AV Geeks 16mm Lunch 2-14-2025

e e e e e is is for I all right so that goes on for two more minutes um man and I am completely baffled by that um not the fact that it exists but why was it a motion picture um maybe this was used in a lecture to kind of talk about identification of a Soviet airplane I don't know I'm not sure this is from the National Archives and there's no explanation behind it so uh welcome I'm skip Alzheimer this is the avgeeks lunchtime streaming show it's Valentine's Day and uh I hope you're having a good day uh we got a break in the weather I know some of you are dealing with some snow and ice and drizzly crap which will be coming our way tomorrow but uh our door's open and the cat is sniffing at the screen door and uh we're enjoying what we can today it's February and it's there's special days in February that are all coming up um but this film was made by uh I believe Encyclopedia Britannica maybe cornette I can't remember but uh this is went before President's Day so they used to celebrate each president's birthday separately enjoy [Music] w [Music] February February is a special month do you know why it's a winter month that's true and where some of us live we often have snow and ice in Winter that means fun fun in different ways fun in many different ways [Music] in other places in our country in February there isn't any snow or ice the Sun is bright and warm in still other places the weather is wet and rainy but no matter what the weather is or where you may live in this country February is a special month let's look at the calendar to see why how many days are there yes February has only 28 days this year now January had 31 days and March the month that comes after February also has 31 days April has 30 days in fact every month except February has either 30 days or 31 days February has 28 days except once every four years when it has 29 days we call this leap year but whether it has 29 days or 28 days February is always the shortest month of the year that's special isn't it is there anything more that is special about February yes it has three special days one of these is February 12th do you know what is special about this day it's the birthday of Abraham Lincoln do you know about February 14th this is Valentine's Day when we send Valentine to our friends the Third special day is February 22nd the birthday of George Washington do you know who George Washington was he was the first president of our country he was born more than 200 years ago much of our country was Wilderness when George Washington was a boy there were not many schools in America then so George could not go to school every day as you do still he learned much by talking to people such as this surveyor and by watching people work we can imagine how carefully he would watch he wanted to learn as much as he could he was very honest everyone liked him and trusted him this is how he looked when he grew up when he was a man George Washington became a general in the Army he led our soldiers in the Revolutionary War and he helped us to win our freedom he was Brave a great leader and his countrymen loved him then after our freedom had been won George Washington became our country's first president the capital city of our country is named for our first President Washington in this city you can see the Washington Monument built to honor the man who is known as the father of our country so his birthday February 22nd is a special day now let's look at another special day February 12th is Abraham Lincoln's birthday Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin more than a hundred years ago when he was a boy he read a great deal after he had finished helping his mother and father with the day's work when Abraham Lincoln grew up he was friendly with everyone and still he read whenever he could he wanted to learn many things people in the town where he lived liked him he was one of the most honest young men they had known and that's why they called him honest a they trusted him and respected him many years later he was elected president of the United States today people from all over the country visit a great Monument to Abraham Lincoln in our nation's capital his birthday is February 12th well two of the special days in this month are birthdays of presidents of our country but what about the Third special day February 14th Valentine's Day this is a happy time when we see many hearts because on this day especially we tell people we care about them we give Hearts to say we are giving our love and friendship [Music] [Music] we give Valentine's to our [Music] family we send Valentine to friends and relatives who live far [Music] away near us this is a special day for telling people that we care about [Music] them in our class February will be a busy happy month as we learn and tell about the special days do you remember what day is George Washington's birthday do you remember how he learned things when he was a boy could you tell why he is called the father of our country could you make a cabin like the one in which Abraham Lincoln was born what day is his birthday do you remember how as he grew up Abraham Lincoln spent much of his time [Music] reading of course you remember what day is Valentine's Day and and of course you know why this is one of the happiest days in February and in the whole year [Music] [Music] and here's my Valentine's to you uh generated by chat GTP um I entered in the prompt uh vintage Valentine's Day card featuring heart operating old film projector um I don't know what he has in his hand but that weird Rod is um and the lens it's just weird yeah so let's see today is Valentine's Day and I do care about you so thank you so much for