The Myth of Race

Who understands history also understands the present.

Race and culture are seen as an entity these days,
and by looking at somebody we immidiatly make ouer
assumptions about this person.Race and culture seem 
to mean the same .the words intercangeable.
Was this always like this?
During my studies of many old traditions,
I found that there are ohter paradigmen
availible for us.
Racism and race itself seems to be 
an expression of todays materialism.
The ideology of race leaves no room for choice
or learning.
it says you are something because of your biology.
Today we care way to much for blood relations.
In old times a tribe was not a race, but a related group
of people, who worshiped the same gods or god,
and celebrated rituals together.
Being born in a tribe was a chance to become a full
member after Initaition, but you 
could also become member of a different tribe by
adoption or marriage for example.
The most ancient ways confirm this:


So it is possible to become a member of
the jewish tribe, if you really want.
This is documented in the biblical Book of Ruth.
After getting the support of a Rabbi ,
a convert has to appear before a religous
court, be immersed in a ritual bath.
Children of such people a full Jews,
in Judaism are no "halfs", everybody with
a jewish mother is a Jew.


The Hindu tradition has also a history of
converts and adoptees.Hindus believe in 
reincarnatian and the convert may be
a returning Hindusoul,who was born in
a different culture.


In the celtic culture adoption was seen as
specially sacred, it brought people together
without any family bonds- it was seen as something
divine.


This is part of an old pagan prayer from the finno-hungarian people
in the wolga region:



Let two complete strangers unite, let them go to bed as two,

let them rise as three,

let them bear seven daughters, nine sons;

let their seven daughters find 

a new homeland beyond the stream,

and their nine sons a bride beyond nine streams, 





The ancients have always known that homogenity is not an 
advatage, the danger to marry a familymember was great in the 
tribe with its huge clanlike extended family, incest is the
biggest taboo found around the world, so it was encouraged to
find a partner in an other tribe.This was often made worse
by "totem"-like clans, which limited partner choice even more.
But the tribal society was never a multicultural society,
anybody becoming a member had to assimilate.
In the old way people had to maintain tribal membership
by participating in common life, life stages were marked
by rites of passages, and often in name changes.
Iven today, people wanting to join Judaism or Hinduism
must pass such rites and commit to a name change.
In Judaism one has to appear before a rabbinic court
and be immersed in a ritual bath, the mikva.
The immersion in the mikva can be seen as death (to ones old tribe)
and rebirth (in the tribe of Israel). 


The idea of "races" or "ethnic groups" did not exist for most
of human history. Both are closed systems
With the myth of distinct human races, 
the whole of mankind has put a spell
on itself,
it has cursed itself beyond measure,
sacrificed uncountable lives and dreams.

You seek the divine in a tree, but close your heart to the
stranger in your midst.
Does not the seed travels far with the wind?
You divinate the flying birds, but judge the alien with a
glance.
do not the birds fly free?

1997 sunchild8@hotmail.com
Graphics:c Robin Wood 1997

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