It was interesting to read just how much religion, culture, and the natural environment interact with each other. At first glance, one may not think that there is such a strong connection. However, the report went through a number of religions/cultures and all seem to have at least one ritual or custom that involves the natural environment, primarily that of the water. It is important for people to be able to practice their religion freely and properly. However, this poses a challenge. Sometimes, the rituals can cause harm to the environment or to the organisms living in it. And, it’s difficult for environmentalists to deal with the issue, in a way that does not disrespect the community. As the report offered, there are many solutions and ways to deal with the conflict in a respectful and beneficial manner to both the members of the community and the animals which live in the area. I know that in my neighborhood, the park asks people not to feed the fish/geese. And so, when my family goes to do Tashlich, we say the prayers by the water, without throwing in pieces of bread (which is an added custom and not an integral part to the ritual). Additionally, I recall waking up early a few years back to recite Birchat HaChama, over the sun. It was a really beautiful and inspirational experience. I didn’t ever think of it in the lens of science, but this reading really made me think how so many of the customs I observe have a connection with the natural world. And, this realization gives me more of a reason, appreciation, and an importance to preserving and maintaining the natural world and environment that I live in and benefit from in a myriad of ways.
Category Archives: Reflection
Jamaica Bay Reflection
The Jamaica Bay plays a major role in the lives of New Yorkers, with its rich resources, its large biodiversity and, surprisingly, its spiritual significance to different religious groups. I was surprised to learn that the Jamaica Bay serves a place of religious congregations for many groups, such as Jew and Hindus. Being a practicing Hindu, I was never aware of the significance the Bay had to the Hindu community and was surprised to find that many rituals are performed at this Bay. Furthermore, though I am aware of the rituals and the significance of water in Hinduism as mentioned in the paper, I always had the notion that these rituals would be performed in a temple or a place that was deemed “holy.” For this reason, I find the use of the Bay as place of worship to be very surprising.
The use of the Jamaica Bay as a religious hotspot is of great cultural significance and presents the diversity of the region as well. The use of the waters in Jamaica Bay provides insight into the Hindu Indo-Caribbean culture that has populated the area around the Bay. With ancestors originally from India, the Indo-Caribbean culture resembles Asian Indian culture in many ways but with the passing of years many changes have been made. The Indo-Caribbean belief is that the Jamaica Bay is similar to the Ganges in India and by submerging the ashes of their deceased ones into the Bay it will eventually reach Mother Ganga. This is different from Asian Hindu practices, which only considers the Ganges as holy water and stresses the importance of submerging the ashes into the Ganges. Similarly, the Jewish community use the water on certain holidays in which they cleanse themselves of their sins by throwing breadcrumbs into the water. The land also has a cultural significance as the willows by the Bay and bonfires are lit for certain holidays.
While to Jews and Hindus, these religious practices are part of culture and the scriptures, some community members see this as pollution of the water as debris from the rituals tend to wash up on shore. Pollution can affect the wildlife in the waters and well as the ones on land. However, I find this ironic to a certain sense in that from my knowledge of Hindu customs, many of the puja items are organic as well as biodegradable. This is because Hindus stress the importance of nature and preserving wildlife, therefore many of the items come from nature, aside from the vessels and possibly the wrappings used to hold these items.
These practices and uses of Jamaica Bay stem from using one’s own culture knowledge to adapt to the new environment and community and congregate with his/her community to make decisions about how one should proceed to live their life in a new land. The new populations in Jamaica Bay have combined in collaboration to accommodate the needs of certain communities and make decisions that protect the Bay. Jamaica Bay and its resources are integral to the success of the surrounding communities and we need the see for compromise and combined effort to protect these resources.