attending and watching and showing up uh this uh so the next thing I'm going to show is going to be kind of longish but it's really fascinating um unfortunately this was transferred using an older laser Graphics machine so there is a wow and flutter to some of the music but it's worth it this is comparisons from courtship to marriage [Music] enjoy song made to oh fair oh sweet shall I consume in sorrow pluck up thy heart th gentle Swain and I'll beine tomorrow gave her gloves as white and soft as were the hands that wor them and many a leafy gar and sweet as were the brows that bom he woo she sigh the shepher then was merry he a kiss the Ling made blushed red as any cherry [Music] since time began a ma and man have yearned one for the other for love is Young and love is strong and each one seeks another Danika Don is an actress TV commentator and panelist who has personal knowledge of courtship since she has been courted understandably uh Professor Jones has similar knowledge having both courted and married and also Professional Knowledge as chairman of the Department of Sociology at McMaster University as for myself I pretend to no special knowledge of any kind and hope to benefit with you from the experience of my two companions this not we opened on a very romantic note do you favor highly romantic courtship well I think all women like to think of courtship is romantic and yes I'm all in favor of it wouldn't you agree Professor Jones well I think that most women like most men favor the courtship customs of their own society and courtship can be very practical instead of poetic declarations it can mean Dickering about Pride price oh well I'll take the poetic declaration anytime well perhaps the end result is the same in any case you mean boy get gets girl or girl gets boy or family gets family well we'll test these Pleasant assumptions uh we're going to show you four courtship situations as they occurred in uh four corners of the world uh one in the Far East in a Hindu Community one in the Middle East in a Muslim Community one in Sicily and a local courting situation these are all actual situations we yes all real people portraying their own experience but where should we start Miss Don you decide Sicily Sicily it is the coast of Sicily and in the distance the town of terzini the sea is all important here most of the people are fishermen and get their living from the sea it's a very picturesque place isn't it yes it is but uh life I'm afraid isn't too picturesque it's rather lean and difficult the fishermen work very hard for very little the best they can earn on those good days when fish are found is about $1 and good days are not too [Music] frequent tradition is very important here there are old and rigid ways of doing almost everything as old or older than the town itself our tanini courtship began on a Sunday and uh continued on Sundays since that that's the day when young people can encounter each other here's how a courtship proceeds the girl in the center of the group is Teresa and from any Sundays now she's had an admirer there he is in the white shoes Carlo he's a young fisherman Teresa finds an excuse to lawyer and let Carlo know she's aware of his interest but only for a second and then she hurries on and he follows with a friend yes that's the form in this part of the world both the boy and the girl will have a confidant someone they can talk to about their love since they can't talk to each other at this [Music] stage at home Teresa immediately goes to a window overlooking the streets so she can once again demonstrate her response to [Music] Carlo there she is peeking out all very romantic very formalized too the uh boy and girl follow very precise procedures uh so do the neighbors they pretend innocence but they know quite well a romance is blooming here's Teresa's family at Sunday dinner also innocent on the surface but quite aware that Teresa has an admirer oh yes why wouldn't the family be openly interested well it would be bad form to even recognize the situation of this St age because Carlo hasn't formally declared himself you see uh Teresa's sister is less [Music] discreet uh this is a Matchmaker but not a professional one she's an older married woman who is a friend of Carlo's family is she going to propose for him no not really she's a goet yes uh Carla wants to know more about the girl and have her know more about him see he wants to know whether she's ever been engaged because uh if so he probably would drop her really yeah Sicilian men expect to be first loves he wants to know is she interested in him as he is in her mhm and once these questions are uh settled to his satisfaction and to Teresa's then they can decide on the next step of openly meeting it would be so much simpler to size each other up in person and a lot more pleasant yes but in a society where propriety and reputation are jealously guarded this is the more discreet and traditional way well she's a beauty isn't she yeah I fancy she could take her pick of the Town [Music] bachelor's after the matchmakers assured Carlo that traa is all she should be uh he has her approach the girl directly I'd ask her if she would permit caros [Music] attentions as you can see teras is pleased with Carlo's declaration and she [Music] agrees and now they can meet and speak to each other but at quite a distance and in public and with a chaperon I expect that treats his mother in the doorway I think so uh when Carlo and Teresa are certain of their feelings their fathers are informed and if they approve of the courtship as they did then it enters a more serious stage does this mean they're engaged now no not yet there isn't any formal commitment on either side just an understanding