Knowing the Culture of India

This paper will review some of the recent literature on the culture of India. This is an important culture to study, because India†s population of more than 900 million makes it one of the most heavily populated countries of the world. India is also important to study because it possesses one of the world†s oldest surviving cultures. In addition, there have long been ties between India and the nations of the West. Beyond these considerations, Indian culture is fascinating to study because it is extremely diverse and complex. Regarding this, Pandian (1995) notes â€Å"the existence of an underlying Indus or Hindu cultural unity (melting pot) which enables us to understand the nature of Hinduism and the caste system† (p. 9). Despite this apparent unity, however, Pandian also points out that â€Å"India is indeed a salad bowl with groups who do not blend or mix, and this fact of non-blending renders the label ‘Indian† meaningless to signify the cultural, linguistic, or religious unity of India† (Pandian, 1995, p. 9). Therefore, the situation of India poses an interesting challenge for anthropological study. Yet another reason why it is important to study Indian culture is because, although many of the nation†s traditions remain strong today, the nation is also undergoing rapid change and development. This paper will examine the diversity that exists in India†s religious beliefs, language, and social and gender roles. It will then conclude with some views on what people should be aware of when they travel to India to do business. In terms of religion, the majority of people in India (80 percent) are followers of the Hindu faith. The concepts of karma and reincarnation are among the predominant beliefs of Hinduism. Karma is the belief that a person†s actions, good or bad, will result in either good or bad things happening in that person†s life. This belief has an effect on behavior because it influences people to treat others, as they themselves would like to be treated. Reincarnation is the belief that a person†s soul will return to an earthly body again and again until it is liberated from the cycle of life and death. The way to become liberated is by becoming increasingly detached from worldly things, a process that is understood to take innumerable lifetimes. Belief in reincarnation has an effect on behavior by giving Indians a more casual attitude toward the demands of time than is found among Westerners (Lewis, 1996, p. 80). Hindus also believe that the goal of reincarnation is to eventually become united with Brahman, the ultimate ground of being, which has no attributes that can be seen or felt. Aside from these basic beliefs, Hindus have a great deal of choice in adapting their own personality to their style of worship. There are different spiritual paths that can be chosen, depending upon whether the worshipper is more disposed to work, devotion or knowledge. In addition, there are hundreds of different deities, both gods and goddesses, that a worshipper can choose from in picking a â€Å"personal god. † The personal god is meant to provide a focus for worship and devotion and to thus help the believer become more aligned with the impersonal god known as Brahman. Even after choosing a personal deity, Hindus still have flexibility in their style of worship. According to Pandian (1995), â€Å"a Hindu may change the focus of worship, emphasizing the worship of different deities in relation to changes in his or her own intellectual/emotional growth, or may remain devoted to the worship of a particular deity† (p. 56). Although there is a great deal of flexibility in Hinduism, it restricts behavior in certain ways because there are many rituals and obligations that must be consistently followed. In addition to the village temples where people gather to worship, each Hindu home has its own shrine for the purpose of worshipping the family deity. Religion is such a pervasive influence in India that Potter (1989) says: â€Å"The daily life of a Hindu villager involves frequent reminders of traditional norms† (p. 338). The Hindu system has also affected behavior because the belief in karma and reincarnation has supported the Indian caste system, in which it is understood that different classes of people have distinctly different roles in life. There is even more diversity in Indian language than there is in the country†s religion. Hindi is the official language of the nation; however, as Mehta (1993) points out, â€Å"it is understood by only forty per cent – or, at most, fifty per cent – of the population† (p. 459). In addition to Hindi, â€Å"there are fourteen officially recognized regional languages, two hundred and fifty major dialects, and thousands of minor languages and dialects,† and many of these are â€Å"completely unrelated to one another† (Mehta, 1993, pp. 458-459). Throughout India†s history, there have been efforts among intellectuals and scholars to develop â€Å"a common pan-Indian religious or political language† (Pandian, 1995, p. 8). Over the course of time, the official national language has changed from Sanskrit to Persian to English to Hindi. Although it seems like a positive thing to try to develop an official language for the nation as a whole, this effort has also resulted in enforcing the social divisions of the Indian people. Pandian (1995) notes that the people of India are required to know how to speak Hindi fluently if they are to obtain successful jobs. As