Day of the Dead
The original: I’ve written about the Day of the Dead: here and here and here.
The follow-up: Smithsonian’s daily email (yes, they of the concatenated and spurious-relationships subject line) highlighted photos of participants in Day of the Dead celebrations, taken by Mexican photographer Miguel Gandert.
Uluru
The original: I’ve posted photos of birds near Kata Tjuta, the conglomerate formation close to Uluru, the famous sandstone monolith. I was surprised that I hadn’t actually posted photos of Uluru itself, and rectify that omission here.
The follow-up: As of Oct 2019, climbing on Uluru will be prohibited. Right now, visitors are asked not to climb it, to respect aboriginal beliefs.
Maybe the Irish should ban people from climbing Croagh Patrick? I suppose even the question reveals my unease — I think that the act of climbing may be part of the way of showing respect. Except when it comes to an assembly line up Mount Everest….
Jim T
Jim T – Well, it’s tricky, isn’t it? Apparently, (some?) Aboriginal Australians believe that their ancestors inhabit Uluru and they consider climbing it to be a desecration. So I didn’t need a law to prevent me from climbing it: a request was sufficient. In this case, I come down on “their land, their rules.” If their belief were, instead, that all mountains worldwide shouldn’t be climbed, I’d react differently.
Speaking of Ireland, are you familiar with Slieve Donard? A friend of mine wants her ashes taken to the top and scattered there. Slieve Donard is an 850-metre (2,790 ft) mountain in County Down, Northern Ireland. Part of the Mourne Mountains, it is the highest peak in Northern Ireland and in the wider province of Ulster.
She wants to nominate another 80 year old friend and me to accompany her daughter and take her there. I’m not sure.
Tom
Tom – I was not familiar with Slieve Donard. I find it interesting that some folks have super-specific ideas (almost quests) about where their ashes should go, and other people are like my father, who didn’t care whether his remains were cremated or buried. It might be a meaningful journey, worth the substantial effort.