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Human Culture Offered at the Zoo
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by Karen Hatter | August 14, 2007 at 08:43 am
2019 views | 38 Recommendations | 10 comments
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Yet, it would seem that the zoo, with the African savannah being used as a habitat setting to showcase the Maasai culture, has raised concerns over the association of Africans on par with animals, as has been done in the past.
The Maasai Journey includes a re-created African village adjacent to the savannah exhibit, with the Maasai guides giving tours through the village and sharing anecdotal stories.
Read the story in The Seattle Times.
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Victoria Revay
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (10)
at 18:13 on August 14th, 2007
Instead of in or at the zoo, how at least about outside the zoo, namely in Woodland Park proper (a human habitat)-- under the auspices of the zoo? [See map in photo section]
at 18:36 on August 14th, 2007
To be quite honest, Denseatoms, since a zoo is defined as, ".... a collection of living animals usually for public display", having the zoo involved in ANY way gives me pause! I don't think the dissemination of human culture should be handled by a zoo. The inevitable subliminal message, Africans and animals side by side in the simulated wild, tends to re-enforce centuries old perceptions.
However, a separate park that provided, in addition to the guides, complete historical information about the people and the lands, would seem appropriate.
at 18:50 on August 14th, 2007
I should have added "-- if this deal was a already too far in the works to cancel." The idea of zoo sponsorship struck me as inappropriate, too, but bad situations can sometimes be made less bad.
The analogy of having Inuit people in the polar bear house or Asians with the pandas did occur to me, and it was absurdly inappropriate as well. The image of all those science fiction movies of the 1950s, with humans in cages in an alien zoo, also came to mind. The concept is weird (and in the last comparison, inhuman).
at 04:17 on August 15th, 2007
I really doubt the zoo meant harm, but yeah, zoo sponsorship does send
the message that these cultures are more primitive and "animal-like" than other cultures. I don't think they'd sponsor Colonial Williamsburg...
at 04:51 on August 15th, 2007
I will agree that most likely the zoo meant no harm but, neither did the Bronx Zoo when Ota Benga was displayed, in the monkey house, with items that indicated that he lived in the cage. Of course, the Maasai guides are not caged and acting as guides provides dignity to these circumstances. It is the sponsorship, Brian, that disturbed me.
at 05:56 on August 15th, 2007
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
And after a good morning's Google search, I see that Seattle has this institution:
The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture is located on the campus in Seattle. The Museum contains nationally ranked collections in anthropology, geology and zoology, totaling over 3 million specimens.
So, why on earth would the zoo undertake this project in the first place?
at 08:04 on August 15th, 2007
Why indeed! I'm stumped, Denseatoms! All that comes to mind is the zoo's desire to invigorate the African savannah exhibit! Thanks for the additional info and the link!
at 10:11 on August 16th, 2007
Karen, this is such good stuff. On the one hand, I'm sure organizers would say that it's more "authentic" to have the guides. On the other hand, their appearance in other venues would be more appropriate, I think.
at 11:40 on August 16th, 2007
Thanks for your comments, PEP!
at 08:38 on August 20th, 2007
Intentions aside, I'm just not cool with people being displayed at a zoo. I have a hard enough time seeing the elephants in those big empty swimming pools, never mind people, and never mind the messed-up stereotypes that this sort of thing perpetuates. This sort of thing only exacerbates the infection that is racism, which keeps us all from trusting each other, which further keeps people from realizing their true potential as a species. And I realize that I'm speaking in platitudes, but still...
That Twilight Zone episode springs to mind, denseatoms, you're right!