Jean-Louis Tu wrote:

> Honey is natural, but eaten only sparingly by "primitive" people.

I'm a Mother Nature junkie and can rarely pass up a good TV show that enlightens on
odd angles of life---all varieties---if I can spare the time.

For instance, I was fascinated (and horrified) by the "Nature" program that filmed
a tribe of wild chimps eating a live monkey.

Sometimes, though, I remember a scene, but can't remember its origin.  That is the
case with a program I saw several years ago on tribal gathering of wild honey.  I
remember the electric effect that went though the village when a member reported
that he had detected a hive high in the jungle trees.  I remember the men climbing
those trees, perhaps a hundred or more feet, and literally risking life itself to
gorge on honey.  I remember the sated looks and the sense of pride in their
accomplishment.  Although primitive, that tribe planned, prepared, and executed a
foray worthy of the effort going into an Everest expedition.

I certainly left the program with the impression that honey is a *big deal* to
primitive people.

BTW, I recently learned that "wild" honeybees in the US (which I knew were
imported) are more appropriately termed "feral."

Regards,
Rex Harrill