Talk:Great white hunter

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Contents 1 Primitive Natives 2 Cultural Reference 3 Neutral point of view 4 White Hunter 5 Why not both? 6 White vs. Great White

[edit] Primitive Natives

"Because these men typically displayed great determination, bravery, cleverness and physical skills, and their demeanor often had the stamp of educated and privileged backgrounds, their presence commanded the respect if not reverence of the primitive natives who served them." When was the writer of this phrase born, 1850?? I'm changing the wording for a more updated, elegant version. The present version smacks of nostalgia for days long ago dead. Kemet 23:42, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cultural Reference

There was a reference of Vice President Dick Cheney being a "great white hunter" at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association dinner by presidential look-alike Steve Bridges. I am waiting for the official transcript from the White House, but in the mean time see [1]. GChriss 16:25, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Neutral point of view

This phrase can certainly be used in a derogatory way, but then so can many other words. "Kaffir" is listed in wikipedia in part as "an ethnic slur" but noone has complained about that! "Great White Hunter" can stay as it is. Criggie 01:51, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] White Hunter

The late Peter Capstick, professional hunter and author, would turn over in his grave to read this entry on the Great White Hunter. According to his books, Great White Hunter is a bogus term developed by those who were more into creative writing than hunting. A White Hunter is a hunter who guides clients on hunting expeditions, regardless of race. As a man who spent more than ten years in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Botswana, and Kenya chasing the Big Five as a white hunter, Mr. Capstick is certainly an expert on the subject. I considered creating a new article for White Hunter, but I am not certain that would be appropriate. Instead, I added a paragraph on White Hunter. Anyone else care to comment on this? Hildenja 17:09, 8 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Why not both?

If the 'Great White Hunter' term is derogatory, or as 'Hildenja' says 'White Hunter' is the real deal, why not have an article combining the two? The actual hunters of real life, literature, and the big screen with definitions and examples of 'white hunter' and 'great white hunter'?Waukegan 12:32, 7 August 2007 (UTC)Waukegan

[edit] White vs. Great White

It seems to me that the murk of colonialism and racism quickly obscure some of the basic facts of this history. There were "white hunters" who were perfectly pleased to call themselves that. "Great White Hunters" is one of those devilling phrases which mixes derision and exaltation to the degree that they can't be disentagled. Its origins are obscure, but it almost certainly arived through the pop-culture glorification of those hunters, though today it is almost exclusively used pejoratively. As for the original "white hunters," there is a clear and indentifiable timeline for the job, as well as a well-documented list of those who paid to use their services. I've done my best (I hope it's good enough) to rebuild this page around some of those figures and the critical events that opened East Africa to game hunting and the safari culture. I certainly hope that I haven't offended the sensibilities of any reader or editor with the manner in which I've framed the complex interrelations of power, wealth, class and race within the context of African colonization. I don't know if such a discussion is possible on the 'white hunters' page; I've tried very hard to point to the ugly truths and ironies of white domination of Africa without making the page a screed against the (very real) injustices of the colonial era and aftermath.Shlimozzle (talk) 15:22, 25 January 2008 (UTC)