While searching for something else yesteray afternoon, I came across this wise tidbit from a post here ten years ago.
It is a Maori proverb, included in an exhibit at the War Memorial Museum on the terrible land wars of 19th century New Zealand.
“Because of women and land, men die.”
?
True words.
Some 35 years earlier, we heard similar advice from an officer of Castle & Cooke, an agricultural company which at that point was based in Hawaii. Think Dole pineapples and bananas.
We were questioning the company’s policies in the Philippines, where it had major banana plantations, and he repeated the advice given their employees:
“Stay out of their politics and away from their women.”
Again, probably very good advice.
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Good points. I think for clarity it should say stay away from their women unless you have good intent. And if things don’t go well, still treat them with respect.
The Maori proverb sounds like blaming women for men’s aggression, something I have seen and heard far too much of. I agree with the Castle and Cooke version though.
The Maori proverb was no doubt mistranslated by some culturally insensitive Western imperialist. Or maybe you have something against Maori and their culture. But since we’re going down that road, shouldn’t we all be outraged by C&C’s sexist commodification reference to “their” women? And by your approval of that reference, you too are now obviously suspect.
We could just be honest and say that men have been killing each other to control women and territory ever since anyone can remember.
Will our world ever make it to post-woke?
Yes, but that would fail to recognize the agency of women who have successfully manipulated men into fighting over them and the territory and possessions they have desired, all of which was further empowering. Your failure to recognize this dynamic demonstrates your need for punitive re-education.
Maybe the men die because they’re greedy and want things they have no right to take. Why is anyone blaming the land or the women?
I think the “because of” isn’t trying to assign blame, because obviously land is a passive thing which came near blame. I think it’s more like a “but for.” Of course even if land and women were unlimited, men would probably find something stupid to fight about. professional sports teams for example.