Pandian further notes, this has created an unfair advantage for the 40 percent or so of the total population that consists of native Hindi speakers (p. 34). The social roles of the Indian culture are strongly impacted by the traditional caste system. According to this system, there are four main classes, ranked hierarchically: the priests, the warriors, the merchants and artists, and the servants. In addition to these four major groupings, there are also numerous smaller occupational class groupings, known as jatis. In the words of Madan (1989), castes and families are â€Å"the building blocks of Hindu society,† and â€Å"an overwhelming majority of the Hindus of South Asia, particularly those living in the rural areas, identify themselves in terms of their jati or caste† (p. 64). As a general rule, people never leave the caste they are born into. They tend to marry within the same caste, and sons tend to adopt the occupations of their fathers. Despite the prevalence of the caste system in Indian culture, however, Pandian (1995) points out that the system is more complex than it appears on the surface. Thus, anthropological studies of Indian village communities â€Å"have shown the existence of multiple labels of caste identity and multiple levels of caste ranking† (p. 209). There are also controversial views regarding gender roles in India. According to Azad (1996), working women in India are subject to oppression, poverty and poor health, and they basically live in an â€Å"environment of powerlessness† (p. 220). Indeed, Indian women must contend with such things as arranged marriages, female infanticide and wife abuse, among many other things. On the other hand, Seymour (1999) argues that respect is also given to women in India, especially when they undertake the role of motherhood. This sense of honor is enhanced by the religious beliefs of Hinduism, in which female deities are seen as being the source of power for the male deities. Because of the high status of motherhood and the belief in powerful goddesses, Seymour (1999) says â€Å"female power and authority is real in both secular and sacred contexts† (p. 281). Seymour further claims that there have been signs of change in recent years in terms of gender relationships in India. She reports, for example, that recent studies have shown an increasing number of Indian women taking â€Å"post marital residence in nuclear households where they can be independent of in-laws and have a more intimate relationship with their husbands† (p. 289). Seymour also emphasizes that the restrictions of Indian culture do not only affect women, but the nation†s men as well. Because of caste and religious obligations, â€Å"men also have a series of roles and life stages through which they must move, and they are also expected to control their personal desires for the sake of the collective whole† (Seymour, 1999, p. 280). After attaining independence from colonization, India, within a span of 50 years emerged as one of the fastest developing economies in the world. Ranking as the seventh largest country in area and second in population. She is also the largest democracy in the world. She is the world's second largest producer of rice, world†s largest exporter of tea, jute and computer programmes. She is the third largest manufacturer of motor scooters, the second largest exporter of booster rockets for the space industry, and the second largest center in Asia for low-tech subcontracting and the development of offshore software. On the Economic front, it adopted a Mixed Economic policy on the five-year plan basis. India chalked out a plan for her economic growth in a protective manner. She made major steps forward in improving agricultural output and her industries have expanded to the stage, where she is one among the world's top 10 industrial powers. However, after 1990, India opened her door for liberalization and now the economic growth is approximately 6% per annum. When people travel to India to do business, it is important for them to be aware of the unique characteristics of the nation†s culture. Because India has long had ties to the West, there are many ways in which business relations between Indians and Westerners can be expected to go smoothly. However, Indians also have certain differences in their business style that are related to their cultural and religious beliefs. Belief in the importance of the soul†s liberation, for example, causes many Indians to have a less materialistic orientation than their Western counterparts. Belief in karma has the effect of causing many Indians to have a heightened awareness of right and wrong. Regarding the way belief in reincarnation affects the Hindu perspective on time, Lewis (1996) warns the Western business traveler that Indians often show â€Å"little respect for punctuality† (p. 80). The relatively low social status of Indian women has an impact on how women are viewed in the world of Indian business. According to Lewis (1996), business travelers should also understand that the Western value of individualism â€Å"contrasts with Indian collectivism† (p. 80). Despite the differences in business style between Westerners and Indians, however, Lewis points out that Indians can be shrewd negotiators when they want to be. In business dealings, Indians do not hold Westerners â€Å"in awe,† and they are quite capable of using â€Å"acting skills† in order to negotiate on behalf of themselves or their families (Lewis, 1996, p. 80).

