To try to
understand our ancient connection to the natural world stretches the mind and
pulls on the spirit. At one point in
Herzog’s documentary, he tells of an anthropologist who was exploring ancient
caves with his guide, an Australian Aboriginal, and how when they came upon
some damaged and faded animal petroglyphs the aboriginal sat down and cried. Shortly thereafter, the anthropologist turned
to find his aboriginal guide painting in the faded lines of an animal petroglyph. The anthropologist said, “How can you paint
over this ancient drawing?” The
aboriginal responded, “I’m not doing the painting, the animal is.” This response captures the connection this
man still holds with animals and the natural world, while at the same time it reveals
how much western culture has lost.
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