Reflection Chapters 3, 5 and 6
These three chapters were very interesting to read. It was fascinating to learn about the groups that live in Jamaica Bay area, how these groups have changed and how these groups have made use of the resources around them in Jamaica Bay and surrounding area. I liked learning about the immigration of new cultural groups into the area, while Irish, Italian, Jewish and African-American populations have decreased in the communities. These new cultural groups, like those of Guyanese-Hindu background, people from the Indian sub-continent and those of African and Caribbean origins, have utilized the Gateway’s resources for their cultural and religious rituals. Another example of change in population is in Canarsie, where its population shifted from mostly white to non-Hispanic Black. It was also interesting to learn that the landfills are transforming into parkland. In addition, Canarsie’s primary waterfront access is from Canarsie Pier, which jets out into Jamaica Bay. Here, the resources, the pier and the beaches, have been seen to be used for religious ceremonies by nearby Jewish populations. However, it has seen a decline in the Jewish population, which has resulted in the area to be used more by Santeria practitioners.
It is also interesting to note that there are goals to bring National Park Service protection to Jamaica Bay’s resources while also extending recreation opportunities to urban populations. It has been hard to reach less advantaged population groups in the area because of the overall increase in poverty levels. This poverty has lead to an uneven numbers of families with children, presenting a challenge for Gateway personnel to reach them.
In the other chapters, it was interesting to learn that places along the water in Jamaica Bay have been used for religious purposes by Hindu, Jewish and African populations. I learned that the nature of the religious attachment to the area has been to flowing water; bodies of water are important in some religious traditions. Water can represent several different things, like rebirth and purity, depending on which group you are a part of. As newer groups move in, they also, may attach new significance to the resources of the bay.
I also liked that at the end of chapter 6 there is a realization that all the groups are important and that how they utilize the resources around them is just as important. We need to explore the best way to utilize the place without being exclusive to other groups or generations. All need to be aware of the racial, ethnic and religious groups that are coming into the Jamaica Bay area and how they are using its resources and realize the diversity of the area. There also needs to be an interest cultivated in the youth to preserve and protect the social and natural resources of Jamaica Bay, including projects that document their connection to the bay and mentorship programs.
Reflection- NPS Report
Honestly, even with all of the graphs and charts proposed, I could not find a way to internalize the numbers of different populations that inhabit the area. It seems meaningless to me possibly because of the extreme amount of numbers presented. The only statistic that seemed important and relevant is the fact that there are currently more immigrants in the area, which implies that the area is culturally diverse. After reading about the anecdotal accounts of Jews visiting the Canarsie Pier to perform a specific religious ceremony called Tashlikh, I was able to relate since our elementary school used to take us to the bay by Toys R Us to do the same. I would explain what that ceremony is, but Jennifer already elaborated. I was not aware of the once vibrant Jewish community that inhabited the area. It was interesting to note how many different religions had ceremonies involving bodies of water and therefore practice these customs at the Jamaica Bay. Since water is vital for life, it makes sense that many religions regard it at the highest esteem. However, some ceremonies may bring pollution into the bay, such as the “puja” in which the Hindu community send offerings into the bay expecting them to sail out to sea but they come right back to the bay’s shores. In the other examples given, most do not harm the bay. The group that had been cutting down willow branches that originally thought of the area as public property regarding its resources had stopped since of the introduction of the idea that they might be stealing. Regarding the ceremony of Tashlikh, some include throwing bread into a body of water, while others simply recite a few passages near it. Although it might look ugly, the bread would either be eaten by birds and fish or degrade in the salty waters. If in fact, it is harmful to the animals eating the bread, maybe since it is only a symbolic ritual (either throwing “sins” away- being done on the holiday of repentance, or to fulfill a biblical verse that mentions a king that was anointed near a body of water; in this case, God being the king – one of the themes of the holiday) and is not a very old tradition, it can be altered to leave out the bread-throwing part (nothing to do with the second interpretation of the custom). Other problems may be posed against those that light bonfires since it attracts crowds that leave messes that can stay for a longer time if not cleaned up properly.