Basketball Coaching

Coaches have to love the game. The team reflects the coach, if he’s successful so will you be. The coach needs to be disciplined and teach the fundamentals of the game. They should instill moral values into the team. Basic basketball will make the team better. Basic basketball includes ball handling, proper form, offense, and etc. It may seem boring and stupid but it really makes you a better team and player. Players want a coach who will teach them the game. If the coach is a stickler for defense, your team can beat anyone. The fundamentals of defense can make a good team great and lower tier teams competitive. The defense will lead to offense and things will come easier for your team. Once you’ve mastered the basics the goals that have been set for the team will seem reachable and easier. The confidence of the team will sky rocket and results will follow. â€Å"I teach the kids every aspect of the game and the basics that will make them successful,† said Coach Mike. Your coach needs to be dedicated and love the game. â€Å"I’m a gym rat, I’ll do anything to get into the gym and help the girls,† continued Coach Mike. You need to make touch decisions and sacrifices to be successful. Nothing comes easily especially in this profession. You have to outwork your opposition and be prepared. Being in the gym and loving the game gives you many advantages over other coaches. Being around the game teaches you more and makes you aware of every situation. Yelling isn’t the only way to motivate players. There are many other ways to do so. Sometimes yelling may do more harm than good and hurt the teams psyche. Players will start to resent the coach and start to distance themselves. Once the morale and confidence is broken down the team will start to suffer the consequences. There are certain times when yelling is appropriate but it shouldn’t be used all the time and coaches should never single players out in front of the entire team. The coach should yell for a purpose, but also bring your confidence up at the same time and encourage you to do better. There shouldn’t be false hope put into player’s heads because of the coach’s ego. Players would start to lose respect for him. They really listen to what the coaches have to tell them and take it to heart. It really means a lot to them what you tell them. One of the reasons John Wooden was successful as a basketball coach was because he was the best teacher at the sport and taught his players life skills. He didn’t win ten national championships because he had talent. He won because he taught fundamentals and basic basketball. He instilled in his players that fundamentals is the key to success. To this day his players still use what he taught them and take that with them as they move on with their lives. He was a coach and a father to the players. He always compared how life was like basketball and the players understood what he meant. John Wooden made the Pyramid of Success. The Pyramid of Success consists of twenty-five behaviors that Wooden felt you needed to be successful in not only basketball, but also in life. The top two behaviors are faith and patience. He followed those behaviors and taught his players those behaviors until his dying days. Phil Jackson is also another great coach. He is unique just like John Wooden. They never felt the need to yell. Jackson is the Zen Master and isn’t a yeller. He’s unique because unlike most coaches he trusts his team and lets them play instead of calling timeouts when his team gets into ruts. Most coaches would be infuriated and quickly call a timeout but not him. He sits back and lets them play through difficult periods. He doesn’t coach every player the same and understands the needs of what each player needs to succeed. Jackson knows his players and all their strengths and weaknesses. Another wonderful thing is he taught the two best players the game has ever had to offer: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, that playing within the concept of the team is the only way to win. An excellent leader leads to an excellent coach. With the confidence and swagger that they have to offer it rubs off on the team. The team needs someone to follow and look up to. Players have to respect the coach. Respect is a major aspect of the game. The team should want to live and die by the coach. Conducting a great practice is a great aspect of any coach. Practice should be conducted with the needs of the team and show progress throughout the year. It is a way for coaches to see what you can bring to the team. Practice makes perfect and for every coach they live and die by that saying. All in all the coach is the catalyst to the team. They are everything to the team and the team thrives off their energy. The personality of the team reflects the coach. Coaches that drill the basics and fundamentals into the team are very successful. The team will succeed as a whole and improve as the season moves