[1]: Of course, we have no way of knowing to what degree these are perceptions, strategic choices, or combinations of both. It is also possible that the terminology used reflects a limited command of reclaimed water terms; I could not have told you the difference between reclaimed water and potable water before this research project, and I suspect much of the terms used in local conversations both in and out of the Daily Sun in the context of snowmaking are not fully understood...

[2]: As a pamphlet distributed at the November 10th "Pray For The Peaks" Prayer Vigil at Buffalo Park (sponsored by the Flagstaff Activist Network, www.flagstaffactivist.org) argues..."Respect the Sacred Mountain! No Yellow Snow!"

[3]: That these forms of contagion are not real in the positivistic, concrete and physical sense does not mean that they can be tested away into oblivion. Indeed, as the comment above shows, there are some who would not trust even the most carefully constructed and regular tests of water systems. Lurking in common thought is the possibility that not everything that is harmful is being tested for or is understood to be harmful (as recent history has shown to be the case). Furthermore, let us consider that culture, like humanity, does not have to be logical in a Western scientific sense (even though we think it is sometimes), but rather it involves a way of seeing the universe which has more to do with aesthetics and traditions, politics and positioning, than it does with actual reality.

[4]: I do not pretend to understand the ways in which Western history relates to contagion, nor could I hope to convey my limited knowledge in this web site (it would be a project all in itself). Historical aspects of relevance might include the Western trend toward increasing medicalization after the enlightenment, the medicalization of the female (particularly the treatment of menstruation and pregnancy as illnesses, the menstruation cycle itself as highly contaminating, etc.), a wartime history of gas masks and chemical attacks, the consequences of "The Jungle", the Western obsession with Arcadian metaphors, and particularly the relatively recent atmosphere and culture of fear associated with the AIDS epidemic, along with the literary and film genre of science fiction oriented toward epidemics, such as Outbreak, The Stand, etc.

[5]: And by "magical" I do not mean ridiculous or simple. Magic in this sense refers to a consistent and personal, culturally defined yet individually expressed belief system which is not based on the observable and concrete (for the most part) but the potential and the possible.

[6]: I would argue that this is not an unfamiliar reality; it points not only to the ways we can manipulate and negotiate culture, but also to the socially constructed factors which modify potential contagion, factors such as degree of familiarity with source (our own elements, bodies, cloths, etc. are always less contagious), the character of our own being (I am a good person, how could that happen?), and so on...

[7]: (This example is not my own, see Rozin and Nemeroff, 1990) That this is a cultural reality suggests that, in fact, a social scientist (particularly an anthropologist or sociologist) could determine the degree to which the sweater was contaminated, but it would be far from easily quantifiable.

[8]: Just as the equipment and signatures of sports figures/heroes are desirable and valuable, even powerful in some way (Rozin and Nemeroff 1990). This is not to suggest that I would want Hitler’s sweater, but it would have great significance to WWII collectors (as a piece of history), to Holocaust survivors (who might want to destroy it), or to Nazi-sympathizers (who might want access to the essence of Hitler), and so on...

[9]: From a lecture by Dr. Jill Dubisch...

[10]: Cultural constructions should not be judged as "correct" or "incorrect", they simply are. This is a significant idea within anthropology that we refer to as cultural relativism.

[11]: We must remember that even science is a recent cultural product and that it is not exactly free from bias and politics, egos and relationships...

[12]: It would be as if Flagstaff had erected a giant sculpture of General Custer on the most sacred site of the Peaks, and had used the essence of Native American sacrilege as a building material.

[13]: I am speaking generally here and do not wish to portray Native America as a homogeneous category. I am speaking to general patterns that I have noticed both in my data and personal experience.

[14]: Wilson seems to place the argument over snowmaking into the context of Manifest Destiny, embracing the struggle to "civilize" America and to keep conquered lands in the control of whites...

[15]: According to one cultural expert, the tribal list includes: "Dineh (Navajo), Hopi, Havasupai, Tewa, Hualapai, Zuni, Paiute, Ute, Yavapai Apache, Middle Verde Apache, White Mountain Apache, San Carlos Apache, and a few more..." [N8TV], web posting from 02/23/02.

[16]: We can wonder if the conflict in the West will ever be truly finished. It won’t be I think until cultural relativism fully shifts into mainstream culture as a major category of thought. This future is more advantageous than the current trend of cultural assimilation and intolerance.

[17]: Examples supporting these ideas exist, but to list them here would detract from the flow of this paragraph. See the following: "Supporting Snowbowl" (10/17/02 editorial), "New ‘reclaimed’ fire hydrant planned" (05/04/02 article), and the following 03-19-02 posted web comment which speaks to the (perceived) selfish and unholistic attitude of those who resist snowmaking (particularly native peoples):

[18]: Keeping with the spirit of cultural relativism, we should keep in mind that this particular perception of sacredness should not be judged as right or wrong, valid or invalid, it just is.

[19]: Which must have something to do with the tradition in this country of separating Church and State, and possibly related to the conflicts in American history between the government and the Mormon religion.

[20]: While some people would argue that religions such as Christianity originated in the Divine and have nothing to do with culture (in any time frame), in fact religion is one aspect of culture and is not disconnected from political concerns, race, class, gender, and a host of other constructed domains.

[21]: See the 10/19/01 NPR broadcast of "This American Life", or the text "Prayerwalking: praying on site with insight" by Steve Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick (isbn 0-88419-268-7).

[22]: I know quite a few people who occasionally drive into town when it snows because they don’t otherwise get to see any, and the majority of them do not ski. Is this the case for any significant percentage of people coming to Flagstaff?

[23]: One more woman falling under a medical gaze?

[24]: I am reminded of the Arcadian metaphor, though I do not think that these authors have fallen into its trap. To what degree is a reverence and preference for the natural a real aspect of general Native American culture? (if we can even speak to such a generality without making a case for homogeneous indigenous culture) Is it a basic thread or does it only appear in some indigenous cultures? What role does a modern American dominant cultural influence have here? Does it suppress or heighten the Arcadian ideal?

[25]: For a more complete discussion of these concepts, see the anthropological concepts appendix.

[26]: There were, admittedly, few in number but the Water Commission took them seriously.

[27]: And when I say perceived damage I do not mean unreal damage! From an anthropological perspective, whether or not the spiritual exists is not important. What is important is that people believe it does and are affected by it.

[28]: Particularly the most illogical and disturbing varieties which make social Darwinist arguments, but also the typically American "if it isn’t scientific it is wrong" attitude toward Native beliefs.

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