By Sarah Morris
Daily Leader
Posted Jan 04, 2011
Stuttgart, Ark. — Good luck and happiness was ensured for hundreds of Cambodians recently after they attended the wedding of two pythons.
The pair of snakes were tied in matrimony after fortune-tellers warned that they belonged together and would bring bad tidings if not married. Their wedding brought good luck and happiness to the country's villages, the bride's owner told media.
It is an unusual — and eye-catching — story to read on a Monday morning. It is also a glaring reminder of the vast differences between the world's various cultures.
In Arkansas, I am confident that most residents would not have heeded this prediction and, instead, made it a source of jokes. I am even more confident that the wedding turnout — if held in Arkansas — would not come close to the Cambodian wedding turnout.
Although, I am also confident that most Cambodians would not attend a duck-calling contest or even understand the point of it.
Regardless of each other's skepticism, the two events highlight the beliefs and interests of citizens in two vastly different places.
In today's world of advanced technology, bridging the gap between these different cultures is an easier feat. Thanks to the Internet, I am able to read stories or see pictures on other countries' customs and beliefs and, through it, learn and be able to understand more about these world residents, whether they are from Cambodia or another nation.
Technology really is a handy tool in an already merging society where it is not uncommon to travel the world for jobs, internships or for no reason at all. It is also a necessary tool if all of the world's residents are wanting to coexist in a thriving world that is constantly globalizing the way society works: More International businesses, relationships and social globe-trotting.
The story of the snakes’ wedding reminded me of an Egyptian-American dialogue I participated in during an internship experience in Washington, D.C. The dialogue between junior and senior college students consisted of 16 Egyptians and 18 Americans.
In 40 minutes, we discussed the Gaza War and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, the Obama administration and U.S. Relations with the Arab and Muslim world as well as correcting negative stereotypes between Americans and Arabs and Muslims.
It was an eye-opening experience to see the way culture impacts the viewer's take on events, and how the different political structures of the two countries impacted these outlooks and how they were expressed.
It is often easy to downplay the broadening multicultural impacts on the local community by looking only on the state and national level, but its important to recognize that its affect also touches the local level, both positive and negative. There are thriving Mexican, Chinese and Greek restaurants, and the county's literacy council actively teaches English as a Second Language to immigrants.
The schools also teach Spanish, and several of our residents go on missionary trips and study abroad trips to respectively respond to a nation's need or to gain a further understanding of the nation.
However to the same degree, there is also a degree of skeptical attitude regarding the legal status of every immigrant.
In the end, I guess it boils down to a need for everyone to understand and respect each other's cultures and beliefs regardless of whether they agree or understand.
So while a marriage between two pythons might seem a bit odd to us, just remember it's a source of comfort to some and a difference of opinion before passing judgment.
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