Dave shows his deep abiding respect for cultures not his own

Waiting in the departure lounge in Lima for our flight to the Amazon we watched on tv what is apparently a traditional Peruvian art form. Men clad in native garb do elaborate synchronized dances while rapidly snipping the air with large pairs of scissors. Then women in billowing gowns come out and do a similar series of gyrations, absent the cutting implements. I’m all for respecting the customs and traditions of others. It is important that we open our eyes to the creativity and beauty produced by all the many people that share this small planet with us. But this Peruvian dance is – how can I put this most diplomatically – idiotic. How can Peruvian moms and dads teach their children elementary precautions about running with scissors when just that behavior has been elevated to a cultural icon? What’s next – dancers poking each other in the eye with sticks? Slamming doors on each others fingers? It’s just irresponsible. And beyond that, it is also kind of dorky. Now if the men and women came out on dance floor at the same time and the men snipped the dresses off the women you might have something worth watching. Yes, if I had my own country, that’s just what we would do!