In order to answer the question of indigenous knowledge, its definition must be explored. However, based on Wikipedia’s definition, I will posit that through indigenous knowledge, people feel they have a right to utilize natural resources as long as these natural resources do not belong to any particular being. If there is a fence around it or it seems like it was planted with intent of personal use (i.e. a large orchard organized in rows), it would be off limits, while if not, the resource can be taken. However, most religions would give importance to nature and not destroying it. Looking at both angles, indigenous knowledge would suggest that using a resource in a way that can guarantee the replenishment of that resource would be permissible.
Art and Science Reflection
They often separate people, depending on their natural inclination, into science-oriented and artistically gifted. They talk about one half of our brain to rule all logic and the other – artistic abilities. Yet, just like there is an area in the brain where these two seemingly opposites meet and intertwine, science and art meld in life, as well. These is what I was thinking reading the two articles that explored had art and science are different and how they are alike. “Art of science” and “science of art” – these expressions are often used by journalists and rightfully so because just like art contains elements of science do does science contains elements of art. As spontaneous as art may seem, it uses methods, often scientific, as well as employs science directly. Take the recent Rain exhibit at MoMa as an example where the art installation was designed to use censors to allow visitors to dance in the rain without getting wet. Similarly, as methodical as the science is, it often requires element of creativity and spontaneity in order to achieve a scientific breakthrough. And with modern equipment, it is not unusual to have exhibitions of scientific images, presented to be viewed as art. Both art and science have moral implications – just like almost every artistic work makes us think about right and wrong, so do scientific achievements (take stem cell research and cloning for example). These parallels between art and science are logical since they both help us explore and understand our world and our place in it.
When I think of synthesis of science and art in my life, figure skating comes to mind immediately. While competing as a figure skater, I had a chance to combine science and art during all of my training sessions. This is a highly technical sport that requires very precise coordination on every element of competitive program while conveying a story at the same time. It employs a lot of physics – aero-dynamics, in particular. For example, in order to execute a multi-rotation jump, the skater pushes off the ice, crosses the arms on the chest to make the body as aero-dynamically suitable as possible to carry the energy into the jump revolutions, and then stretches the arms in order to stop the rotation when the desired number of revolutions is completed. The same is true about the spins. A lot of scientific research goes into the design of equipment – boots and blades. To the uninitiated spectator, figure skating may look like artistic dance on ice, but every move uses strict physics principles, thoroughly designed by a choreographer, and the skaters’ falls are result of mistakes in applying those principles.
NPS Reflection
Bodies of water have a significant place in many religious traditions. They often represent a variety of motifs – rebirth, cleansing, purity, to name a few – and they have a strong place in Hindu religious traditions. Reading about Jamaica Bay Ethnographic Overview and Assessment really was fascinating – religious rituals regarding local bodies of water are something of a blank area in my cultural awareness. I’ve often associated religious traditions involving bodies of water with places outside of America, such as India, the Philippines, etc. It was very surprising to read about the religious and cultural practices surrounding Jamaica Bay. Bodies of water in the vicinity of New York City were sort of removed from religious traditions – my reason for doing so bears some reflection at a later date.
I have a particular interest in how cultural traditions interact with government policy, so I was personally fascinated to see how prominent Hindu religious officials and NPS government employees compromised about the leaving of offerings in the bay. I recognized the importance of leaving offerings to the dead within the river for the Hindu religious practitioners, but I also understood the NPS’ concern about pollution. The resolution, the dipping of offerings into the river a set amount of times and then burying it/giving it to charity, was fascinating. It represented a middle ground between culture and public health policy. I’m reminded of what happens when there’s a failure to communicate between the two in issues like these – the case of the Ganges in India. The Ganges, which is very significant in many Hindu religious practices, is very polluted as a result of years of these practices. I’ll be interested in seeing what potential future solutions officials devise to deal with that issue.
Reflection on NPS
Ilanit Zada
Science and Technology in NYC
10-26-13
Professor Adams
The reading assigned for this week was a few chapters taken from Jamaica Bay Ethnographic Overview and Assessment by William Kornblum and Kristen Van Hoorweghe. As soon as I began to read chapter 3 and saw the mention of Bedford Stuyvesant, I felt an immediate connection to what I was going to read but I could not figure out what the information had to do with that specific area. The text then went into discussing the history and background information about the Jamaica Bay area, leaving me even more confused. However, I finally came across one sentence that connected the dots for me and allowed me to see the relationship that exists between Bedford Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) and Jamaica Bay.
