Preface to post for Module II:

In the past, I have had a difficult time understanding what all the hoop la is around Facebook, group sites and blogging. Especially, when those forms of communication are negative, hurtful and one-sided. Hog wash, I call it! From my life experiences, I have learned that humans come in varying opinions. Some far right, some far left, when realistically, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Maybe it's simply that I'm just in the middle. But, I'm happy this way. I am seemingly able to make sense of my world.

I spend a lot of my real time outside enjoying my animals and the fresh air. After a long day of teaching, I find, that is the place where my inner spirit finds peace. Hence, forms of communication that require that I sit in front of a dazzling computer brain are not my first choice. Often, the only drive I find for using them is out of necessity; e.g. bank balances.

As I grow and stretch using this blog spot to complete my assignments (necessity), please forgive me if any, or all of my communication is, in fact, hog wash!

Essential Question; How is everything connected from the perspectives of indigenous peoples and Western scientists? What are the advantages to knowing both ways?

Everything is connected simply because the indigenous peoples have and will continue to interact with the plants, animals, weather, water sources and land that the Western scientists are now professing to be understanding based on the scientific processes of study. To groups of different peoples are looking at the same biological, geographical, geological patterns of a land. While it seems that their motivations were similar, I do not see exactly how one could say that their were the same.

One group began this study out their destiny of origination and have fine tuned through observation, trial and error, when and wherever their survival needs could better be met. The basic needs for water, food and shelter were their motivators. But, through all of their previous existence, current existence and future existence, they have and will believe that it is their spiritual connection, which has given them answers when they were needed. The indigenous peoples are in tune with the individual spirits of each and every natural life force with which they coexist. They hold deep respect for nature.

Scientific study has had many Western motivators. I am sure that there are few scientists that have gone out into the Alaskan country side to conduct a study just for their own growth, curiosity and experience. However, since Westerners started influencing our United States, most all of their motivation has had a political agenda. Western scientists have performed millions of scientific studies on our Alaskan nature, that either confirm something that Alaska Natives have felt, noticed, and/or possibly survived. The indigenous peoples have had first hand experiences, since time immemorial, Western scientists have been sent to confirm our nature's state of existence by someone with a political agenda.

So, the connection I see is in the subject of study. The motivations, one being spiritual respect and an intimate relationship with the lands and their inhabitants, and, the second being primarily political agendas, are not very connected at all.

The amounts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), polychorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Arctic haze, and the slight warming trend being documented are alarming to all peoples. The indigenous people's will go on working through issues. Western scientists will go on studying and reporting all the negative stuff to the political group that is backing them.