Wednesday, March 15, 2006
4. Caveman Theme Park
The Human Zoo
While talking about my visit to the Albuquerque zoo on Wednesday, 14 April 2005, I shared this Caveman Theme Park idea with a friend. Had thought of this idea while at the zoo. I have edited, as well as added considerably to the original dialog, as more ideas came to me. Both names have been changed to protect the guilty parties.
Dick:
- It would be cool to have a cavemen theme park/exhibit either with actors and/or with people willing to actually live the part and try out the life style.
Jane:
- Yes, that would be different. It might be educational for the kids; maybe you should suggest it to them.
Dick:
- I think I will; they will get a good laugh out of it at least.
- They might put me in the cave community for daring to suggest this.
Jane:
- Make you part of the exhibit!
Dick:
- That is what I am afraid of.
- This cave idea more anthropology at UNM than at the Albuquerque Zoo, but what the heck.
- It might be a very popular exhibit.
- At UNM it would be a scientific experiment, while at the zoo it is popular entertainment and a cash cow first, so UNM may be happy to contribute.
Jane:
- It's a place to live and I'm sure they would feed you.
Dick:
- They'd have to give us lunch at least.
While talking about my visit to the Albuquerque zoo on Wednesday, 14 April 2005, I shared this Caveman Theme Park idea with a friend. Had thought of this idea while at the zoo. I have edited, as well as added considerably to the original dialog, as more ideas came to me. Both names have been changed to protect the guilty parties.
Dick:
- It would be cool to have a cavemen theme park/exhibit either with actors and/or with people willing to actually live the part and try out the life style.
Jane:
- Yes, that would be different. It might be educational for the kids; maybe you should suggest it to them.
Dick:
- I think I will; they will get a good laugh out of it at least.
- They might put me in the cave community for daring to suggest this.
Jane:
- Make you part of the exhibit!
Dick:
- That is what I am afraid of.
- This cave idea more anthropology at UNM than at the Albuquerque Zoo, but what the heck.
- It might be a very popular exhibit.
- At UNM it would be a scientific experiment, while at the zoo it is popular entertainment and a cash cow first, so UNM may be happy to contribute.
Jane:
- It's a place to live and I'm sure they would feed you.
Dick:
- They'd have to give us lunch at least.
- Maybe choice between sleeping overnight or going home like any other employee or volunteer
Jane:
- And just think of all the food the zoo visitors would throw to you.
Dick:
- There might have to be safety glass to eliminate hecklers and food (and rock) throwers.
- A very popular and controversial exhibit to say the least, which might be good for publicity.
Jane:
- Bring in more customers and make more money for the zoo.
- You could go without shaving or having your hair cut and save money on those things.
- Wouldn't even have to take a bath that often.
Dick:
- I think they would want us to be clean so a bubbly brook and pool at the camp a must.
- The water could be kept warm enough with hidden heater.
Jane:
- You can always jump in the cold water.
- But you would have to look the part. Wild long hair, beard.
Dick:
- To keep busy food would be prepared and lots of tool making and crafts projects.
- It may of course shut down during the Winter depending on the volunteers.
- There would be scheduled events too like traders or a clan from another cave that visits (every other Saturday or one a month for a feast and festival)
- What ever it takes to keep it fresh and interesting to the public so they come to the zoo more often to see it.
- Maybe once a month the barrier on one side adjacent to the ceremonial fire area can be removed so the public (costumed or not) can be/feel part of the ceremonies and join in, sitting around in the camp among the reenactors and actors and guests.
- To be listed in zoo events calendar just like any other special concert or kid's science program.
-The Creationists may object because cavemen not in the bible.
-Indigenous (Native American/Indian) cavemen might get around that.
Jane:
- Bet you would have people paying bucks to see it.
Dick:
- They would allow guest cavers, both kids and adults for a day or two after proper training and costume preparations.
- Parents would love to see their kids taking part in it.
- It would have to be set up so they can film/photograph them easily.
Jane:
- That's a good idea too. Let them see what it's was like.
Dick:
- So there are probably paid employees who live there and are in charge - plus volunteers - actors - guests, etc.
- Maybe the hard-liners (reenactors) live there day and night, or maybe everyone goes home when the zoo closes to the public each day
Jane:
- There might be college students who would want to do it.
Dick:
- Yes they might be an ideal source; the best source of all.
Dick:
- A few species of animals could live in among the cave people; not all of course.
Jane:
- That's true. I think the lions would be a problem.
Dick:
- Lions are definitely out, as are all the wild cats.
- Hidden in among the trees and rocks in the center of the compound would be proper showers, bathrooms, etc.
- The usual emergency medical access.
- Domestic cats and dogs fine.
- Maybe a few other animals that everyone agrees on.
- Birds would fly in and out as they do all over the zoo.
Jane:
- Of course you would have to learn how to comb through everybody's hair looking for bugs.
- With long hair that could be a problem.
- You have to rough it if you are going to be a caveman. No razors to shave with.
Dick:
- Native Americans might really like this tribute to them.