The text discusses the event that occurred, a plane crash, that caused turmoil in Jamaica Bay. This problem as well as others led people to stereotype the area as a dump, as stated in the text: “Since so much of the area had been surplus military property for two decades or more, there were many areas of the bay shore and wetlands that had become urban wilderness where junked and stolen cars and other waste was being illegally dumped” (48). This reminded me of a similar situation in Bedford Stuyvesant (that I have researched for a paper last semester). Due to its history (of crime rates and such), many people are under the impression that Bed-Stuy is a dangerous neighborhood that they would not want to enter for fear of risking their safety. However, this is not the case; to the residents of Bed-Stuy, Bedford Stuyvesant is simply their home, as Jamaica Bay is to many people as well. Individuals have to remember this and think twice before making a generalization or stereotyping an area simply because of past events.
NPS Reading Reflection- Jennifer Mikhli
The selected chapters from Jamaica Bay Ethnographic Overview and Assessment by William Kornblum and Kristen Van Hooreweghe highlights Jamaica Bay’s centrality to many religious and cultural rituals. Before delving into the cultural and religious connection, an overview of the demographic, economic, and educational history of the area is made. I learned that immigration is a big factor in the area, as the 2008 census notes that 40 percent of the residents in the watershed area were immigrants. It was also brought to my attention the high levels of educational attainment that exist in the area. However, I was most highly intrigued and fascinated to learn about the various religious rituals that are performed along Jamaica Bay.
The Hindu population in the area plays a dominating role in this phenomenon. As water is viewed as a primordial spiritual symbol, “ayana of nara” (124), as is noted in chapter 5, water is used as a vessel in many Hindu religious practices. For instance, it is essential in cremation ceremonies as this is a way of returning the deceased being to the elements of earth from which he/she was created. Hinduism also places a major focus on attaining purity, thus the water in the bay is used to cleanse individuals both spiritually and physically. The conflict between culture and science arises in Hindu people’s regular prayer services and religious rituals known as pujas, where the offerings are then placed in the water. The offerings consist of rice, cloth, flowers, fruits, and statues, amongst others. These offerings end up washing up on the shore, as they then pose a threat to the ecological and environmental health of the area. Thus, NPS officials have launched initiatives to educate the Hindu public about the do’s and don’ts of leaving offerings behind on the beach. NPS officials visit local temples to inform community members of the park’s rules and regulations. This represents a major conflict to the Hindu devotees as they interpret their scripture as necessitating the leaving of these offerings in the natural flowing bodies of water. However, religious leaders in the community are taking in active role to amend this issue as they are working together with NPS to stop the pollution in the area. In fact, religious rules have been amended, allowing for individuals to dip the offerings in the water seven times and then bury it in the ground or give it to charity. This represents a major progress in the movement to reconcile the growing conflict between culture and science in the area.
The reading that dealt with the connection of Jewish rituals to the water in the Jamaica Bay area related to me most as I have been involved with many of the religious rituals mentioned. For instance, the practice of Taschlikh is something that I do with my family in the time period between Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. The ceremony requires us to sprinkle pieces of bread into a body of water containing fish, while reciting a blessing. This is a way of absolving ourselves of the sins committed in the prior year. Having this religious ritual in mind as I did the reading, I was able to relate to the Hindu culture, despite its great disparities to my own. I understood the conflict that the Hindus faced as they were told to forgo a fundamental aspect of their highly valued pujas. I wondered what I would do if I were told one year that Jews were now not to throw bread crumbs in the water, but rather symbolically throw them in. Would I feel like my religious observance was complete in that ritual? If I were told of a new discovered harm that this posed on the fresh ecosystem of the water source, would I forgo my indigenous knowledge ebbing me to release the breadcrumbs, or rather amend it to meet the newly changed circumstance? All this thought into the conflict between culture and land management policy got me into researching whether Taschlikh truly did harm or pollute the environment in any way. I came to find that white bread was in actuality harmful to the fish and ducks that typically inhabit the Sheepshead Bay area where I perform the ritual. That really got me thinking. When next September rolled around, would I allow this newfound challenge to my indigenous knowledge alter this religious ritual. And to what extent? Essentially, through this reflection, I was able to fully grapple with the notion of scientific conflict to indigenous knowledge and well-established cultural rituals.