along. Basketball Coaching Coaches have to love the game. The team reflects the coach, if he’s successful so will you be. The coach needs to be disciplined and teach the fundamentals of the game. They should instill moral values into the team. Basic basketball will make the team better. Basic basketball includes ball handling, proper form, offense, and etc. It may seem boring and stupid but it really makes you a better team and player. Players want a coach who will teach them the game. If the coach is a stickler for defense, your team can beat anyone. The fundamentals of defense can make a good team great and lower tier teams competitive. The defense will lead to offense and things will come easier for your team. Once you’ve mastered the basics the goals that have been set for the team will seem reachable and easier. The confidence of the team will sky rocket and results will follow. â€Å"I teach the kids every aspect of the game and the basics that will make them successful,† said Coach Mike. Your coach needs to be dedicated and love the game. â€Å"I’m a gym rat, I’ll do anything to get into the gym and help the girls,† continued Coach Mike. You need to make touch decisions and sacrifices to be successful. Nothing comes easily especially in this profession. You have to outwork your opposition and be prepared. Being in the gym and loving the game gives you many advantages over other coaches. Being around the game teaches you more and makes you aware of every situation. Yelling isn’t the only way to motivate players. There are many other ways to do so. Sometimes yelling may do more harm than good and hurt the teams psyche. Players will start to resent the coach and start to distance themselves. Once the morale and confidence is broken down the team will start to suffer the consequences. There are certain times when yelling is appropriate but it shouldn’t be used all the time and coaches should never single players out in front of the entire team. The coach should yell for a purpose, but also bring your confidence up at the same time and encourage you to do better. There shouldn’t be false hope put into player’s heads because of the coach’s ego. Players would start to lose respect for him. They really listen to what the coaches have to tell them and take it to heart. It really means a lot to them what you tell them. One of the reasons John Wooden was successful as a basketball coach was because he was the best teacher at the sport and taught his players life skills. He didn’t win ten national championships because he had talent. He won because he taught fundamentals and basic basketball. He instilled in his players that fundamentals is the key to success. To this day his players still use what he taught them and take that with them as they move on with their lives. He was a coach and a father to the players. He always compared how life was like basketball and the players understood what he meant. John Wooden made the Pyramid of Success. The Pyramid of Success consists of twenty-five behaviors that Wooden felt you needed to be successful in not only basketball, but also in life. The top two behaviors are faith and patience. He followed those behaviors and taught his players those behaviors until his dying days. Phil Jackson is also another great coach. He is unique just like John Wooden. They never felt the need to yell. Jackson is the Zen Master and isn’t a yeller. He’s unique because unlike most coaches he trusts his team and lets them play instead of calling timeouts when his team gets into ruts. Most coaches would be infuriated and quickly call a timeout but not him. He sits back and lets them play through difficult periods. He doesn’t coach every player the same and understands the needs of what each player needs to succeed. Jackson knows his players and all their strengths and weaknesses. Another wonderful thing is he taught the two best players the game has ever had to offer: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, that playing within the concept of the team is the only way to win. An excellent leader leads to an excellent coach. With the confidence and swagger that they have to offer it rubs off on the team. The team needs someone to follow and look up to. Players have to respect the coach. Respect is a major aspect of the game. The team should want to live and die by the coach. Conducting a great practice is a great aspect of any coach. Practice should be conducted with the needs of the team and show progress throughout the year. It is a way for coaches to see what you can bring to the team. Practice makes perfect and for every coach they live and die by that saying. All in all the coach is the catalyst to the team. They are everything to the team and the team thrives off their energy. The personality of the team reflects the coach. Coaches that drill the basics and fundamentals into the team are very successful. The team will succeed as a whole and improve as the season moves along.

