Just another dent in the damage…

After reading Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials I’ve been interested in finding out more about trepanning, which is used in his books by the Tartars to increase consciousness by attracting the mysterious substance, Dust. According to Mo Costandi’s illustrated history of trepanation it is ‘the oldest form of neurosurgery’, involving ‘the removal of a piece of bone from the skull’ (a procedure which has been performed since the prehistoric age). The oldest skull specimen to date is over 7,000 years old and was found at a neolithic burial site of Ensisheim in France. 

But my real interest is really in finding out why such a procedure was and still is used, what effects it has and how it is performed. As with everything in life there isn’t a simple answer to these questions, mostly there’s just speculation and superstitution. Some say that historically the procedure was used to treat brain behaviour resulting in headaches, epilepsy or undiagnosable mental disorders. Others say it was performed as ritual during spiritual gatherings to enhance consciousness or provide a passage for evil demons to escape, whilst others are adamant the procedure was used to treat depressed skull fractures.  

Whatever the reason being generally trepanation has been performed by using a sharp object to make an incision deep enough to expose the skull in order to cut/scrap/saw or drill a hole through to the brain. I think the general idea is to increase the blood flow around the brain to augment activity by arousing particular senses. Nice idea, but all a bit gruesome for my liking. There are some interesting modern day examples though if you fancy reading more about the people who’ve had the pleasure: Peter Halvorson and excerpts from a ‘crazy’ man’s diary.

You might be interested in reading my interview with Heather Perry, who performed a self-trepanation, with Halvorson’s assistance, in 2000.

I’ve always kinda liked Blink 182 but it was mainly because I thought Travis Barker was hot. The guy is a complete DUDE. He gives kids free drum lessons and everything. So when I heard he’d been in a plane crash I was pretty cut up about it. But then the thing that upsets me more is after being a vegetarian for 25 years (!!!!!!!) hes decided to start eating meat again to ’speed up the recovery process’ saying that he needs more protein than that he gets from his protein supplements. Can you believe this?? I think he suffered a seriously bad bump to the head if he thinks protein is only available to vegetarians in supplement form. I’m one of those ‘extreme’ vegetarians… you know, one of those ‘Vegans’ and I quite happily get more than enough protein from my ’strict’ diet of leafy greens, beans, tofu and those amazing little chunks of TVP (that’s textured vegetable protein). 

I need protein from food rather than just protein supplements. I changed my diet. I would do anything I possibly could if they said like “There’s a possibility you might heal faster if you do eat meat or just change your eating habits” so I did. I don’t regret it at all.

Oh Travis please do some research before you believe everything you’re told.

I have a treat in store for all you Sheffield peeps!! My friend Donna and I are organising a showing of Rob Stewart’s Shark Water (click image for details). It’s going to be a great evening of entertainment. For those coming expect a short talk from Giles Lane (ex-SSCS crew member), vegan fish and chips (electricity permitting) and plenty of cakes, a little craft and lots of fun! All money raised will go directly to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to continue in our struggle to protect the seas.

For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth.

Driven by passion fed from a lifelong fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas.

Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.