Art and Science Reflection
I really enjoyed Ashley Taylor’s piece, “The Art of the Brain.” People often categorize art and science in two very different and separate categories but Taylor points out the difficult of distinguishing between the two. Both areas involve creativity and methodology and neither can easily be defined as solely complex or solely simple.
When I think about science and art, I associate science with a objectivity and art with subjectivity. Art and artists can be [debatably] objective, and I know that science can be subjective and personal. Even Surrounded by Science makes a point of how scientists, who are supposed to be unbiased and objective, are, by their experiences and interests and perspective, not actually unbiased. Their view of the subject they study is directed by their personal feelings and inclinations.
Julia Buntaine says that art and science both involve “an unquenchable thirst for understanding the nature of our existence” (The Art of the Brain). First of all, I love the quote; the words are beautifully strung together. Second of all, Buntaine is right. Scientists have gone to great lengths, dedicated and risked their lives and reputations and spent all their pennies on their research and field of study, in part because they love their work and in part because they’re curious and have an insatiable desire to explain why things are the way they are. Artists, too, have an insatiable desire to explain, except that they’re—especially in more contemporary art that doesn’t involve fruits in a bowl or flowers in a vase—work is more about using art and self-expression for self-discovery. Science usually involves measurements and concrete explanations, when there are answers and explanations, but art sometimes says what can’t be accurately conveyed in words. This has been my experience in creating art. Sometimes there are no words, which is incredibly frustrating sometimes, but I can find peace in the “just doing” or “just being” way of art.
I’m conflicted about my feelings towards art and science. I feel that people too often see them are separate and unrelated entities and draw many lines to divide them. But at the same time, I draw lines to separate them, too. I’m also finding that I don’t have the words to explain exactly how I feel. Perhaps I’ll paint.
Art and Science Reflection
Reading these two articles, specifically The Art of the Brain, made me think a lot more about science as a creative discipline. I consider myself more of an artist than a scientist and so reading Taylor’s point of view on the role of science was enlightening. Like she mentions in the article, most of us who have a basic education in science only learn about fundamentals such as the scientific method. In my mind, the science my peers study has always seemed very rigid and structured, with concrete procedures and answers. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was unfair to generalize science as such a cut and dry field.
One example of a creative science that came to mind was the technology Apple has been coming out with over the past few years. The science and technology that Apple engineers have created are results of an extremely creative and ingenious process. Someone had to come up with the idea of the iPhone and iPad (two pieces of technology that are not only powerful but extremely beautiful and creative), and make it come to fruition. Additionally, someone had to design the beautiful operating system that is used with the items. Creating something in science, regardless of whether it’s a piece of technology or new scientific discovery, requires a lot of creative thought and experimentation. There’s no rigid structure that can be followed in regard to the frontiers of science, as they haven’t been created yet.
At the same time, I find it insulting that people think of science as a kind of frivolous self-expression. Certain types of art require many years of classical training that must be practiced. It’s not like artists can immediately pull paintings out of their minds- there’s a certain thought process that accompanies the creation of art.
Both art and science require a degree of flexibility and creativity, as well as structure and procedure. While the two subjects seem to serve different purposes, it can also be said that they compliment one another. Art is useful in science because it helps individuals to create visual, tangible representations of their work and science is helpful in art because art sometimes requires a structure. Not to mention, creative expressions of science through art make science learning and understanding possible for other types of learners who may not feel comfortable with traditional science education.
