Thinking about this habit of Africans asking for gifts as a way to show
you honor, I just thought of another example that is similar. That is,
it is similar in that it involves making gifts. I think I read this in
an anthropology text book too. There was a certain tribe of native
Americans. I forget which one. To honor you and to show good will it was
their practice to make a gift to you that they had no intention that you
would keep. It was just to show friendliness and good will. Then soon
after giving you the gift they would ask for it back. People from a
white European culture did not necessarily understand this. If you were
to say, no, you gave it to me and I'm keeping it, the giver would be
highly offended. The same white Europeans would also be confused if they
offered a gift and it was accepted and then the native American who had
received the gift turned around and gave it back. I understand that this
is where the phrase Indian giver came from. But can you imagine the
confusion that this example of culture shock caused?
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Christopher Hitchens
“ What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.
”
― Christopher Hitchens,
