HPE - Perhaps you could point out a sustainable, worker friendly, well compensated mine operation somewhere in the world today, or for that matter throughout history?
The Philippines has a long history of indigenous small-scale & communal gold mining that extends to this day.
https://www.iwgia.org/en/news/5255-phili...llera.html
"In the song, Balitok (literal meaning gold) represents the spirit guardian of the gold. He teaches Gatan, the traditional miner, to fight greed and to respect nature so that he may continue to benefit from it. Through the centuries, the Indigenous Peoples developed their own customary practices of small-scale mining and gold processing, which are rudimentary but regulated and sustainable. There are customary rules to protect the land and to share blessings. Rituals are performed and rules and regulations are strictly followed to ensure the safety of the miners. Work and wealth are equitably shared by the community. Men, women and children partake in the work of mining and processing the ore and all share in the profits generated." (lots more interesting details at link about how this work and its resulting wealth functions culturally and how imposed large-scale Western mining practices are impacting it)
Given the importance of song and chant in Hawaiian culture, as well as common heritage with the Philippines to Lapita culture, it doesn't seem like a huge stretch to imagine historical Hawaiians having similar ritual and reverence for related mining activities. Do we know for sure, of course not, and probably never will, but that leaves open many possibilities worth considering.
With your interests HPE, I would guess that you've likely read Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn, and possibly its sequels? Maybe more recently, The Dawn of Everything by Graeber and Wengrow? (if not, the Wikipedia summary is pretty good). If so, the understanding that some cultures have very different conceptions of the world and their role in it should lend itself to recognize the diversity of human thought and societal arrangements that differ substantially, maybe even essentially, from the Western tradition. What it means to be human and in relation to each other and the world is not a fixed concept.
MyManao - there's adze all over the place. What have you contributed
That's an interesting question to consider - what artifacts has one made that will endure? Maybe some stone walls and planting beds? Or if the jungle reclaims everything, maybe some pockets of peppers and ka choi, maybe a few types of fruit and ulu trees that manage to feed the wild pigs and yet still sustain themselves?
Does one apply their efforts to projects with longevity and value like those on the mauna that once crafted adze? What mark will one ultimately leave in deep time?
The Philippines has a long history of indigenous small-scale & communal gold mining that extends to this day.
https://www.iwgia.org/en/news/5255-phili...llera.html
"In the song, Balitok (literal meaning gold) represents the spirit guardian of the gold. He teaches Gatan, the traditional miner, to fight greed and to respect nature so that he may continue to benefit from it. Through the centuries, the Indigenous Peoples developed their own customary practices of small-scale mining and gold processing, which are rudimentary but regulated and sustainable. There are customary rules to protect the land and to share blessings. Rituals are performed and rules and regulations are strictly followed to ensure the safety of the miners. Work and wealth are equitably shared by the community. Men, women and children partake in the work of mining and processing the ore and all share in the profits generated." (lots more interesting details at link about how this work and its resulting wealth functions culturally and how imposed large-scale Western mining practices are impacting it)
Given the importance of song and chant in Hawaiian culture, as well as common heritage with the Philippines to Lapita culture, it doesn't seem like a huge stretch to imagine historical Hawaiians having similar ritual and reverence for related mining activities. Do we know for sure, of course not, and probably never will, but that leaves open many possibilities worth considering.
With your interests HPE, I would guess that you've likely read Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn, and possibly its sequels? Maybe more recently, The Dawn of Everything by Graeber and Wengrow? (if not, the Wikipedia summary is pretty good). If so, the understanding that some cultures have very different conceptions of the world and their role in it should lend itself to recognize the diversity of human thought and societal arrangements that differ substantially, maybe even essentially, from the Western tradition. What it means to be human and in relation to each other and the world is not a fixed concept.
MyManao - there's adze all over the place. What have you contributed
That's an interesting question to consider - what artifacts has one made that will endure? Maybe some stone walls and planting beds? Or if the jungle reclaims everything, maybe some pockets of peppers and ka choi, maybe a few types of fruit and ulu trees that manage to feed the wild pigs and yet still sustain themselves?
Does one apply their efforts to projects with longevity and value like those on the mauna that once crafted adze? What mark will one ultimately leave in deep time?