' You know, it’s very disturbing for us, as Kānaka Maoli, to see the headlines and ... see Lahaina as this tourist town, as if that’s all it is, because, for us, it’s so much more. And the tourism is part of the commodification of our culture. It’s part of the erasure of our culture. That narrative literally just takes us out of the picture. And, you know, without Hawaiians, there would be no Hawaii... '

#Hawaii #wildfires #Lahaina #CulturalErasure #TraditionalCulture

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/11/noelani_ahia_maui_wildfires

Why are barns red?

Hundreds of years ago, farmers often sealed their barns with linseed oil. To this they added ferrous oxide, or rust.

Not only was rust plentiful on farms but it was a very effective sealant, killing moss and fungi that might grow on the wood. Adding rust turned the mixture red in color.

Lots of people must have liked it because it has since become a tradition.

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/barns-painted-red-240

#TodayILearned #TraditionalCulture

Photo: Painted barn in rural New York state

Beautiful new feature from the National Endowment for the Arts on Diné shepherd and weaver TahNibaa Naataani https://youtu.be/GqTgPbHbF_M. I had a chance to meet her flock back in 2019 and take this photo out on Table Mesa in New Mexico. #NavajoChurro #Sheep #SheepOfMastodon #TraditionalCulture