An interview with a researcher studying near-extinct languages
"... without their language and its structure, people are rootless. In recording it you are also getting down the stories and folklore. If those are lost a huge part of a people's history goes. These stories often have a common root that speaks of a real event, not just a myth. For example, every Amazonian society ever studied has a legend about a great flood."
I wonder sometimes if this is why bi-culture children sometimes feel as if they are outcasts in this country that is supposed to be a melting pot for people. Everyone has different stories, different folklore. There are no common American heroes, although I suspect if you asked someone down the street to name an American Hero, the answer might be one of our presidents, such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, simply because they are people we see every day as we use cash. Is it any wonder why our society worships money as much as it does?
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