The homogenisation of cultures across the globe has created a melting pot where communication, cooperation and calm cohesion have created thriving and bustling communities, writes Ruta Mave.

The first known appearance of yoghurt was during the Neolithic period around 5000BC and like butter is thought to have been created by accident through the carrying of milk in animal skins in Mesopotamia where it was exposed to bacteria cultures and soured creating a thick tart tasting product. Yoghurt wording is Turkish meaning condensed, thicken.

If too much culture is used, the bacteria will be crowded and this will produce a slimy sour taste in the mouth. If your yoghurt starts to smell rancid, foul, spoiled, strongly acidic, rotten or off putting then something other than yogurt bacteria has entered the culture and it should be thrown out.

Many years ago, it was said that yoghurt had more culture than some of the nations under the English settlers but over the years it has grown and become more evident and in some people’s minds more strident, as differing native factors start vying for a voice in their own lands. 

You see this in Aotearoa in the push back from English speaking cultures as they have to navigate around the use of Maori words and terminology on their 7pm news channels each night. It will take them some getting used to but the culture used to feed off the sweetness of the milky skinned tone society is uniting into a more cohesive thicker entity that may not taste as sweet. It may feel a little tart on the tongue however it’s proven over time to be palatable and as seen the world over quite celebrated and desired.

The homogenisation of cultures across the globe has created a melting pot where communication, cooperation and calm cohesion have created thriving and bustling communities.

Lately the cry of culture has been banded around our Tourism market to be aware and wary of. Topless bare skinned bodies on a sunny day on a tropical island – how scandalous. To be sure the beach is the best place for flaunting the naked skin to the tanning rays of the sun with the lagoon right there to cool off and refresh from sweat and sand. But then I have to agree with the mamas, not in our local shops and supermarkets in town far from the beach.

Dealing with butt flossing thong wearers where you can see what they had for breakfast as I reach for the Rice’s is not my ideal shopping experience, we are not Walmart after all – thank God. Some said if they had a beautiful body they would flaunt it in their youth, but if only that were the problem. It is the freedom taken on by plus size bodies squeezing into some runway petite sizing that are the problem and that includes women as well. Some men have breast’s a proud mother of a 10lb newborn would own, that swing pendulous from one hairy pit across their third trimester stomach to the other as they waddle along. Please must we endure this?

I won’t even mention the long accepted never liked ‘builders crack’ as they reach down, we don’t need reminding of that image – oops too late. If women have to cover their breasts, then any male over a ‘B’ cup who can’t control them individually like the Rock Dwayne Johnson should also be made to cover up.

While our culture is saying cover up, in Iran the women are protesting to uncover their heads from the enforced wearing of the Hijab now the Taliban are back in power. This happened in 1979 when the Taliban took over and harsh patriarchal law was enforced. There is religious reasoning within reason and there is enforced law against women’s rights. They are fighting back. They are risking their lives, they are standing up for themselves because they have realised their culture has started to go rancid acidic and smell off as they recognise that some other ‘bacteria’ has messed with their culture and instead of smooth yoghurt consistency, their culture is curdling.

A sour taste is underlying our culture lurking amongst our religious factions. Friday’s paper we have a letter from a self-proclaimed ‘prophet’ damning a minority number of our society to hell and good riddance. On the other side another pastor claims family life is the breeding ground of goodness and godliness. So, should we take our top ministers and officials to task for allowing their family to become sinners?

We live in a homogenised society, we are all homos (Greek for same), we are Homo (Latin for man) and sapiens (Latin for wise). Pastor George is a Homo-sapien, he should know God made us (all) in his own image (Genesis 9:6.13).