Are we part of a modern form of cargo-cult?
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:21 amCargo-cult... never heard of it, until today... on browsing Belgian websites on aviation, I found a anti-Ostend airport website ( local community). They did have an amusing article ( far-fetched) that stated that the local authorities are followers of the cargo-cult.
It seems that several tribes in the pacific were godsmacked by the arrival of military activity to the area ( ex. WWII). Large airfields were constructed and wonderfull birds, send by the gods, delivered lots of valuable cargo to the islands. The islanders believed the white men had a special contact with the ancestors, and were provided with all these goods. When the war ended, the airfields were abandonned.
The tribes however, tried to reinact what had happened, an built there own airfields in the jungle, sometimes complete with control-towers and coconut-radio's, just to attract the cargo! Invein no doubt...
It seems that several tribes in the pacific were godsmacked by the arrival of military activity to the area ( ex. WWII). Large airfields were constructed and wonderfull birds, send by the gods, delivered lots of valuable cargo to the islands. The islanders believed the white men had a special contact with the ancestors, and were provided with all these goods. When the war ended, the airfields were abandonned.
The tribes however, tried to reinact what had happened, an built there own airfields in the jungle, sometimes complete with control-towers and coconut-radio's, just to attract the cargo! Invein no doubt...
