Whales Tohora @ the Museum of Science - Boston

On Friday the 3rd of September I had the chance to go to MOS and see the traveling exhibit Whales Tohora. While the exhibit is now closed, I highly suggest looking to see if it is coming to a museum near you, as it was a great exhibit.

Whales Tohora combines the biological information about whales and their evolution with the role the whale plays in Maori peoples of New Zealand. The exhibit takes you on a tour of the past, present and future roles of the whale and the Maori people.

My favorite part of the exhibit was the stories of whale riding told from inside the belly of a whale:


These are tales told by modern members of the Maori tribe of the whale riding traditions and the stories of settlement in New Zealand. Many of the Maori tribes believe that their ancestors came to the island on the back of a whale and this tradition plays an important part of Maori culture and is the cornerstone of the whales significance to them.

A truly touching legend is that of Cheif Tinirau and his friend the whale named Tutunui. Poor Tinirau was tricked into letting an evil man ride his whale and when Tutunui brought the man back to his home, he and his fellow villagers killed and ate the poor whale. When Tinirau heard of what had happened he tricked the evil chief and killed him. This story has inspired much of the Maori's art and traditions. For more info check out: Pataka and the story of Tinirau.



One of the most impressive stories shared through the exhibit was the story of the Maori people themselves and the cycle of whale use they have been through and are still going through. From a people who worshiped the whale and never hunted them, simply taking what was offered them in the form of beached whales for meat, to a people who actively participated in the whale hunting trade to the point where it was the major source of income for them, now to a group of people dedicated to the preservation of whales, and working with the state government to protect them at the same time honoring their traditional use of the whales for food, weapons, ritual, and art. Once again only taking what is offered them in the forms of beached whales and taking that once step further by working to save those whales when possible. It is truly inspiring to see a people examine their life and history and future and make changes to continue their culture and to protect its legacy for the future.


Whales Tohora home page

Quitting the Homid Fight Club

This article spawned a great discussion between myself and a friend about the imperative for aggression and if it is a biological condition or an environmental one, as well as the very nature of man.

Quitting the Homid Fight Club

Ancient DNA identifies donkey ancestors, people who domesticated them

ScienceDaily (2010-07-28) -- In a finding that says much about the people who lived in northern Africa 5,000 years ago, scientists believe domestication of the donkey was achieved by nomadic people responding to the growing borders of the Sahara. Scientists also determined the endangered African wild ass is the living ancestor of the modern donkey and found hints that one strain of African wild ass thought to be extinct may still be alive.

NewsDaily: Canadian archeologists find lost ship in Arctic

NewsDaily (2010-07-29) -- Canadian archeologists have discovered the wreckage of the ship that has been credited with discovering the fabled Northwest Passage, saying the vessel remains in good condition after being abandoned more than 150 years ago in the Arctic ice.

Chasing Mummies - Who are these students?

Have you seen "Chasing Mummies with Dr. Zahi Hawass"? This show on the History Channel follows Dr. Hawass and his crew of Archeologists as they search for unopened tombs and work to preserve the antiquities of Egypt. Sounds great right? However, after two episodes I find myself asking who are these fellowship students working with him? Because they are some of the stupidest archeologists I have ever seen! I don't understand how they got jobs working with THE head of all archeological sites in all of Egypt. Only one of them (Lindsay) seems to have clue about Egyptian archeology, the other two (Zoe and Derek) are comically dumb. I mean, I'm a cultural anthropologist and I seem to know more about Ancient Egypt and archeology then these two.

First will take Zoe, who according to her bio is a graduate of McGill University in Montreal, with a degree in Anthropology and Art History. Zoe arrives to the first site with all her work papers in order, but no one can remember hiring her. I get the sneaking suspicion that she ignored her rejection letter and showed up for the job anyways. Well being the nice people they are the team lets Zoe stay. She then promptly gets locked in the Step Pyramid with her foot trapped under a rock. This I can forgive, it's not really her fault she was left in there alone with only a camera man, and its not really her fault that everyone forgot about her and said camera man. However, it is her fault when she can't seem to answer simple questions the next day when Dr. Hawass address her, and manages to almost get hit with a bulldozer. In the next episode they go to the Great Pyramid and are allowed to climb to the dangerous and highly off limits 5th chamber to view some ancient graffiti. Zoe balks at actually doing the climb after Hawass explains the dangers, but finally agrees and struggles the entire way, dropping her canteen which nearly hits the camera crew below her. She barely seems to register her surroundings and the importance of where she is. In fact she is so clueless, that she goes number 1 INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID in the 5th Chamber! Apparently she couldn't hold it any longer. Honestly, I don't care how bad you have to go, you don't pee in an ancient, holy, archeological monument! Yes, it is an 8 hour climb from the bottom to the top, but for love of ancient stuff, you hold it in!! Or ask someone for their canteen and pee in that, letting them know of course what you plan on doing. Zoe is the worst archeologist ever!!

Then we have Derek, a graduate from the University of South Florida with a bachelor's degree in History and Anthropology with a concentration in Mediterranean Archeology. So, I'm not really sure why he is in Egypt other then the fact that if you are given the opportunity to study under Hawass you jump at it (even if he is a bit scary and condescending). Derek at first seems okay, he gets assigned to look at some bones in the first episode and he doesn't seem to really know what he is doing, but he may not have taken any forensic courses or even had access to uncleaned bones. So he gets a pass on that, after all he is there to learn. I almost think he is going to be okay when he recognizes some hieroglyphs and actually knows what they mean. But, then when they are in the 5th chamber in the 2nd episode he starts talking about how aliens could have built the great pyramid right to Dr. Hawass. You know the guy who hates the idea of aliens, and has even said it was rubbish to Derek, earlier on in the show. I can't figure out if Derek thought he was making a joke, or what, but Hawass was not pleased and started yelling at him. So there goes any faith I have in Derek.

Lindsay is the only one who seems to have a clue. I wasn't sure of her at fist because she arrived late on her first day, but she has redeemed herself. She actually seems to know about Egyptian Archeology and History. She has been able to answer or make a truly educated guess when Hawass asks her a question. It is becoming apparent who Hawass favorite is of his new fellows. He gets less angry with her and is actively teaching things, including how to work in a previously unopened tomb, she even got to witness the discovery of a mostly intact mummy, in a tomb that had not been looted.

I am going to continue to watch the show, because the discoveries are interesting and seeing how a man like Hawass lives and works is fascinating. But if his fellowship students don't get a clue soon, I may end up throwing some books at the TV.

Pyramid Tomb Found: Sign of a Civilization's Birth?

Pyramid Tomb Found: Sign of a Civilization's Birth?