How Grug even begin Grug’s analysis of Mammoth Cavepainting Universe? It am cultural touchstone, the likes of which cavemankind have not seen since the painting “Harg Stonecarver and Very Large Rock.” Like painting of Harg, though, Mammoth Cavepainting Universe (or for short, 𓃰𓆣𓃦) am complicated, coiled up on it self like great Sky-Snake.
Grug suppose Grug will start with disclaimer. Grug love Mammoth stories. Grug grow up with tale of “Cave Bear Man and the Disemboweling of Unnuki, Tiger Woman.” Grug still take time to look at new cave paintings sometimes, and even enjoy some, like “Cave Bear Man Return to Disembowel Sloth Beast.” But new cavepaintings am often trite, shallow, and meaningless.
Firstly, Grug will examine repetitiveness. Grug acknowledge that all stories am based off of others, which in turn were all based off of the First Story, stolen from Sky-Snake by Little Red Wolf. But when Mammoth paintings have same structure every time, same story of disemboweling and of the hero Stone Man, Grug grow tired.
Not only that, but Grug say Mammoth paintings am meaningless spectacle. Sure, painting with rare blue powder am impressive, but it am wasted if message am meaningless. All beautiful horse paintings in world cannot redeem the nonsense plot of “Horse Rider from East Devour Sun.”
More seriously and similar to the case of shaman Jog Krog Redelk’s Harg Stonecarver, many Mammoth paintings have uncomfortable elements. While Grug admire dedication to representation, Grug think it not genuine; instead, it ploy to gain viewing and fame, perhaps even recognition from Sky-Snake. Grug’s mother am of Tiger-Pelt Clan; to see Tiger-Pelts only as villains for six paintings only for “Tiger Woman Unnuki” to misrepresent storied Tiger-Pelt tradition am frustrating, to say least.
Grug no am cynic, but neither am he idealist; he know that many genre have heyday and bit of low-quality painting never hurt anyone. But Grug do wish that cavepeople diversify interests and consume paintings by independent shamans as well. Personally, Grug recommend somber sequel to “Mork Eat Bison” entitled “Mork No Eat Bison.”
