Don’t bother replying to this one. Just thinking out loud.

I was puzzled by why activists like Aboriginal to always have a capital ‘A’. So I started thinking where capitals appear in the English language. As titles of organisations, political parties, religious entities, states.

Then it twigged that these Aboriginal activists were modelling themselves after the Jewish religion. A combined political/religious movement complete with canonical mythology and based on racism. The real authentic documentation is already deliberately hidden from non-believers.

Scientology by way of contrast in completely different in modelling itself after Christianity in the way it developed from somebody who deliberately set out to gain political power by deluding others, spreading through the Roman (now Euro-American) elite and being enforced by threats and violence.

Then there are other religions, such as AFL/world cup/world series, such as money/capitalism, such as Scotland/England, such as environmentalism, such as DC/Marvel. Each with their own myths and supporters.

>>Don’t bother replying to this one

No worries.

Italian, Swedish, Canadian, German, Romanian Chinese, Indian, Australian, Russian, Cantonese, Aboriginal, etc.

No need to invoke anything else. Group identity. Nothing more.

I want to shoot holes into this post left right and centre.

What is wrong with the idea that proper nouns have capitals?

sarahs mum said:

I want to shoot holes into this post left right and centre.

What is wrong with the idea that proper nouns have capitals?

Like Michael, Rainbow Beach, Queensland, etc…

Sooo…

AbOriginal CommUnity?

That what you’re thinking? The position of the capitals reveals veiled intent?

Not AFAIK. They’re a little more up-front than that these days, mate, since ‘they’ include all kinds of smart people who are capable of very clearly elucidating their own story.

Don’t forget MLM as a major religion!

Anyone here been watching One Becoming A God in Central Florida? SBS On Demand. Great show.

mollwollfumble said:

Don’t bother replying to this one. Just thinking out loud.

I was puzzled by why activists like Aboriginal to always have a capital ‘A’. So I started thinking where capitals appear in the English language. As titles of organisations, political parties, religious entities, states.

Then it twigged that these Aboriginal activists were modelling themselves after the Jewish religion. A combined political/religious movement complete with canonical mythology and based on racism. The real authentic documentation is already deliberately hidden from non-believers.

Scientology by way of contrast in completely different in modelling itself after Christianity in the way it developed from somebody who deliberately set out to gain political power by deluding others, spreading through the Roman (now Euro-American) elite and being enforced by threats and violence.

Then there are other religions, such as AFL/world cup/world series, such as money/capitalism, such as Scotland/England, such as environmentalism, such as DC/Marvel. Each with their own myths and supporters.

Has nothing to do with religion. It is fucking English language.

mollwollfumble said:

Don’t bother replying to this one. Just thinking out loud.

I was puzzled by why activists like Aboriginal to always have a capital ‘A’. So I started thinking where capitals appear in the English language. As titles of organisations, political parties, religious entities, states.

Then it twigged that these Aboriginal activists were modelling themselves after the Jewish religion. A combined political/religious movement complete with canonical mythology and based on racism. The real authentic documentation is already deliberately hidden from non-believers.

Scientology by way of contrast in completely different in modelling itself after Christianity in the way it developed from somebody who deliberately set out to gain political power by deluding others, spreading through the Roman (now Euro-American) elite and being enforced by threats and violence.

Then there are other religions, such as AFL/world cup/world series, such as money/capitalism, such as Scotland/England, such as environmentalism, such as DC/Marvel. Each with their own myths and supporters.

Just thinking out loud. Maybe racist activists needs to be capitalised. Seeing as how it is a political-religious movement complete with canonical mythology. And real authentic documentation deliberately hidden from believers. See what it looks like, Racist activists.

ruby said:

mollwollfumble said:

Don’t bother replying to this one. Just thinking out loud.

I was puzzled by why activists like Aboriginal to always have a capital ‘A’. So I started thinking where capitals appear in the English language. As titles of organisations, political parties, religious entities, states.

Then it twigged that these Aboriginal activists were modelling themselves after the Jewish religion. A combined political/religious movement complete with canonical mythology and based on racism. The real authentic documentation is already deliberately hidden from non-believers.