Chapter Analysis Theistic Realism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter Analysis Theistic Realism - Essay Example The term ‘theistic realism’ was defined by Gutek to describe this kind of approach (Hart, 2006: 56). Man is perceived as a rational being with free will exercised through choice and capable of acquiring knowledge of reality. Human conduct is thus guided by objective truth and values. Reality though is accepted as both material and spiritual. Having free will and conscience also means people are responsible for their own behaviour (Young et al., 2007: 84). Under theological realism, the teacher would likely employ a range of methods with an emphasis on helping to develop skills of observation and critical reasoning. The teacher would also provide copious facts and guide the student to becoming knowledgeable about the world around them as a route to self-realisation. The lecture method would therefore be common with skilful use of audio-visual aids, and teachers would encourage discussion among students. The teacher is very much sympathetic towards her students, and students in turn would be given choice in the activities they can engage in. As John Locke advocated, the children would not be pushed beyond their ability or natural inclinations. To assist students in their learning, the use of objects features prominently, which includes pictures and illustrations. This practice was promoted by the theologian and educator Comenius who also stressed on learning by doing (Gordon & Browne, 2010: 10). The overall objective is to perfect students’ natural abilities through training their senses. Also, rather than stressing on memorisation, students learn by understanding and applying knowledge. As Thorndike in the empiricist tradition believed, this higher level thinking ability in students develops from the aforementioned basic habits (Cox et al., 2009). The curriculum emphasis under theological realism is on subjects that are deemed practical and useful. In particular, the study of nature would be considered as very important,

Cross Cultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cross Cultural Management - Essay Example (David, 2002, ch2 p29) Just a hundred years back, Britain was a country on which the sun never set. The English language, British customs, traditions and food habits have now become an integral part of life in all her former colonies-all these being integrated into, and modified by local customs. The British character and customs at home, have also been, in their turn, influenced by this close interaction with other cultures. Officially, Britain is a Protestant state, i.e the British monarch is Protestant. The origin of this dates to the 16th century, when King Henry VIII divorced his queen, Catherine of Aragon. As the Pope in Rome did not recognise divorce, Henry declared the English Church free from the control of the Pope. Thus the Reformation of the Church in England was mainly based on the whim of a monarch. Henry then married Anne Boleyn (the second of a succession of six wives that he eventually managed to have!) Queen Elizabeth II, the present monarch is a direct descendant of Henry and Anne. This fact makes it a political necessity for the monarchy in England to officially be Protestant, as otherwise (if it reverted to being Catholic) the current monarch would become the descendant of an illegitimate child (the illustrious Queen Elizabeth I) of Henry's! While the 'official' religion in Britain is Protestant-Christian, the country is a multi-cultural one. "About 8% of the population of Britain (4 .6 million) today are people from other cultures and ethnicities"(Biddle). This includes religions other than Christianity and peoples other than Whites. A living example of the integration of other cultures into British life is the Notting Hill Carnival, which is Caribbean in origin. (Biddle) Coming to some common superstitious beliefs of the British: black cats are considered lucky, and greeting cards often have pictures of them; likewise, a four-leaf clover is considered a lucky find. A horseshoe over the door attracts favourable luck. But it has to be kept facing upwards, to prevent the luck from being drained out from below. Similarly there are actions that attract bad luck-walking under a ladder, spilling salt (you must throw some of the spilt salt over your shoulder to avert bad luck, breaking a mirror (an action that dooms you to seven years of bad luck, no less!) or passing someone on the stairs. (Biddle) The number thirteen is also considered unlucky (many buildings/ hotels do not have a thirteenth floor-the fourteenth floor comes after the twelfth!), and the thirteenth of a month, if it comes on a Friday, is considered an unlucky day. Coming to some social niceties-it must be remembered that the British are rather formal in their interactions. If you are invited to someone's home for dinner, it is considered 'polite' to arrive around fifteen minutes late, unless your invitation says 'sharp' (e.g. "seven sharp") (Biddle) You may receive an invitation to "drop in anytime." You are not expected to take that literally. You must call up a person before visiting. If you receive an invitation that says RSVP, you must reply stating whether you plan to attend or not. If you go to someone's home for a meal, a small gift of flowers or chocolates is considered polite though not mandatory; a thank you note or phone call afterwards is expected. (Biddle) British people can be a bit reserved unless you have been introduced to them. Striking up conversations in public transport (trains) is unusual. If you