for Teresa and Carlo there ensues a long period of working and waiting and yearning for the day when they can be formally engaged well now why the delay they've made their choice haven't they there can be many reasons families may be too poor to consider marriage or they may doubt that the couple are truly serious and sure of their love Carla might have to still do his military service mhm there can be many reasons mostly family caution and tradition [Music] racer well at least they can get a little closer to each other but always with a [Music] chaperon when will they ever be able to be alone when they're married not before well I think that's [Music] terrible actually Carl and terasa didn't have to wait too long their families favored their marriage and the two fathers came to fairly quick agreement on questions of where the couple would live uh who would give them what uh Linens furniture and living space no Diary of any kind no both families contribute what they can afford ah this situation will please you Miss D our lovers do manage to steal a few un chaperon moments usually late at night when the town's asleep and in the traditional Sicilian fashion Carlo tells Teresa how madly he loves her how he constantly thinks of her and how beautiful she [Music] is finally the day comes when the courtship ends and the formal engagement takes place as's a gathering of both families at the girl home everyone dressed in their best and very jolly the future bride gets acquainted with her future mother-in-law sweet cakes and some wine and Brandy nothing grand these are poor people and they can't afford lavish entertainment the women gather to inspect Teresa's truso all made with her own hands Teresa's mother is quietly proud of her daughter's work and one very young relative rests from the festivities an omen of the future perhaps the men seem to be doing all the feasting yes this is very characteristic here as elsewhere the men seated the women doing the serving and minding the [Music] children well finally the high point in the party and a very proud moment for Carlo the engagement ring which probably represents years of Carlos savings uh he's both very proud and a little nervous will the ring impress everyone the ring is an important symbol marking the commitment and signifying his opinion of tra and her family and so it's important that everyone admire and approve the quality of the Ring well it seems to impress Teresa all right actually Theresa's reaction is probably the least important of all but she seems more than satisfied [Music] there's a triumphant moment for a girl and for the boy too he's a very lucky fellow well in that fairly casual manner Teresa and Carlo are formally engaged and the party break breaks up what no singing no dancing in Italy they probably save it for the wedding when will that be in varies weeks perhaps years the marriage now depends on how soon the families can accumulate household goods and the money for the wedding in the meantime the couple can walk out freely and openly chaperoned of course courtship in Sicily how did it strike you miss do well I I think the most frightening thing was the fact that the couple Can't Be Alone Together how can they possibly know that they're suited to each other well you have to remember that uh this is a simple Society heavily influenced by tradition and people U conform pretty well to well- defined roles so the behavior is much the same and so the people in the know pretty much what to expect from each other well I think that's an interesting point they should be alone together a little more uh what is the uh basis of courtship Professor Jones are there common characteristics in all societies yes I think so I'd like to think of it in terms of four questions uh first one is um how many spouses uh are are permitted um we only allow like many other societies a person to have one husband or wife at a time and uh in many other societies however you find that they may be allowed several uh spouses if they can afford them well usually it happens to that you usually find polygamy in societies where men can afford several lives it usually works that way another question is who can be a spose say who can be selected and all societies have rules uh about this uh and uh so people which you're not allowed to marry U but there are societies that specify who you who you should marry really and many societies prefer the cousins marry or that people should marry within their particular cast or or class if you like but there are other societies where other considerations may enter in fact where love is not uh important at all I think that's terrible but I think that we are really free of these other restrictions aren't we no you're perfectly right we um we have individual choice and and ROM IC love as the basis for courtship um but we're subject to customs and conventions as any other Society perhaps we can um uh defer local analysis until we reach the local situation and uh move on now to our next courtship in Iran this is her son a 24-year-old Iranian or Persian if you like uh who's a worker in an ornamental Iron Works in tran he's the only son of a widow and has a sister a little younger than himself time for lunch so he knocks off Teran is a quite modern city with rather European architecture and uh quite Cosmopolitan in appearance as you can see the usual stream of traffic found in any modern Capital however the old ways persist here this is very much a man's world you don't see many women on the streets with the exception of school girls and a few office workers yes A Woman's Place is very much in the home no Herms I hope no the Herm is a thing of the past here in the cities in any rate