Scientology by way of contrast in completely different in modelling itself after Christianity in the way it developed from somebody who deliberately set out to gain political power by deluding others, spreading through the Roman (now Euro-American) elite and being enforced by threats and violence.

Then there are other religions, such as AFL/world cup/world series, such as money/capitalism, such as Scotland/England, such as environmentalism, such as DC/Marvel. Each with their own myths and supporters.

Just thinking out loud. Maybe racist activists needs to be capitalised. Seeing as how it is a political-religious movement complete with canonical mythology. And real authentic documentation deliberately hidden from believers. See what it looks like, Racist activists.

Well said.

Michael V said:

Italian, Swedish, Canadian, German, Romanian Chinese, Indian, Australian, Russian, Cantonese, Aboriginal, etc.

No need to invoke anything else. Group identity. Nothing more.

Same here.

There’s enough bad stuff in the world. No need to go inventing more.

capitalist pigs

SCIENCE said:

capitalist pigs

snigger

SCIENCE said:

capitalist pigs

Not Capitalist Pigs?

The Rev Dodgson said:

SCIENCE said:

capitalist pigs

Not Capitalist Pigs?

ruby said:

mollwollfumble said:

Don’t bother replying to this one. Just thinking out loud.

I was puzzled by why activists like Aboriginal to always have a capital ‘A’. So I started thinking where capitals appear in the English language. As titles of organisations, political parties, religious entities, states.

Then it twigged that these Aboriginal activists were modelling themselves after the Jewish religion. A combined political/religious movement complete with canonical mythology and based on racism. The real authentic documentation is already deliberately hidden from non-believers.

Scientology by way of contrast in completely different in modelling itself after Christianity in the way it developed from somebody who deliberately set out to gain political power by deluding others, spreading through the Roman (now Euro-American) elite and being enforced by threats and violence.

Then there are other religions, such as AFL/world cup/world series, such as money/capitalism, such as Scotland/England, such as environmentalism, such as DC/Marvel. Each with their own myths and supporters.

Just thinking out loud. Maybe racist activists needs to be capitalised. Seeing as how it is a political-religious movement complete with canonical mythology. And real authentic documentation deliberately hidden from believers. See what it looks like, Racist activists.

Capital “A” too?

mollwollfumble said:

The real authentic documentation is already deliberately hidden from non-believers.

It’s not called ‘secret business’ for nothing.

I was puzzled by why activists like Aboriginal to always have a capital ‘A’.

Which activists?

If you’re like me (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha … ha ha ha) you’ll wonder where spears come from.

Picture the scrub of the deep Australian interior – saltbush, bluebush, mulga, with the occasional river red gum – nothing there long and straight and thin and strong enough for a spear. So trading. But which timbers?

I found a list of spear timbers (top end) on https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 Page 69-88.

The same document explains the transition from traditional tribal hunting on foot with spear to traditional tribal hunting (1970s) in 4-WD with 0.22 calibre rifles, and compares spear types collected in the late 1930s to early 1940s. The last spearing of a white that I’ve found was in 1969. Spears specifically made for killing humans declined in popularity during the 1930s.

For other spear technology, see Idriess.
Spearmaking – Idriess “the Red Chief”
Making Kimberley points of glass – Idriess “Over the Range”
Harvesting spearmaking timber from an offshore Island – Idriess “In Crocodile land”
Metal spoon points from galvanised iron – Idreiss “Man Tracks”

Even so, a picture from Idriess “Our modern stone age” puzzles me. It shows a young aboriginal child about to hurl a child spear. The child spear is no more than 3 mm in diameter but is about 1.8 metres long. It’s (almost) straight, of totally uniform thickness and from the very small amount of bending has to be incredibly and uniformly strong. Despite its small size, this is a weapon, in a young child’s hands it would be capable of taking out a blue-tongue, dove, possibly even a duck, at distances of five metres or so, possibly more. But what timber has that sort of length, uniform thickness, straightness and strength? Beats me.

mollwollfumble said:

If you’re like me (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha … ha ha ha) you’ll wonder where spears come from.

Picture the scrub of the deep Australian interior – saltbush, bluebush, mulga, with the occasional river red gum – nothing there long and straight and thin and strong enough for a spear. So trading. But which timbers?

