[Tango-L] Social Tango: A Cultural Perspective

[Jonathan Thornton]

I was for other reasons doing some research on the Lone Ranger and came
across this. If I understand Duende's terse comment, the point is that human
memory is variable. Below is an example of two differing accounts by the
individuals involved in creating the radio show of the Lone Ranger. I think
everyone on this list can find an example of some event in their family that
is remembered differently by family members. I know I've learned to keep my
peace when I hear one story recounted as I don't remember it happening that
way at all.

Most of tango history is from human memory. And most of the arguments on
this list are about who is right and wrong. The great Borges could do this
justice. I can't but does it seem to me to be something that is embraced by
the spirit of tango that there are multiple versions that reflect our
individualities. Perhaps this is the only indisputable truth we have access
to. How I would love to hear what Borges with his penetrating insight would
say about this.

Jonathan Thornton,
 what follows is a non tango illustration of the problem:

*There are two versions of the story.

Fran Striker told the Saturday Evening Post that he invented Tonto's name
and that it was picked by merely alterring the consanants in the name Bobo.
(This was a caveman character Striker had created in another radio program.)


Jim Jewell says that Striker was remembering wrong. Tonto, he said, is
another Potowatomie word.

There were a few Indians who would come to the camp to tell stories to the
children.

One of the Indians apparently had a penchant for drinking after the children
had gone to sleep. Sometimes he would get rowdy and the other Indians would
call him "tonto." This meant "wild one."

Jewell remembered the word, liked it, and gave the name to the Lone Ranger's
Indian companion.*

http://www.endeavorcomics.com/largent/ranger/faq.html

On 7/14/06, Duende de Tango <duendedetango at mac.com> wrote:
>
> Tom
>
> You are wading in the sophoristic milieu - that has no single mean.
>
> vete
>
>
>
> >On Jul 14, 2006, at 8:48 PM, El Mundo del Tango wrote:
> >
> >>>  There are many styles of tango. There is no "True Style". Nobody says
> >>>  there is. Nobody says one style is good the others are bad. Nobody
> >>>  says one style is authentic, the others aren't.>>
> >>
> >>  Tom....Calling what you teach and dance "Milonguero style"  IS
> >>  SAYING  that
> >>  your style is the "authentic" and the other guy's is not.
> >>  That is the reason such label began being used in the first place,
> >>  as its
> >>  promoters had no other  need for it.
> >>  They could have called it "del centro", "apilado", etc.
> >>  and we would not be having this discussion.
> >>
> >>  Gabriel
> >
> >Nonsense. I'm saying no such thing.
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >Tango-L at mit.edu
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>
>
> --
> Costa rica
>
> (c)2004, por Duende de Tango, viviendo en el paraíso,
> todos de los derechos reservados del mundo
>
> Rich coast,
> of flowers and dreams,
> dancing nights,
> and candle lights.
> as the mist passes
> into the night  ...
>
> I miss her breath
> of life and ...
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-- 
"The tango can be debated, and we have debates over it,
but it still encloses, as does all that which is truthful, a secret."
Jorge Luis Borges