something went wrong however once he got back at the table he tried to put it aside and the feast began. That wasn’t all! If you had only been there to see what Lady Macbeth claimed was an illness of the king’s infancy. His body was possessed with madness! As he was about to make a toast, he suddenly stopped as if his heart had stop beating and his expression changed from joy to intense fear and the he began to scream â€Å"Which of you have done this? He did all this while looking at the empty chair that was meant to be filled by Banquo whom also did not attend the banquet. And things only became stranger. His majesty continuously repeated he had not done â€Å"it† however he never mention what â€Å"it† was. It seemed that some kind of vision appeared to be accusing him of something. What could he be accused of? You can only imagine that Lady Macbeth tried to ease the situation, by saying it was just a momentary fit and to do our best to ignore him, however this was very hard to do.She also demanded the guest not to ask any questions since it would feed and extend the king’s passion. And of course no one did but all of us thanes were filled with curiosity and suspicion as to what was happening. She approached the king and had a word with him where no one could hear but by simply looking at her you could tell she was not content and as the conversation got intense their voi ces rose and we all heard the king declare that is charnel-house and graves sent back the bodies put in them then our graves would be like the maws of kite.As soon as the king and queen rejoined with their guest, Macbeth spoke and said he suffered from a strange infirmity. He pretended like nothing had happened and demanded wine. He might have fooled himself but not us, as it was obvious that there was more to the story than a simple illness. Furthermore my lord In the middle of the servant pouring the wine, the king began to grow pail and weak once more and then screams â€Å"avaunt and quit my sight! † all of us Thanes were confused since we were not sure if he was talking to us, but then it became clear that he was having another one of his episodes.This time, however, he revealed things our ears were not meant to hear. He confessed that what he was so vividly seeing was a ghost. Lady Macbeth tried once more to brighten the mood of the dinner but too much had been said and we all wanted to hear more. All present at the table looked at each other with one eye and had the other fixed on Macbeth. He seemed so certain that what he saw was real, the fear and remorse in his eyes could be seen from miles away and no one could help but wonder whose ghost he was seeing.Dear Macduff at this point I wouldn’t help but think that maybe it was your father king Duncan coming back for vengeance†¦ Our suspicions grew even stronger by the end of his second episode. He paused, looked at us and asked us how we could see such things and not look pale moreover when Ross asked him with confusion what the sighs were, before the King could reply, Lady Macbeth firmly reminded us that questions would enrage him and then dismissed all of us and demanded to leave at once and not by order of importance.The scene was quite suspicious and most alarming Macduff. This whole ceremony was a disaster that will lead to Macbeth’s fall my lord. Things were said and done at this event that no one thane should have seen or heard. Once we left the banquet you could hear the rumors on the street about the king, how he had gone mad, but those who were knowledgeable, began to think about the things that had happened and began to ask questions about the resent murders. How is it going with you Macduff?After attending the banquet last night, I am certain that Macbeth will go to any length to get what he want so please be careful, watch your back at all times. Hope everything is working out the way you hope. Your noble friend, Lennox P. S. You will not believe that news my ears have just heard. Banquo has been killed by savages. He was found in the wood stabbed to death. I wonder who would want him dead and why. Who will be next? This have gotten out of control around here and it is all because of the tyrant Macbeth. You must hurry and put a stop to this before anyone else gets hurt. Related essay: â€Å"Co Curricular Activities Letter†