I found a list of spear timbers (top end) on https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 Page 69-88.

The same document explains the transition from traditional tribal hunting on foot with spear to traditional tribal hunting (1970s) in 4-WD with 0.22 calibre rifles, and compares spear types collected in the late 1930s to early 1940s. The last spearing of a white that I’ve found was in 1969. Spears specifically made for killing humans declined in popularity during the 1930s.

For other spear technology, see Idriess.
Spearmaking – Idriess “the Red Chief”
Making Kimberley points of glass – Idriess “Over the Range”
Harvesting spearmaking timber from an offshore Island – Idriess “In Crocodile land”
Metal spoon points from galvanised iron – Idreiss “Man Tracks”

Even so, a picture from Idriess “Our modern stone age” puzzles me. It shows a young aboriginal child about to hurl a child spear. The child spear is no more than 3 mm in diameter but is about 1.8 metres long. It’s (almost) straight, of totally uniform thickness and from the very small amount of bending has to be incredibly and uniformly strong. Despite its small size, this is a weapon, in a young child’s hands it would be capable of taking out a blue-tongue, dove, possibly even a duck, at distances of five metres or so, possibly more. But what timber has that sort of length, uniform thickness, straightness and strength? Beats me.

When making a spear, Aboriginal men would often use fire to help straighten or harden the wood.

mollwollfumble said:

If you’re like me (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha … ha ha ha) you’ll wonder where spears come from.

Picture the scrub of the deep Australian interior – saltbush, bluebush, mulga, with the occasional river red gum – nothing there long and straight and thin and strong enough for a spear. So trading. But which timbers?

I found a list of spear timbers (top end) on https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 Page 69-88.

The same document explains the transition from traditional tribal hunting on foot with spear to traditional tribal hunting (1970s) in 4-WD with 0.22 calibre rifles, and compares spear types collected in the late 1930s to early 1940s. The last spearing of a white that I’ve found was in 1969. Spears specifically made for killing humans declined in popularity during the 1930s.

For other spear technology, see Idriess.
Spearmaking – Idriess “the Red Chief”
Making Kimberley points of glass – Idriess “Over the Range”
Harvesting spearmaking timber from an offshore Island – Idriess “In Crocodile land”
Metal spoon points from galvanised iron – Idreiss “Man Tracks”

Even so, a picture from Idriess “Our modern stone age” puzzles me. It shows a young aboriginal child about to hurl a child spear. The child spear is no more than 3 mm in diameter but is about 1.8 metres long. It’s (almost) straight, of totally uniform thickness and from the very small amount of bending has to be incredibly and uniformly strong. Despite its small size, this is a weapon, in a young child’s hands it would be capable of taking out a blue-tongue, dove, possibly even a duck, at distances of five metres or so, possibly more. But what timber has that sort of length, uniform thickness, straightness and strength? Beats me.

Aborigines often used roots of certain plants (especially in dry inland areas) for making spears. However there are usually mallee eucalypts in most parts of Australia, even if not entirely straight can be straightened over a small fire. It is known that they would travel long distances to obtain the best materials. Long slender trunks are not uncommon when mallees are burnt, as they still retain a large active root system.

PermeateFree said:

Aborigines often used roots of certain plants (especially in dry inland areas) for making spears. However there are usually mallee eucalypts in most parts of Australia, even if not entirely straight can be straightened over a small fire. It is known that they would travel long distances to obtain the best materials. Long slender trunks are not uncommon when mallees are burnt, as they still retain a large active root system.

Hey thank you. That makes much more sense than what i was thinking. Tree roots are much more malleable than tree trunks and when properly dried can be really strong even when thin. In particular it makes sense for the case of the child spear I mentioned, I couldn’t see where a piece of uniform-thickness less than 3 mm thick almost-straight hardwood strong enough to kill animals when thrown could come from in a desert environment. You’re right, it could be a root that’s been straightened and hardened over a fire.

In that link I posted, https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 , there are three chapters that I found worth reading in full.