Drug trade between Mexico and the United states Essay

Drug trade between Mexico and the United states - Essay Example a Frequently asked questions style with a series of questions such as who are the major players, â€Å"What are the risks of using soldiers in the fight instead of police?† and â€Å"What progress has President Calderà ³n made dismantling cartels?† Border scholars have on the whole rejected the claim that the U.S.–Mexico border has been dissolved by late modern crossborder migrations of capital, people, and practices. This article proposes that border policing in the wake of September 11, 2001, surfaces the long-standing relative incoherence of U.S. geopolitical and geoeconomic practice. The author describes the border as a security/economy nexus in U.S. statecraft. This article examines the militarization and transnationalization of the U.S. war on drugs as a liberal technique for identifying populations that must be governed in other ways. It begins by placing its relationship with the rise of the penal state in the context of neoliberalism in the U.S., then examines the geopolitics of its transnationalization in context of neoliberal governance in the Americas, and finishes by examining some of the empirical outcomes of this articulation between neoliberalization and punitive illiberalization in the Americas. It presents political geographical research that links globalization and criminalization and maps out the geographically particular and historically continuous ways in the context of the war on drugs. This is the official website of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). It has accurate information about drug trafficking in each U.S. state. It also provides government press releases and the official view of the U.S. Government on the border situation and the role of drug trafficking and the cartels in its policing. This website traces the history of the drug trafficking between Mexico and the U. S. from 1998-2009. It also identifies the attempts that both countries are making to stop this war. It provides links to hundreds of other articles on the

Cycladic Art of Ancient Greece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cycladic Art of Ancient Greece - Essay Example The visitors viewing the Cycladic art of archaic Greece are amazed by the simplicity of the images and abstraction features that motivate the art industry in the 20th century. The museum receives various kinds of people visiting the place to see the sculptures that inspire the modern art by their structures (Miller et al, 128). Both the young and the old persons from different continents have visited the museum in search of the Cycladic Art. Some of the personalities that established the museum; hence, making its constructions possible are Nicholas and Dolly in 1960s. The two individuals used to collect Cycladic figurines for a long time until they had a large collection. The collections were then distributed to different museums across the world. This factor caused the town to come up with a museum to keep Cycladic figurines safely and preserve them to prevent their extinctions (Miller et al, 128). It is estimated that 3000 artifacts of Cycladic have been discovered and are preserve d in the museum for display. The Greek name for Cyclades is Kyklades referring to a circle that is formed by innumerable islands that are approximated to be 200, and located around the significant Island known as Delos. The area consisting of the small Cycladic islands in the Aegean became a place in which culture was exceptionally esteemed and practiced by the residents living in the area along time ago (Gardner & Fred, 68). The island had innumerable mining grounds that consisted of white marble, which encouraged and led the residents to practice modeling sculptures. Consequently, the core culture practiced in the area was the culture of stone-cutting. The most inimitable creation of the... The Cycladic arts of ancient Greece assist in understanding the historical and civilizing ways of life of a person. They are exceptionally popular across the world resulting to the construction of a museum in Athens, Greece that protects and preserves the artifacts. Cycladic art of ancient Greece is traced from 3300 to 2000 BCE and refers to the visual arts that existed in Cycladic civilization. Aegean Art comprises of 3 core branches, one of the branches being Cycladic art. The name ‘Cycladic art’ is derived from the Cyclades islands in which innumerable figures were found during the expeditions of the archeologists. The image of the figures amazed certain artists such as Picasso who was amazed on the classical and maturity of Greeks inhabitants’ art had at the time. Their stubby shapes make them appear tiny images, and perceived as clay-sculpted. The art is related to Minoans and Mycenaean, the 2 groups comprising the Aegean culture. Art is a significant aspect that explains mysteries and civilizations of man throughout the early days, since it depicts the state of things in the earlier society. In this unit, significance and general information on Cycladic art of ancient Greece is discussed aptly. The core facts learnt about the artifacts is that they were treasured and exceptionally esteemed by the inhabitants living at the period. Consequently, the researcher recommends and advises the Greek government to protect the artifacts since they play a prominent role in describing the cultural activities of the people.