- It all has to be very clean and proper.
- G-rated always.
- No bad publicity of any kind.
- It all a cross between simulated reality and acting.
- Its "Survivor" TV show qualities would appeal to some, but you don't get voted off.
- It is not to be Indian Pueblo Cultural Center era, but earlier.
- Cromagnon and Neanderthal, maybe.
- Close to "Clan of the Cave Bear" living, which would be a good model for the project.
- Camp life at its most realistic
- Size of the living environment - the bigger the better within reason.
- Would people pay to participate? Probably! Sort of like Summer camp to some.
- Film studio might pay big money to film here.
- Lots of plants and vegetation, so Bio Park can help design it.
- On zoo property so you hear the roar of the lions at night and the howler monkey calls at dawn, and all the other sights, sounds, and smells.
- Or Natural History museum project located at the Balloon park
- A stand alone commercial caveman theme park would not make it financially is my best guess, but partnered with the zoo and paid for with City money or bond issues, I think it might work.
- Good publicity needs to be gotten via newspapers and TV concerning a person or persons who would chosen to live there day and night and maybe year round.
[This post begun on Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 3:47 PM MST]
Jane:
- And just think of all the food the zoo visitors would throw to you.
Dick:
- There might have to be safety glass to eliminate hecklers and food (and rock) throwers.
- A very popular and controversial exhibit to say the least, which might be good for publicity.
Jane:
- Bring in more customers and make more money for the zoo.
- You could go without shaving or having your hair cut and save money on those things.
- Wouldn't even have to take a bath that often.
Dick:
- I think they would want us to be clean so a bubbly brook and pool at the camp a must.
- The water could be kept warm enough with hidden heater.
Jane:
- You can always jump in the cold water.
- But you would have to look the part. Wild long hair, beard.
Dick:
- To keep busy food would be prepared and lots of tool making and crafts projects.
- It may of course shut down during the Winter depending on the volunteers.
- There would be scheduled events too like traders or a clan from another cave that visits (every other Saturday or one a month for a feast and festival)
- What ever it takes to keep it fresh and interesting to the public so they come to the zoo more often to see it.
- Maybe once a month the barrier on one side adjacent to the ceremonial fire area can be removed so the public (costumed or not) can be/feel part of the ceremonies and join in, sitting around in the camp among the reenactors and actors and guests.
- To be listed in zoo events calendar just like any other special concert or kid's science program.
-The Creationists may object because cavemen not in the bible.
-Indigenous (Native American/Indian) cavemen might get around that.
Jane:
- Bet you would have people paying bucks to see it.
Dick:
- They would allow guest cavers, both kids and adults for a day or two after proper training and costume preparations.
- Parents would love to see their kids taking part in it.
- It would have to be set up so they can film/photograph them easily.
Jane:
- That's a good idea too. Let them see what it's was like.
Dick:
- So there are probably paid employees who live there and are in charge - plus volunteers - actors - guests, etc.
- Maybe the hard-liners (reenactors) live there day and night, or maybe everyone goes home when the zoo closes to the public each day
Jane:
- There might be college students who would want to do it.
Dick:
- Yes they might be an ideal source; the best source of all.
Dick:
- A few species of animals could live in among the cave people; not all of course.
Jane:
- That's true. I think the lions would be a problem.
Dick:
- Lions are definitely out, as are all the wild cats.
- Hidden in among the trees and rocks in the center of the compound would be proper showers, bathrooms, etc.
- The usual emergency medical access.
- Domestic cats and dogs fine.
- Maybe a few other animals that everyone agrees on.
- Birds would fly in and out as they do all over the zoo.
Jane:
- Of course you would have to learn how to comb through everybody's hair looking for bugs.
- With long hair that could be a problem.
- You have to rough it if you are going to be a caveman. No razors to shave with.
Dick:
- Native Americans might really like this tribute to them.
- It all has to be very clean and proper.
- G-rated always.
- No bad publicity of any kind.
- It all a cross between simulated reality and acting.
- Its "Survivor" TV show qualities would appeal to some, but you don't get voted off.
- It is not to be Indian Pueblo Cultural Center era, but earlier.
- Cromagnon and Neanderthal, maybe.
- Close to "Clan of the Cave Bear" living, which would be a good model for the project.
- Camp life at its most realistic
- Size of the living environment - the bigger the better within reason.
- Would people pay to participate? Probably! Sort of like Summer camp to some.
- Film studio might pay big money to film here.
- Lots of plants and vegetation, so Bio Park can help design it.
- On zoo property so you hear the roar of the lions at night and the howler monkey calls at dawn, and all the other sights, sounds, and smells.
- Or Natural History museum project located at the Balloon park
- A stand alone commercial caveman theme park would not make it financially is my best guess, but partnered with the zoo and paid for with City money or bond issues, I think it might work.
- Good publicity needs to be gotten via newspapers and TV concerning a person or persons who would chosen to live there day and night and maybe year round.
[This post begun on Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 3:47 PM MST]