Chapter 3 is about initiation rituals among the Warlpiri and how they have persisted to the modern day. Initiation ceremonies are far larger in 2005 than in 1962/1975, thanks partly to the now ready availability of motor cars, partly to the need to confine initiation ceremonies to holiday seasons, and partly to the increasing Warlpiri child population.

Chapter 5 is “Thomson’s Spears: Innovation and change in eastern Arnhem Land projectile technology”. The chapter has two parts. Part 1 is the cultural change seen in 1976 by 1:1 substitution of components of international technology for components of aboriginal technology. Part 2 is a description of the spear collection from 1935 to 1943.

Chapter 12. discusses in detail the problem of: “With life expectancy for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory approximately 20 years less than that of non-Aboriginal Territorians, research estimates that 77 per cent of this gap can be attributed to the high rate of non-communicable chronic and lifestyle diseases among Aboriginal Australians. Chronic diseases are caused and exacerbated by high rates of obesity and malnutrition”, observed as recently as 2009.

There are other bits of interest, too, such as “Traditional culture has not moved from sorcery to the rule of reason, from polygamy to the equality of women with men, and from ‘pay-back’ to the rule of law.” Helen Hughes (2007).

mollwollfumble said:

PermeateFree said:

Aborigines often used roots of certain plants (especially in dry inland areas) for making spears. However there are usually mallee eucalypts in most parts of Australia, even if not entirely straight can be straightened over a small fire. It is known that they would travel long distances to obtain the best materials. Long slender trunks are not uncommon when mallees are burnt, as they still retain a large active root system.

Hey thank you. That makes much more sense than what i was thinking. Tree roots are much more malleable than tree trunks and when properly dried can be really strong even when thin. In particular it makes sense for the case of the child spear I mentioned, I couldn’t see where a piece of uniform-thickness less than 3 mm thick almost-straight hardwood strong enough to kill animals when thrown could come from in a desert environment. You’re right, it could be a root that’s been straightened and hardened over a fire.

In that link I posted, https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 , there are three chapters that I found worth reading in full.

Chapter 3 is about initiation rituals among the Warlpiri and how they have persisted to the modern day. Initiation ceremonies are far larger in 2005 than in 1962/1975, thanks partly to the now ready availability of motor cars, partly to the need to confine initiation ceremonies to holiday seasons, and partly to the increasing Warlpiri child population.

Chapter 5 is “Thomson’s Spears: Innovation and change in eastern Arnhem Land projectile technology”. The chapter has two parts. Part 1 is the cultural change seen in 1976 by 1:1 substitution of components of international technology for components of aboriginal technology. Part 2 is a description of the spear collection from 1935 to 1943.

Chapter 12. discusses in detail the problem of: “With life expectancy for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory approximately 20 years less than that of non-Aboriginal Territorians, research estimates that 77 per cent of this gap can be attributed to the high rate of non-communicable chronic and lifestyle diseases among Aboriginal Australians. Chronic diseases are caused and exacerbated by high rates of obesity and malnutrition”, observed as recently as 2009.

There are other bits of interest, too, such as “Traditional culture has not moved from sorcery to the rule of reason, from polygamy to the equality of women with men, and from ‘pay-back’ to the rule of law.” Helen Hughes (2007).

They also used trees such as Acacia doratoxylon or spearwood but this was highly prized as a ceremonial spear. Good spears shouldn’t be thrown away. Spears for hunting were often made from Wonga Wonga Pandorea pandorana which by growing on cliff faces could supply long straight pieces of very hard and lightweight wood.

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

PermeateFree said:

Aborigines often used roots of certain plants (especially in dry inland areas) for making spears. However there are usually mallee eucalypts in most parts of Australia, even if not entirely straight can be straightened over a small fire. It is known that they would travel long distances to obtain the best materials. Long slender trunks are not uncommon when mallees are burnt, as they still retain a large active root system.

Hey thank you. That makes much more sense than what i was thinking. Tree roots are much more malleable than tree trunks and when properly dried can be really strong even when thin. In particular it makes sense for the case of the child spear I mentioned, I couldn’t see where a piece of uniform-thickness less than 3 mm thick almost-straight hardwood strong enough to kill animals when thrown could come from in a desert environment. You’re right, it could be a root that’s been straightened and hardened over a fire.

