Meet the natives.

It's a new show on Channel 4. It had the first airing today.

A far flung and remote place called "Tanna" in the South Pacific is where we begin. We watch and are given a brief introduction to the people who will be travelling around England for a few weeks. We learn that they believe that Prince Philip is a god and that they use pigs as a form of currency.

There are 5 men who will be travelling with a camcorder through the British Isles to learn about us, a spin on the normal concept of going far and wide to meet others. They come to see us and with fascinating insights.

I've been reading some of the comments and peoples thoughts about this show and I feel slightly saddened. There's a lot of harsh backlash about this, but then I come to expect this from my people. There was mention of it being like another big brother, other people said it was exploitation and some said it would merely encourage more of the same and threaten those remote cultures all the more.

But it was with great pleasure that I witnessed what others thought about us, the English. Most refreshing, holding some of the concerns aside.

Their views and ideas are theirs and theirs alone. They are fixed much like our own. But it was a very touching and warming to listen to what they had to say, for the experience of hearing another voice. I hear so much of what we think, that it was nice to see what they thought.
They found many similarities in this episode to their own lives. Pig farming for one. They couldn't believe how big the pigs were. They were giants to their eyes. They were also saddened by the fact that the female pigs would get no satisfaction from being artificially impregnated. Nor, that the male being caged up and separate from the females to get them ready would be freed to do so personally.
Pigs lived with them, as equals, they were respected in much the same way as people. They could come and go as they wanted. Unlike here. The chief didn't like it at all.

They wondered where and if we met up to discuss things and to have fun. Which is where we, or should I say they, discover the pub at the end of their first week.
"I wondered where the went to talk and get together" one of the men said "Now I know.". It was also there that they discovered beer. They loved it, who wouldn't?

Some of the things they found strange was that men and women have equal share in what happens in the home and social life. We socialise together, we also share responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and working. For them, it was the women who cooked and cleaned and the men who hunted and made the decisions.

It was interesting, for them and for the English who they stayed with.

I quite enjoyed their dance toward the end of their stay in Norfolk. Catchy, but there impression was that we weren't all that interested. But, the English are at heart reserved on the outside. So, understandable thoughts.

Anyway, it's interesting for the insights they have into our world and the things it throws up for us. Highlighting our concerns and fears.

It's on on Thursdays 9pm on Channel four. I just hope that I can stay awake or have it recorded. As I will be going back to my normal working hours soon.

Ciao a tutti.