Per Hüttner, Sveden
about the author
Zambia, India
Poem for Per

Ghost Jogger Mythology

Lecture on anthropological fieldwork, by Parala Hutta PhD
(Presented at: Gender's Hat Institute of Contemporary Anthropology, Gotham SE, May 8, 2000)
(in 4 Parts: Mexico, Jordan, Zambia, India)

1. FANTASMA CORRIENDO - MEXICO

A long time ago a young Spanish soldier came to Mexico.
Shortly after his arrival he witnessed the massacre of an a Native American village.
The atrocities performed by the Conquistadors left the young man shocked and outraged.
He deserted the army and swore to devote his life to warn the the Native Americans of the Conquistadors brutality and to help them to fight his compatriots.
The young man rode around the countryside with a translator explaining to the Native Americans what he had seen and gave them advise how to defend themselves against the Conquistadors. As time went by he was met with ever greater respect and revere by the the Native Americans. It was inevitable that the Spaniards also became aware of his doings.
One day the young man was hunted down by a group of Spanish soldiers.
The soldiers killed his translator and his horse and left him dying at the roadside.
He was soon found by the The Native Americans who for months used their ancient medical skills to nurse him back to health.
When the young man finally become well again his strength and determination was tenfold.
The Native Americans taught him how to run in the mountains along their ancient routes in order to avoid the Spaniards.
He learned everything about Mexican nature and the 'Native Americans' culture and he spent the rest of his life working for his righteous cause.
Even today in Mexico it is said that if you do a good deed during the day that you can see the young man running in the night or that he can appear in a dream.
The Mexicans call him 'Fantasma Corriendo' or 'The Running Ghost'. To see him is a good omen that your wishes will come true.
2. THE PROPHET'S MAN - JORDAN

In the mountains between Damascus and Jerusalem there once lived a young wealthy man who did everything in his powers to spread the word of the Prophet.
He had an amazing ability to memorise texts.
One night in, a dream God, appeared before him and urged him to spread the word of the Prophet to the people of the desert.
When the young man awoke he immediately left his family and possessions and headed to the desert to proclaim the words of the Prophet.
He felt that walking was too slow a process - so he started running. He ran in the evenings and sometimes at night and quoted the Prophet during the day.
He ran from Medina in the east, to Jerusalem in the west, from Damascus in the north, to the Red Sea in the south.
He ran his whole life spreading the words of the Prophet to the Bedouins.
According to the local myth it is said that at night, if you are lucky, you can still see the young man running through the desert or one of its towns.