a s and a fellow worker making for an inn they regularly patronize it's really a restaurant but it's called an inn [Music] it's an odd mixture isn't it Muslim pictures and Christian pictures at least I think they are and of course the voice of the pop singer Persian style Persian rock and roll Hassan is in the marriage market and this is of great interest to his friend who asks what progress Hassan says that his mother and sister are visiting the parents of an eligible girl at this very moment here we are at the girl's house her father is a A Hai is an honorary title for one who's made a pilgrimage to Mecca that's an sister and mother the man of the house is a very Regal figure and his wife must prepare for his entrance and she announces the hedi is on his way this would be a very formal visit with every move and speech according to proper form oh yes for instance the Hai must warn the women he's coming he coughs so they can make a token adjustment of their Shaws in the past they'd be uh totally veiled and here's the very ceremonious he welcomes his guests and there must be a polite interval before the visitors State their purpose you'll find uh good many long silences here but that that's the custom that's the way it must be done are those pear beads he has in his hand yes you know I think he's terribly pompous not really it's his role to act very dignified finally the mother speaks she asks the haji's Indulgence and says with the Lord's permission they've come to speak for the ha's daughter and here she is Raba making the traditional entrance of the eligible Maiden beautiful she greets her father so the mother tells her to serve the visitors first they're casual and express polite thanks but actually they're inspecting robaba very closely she's smiling so she must have done well H's mother praises the girl's Beauty and with good reason she's very pretty she is then the mother States her purpose she asks the to take her son into to his family uh she praises the boy and the sister takes up the story uh Hassan is no palet office worker he works with his hands he's a very vigorous worker he makes good wages can support a wife Hai says he likes such a man but what does he do with his money says uh if you have money and do not believe in God you're like a drunkard with a sword asan's mother makes a spirited defense of her son she says he's good he's sincere and Thrifty he's like a flower from heaven and under the hai's care he will be even greater the Hai says that he will consider and he will let them know his decision that evening Hassan is Aid to know what is the girl like is she pretty or not but his women folk won't give him any clues which makes him very angry you know that's very mean to keep him in suspense surely they they could at least tell him she's pretty no that would be bad for him he has to accept his mother's decision you know if the two families are related no they're not I wondered because Iranians do favor marriage between cousins they say that if a boy marries the daughter of his uncle the marriage is made in heaven sometimes it's arranged that the boy and girl do see each other prior to the engagement yes well that does happen uh a little later on the next development is quite interesting I think uh an uncle of the girl visits Hassan's place of work and investigates the prospective fiance Hassan is called back to the office on some pretext so the uncle can have a closer look at him all very casual but Hassan gets a very close scrutiny from the uncle ha now the man gets the once over well you know the uncle is frequently an important figure in courtship in many societies the mother's brother in a great many societies is the chief negotiator of an engagement though it's a pretext uh Hassan is assigned to the job of making a special gate well the days go by and the gate will be completely finished by the time the next step is taken in Hassan's courtship of Raba poor Hassan compared to our Sicilian Lover he has a rough time of it now we reached the occasion you suggested Professor Jones a contrive meeting of the boy and girl again there is much uh formal exchange of courtesies Raba Eaves drops waiting for her queue to enter this is a departure from the old ways but it's masked by a subterfuge the notices there's no sugar on the table a deliberate admission by his wife who immediately says let Raba bring it Hassan's mother and sister also ask that the girl come in the must appear very reluctant to let his daughter be seen by a strange man and so everyone must wait until he very slowly makes up his mind he really takes his time doesn't he it's a tense moment for Hassan H's sister say something like uh what harm will it do and finally the gives his aent ah he's pleased that's good now the uh Common Pleas is since she's here please let her stay with a show of reluctance the Hai exceeds to his guest wishes more pretended reluctance for Raba who has to be convinced that she may stay so they do meet and are pleased with one another and thei gives them as blessing saying I hope you will both grow old together she has a very sweet face I think the choice was a good one in this case uh to anticipate you miss Don perhaps robaba and Hassan can't meet after the engagement without a Sher oh I rather expected that but how soon were they married uh a matter of a few months after the formal engagement the couple will live in his home but the girl's family will supply all the furnishings and it's quite possible that the uh father might Hur father might make a present of money I see Oh you mean there's an a involved well mother a sort yes I see but now supposing that uh the couple hadn't liked each other what then well I doubt that it would make