steiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny) (07/13/86)
** "The Ohlone Way" by Malcom Margolin is a valuable source book of information on the California Indians. Margolin points out that the Ohlone had an unusual culture because it remained stable for 5000 years. There is no other culture that remained stable for so long. There was no word for "famine" and there was no such concept. The abundance of California was unequaled. Further, the natives were not passive beneficiaries of the abundance. They had strict birth control built into their religious and social structure and strict social conduct for hunting and gathering. They did controled burns that turned California into a vast park. They lived in harmony with the environment for 5000 years with enough to eat and good health. (the American Indians were free of many of the diseases that were common in Europe, Asia, and Africa--probably because of their passage through the Bering Straits). Childbirth was considered a dangerous things, as were infections. Childbirth and infections are still dangerous, but improvements have been made. -- scc!steiny Don Steiny @ Don Steiny Software 109 Torrey Pine Terrace Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060 (408) 425-0382