A good friend of mine is visiting from East Timor. You may not be aware of the genocide that this country endured recently, or that they have been awarded sovereignty and freedom from the oppressive Indonesian government. He has married a Timorese woman and is starting a family, as well as perating a film, music and theater studio, all sponsored by grants from their government. An NGO is what it is I believe, a Non-Governmental Organization.
I was not familiar with the plight of this nation until some friends of mine toured into the country as a performing group sponsored by the UN after their tour of Australia in 2000 with Earthdream. So my images of a third world country being expolited by an occupying force were solidified in a real and profound way as a result of their travels. No mere history book, media whitewash or propaganda machine here, interestingly enough , this was the real deal...
Rather than write a long piece about the specifics of the history of Timor and what not, I'll just recommend that you check it out. It has alot to do with accessing a major oil source, surpise surprise, but google away if you are so inspired. Exploitation of indegenous culture is a major part of human history , sadly so, and it keeps going on. I hope that anyone might be interested in the subject; on the other hand I offer some anecdotal tidbits from our dinner party...
So my friend married an East Timorese woman, and since their culture has fused Muslim and Catholic principles (imagine that!!!) he was under intense scrutiny from her family...
In fact any white person is under intense scrutiny in this area, especially an American, as he told me of some people's belief that American's must be killed, as told by Allah...
He actually had this conversation with somoene, whom admitted that althought they dont read the Koran, they must believe what their preacher says...hmm sounds too familiar!
I was hoping that we weren't in some crazy Holy War!
So he was glad that when they accepted him, and although he was not as privileged as some Yanks, his dowry of 1 water buffalo was sufficent, although short of the customary 77!
And get this, the Timorese govt. has banned the use of chemicals in agriculture, actually mandating Organic Farming... WOW!
As another friend of mine expresssed concerned that the oil supply is running out, something called the peak oil theory, which curiously coincides with the End of Time on Mayan calenders, we thought with a curious envy of the relative simplicity of this "3rd world country." However their succeses in the upcoming era will be directly related their oil reserves, and what will occur thereafter. A bit of a strange irony indeed?
Equatorial paradise anyone? But at what price?hmm...
I was not familiar with the plight of this nation until some friends of mine toured into the country as a performing group sponsored by the UN after their tour of Australia in 2000 with Earthdream. So my images of a third world country being expolited by an occupying force were solidified in a real and profound way as a result of their travels. No mere history book, media whitewash or propaganda machine here, interestingly enough , this was the real deal...
Rather than write a long piece about the specifics of the history of Timor and what not, I'll just recommend that you check it out. It has alot to do with accessing a major oil source, surpise surprise, but google away if you are so inspired. Exploitation of indegenous culture is a major part of human history , sadly so, and it keeps going on. I hope that anyone might be interested in the subject; on the other hand I offer some anecdotal tidbits from our dinner party...
So my friend married an East Timorese woman, and since their culture has fused Muslim and Catholic principles (imagine that!!!) he was under intense scrutiny from her family...
In fact any white person is under intense scrutiny in this area, especially an American, as he told me of some people's belief that American's must be killed, as told by Allah...
He actually had this conversation with somoene, whom admitted that althought they dont read the Koran, they must believe what their preacher says...hmm sounds too familiar!
I was hoping that we weren't in some crazy Holy War!
So he was glad that when they accepted him, and although he was not as privileged as some Yanks, his dowry of 1 water buffalo was sufficent, although short of the customary 77!
And get this, the Timorese govt. has banned the use of chemicals in agriculture, actually mandating Organic Farming... WOW!
As another friend of mine expresssed concerned that the oil supply is running out, something called the peak oil theory, which curiously coincides with the End of Time on Mayan calenders, we thought with a curious envy of the relative simplicity of this "3rd world country." However their succeses in the upcoming era will be directly related their oil reserves, and what will occur thereafter. A bit of a strange irony indeed?
Equatorial paradise anyone? But at what price?hmm...
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I've never been in love, so I've never been so attached to a relationship that its demise has been painful to me. Actually that's not true; when Lily's dad and I broke up, it was horrendous, but that was because I thought I had failed Lily somehow, rather than anything to do with her father. Despite this, I don't find it easy or pleasant to end a relationship: I think people who enjoy it must have some negative issues of their own.
You know, in their moderate forms, Catholicism and Islam are more similar than most people imagine. We share a lot of the same ideology and doctrines. Of course there are some fundamental differences in our beliefs, but it's nice to see a harmonious fusion of the religious cultures, if not the religions themselves can exist in some families.