very much difference because this is really a matter between families and uh I think if there were some very serious objections perhaps the families would fabricate some kind of an excuse to terminate the the relationship what about uh the opposite situation occurring when the couple want to but the parents don't approve now could they could they elope with well there'd be very little chance in this uh Society but of course there are societies where uh where people might want to uh act in in contradictions of their family's wishes and uh and they would alope and elopment does occur in most societies uh where these pressures are too strong and in Italy for example there is considerable amount of elopment these days is that right and possibly uh with the social change that's going on on in Iran uh elment will occur there more frequently mhm well now I keep coming back to this business of of a couple not being allowed to be alone together now how can a couple possibly get to know each other I don't mean anything passionate any love making necessarily but um in a a society where surely people have individual personalities how can they get to know that they are really suited to each other how can they make their own specific Choice as people well I I do think that you're overemphasizing this individuality in generally but um even admitting your point I think that they learn to know each other after marriage but you see one of the things is with these societies where tradition plays a big part uh I have to come back to this business of people knowing their roles and knowing very much what to expect of each other through Tradition now I think in this case we have perhaps some religious tradition because Muhammad uh uh has said something about the for example describe what a good wife should be oh is the virtues of the wife that's right he just says the wife is one who is loved by her husband and his relatives and uh is humble in her husband's presence and who adorns herself and is cheerful solely to be his joy and he says that she should be virtuous modest retiring before others so you see that if the uh principles if you like accept this kind of precept well then I think that they know what to what to expect of each other because they will conform to that it's sort of a case of Play Your Part and don't expect too much yes well now shall we look inward at ourselves and examine our concepts of role and behavior the ways of a man and a maid in Canada [Music] a winter afternoon in Richmond Hill small community just north of Toronto and on a skating party friends two courting Canadians Jane and Doug there they are striped sweater and Sport respectively the girl is 18 and the boy is 19 [Music] after a day in an evening of parting they returned to James here just second I'll tell M her home okay oh hello dear did you have a good time M lovely stopped in suies and had a bite eat and just s stayed on for a while D with you uhhuh there's some cake left from dinner thanks but we're just stuck okay dear good night night Mom night Dad night dear she looks even younger than 18 yes a very youthful face she probably won't be much different 20 years from now sometimes it must be nice to be married really Jane and Doug have been going steady for 5 years are they a little young for serious courtship well no early marriage is the mode these days of course everything's terribly expensive R are so high we wouldn't want to live at home Mr Weber tells me there's an opening the bank next September you think you might get it I guess I've got a good at chance anyway it's one of those training jobs I guess I'll try for it going on my they're restrained can you imagine our Sicilian Carlo in this situation well self-discipline is very much the pattern these days playing at cool I think is the term it's quite a widespread attitude but I don't know that it's totally typical of our carding couples [Music] many weeks later at the final High School dance it's the last one for Jane and Doug uh they graduate in the spring now gentleman isn't this a little better than peeking at each other across a chaero I think it is yes but I think we have to remember that these uh youngsters aren't as unregulated as they seem they do create their own rules and their own restrictions and they have standards of behavior which are expected by themselves as well as the other members of the society perhaps not everyone observes the standards but the majority does and as the majority does everywhere J spun what I think this is our last school pal oh we can come back next year that's of gr to well we want to do everybody look so young to me now yeah they do seem like a bunch of kids don't they Mr W tells me going appointment in the bank I'm going to have a talk with the manager how much the starting salary is kind of low for $2,000 but like an $800 raise for the first year and I'll get a regular rise every year after it's a good future Jan if I can make it maybe we could manage dug I'm sure we could what with the money I bring in they always need girls at the insurance company well only it be for a year or two well Doug if I don't work then we won't be able to get mared look I can save practically all my salary mom won't want anything for room and board we might save enough by next Christmas gives us almost a year we might the end of next November well I'll leave that to you good then at the end of next November if we get our jobs okay well they're very sweet but so objective and businesslike yes but typical of their generation and class I suppose so you see they live in a middle class security conscious Society so they're middle class security conscious people take rest and they live as we all do in a fairly