1. My own interests are not primarily native people of North (or South)
America, and have sometimes felt annoyed that so little attention is
focused on the part of the world -- the western Pacific -- that concerns
me most directly. (This is more on the order of a confession than a criti-
cism, by the way.) I originally joined the net in the hopes of establishing
contact with groups concerned with the Pacific and, secondarily, SE Asia.
2. Despite that I have found myself becoming more interested in North American
issues as a direct result of the net, passing things on to colleagues, students,
native friends where I live.
3. I am an anthropologist teaching at a Canadian university and find it import-
ant to be able to talk about issues closer to home -- I regard this as part of
the educational function of anthropology, and find the net useful in this
regard.
4. As a Canadian I find the net brings things to the fore, and gives me a
forum (some might say too generously) to talk about things from this position.
A chance to say something about what I know or think about these issues in
this part of the globe, for a wider audience.
5. A lot of "social movement" people with whom I have sympathy and sometimes
exasperation are also participants. Probably the best way we have to talk
to each other is through the net, and the focus on issues near to home is a
way of getting this going. Mutual education here.
6. So I learn a lot about things I expected not to be as closely attentive to
as I now am. This is the doing of the net. I am frustrated at not hearing
much about the part of the world where I work (Papua New Guinea, in an area
heavily affected by mining and near the border with the same Indonesian
government committing atrocities in East Timor). But I have more than I
started off with. The 'accidental' (i.e., not fully subject to conscious
control) nature of learning through the net works well for me. So I want it
kept open and general; if a scheme for subdividing can be setup, maybe not so
bad an idea, but I can live without it.
Best regards to all -- you've all made your personalities come alive over
the wire -- and many thanks to Gary for the work.
Dan Jorgensen jorgensen@vaxr.sscl.uwo.ca