In that link I posted, https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 , there are three chapters that I found worth reading in full.

Chapter 3 is about initiation rituals among the Warlpiri and how they have persisted to the modern day. Initiation ceremonies are far larger in 2005 than in 1962/1975, thanks partly to the now ready availability of motor cars, partly to the need to confine initiation ceremonies to holiday seasons, and partly to the increasing Warlpiri child population.

Chapter 5 is “Thomson’s Spears: Innovation and change in eastern Arnhem Land projectile technology”. The chapter has two parts. Part 1 is the cultural change seen in 1976 by 1:1 substitution of components of international technology for components of aboriginal technology. Part 2 is a description of the spear collection from 1935 to 1943.

Chapter 12. discusses in detail the problem of: “With life expectancy for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory approximately 20 years less than that of non-Aboriginal Territorians, research estimates that 77 per cent of this gap can be attributed to the high rate of non-communicable chronic and lifestyle diseases among Aboriginal Australians. Chronic diseases are caused and exacerbated by high rates of obesity and malnutrition”, observed as recently as 2009.

There are other bits of interest, too, such as “Traditional culture has not moved from sorcery to the rule of reason, from polygamy to the equality of women with men, and from ‘pay-back’ to the rule of law.” Helen Hughes (2007).

They also used trees such as Acacia doratoxylon or spearwood but this was highly prized as a ceremonial spear. Good spears shouldn’t be thrown away. Spears for hunting were often made from Wonga Wonga Pandorea pandorana which by growing on cliff faces could supply long straight pieces of very hard and lightweight wood.

In northern, inland areas of Qld, Acacia shirleyi was used for spears. I accidentally speared myself whilst mapping in dense Acacia shirleyi scrub, when a branch I stood on snapped and impaled a long bit of itself about 70 mm into my leg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_shirleyi

Michael V said:

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

Hey thank you. That makes much more sense than what i was thinking. Tree roots are much more malleable than tree trunks and when properly dried can be really strong even when thin. In particular it makes sense for the case of the child spear I mentioned, I couldn’t see where a piece of uniform-thickness less than 3 mm thick almost-straight hardwood strong enough to kill animals when thrown could come from in a desert environment. You’re right, it could be a root that’s been straightened and hardened over a fire.

In that link I posted, https://www.oapen.org/download?type=document&docid=459098 , there are three chapters that I found worth reading in full.

Chapter 3 is about initiation rituals among the Warlpiri and how they have persisted to the modern day. Initiation ceremonies are far larger in 2005 than in 1962/1975, thanks partly to the now ready availability of motor cars, partly to the need to confine initiation ceremonies to holiday seasons, and partly to the increasing Warlpiri child population.

Chapter 5 is “Thomson’s Spears: Innovation and change in eastern Arnhem Land projectile technology”. The chapter has two parts. Part 1 is the cultural change seen in 1976 by 1:1 substitution of components of international technology for components of aboriginal technology. Part 2 is a description of the spear collection from 1935 to 1943.

Chapter 12. discusses in detail the problem of: “With life expectancy for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory approximately 20 years less than that of non-Aboriginal Territorians, research estimates that 77 per cent of this gap can be attributed to the high rate of non-communicable chronic and lifestyle diseases among Aboriginal Australians. Chronic diseases are caused and exacerbated by high rates of obesity and malnutrition”, observed as recently as 2009.

There are other bits of interest, too, such as “Traditional culture has not moved from sorcery to the rule of reason, from polygamy to the equality of women with men, and from ‘pay-back’ to the rule of law.” Helen Hughes (2007).

They also used trees such as Acacia doratoxylon or spearwood but this was highly prized as a ceremonial spear. Good spears shouldn’t be thrown away. Spears for hunting were often made from Wonga Wonga Pandorea pandorana which by growing on cliff faces could supply long straight pieces of very hard and lightweight wood.

In northern, inland areas of Qld, Acacia shirleyi was used for spears. I accidentally speared myself whilst mapping in dense Acacia shirleyi scrub, when a branch I stood on snapped and impaled a long bit of itself about 70 mm into my leg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_shirleyi

Ouch.