cautious era there aren't many Rebels or adventurers these days I guess a steady predictable job in a bank seems very attractive to many young men you know I think that could be a bad thing not only for the young men but for everyone perhaps so but that's the way it is of the cashed by your sign what do you think of working wise Professor well I think it depends on the individual's concern I am sure though that family relationships must change where wise work here's something I found incredibly off hand see what you think going out yeah how's a job fine do you like it that's okay did you get your increase no not yet it's the end of this year you know son in my day I could have supported the family of what you were in well that's hope I can hey we're getting married Dad congratulations that's a big step thanks Dad Bye Mom d you and I should have a talk I can't out now Dad bye goodbye dear give my love to Jane did you know they were getting married no did he tell you when no well I find the boy's casualness quite credible and typical it might be the individual perhaps he's shy with his father but the fact is that our parents Play No vital role in our choice of mate or the decision to marry mhm they may try to influence their children but they don't necessarily succeed ah now I sense the moly early not likely usually begins early and ends [Music] late oh dck it's beautiful I doubt if Carlo could have done any better Miss do perhaps Doug isn't as restrained as I thought the first act after the presentation of the ring is to tell Jane's parents is this the form Professor johnes well I expect the girl and wants to tell her parents first what's this real all right look at this darling I'm so happy when did you give it to you when's the big day are you wearing white yes what kind of flowers you congratulations when's it going to be oh we're glad to have you in the family thank you very much Jan the sign to oh fine fine she'll let us know well not soon enough now we're off on a string of parties including a good many showers for Jane is this uh is the shower a purely North American custom well perhaps in this form but the comparable Affairs take place in other societies well it's a very practical custom look at all the loot well in our case the shower may be a carryover from frontier days when it was really necessary to give couples practical gifts yes true well possibly a doy substitute Come On dou th much your last end of Freedom uh inevitably the bachelor party yes as the French Canadians call it the burial of the bachelor God ah Doug you're cute and now shall we drink a toast to this delight finally the big Affair the engagement party for a horde of friends and relatives is this a general Practice in Canada well I think it's a possibly a general practice but I really don't know in fact we don't know much about our own Customs we know a lot about mores and manners elsewhere but far too little about Canadian ways you know I've often thought that all these incessant parties are much less fun for the guests of honor than they are for their host Amen to that I think so well at least they can escape a small army of chaperon and slip away together so uh let's leave them quite alone well that was certainly different from the others we've seen yes he was uh Professor Jones can we generalize about what we've seen are uh Jane and Doug typical of most young Canadians well I think they're um typical uh English-speaking Anglo-Saxon Canadians of their class but uh we have um uh other large groups in the country French Canadians for example and I think that uh you would find differences in their patterns perhaps uh more restrictions and then there are of course other ethnic groups uh here where Traditions from their Old Country play a part so for example European Traditions influencing the young people we're we're really quite a mixed group in Canada so it's not safe to generalize without a lot of qualifications we are but in spite of all this surely all our young people make their own choice our marriages aren't arranged in any way no that's true uh romantic love is certainly the basis of courtship and uh this does imply free choice on the part of the uh lovers but but you've suggested that our free choice is not really as free as it seems that that we're subject to Convention too oh we certainly are uh mind you uh we don't have uh explicit rules but there certainly are expectations that are shared by people in the society and patterns if you like uh for example you will find ordinarily that Protestants married Protestants and Roman Catholics Roman Catholics and Jews Jews and so on and we don't approve of interracial marriage people do frown on marriages say between Negroes and whites very true and even a large age difference between couples is sometimes frown upon although all of these marriages are very often proven to be some of the most successful yeah they can they can they can be successful if you like but they're NE not necessarily approved and another thing is we uh usually find people marrying within their own social class that uh within the same kind of social background if you like so that um although we don't have formal uh rules of courtship in the way that some of these societies have we certainly do have rules and although families may not play a direct role uh certainly the the group or the society if you like controls cour chip social pressures are very much there certainly now we turn to our final courtship in a very traditional Society a village in carella in Southwest India I'm looking forward to this one [Music] it's a very Lush fertile part of India many rivers leading to the Sea convenient for fishermen and for the movement of people and