Currently rereading “Sapiens” by Y. N. Harari, and I stumbled upon a parable-like story. Here is the translation:
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon. Several months before their flight, the Apollo 11 crew trained in the desert, in a “moon-like landscape” in the western USA. A few Native American tribes live in those areas, and there exists a story—or a legend—about the astronauts’ encounter with one of the locals.
During preparations for the Moon expedition in 1969, the astronauts trained in a remote area of the western US, in regions inhabited by several tribes of local Native Americans.
During one of these training sessions, they met an elderly Native American who asked what they were doing. When he learned that they were training for a Moon flight, he pondered for a while, then asked if the astronauts could fulfill a simple request for him?
“The people of my tribe believe in spirits living on the Moon. If you are going to be there, could you convey an important message from my people to them?”
The astronauts agreed, and the Native American spoke a phrase in his language. He made them repeat it over and over until they memorized it and could recite it exactly as he had said.
The astronauts were naturally curious about what the mysterious phrase meant, but the Native American said he could not reveal its meaning. It was a tribal secret meant only for the lunar spirits.
They then returned to base and immediately started looking for a specialist who could translate the words. When they found an interpreter and recited the Native American’s message, he burst into hysterical laughter. When he calmed down, he told the astronauts that the phrase they had learned meant:
“Do not believe a single word they say. They have come to take your lands.”
* * *
It seems that the story is entirely fabricated, and most likely it was first told by the famous American comedian Johnny Carson on his evening TV show a few days after the astronauts landed on the Moon.
But it’s still telling.
Hi, I'm Rauf Aliev. 