In a message dated 3/11/1999 3:48:17 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
<< nicole, i just wanted to say that i appreciate the effort and the insight
you put into voicing your perspective to us. thank you for keeping it lively
and relevant and informative >>
thank you for your kind words.
I never full think of it as my perspective, because in order to make sure I
actually understand things, I consult with a lot of people, friends,
colleagues, relatives, who transmit me to me a more coherent understanding of
such issues.
For work, for study and for personal concerns, it is important to me to not
only be accurate but to be comprehensive and functional in the real world.
This yearly conference is one of my prime periods for learning of this nature,
because it brings together women from all over the world who not only have
first hand knowledge, but cultural knowledge, historical depth and unwavering
dedication to such issues - so they bring much more to the table than those
who read a few newspaper articles, watch a few documentaries and decide that
they can analyze the situations. I must also jump to include that men are also
present at such, and though they aren't the majority, I have a strong supply
of mentors and friends who keep me aware and educated.
One of the benefits is to get a glimpse of the mass distortions present in the
media, not just american media, but western media when it reviews such
situations. I read newpaper article a few weeks ago, about the
Eritrean/Ethiopian conflict and it talked about Ethiopia presently bombing a
village in Eritrea. From my knowledge this didn't happen, but I simply called
the cousin of a close friend who lived in that village and she laughing told
me that perhaps they were bombing the village in a parallel universe - she
then held the telephone outside her window and asked me if I heard bombing.
Not. She later had me pictures emailed of the area which showed no bomb
damage. I didn't need to see her educational credentials to take her
perspective as more valid.
It serves me no good to have a superficial understanding of issues on a
continent which I take very personally. I need to know facts, I need to know
why, because I need to know what are we doing to fix this and how can I help.
I value learning through not just academics, but through experience and
exposure - reaching out to people. Forget the elitist academically posed
questions, the basic ones are always even more valuable to obtaining a true
understanding. Some of the most racist and misanthropic idealogies come from
the academic elite, the political gurus - why would I depend upon
understanding as interpreted through them? Why would I trust that they lack
the motive for distortation or forget that they often carry that oppresive
gene?
Somalia? One of the most enlightening conversations I had about Somalia was
with a Somali woman attending a UN conference. She lived in Mogadishu and we
spent hours discussing clans, warring, humanitarian and military forces - as
well as culture and religion. The assumptions that she must not be as educated
or aware as others - perhaps because she is somali - is false. There is even
a healthy dose of sexism to be found along with the racism - at best, the
paternalistic racism.
I personally know that masses of humanitarian workers are woefully uneducated
regarding the cultures they work in, the histories of that country and when
they arrive in the country that are only able to see and accept what their
often shallow/racist/sexist/westernist paradigms allow them to see. They
cannot process information any other way. I have had countless experiences,
even as just a "baby" in the field, with such "experts" who are amazingly
ignorant and racist. We see it every day, in so very many ways, all over the
world - we talk about it, and we barrel through it or overcome it.
Always amusing is to see the attempted condescending attitudes to women in
traditional african clothing, by so called western "experts" - and seeing
their faces fall when they find that these women carry a wealth of
understanding and knowledge that such people will never be able to achieve.
Adding to the amusement is when they find that most of those ladies with the
"funny" african clothing on, are Ph.D's, lawyers, teachers, environmentalist,
government officials, well educated, well traveled well experienced far beyond
those people who shout from the rooftops that their perspectives on such are
equally valid.
There is just so much more than those stereotypes of backwards continents, we
won't even begin to touch upon the falsehoods applied to African history -
much less those applied to contemporary issues and situations.
Just like anyone on this list, who has a passion for their field of work which
drives them to understand and indulge, I have that same passion for my work,
my people. You know your field well, not because of some "ego" trip to be
better than others, but because this is where you placed your focus, on which
you delved deep into your studies, this is where you sought all opportunities
possible - going far beyond that of others who don't have that interest, that
particular passion.
One of my oft mentioned favorite quotes is ~ You must structure your world so
that you are constantly reminded of who you are ~
I do that, and in my case, I am not just reading about my area of interest, it
is reflected in my friends, my relationships, in what I read for fun, for
study, for work, it is the foods I eat, the places I travel, the emails I get,
the people who call me, the way I dress, the way I do my hair, what I do for
fun, what I do for work, many of the conversations I have, and even when I
look in the mirror, when I think of who I am, who my children will be, what my
past was, who my grandparents were, who my great great great grandparent were,
and what I would like to have for my future. All of this goes along with the
multiple experiences and friends and activities I have which follow outside of
my direct area of interest. One of my very best friends in the world is
Japanese, and I have absorbed so much from her over the years that when I
finally took a Japanese language class I already knew a lot of the
characters/words and when I attended her wedding in Japan last October, I
thoroughly confused many of the guests by how accustomed I was to quite a bit
of Japanese culture. I also learned a lot by doing again what I normally do -
I asked her grandmother about her wedding and learned a lot about Japan of
that time.
I also learned that I REALLY like sitting naked in a natural hot spring pool
outdoors looking up at mt. fuji at night.
Couldn't have learned that from a book or from the perspective of someone who
had never experienced it. Your perspective is tremendously enhanced by your
experience. The compliment of knowledge and experience is unbeatable.
Fiercely loyal and protective - and sometimes so prone to see negative
attitudes applied towards us which result in tangible damage to lives of
people, I take them very seriously - often too seriously given the real world
(as opposed to the omnipotence of the e-world) limits of such people who speak
them.
I am heading to bed now, because I have a FULL day of seminars and
interactions, and I have a pile of background documents to organize.
However, I do want to clearly express my appreciation for the many of you who
have shared your experiences in your field of work, with sincere depth,
because I have listened and learned. All of you know who you are, because we
have had our far more peaceful and harmonious emails, contrary to the harsh
tone reserved for the few who approach me with no good intent.
Nicole
