chriscd@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu; Wed, 09 Jul 1997 20:23:51 -0400 (EDT)
09 Jul 1997 19:22:04 -0500 (CDT)
by mcfeeley.cc.utexas.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5/mcfeeley.mc-1.21)
09 Jul 1997 19:18:53 -0500 (CDT)
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 19:13:21 -0400
From: David Barkin <barkin@profmexis.sar.net>
Subject: Cultural Library Rescue, Belize (fwd)
Sender: owner-lasnet@mcfeeley.cc.utexas.edu
To: LASNET <lasnet@mcfeeley.cc.utexas.edu>
Reply-to: barkin@profmexis.sar.net
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 13:24:03 -0700
=46rom: Arctos@worldnet.att.net
Newsgroups: sci.bio.conservation
Subject: Library Rescue
The Central American Institute of Prehistoric and Traditional Culture=
s at
Belize urgently needs your assistance. The Institute focuses its int=
erests
on the ethnobotany of sacred and medicinal plants, shamanism, states =
of=20
consciousness, and ancient traditions. The Institute has the largest
research and educational library in Belize, consisting of irreplaceab=
le books,
photographs, artifacts, field notes, and other archival materials. T=
he=20
recent rain storms and hurricanes have damaged the library and archiv=
al=20
storage. Algae, worms, and the dense tropical moisture have penetrat=
ed our=20
building and are rapidly destroying the collection. =20
We estimate that in one month, one-third of the collection will be da=
maged; in=20
two months, three-quarters may be beyond repair. In three months, th=
ere may be=20
nothing left to salvage. This is a loss that the people of Belize ca=
nnot
afford. Several of our staff members have returned to the United Sta=
tes to=20
appeal for help in rescuing this irreplaceable resource. We have ini=
tiated=20
a Rescue Operation to raise emergency funds, and urgently need your s=
upport. =20
The Central American Institute was established under a registry chart=
er in=20
1991, and granted full recognition by the Ministry of Education of th=
e=20
Government of Belize, in accordance with the Education Act of 1991,
Section 38. The Institute is a non-profit research and educational
institution, established for the purposes of promoting the preservati=
on of=20
ancient and traditional worldviews and materials, and to act as a cen=
ter for=20
the dissemination of knowledge and interest in the study of such cult=
ures. =20
The Institute aims at preserving indigenous cultures through the pres=
ervation=20
of traditional knowledge. Now, this traditional knowledge is about t=
o be=20
destroyed.
The Institute=B9s library and archives contain documentation of indig=
enous groups=20
that have already disappeared. If these field notes, slides, photogr=
aphs, and=20
artifacts are destroyed, there will be no way to replace them. The c=
ollection=20
also consists of plant specimens and ethnobotanical fieldwork, docume=
nting and=20
exploring the medicinal value of rain forest flora. The destruction =
of this=20
collection would be a great loss to all who value our planet=B9s biod=
iversity
and seek new medical solutions to today=B9s health problems. Further=
, the
Institute=B9s collection consists of rare and out-of-print books, pro=
viding an=20
extremely valuable resource to ethnologists, botanists, scientists, a=
nd=20
students alike. The Institute=B9s collection contains priceless rese=
arch and
documentation about the Maya, Creole, and Garifuna populations of Bel=
ize and=20
the neighboring regions. The collection, however, is not limited to =
Central=20
America, but contains information from around the world: from South A=
merica,=20
to the Middle East, to Siberia. Once this material is lost, this cul=
tural=20
and educational resource will be gone forever.=20
Time is of the essence. We need $60,000 now (Phase I). We are appea=
ling to=20
foundations, corporations, research societies, institutes, individual=
s, and=20
television and radio announcements to raise these funds. We urge you=
to help
us cope with this emergency situation by contributing whatever you ca=
n. Your=20
contribution will be acknowledged on our homepage. Also, please, hel=
p us=20
spread this message to friends and colleagues who may be interested i=
n=20
supporting this Rescue Operation.
=20
We can provide documentation of our non-profit and educational status=
, and a=20
detailed break-down of the allocation of funds. Further information =
about the=20
Institute can be obtained on our Website at http://world.std.com/~cha=
cmol/.=20
The Institute is also listed in Issue 3 of the People and Plants Hand=
book,=20
published by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), UNESCO, and Royal Bota=
nic=20
Gardens-Kew.
In these times of modernization, Westernization, and technology, trad=
itional
life is being displaced and destroyed irrevocably. It is imperative =
that we
preserve cultural and natural resources, traditional epistemologies, =
and
biodiversity. We appeal to you to support the Central American Insti=
tute in
its drive to preserve these resources for the benefit of the developi=
ng=20
country of Belize, as well as the global community. Please, make che=
cks=20
payable to: Central American Institute.
We all thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Naxon
Director
*************************************************************
Emergency Fund
Central American Institute
8033 Sunset Blvd.
Suite 2040
Los Angeles, CA 90046
818-344-8516 (Emergency Fund line)
Arctos@worldnet.att.net
http://world.std.com/~chacmol/
**************************************************************