Assignment 9_PillaCG

docx

School

Gloucester County Institute of Technology *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

102

Subject

Anthropology

Date

Dec 6, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by ipilla123

Assignment 9 Word Count:937 Culture of Nature Objective: Using an example, examine how a place of nature is viewed and used differently by different cultural groups as a result of their respective beliefs and feelings about nature. Chapter 9 begins with the example of Uluru, Australia's iconic natural landmark to illustrate the way that our beliefs and feelings about nature influence how we make place. Uluru, a place of nature, is viewed and used very differently by different cultures, which can be traced to different beliefs about nature (i.e. a sacred site, a rock in the middle of nowhere, a recreational challenge, an economic engine, etc.). After decades of debates over what kinds of activities were appropriate at Uluru, in October 2019 the Australian National Park permanently closed Uluru to climbing. Check out this short National Geographic article (5 minute read) below to learn about how this change to the official cultural policy generated new social/cultural practices (“I have not climbed” register and the return of “sorry rocks”). This is a great example for thinking about the questions I want you to explore below. “Why Australia is banning climbers from this iconic natural landmark” by Kennedy Warne, National Geographic www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/uluru-closing-why-it-matters/ Answer the following six (6) questions in at least 500 words. Your completed assignment should be at least 920 words including the assignment instructions and questions (~420 words). 1. What is the place of nature you’ve selected? The place of nature I selected is the Pinnacle Outlook in Lancaster, PA. I visited this place in early October on a small vacation I took with some friends. The place itself is beautiful. It has an overlook of the Susquehanna River. It has various hiking trails around the mountain areas that are covered in gorgeous woods. 2. How does this place of nature make you feel? Do you have a personal experience, a connection, or interest to this place? I have never been to Lancaster before, let alone the outlook so while I did not feel a personal connection with the place, it did feel familiar. Almost nostalgic the place reminded me of when I was younger and would go camping, and how I would spend hours walking through the woods exploring with my brother. The place made me feel at peace and gave me a very strong sense of comfort- I probably could have spent hours there listening to just the sounds of nature. 3. Google this place and analyze the search results including articles, images, websites, and travel review sites like Yelp or Travelocity. You may also use your personal experience (if you have it). How is this place viewed and used very differently by different cultures and their beliefs about nature? Explain. After googling Pinnacle Outlook in Lancaster, PA I found that overall on many sites it gets a variety of good reviews. Many visitors of the park say that the trails are amazing and nature- filled ,and the outlook views themselves are absolutely stunning. From my experience visiting the outlook I have to agree with the online reviews- the place is truly visually stunning as well as a nice hiking area. Culturally, Pinnacle Outlook has been known to produce artifacts, fossils, and other materials, but the park has no information on what has been found- all they have done is tell people that if they do find something, to leave it alone. From the research I have found online, there is little- to nothing about the cultures that

once inhabited this area at one point, it seems to just be a tourist attraction with no great history behind it. 4. Where do these competing beliefs about nature come from (a Western Judeo-Christian view of nature - protect, tame, exploit? An indigenous view of nature? Other? Explain.) These competing views on nature, and the ignorance to not find out who walked through the Pinnacle Outlook hundreds of years ago is a very Western view of nature. Nature is only seen as something pretty, which is not necessarily a bad thing but taking sites like these with built -in paths should be incorporating the history of who made and walked those trails long ago. Though this place is beautiful, the further exploitation of this area will continue to make it harder for anthropologists to find out who once walked those lands. 5. Are these competing ideas and uses of nature balanced/co-existing? I think these ideas of nature need to be more balanced. There should be further research on the beauty of the lands and not just tales of its beauty. The beauty and photogenic picture spots of this place are what make consumers want to visit it, and not the history behind it. The history behind it is a way to get people more intrigued to walk through the trails and understand whose shoes they are following by walking them. 6. Think of the recent decision by the Australian National Park to ban the climbing of Uluru, a decision favoring aboriginal beliefs/uses, and the creative ways they tried to reconcile the contested beliefs/uses through education and creative programming for tourists. If you were a decision-maker in this instance, how would you determine which competing beliefs/uses were permitted? Why? I think if I were the official decision- maker when it comes to competing beliefs and uses is to first make sure that if the land was formally tribal that tribe is honored and that the place is treated to the care that they expect. I would want to be as ethical and upholding to the Natives as possible if any had used to live on the land.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Assignment 9_PillaCG

Related Documents