Critical Commentary on 'The Coming of the White People' Essay

Critical Commentary on 'The Coming of the White People' - Essay Example As Harris reports, the Bolivian people love to believe that the decisive periods are ‘before the Spanish, colonial rule, and the republican period’ (ibid). According to Harris (1995), this Euro-centric history of most colonial nations had its origin from the concepts of rationality and order associated with the European modernism and consequent self-image Europeans developed. This high self-image had a very serious impact on the cultures and places they conquered. One such reason is that it is the coming of the colonial government that made many colonies understand the importance of written documents. For example, the scholar points out that works like ‘Europe and the people without history’ are totally centered around the way the coming of Europeans brought the previously autonomous populations into the European world system (ibid). Another point as put forward by Harris is that the process of colonisation had the same effect on both the Europeans and the c olonies. In other words, the same has been mythologised in both the places. It is pointed out by Harris that Columbus was a great mythologist who knew very well how to prepare influential interpretations of the voyages he made. Moreover, such explorers like Thomas Cook and Columbus associated their explorations with the achievement of a new spirit associated with either Enlightenment or Renaissance. One can see that this claim gains support from Obeysekere (1997, p. 79). Moreover, the works tries to identify the way many colonies consider Europeans as god-like figures. The first argument put forward by the scholar is that in many cases, it was the self-image of the Europeans themselves that was reflected in their own reflections of history. For example, the scholar points out the story behind the way Captain Cook was considered as god by Hawaiians. While European historians still love to proclaim that Hawaiians identified Cook with their deity Lono, it becomes evident from other acc ounts that Europeans were predisposed to the belief that they would be treated as gods by the natives. For example, even during the voyage, Columbus speculated that the new people might treat them as gods. Thus, even when Cook was killed by the natives, the same kind of European interest in depicting themselves as god-like figures came into play. In fact, this version of history is enforced by the Europeans on the world because at that point of time, written documents were almost entirely the provenance of Europeans. This point is supported by Sahlins (1995, p. 9). Very similar cases are reported by the scholar (Harris, 1995) in the case of Mexico and the encounter of Pizarro with King Atahualpa. In the first instance, Cortes’ arrival in Mexico was considered as the fulfillment of a prophecy related to the return of god Quetzalcoatl. It is point out by the scholar that evidently, Cortes made use of this prophecy and actively encouraged it to become a myth. In fact, very simil ar was the case of King Atahualpa. When the Spanish came under the leadership of Pizarro, the king Atahualpa felt that Viracocha had come. Admittedly it is even now common in that part of the world. While some historians like Sarmiento (1572) report that the king and his people considered Pizarro as Viracocha, people like Acosta (1590) go one step further ahead and claim that the natives called the Spanish Viracochas because they believed they