Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Snake charmers

Main article: Snake charming
Indian cobra in a basket being charmed
Indian cobra in a basket being charmed

In some parts of the world, especially in India, snake charming is a roadside show performed by a charmer. In such a show, the snake charmer carries a basket that contains a snake that he seemingly charms by playing tunes from his flutelike musical instrument, to which the snake responds.[55] Snakes lack external ears, and though they do have internal ears, they show no tendency to be influenced by music.[55]

Researchers have pointed out that many of these snake charmers are good sleight-of-hand artists. The snake moves correspondingly to the flute movement and the vibrations from the tapping of the charmer's foot, neither of which is noticed by the public. Charmers rarely catch their snakes and the snakes are either nonvenomous or defanged cobras. Other snake charmers also have a snake and mongoose show, where both the animals have a mock fight; however, this is not very common, as the snakes, as well as the mongooses, may be seriously injured or killed.

Snake charming as a profession is now discouraged in India as a contribution to forest and snake conservation. In fact, in some places in India snake charming is banned by law.[55]

Snake trapping

The tribals of "Irulas" from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in India have been hunter-gatherers in the hot dry plains forests and have practiced this art for generations. They have a vast knowledge of snakes in the field. Irulas generally catch the snakes with the help of a simple stick. Earlier, the Irulas caught thousands of snakes for the snake-skin industry. After the complete ban on snake-skin industry in India and protection of all snakes under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, they formed the Irula Snake Catcher's Cooperative and switched to catching snakes for removal of venom, releasing them in the wild after four extractions. The venom so collected is used for producing life-saving antivenin, biomedical research and for other medicinal products.[56] The Irulas are also known to eat some of the snakes they catch and are very useful in rat extermination in the villages.

Despite the existence of snake charmers, there have also been professional snake catchers or wranglers. Modern day snake trapping involves a herpetologist using a long stick with a "V" shaped end. Some like Bill Haast, Austin Stevens, and Jeff Corwin prefer to catch them using bare hands.

Consumption of snakes

Great Blue Heron with a snake
Great Blue Heron with a snake

While not commonly thought of as a dietary item by most cultures, in some cultures, the consumption of snakes is acceptable, or even considered a delicacy, prized for its alleged pharmaceutical effect of warming the heart. Snake soup of Cantonese cuisine is consumed by local people in Autumn, to prevent a cold. Western cultures document the consumption of snakes under extreme circumstances of hunger.[57] Cooked rattlesnake meat is an exception, which is commonly consumed in parts of the Midwestern United States. In Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia, drinking the blood of snakes, particularly the cobra, is believed to increase sexual virility.[58] The blood is drained while the cobra is still alive when possible, and is usually mixed with some form of liquor to improve the taste.[58]

In some Asian countries, the use of snakes in alcohol is also accepted. In such cases, the body of a snake or several snakes is left to steep in a jar or container of liquor. It is claimed that this makes the liquor stronger (as well as more expensive). One example of this is the Habu snake sometimes placed in the Okinawan liquor Awamori also known as "Habu Sake".[59]

Snakes as pets

In the Western world some snakes, especially docile species such as the ball python and corn snake, are kept as pets. To supply this demand a captive breeding industry has developed. Snakes bred in captivity tend to make better pets and are considered preferable to wild caught specimens.

Symbolism

Medusa by 16th Century Italian artist Caravaggio
Medusa by 16th Century Italian artist Caravaggio
Rod of Asclepius, in which the snakes, through ecdysis, symbolize healing.
Rod of Asclepius, in which the snakes, through ecdysis, symbolize healing.
Main article: Serpent (symbolism)

In Egyptian history, the snake occupies a primary role with the Nile cobra adorning the crown of the pharaoh in ancient times. It was worshipped as one of the gods and was also used for sinister purposes: murder of an adversary and ritual suicide (Cleopatra).

In Greek mythology snakes are often associated with deadly and dangerous antagonists, but this is not to say that snakes are symbolic of evil; in fact, snakes are a chthonic symbol, roughly translated as 'earthbound'. The nine-headed Lernaean Hydra that Hercules defeated and the three Gorgon sisters are children of Gaia, the earth.[60] Medusa was one of the three Gorgon sisters who Perseus defeated.[60] Medusa is described as a hideous mortal, with snakes instead of hair and the power to turn men to stone with her gaze.[60] After killing her, Perseus gave her head to Athena who fixed it to her shield called the Aegis.[60] The Titans are also depicted in art with snakes instead of legs and feet for the same reason—they are children of Gaia and Ouranos (Uranus), so they are bound to the earth.

Three medical symbols involving snakes that are still used today are Bowl of Hygieia, symbolizing pharmacy, and the Caduceus and Rod of Asclepius, which are symbols denoting medicine in general.[26]

India is often called the land of snakes and is steeped in tradition regarding snakes.[61] Snakes are worshipped as gods even today with many women pouring milk on snake pits (despite snakes' aversion for milk).[61] The cobra is seen on the neck of Shiva and Vishnu is depicted often as sleeping on a 7 headed snake or within the coils of a serpent.[62] There are also several temples in India solely for cobras sometimes called Nagraj (King of Snakes) and it is believed that snakes are symbols of fertility. There is a Hindu festival called Nag Panchami each year on which day snakes are venerated and prayed to. See also Nāga.

In Islam[citation needed], Christianity and Judaism the snake makes its infamous appearance in the first book (Genesis 3:1) of the Bible when a serpent appears before the first couple Adam and Eve as an agent of the devil and tempts them with the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The snake returns in Exodus when Moses, as a sign of God's power, turns his staff into a snake and when Moses made the Nehushtan, a bronze snake on a pole that when looked at cured the people of bites from the snakes that plagued them in the desert. The serpent makes its final appearance symbolizing Satan in the Book of Revelation:"And he laid hold on the dragon the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:2)

The Ouroboros is a symbol that is associated with many different religions and customs, and is also claimed to be related to Alchemy. The Ouroboros or Oroboros is a snake eating its own tail in a clock-wise direction (from the head to the tail) in the shape of a circle, representing manifestation of one's own life and rebirth, leading to immortality.

The snake is one of the 12 celestial animals of Chinese Zodiac, in the Chinese calendar.

Many ancient Peruvian cultures worshipped nature.[63] They placed emphasis on animals and often depicted snakes in their art.[64]

In religion

A snake associated with Saint Simeon Stylites.
A snake associated with Saint Simeon Stylites.

Muhammad, the prophet of Islam was reported to have said to "Kill the snake with two white lines on its back, for it blinds the on-looker and causes abortion." [65]

Snakes also play a role in the Christian faith. The serpent was seen as a representative of evil and sly plotting, which can be seen in the description in Genesis chapter 3 of a snake in the Garden of Eden tempting Eve.

Snakes have also been widely revered, such as in ancient Greece, where the serpent was seen as a healer, and Asclepius carried two intertwined on his wand, a symbol seen today on many ambulances. In Judaism, the snake of brass is also a symbol of healing, of one's life being saved from imminent death (Book of Numbers 26:6-9). In Christianity, Christ's redemptive work is compared to saving one's life through beholding the serpent of brass (Gospel of John 3:14).

In Neo-Paganism and Wicca, the snake is seen as a symbol of wisdom and knowledge.

Snakes are part of Hindu worship. Most images of Lord Shiva depict snake around his neck.Puranas have various stories associated with Snakes.

See also

Cupisnique Snake. 200 B.C.Larco Museum Collection Lima, Peru.
Cupisnique Snake. 200 B.C.Larco Museum Collection Lima, Peru.

Snakes

Snakes in culture

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References

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