goods by water aside from the fishing grounds there are heavy stands of palm trees and the uh coconut is to this part of India what uh wheat is to our prairies this is a village called kerer it's a community of fish and farmers and workers in Small industry deriving from Agriculture and mainly Lumber and the products of the coconut the majority of the people are Hindus uh composed of many casts and sects but there are sizable Muslim and Christian minorities the work day is drawing to a close in kuker the last logs being piled in the lumber yards this is a fairly remote part of India and uh modern forms of entertainment and uh social Concourse generally are rare when he's cut his last coconut for the day this worker is likely to go to one of the temples and take part in a sort of Village concert a favorite entertainment is the dance of cathak a triangle story of tragic love with the story told in music and song and also in a dance pantomim as you see the dancers were hideous but but very beautifully made masks and costumes this entertainment always draws a large crowd most are there to see the dancers but uh some do attend for another purpose this is the only way courting couples can meet each other and our couple is here the handsome fellow in the center is [Music] Ban and this is Romani his fiance very much aware of bance's presence they've just recently become engaged this romance came about through the coconut or more properly through choir the fiber made from the coconut the fiber is spun into a yarn by The Village girls including Romani as part of her duties Romani has to take bundles of yarn to the choir Factory uh at first this was just a pleasant relief from turning Spinning Wheel a chance to get away for a little while from the coconut Plantation and uh have a pleasant boat ride on one of the village Rivers now I'll bet I can guess what happened she met Balan she did he works at the choir Factory and they became aware of each other and very much attracted to each other so the mildly Pleasant chore and became a very romantic Journey [Music] it wasn't difficult for Rani to always contrive some excuse for lingering at the factory and uh letting know that she was far from indifferent to him and also seeing that Balan was far from indifferent to her yes there's no doubt about how they [Music] feel finally this uh silent tentative courtship blossom L came home from work one day to find that his sister and mother had news for him as with our Iranian hero there's just three in this family the father is dead no uncles ah yes a most important Uncle as you'll see balan's sister is unmarried though she's quite a beauty isn't she it may be that the son has to marry first this is the mother balana is prepared for the usual casual chat with his mother but she quickly brings the conversation around to marriage she wants to see him settled with the wife how old is he he's 20 not too young for marriage here oh no ban learns that his mother has picked out a girl for him and uh this Spurs him to openly declare his feelings for romanii his mother is delighted apparently she was the personal choice of her husband so all is well here's the important Uncle Professor Jones The Old Gentleman with the umbrella aha I fancy he's about to approach the girl's family yes he is you know the mother's brother is her proxy in such Affairs though the mother is the real power a man must make the formal contacts for her such red tape it's also required that a friend of balans accompany the uncle now that could be ramani's uncle no it's her father uh there is no uncle in this family seemingly that was the case in Iran it's almost certain that romani's parents know the purpose of a visit I would think so there's always some forewarning open or by IND Direction aha are we going to have another sugar B St no this will be quite straightforward the uncle and the friends see the girl and at least hint at their interest in a marriage those are special cast marks aren't they yes they denote the Zava cast a Hindu cast you see the Uncle stare he's watching romani's approach to uh judge her appearance to see if she's free of deformity he speaks to her to hear her quality of speech poor ramani she's paraded like a show horse I thought this was a woman's World well it is it's really balan's mother who will pass judgment on the girl on the basis of the uncle's report again a proud mother exhibits her daughter's skill with off the needle that's a very characteristic gesture that tossing of the head it signifies polite agreement and appreciation I see so this visit ends there'll be others as the families come to agreement the high point in the courtship for and Balan comes when they have their only direct meeting prior to marriage their one chance to be together and it's a very brief encounter you know with the exception of the Canadian situation I'm beginning to think the whole purpose of courtship is to keep the young people apart and not bring them together well they manage Miss don't as they do everywhere I suppose so [Music] Romani makes her entrance in sound feminine fashion only after her mother has greeted ban and the friend who comes with him at this visit the girl's parents get a chance to personally appraise The Suitor you see how she gets rid of the father he hasn't any voice in this whole Affair the mother is completely in charge of course if she a brother he would likely be present on a pretex the mother leaves so the young people can be alone the boisterous friend tries to relax the somewhat tense Balan by joking with him last minute pring by romanii then the mother brings a tray of beetle nut for the girl to serve the boys [Music] and here's the big moment Roman is very Koy and bashful in this encounter Balan seems speechless uh the friend has to carry the conversation Romani is so confused by the friend SES that she immediately fle now the climax of The courtship the Village astrologer has to cast the horoscope of the young Romani and Balan to determine if their marriage would be asici is this serious or is it just a social gesture well very serious uh astrology is very much believed in by all Hindus for every family event from birth to death he's consulted now could he decide that the couple shouldn't marry at all yes he could as far as I know they'd probably accept his findings completely you'll notice no women attend this ceremony only the [Music] men the father is permitted to attend here I'd say the things are going very well yes everything seems in order and the astrologer can tie a symbolic knot showing that the marriage would be an auspicious one [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] that brings us up to date on a corala courtship and uh also back to the evening dance where young people pretend to look at fiercely grimacing FES but uh really look at each other Romani and ban can't meet even though they're engaged no no meetings until they're married with or without a chapon except at the evening entertainments and at a distance courtship in carala how did you like it absolutely Charming in fact I think all the situations have been fascinating yes and and how similar uh despite the superficial differences the basic Factor were the same you mean Boy Meets Girl boy gets girl I should say well in those situations yes but um I suppose it could be otherwise but I was thinking of the fundamental similarity that uh each Society imposes its own will on the individual even though the patterns of courtship differ nevertheless each Mia sees to it that the people conform to those P but this pressure comes from society and family rather than through some legal process yes mainly although um marriage law is involved in many societies to some extent well now I seem to remember you saying earlier that all these patterns and Customs that we've been talking about are changing in in most countries yes uh well you get social change in every country I suppose the the rate of change varies but uh particularly in um in societies that are becoming industrialized the rate of change is very rapid and uh You natur patterns change why uh why naturally well um as a society becomes industrialized it's the production patterns and so on change uh people um the patterns of working are different and we find that family structures change M see what happens is that sons and daughters go out to work in factories and in offices ah the emancipation of women yes and the emancipation of sons too uh because what happens is that these Sons and Daughters start earning money have salaries of their own and they become independent of the family and this way and and gradually become are able to make decisions on their own adopt New Attitudes and gradually the traditional forms change but this hadn't happened with our hero in Iran as far as we could tell no but we did see change in changes taking place in the in that situation and I think probably the rate of social change hasn't reached its full force in Iran yet well now let's talk about the uh differences rather than the similarities uh it seemed to me the most pronounced difference was the matter of who controlled the courtship yes which really means who controls the marriage yes or put another way the free choice versus the arranged uh marriage and it seemed to me that this was a marked difference between the Western examples and the Eastern examples which we've seen you know the these arranged marriages they seem to me so business-like and unromantic I mean surely people should be allowed to make a selection of a mate for themselves on whatever basis they choose and preferably on love yes but uh the arrang marriage doesn't necessarily preclude love there are a number of societies which believe that marriage should come first and love follow is that always true no of course not but uh can we say that arranged marriages founder more frequently than our free choice marriages um look at our divorce rates well our divorce rates are high because we allow divorce yes but that's part of the free choice pattern isn't it yes and maybe we have to have divorce because we do put such an emphasis on romantic love because in a sense it's not the most efficient way of choosing a mate I believe there are societies where marrying for love is uh quite frown on well there certainly are there are societies where the relationship between a father and a son or um a mother and a daughter are much more important than the relationship between a husband and wife I think that's carrying tradition too far well maybe and and certainly different from us at any rate and at the same time I think it uh should cause us to to uh wonder whether we don't put too much of an emphasis on romantic love in our society I wish we could pursue this point of many others m d Professor Jones but we wased our time if not our ideas thank you both for sharing this comparison and I still say V lur well have the last word [Music] wow that was fascinating um and it it almost tells more about like Canadian middle class culture than it does other cultures as far as the comments that they say uh yeah the Happy Valentine's Day um we have a song for you uh for Valentine's Day or as we call it uh VD Day um where is it where did I put it nope nope nope yep uh so uh thanks everybody for tuning in today we'll go out on the song um if you like what you saw hit the thumbs up hit the like 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