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Melina Laboucan-Massimo
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Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
February 19, 2004 - 06:58 AM
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I find there is a fine line which sometimes gets blurred regarding the issue of sharing one's culture to engender understanding amongst ethnic groups and the exploitation of a culture for profit and irreverent entertainment and/or tourism. This has been a raging topic for many Indigenous groups. What is your take on this?
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ictstardotstar
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Re: Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
February 20, 2004 - 04:51 AM
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I dont really think that line gets blurred.
I think some people just seem to be opportunists and would do anything to seek personal rewards/favours all in the name of culture.It happens in all spheres of life and not perculiar to cultural issues alone.
We all need to be on the lookout and protect our cultural heritage.
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Eric Nicolas Schneider
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Re: Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
February 20, 2004 - 07:49 AM
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Maybe it depends on HOW culture is being shared and re-learned.
It appears to me that most people have NO IDEA about what culture IS... and thereby ignore, exploit or destroy it... even unknowingly.
an approach to understanding culture in the big picture that I appreciate:
(1) worldview gives rise to (2) ethical values and priorities (bottom values), which are (3) applied in everyday behaviour, and are (4) reflected in works of art, dance etc... what is kind of considered as culture.
Art and dance etc of traditional people mostly (always) have meaning - relating to the un/seen worlds (=worldview), thus reminding people of the way things are and of how to behave in a balanced way. Yet, all these visible expressions (4) are just the top of the iceberg: "Culture is like an iceberg. It is the unseen aspects which give birth to and influence the seen ones." (World Wise School of the Peace Corps) So: spirituality (respect and sharing, opposed to accumulating and demanding) is inherent in all traditional cultural expression. - which the modern world does not know / perceive.
And here starts the problem, because the industrial population has LOST the deep understanding of culture (the invisible roots, which is worldview (relationship between individual with the whole, living and unseen, e.g. "earth belongs to humans" or "humans belong to mother earth" ). Today, we are witnessing a search for the roots, but many people only deal with the surface for superficial things, or are FULL of their economic worldview (=exploit as you like).
This is what triggers the bottom line criticism of traditionals. Many adults (and the industry) jumping on the alternatve healing band wagon, and also many New Age seekers - only take what pleases and heals them but do not change their lifestyle to a sharing way.
But CAN YOU look at others without looking at YOURSELF at the same time? To me, intercultural education takes a whole lot: taking the "modern urbans" out of their box, and showing them their own unseen aspects of culture... worldview / ethical values ... and this they don't want to do, because it is inseperably related to treating their everyday behaviour. And when set in the context of the traditional worldview and ethics, this always leads to mirroring the urbans' destructive behaviour towards the planet.
Am I far OFF the point?
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Melina Laboucan-Massimo
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Re: Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
February 24, 2004 - 04:03 AM
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I think your points are interesting and valid. However, there is one concern that I have heard voiced from Indigenous peoples that has made me take a double take at cultural sharing and cultural exploitation. In the past, many Indigenous worldviews, beliefs and traditions have been shunned by the dominant cultures as something primitive and "uncivilized". For example, the concept of not believing in ownership of property i.e. land and reforming landscape (or destroying nature) for profit was seen as unprogressive and backwards, however, today we are seeing the harsh repercussions of these actions.
Since the beginning of colonization many Indigenous groups experienced an assault on their cultures whereby they were denied the right to speak their native languages, practice their traditions, customs and spiritual ceremonies. This caused a break down in Native communities and disrupted or even severed the practicing and teaching of our cultural traditions for a long period of time even until today where many Indigenous young people continue to be estranged from their own culture and language. Which brings me to my point: Many Indigenous groups are just now beginning to recuperate and recover their culture. Therefore some Indigenous People feel and see that outside interest eg. new age seekers) is an intrusion on their culture and sacred traditions because they feel the need to strengthen themselves and their communities before having extensive exposure and outside influence.
On the other hand, I do not disagree with cultural sharing because I do feel it engenders cultural understanding and tolerance amongst diverse cultures, however, I feel that Indigenous groups should be consulted before people decide to make a display of Indigenous groups and as in all things, the statement: 'Everything in moderation', in terms of how much should be shared, should be heeded.
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Eric Nicolas Schneider
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Re: Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
February 26, 2004 - 09:26 AM
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Originally posted by melina_lm
On the other hand, I do not disagree with cultural sharing because I do feel it engenders cultural understanding and tolerance amongst diverse cultures, however, I feel that Indigenous groups should be consulted before people decide to make a display of Indigenous groups and as in all things, the statement: 'Everything in moderation', in terms of how much should be shared, should be heeded.
I agree: do we have best practice examples of indigenous groups sharing their "cultural knowhow" with "interested outsiders"? Is there a MODEL FOR A CULTURE CENTRE, run by traditionals knowledgible in "both worlds", thus a "translation centre" from "natural" to seeking "industrial" minds and hearts?
Please excuse the exaggeration / generalization in terms; I chose them to underline the (invisible) difference in how people tick.
((In Berlin, the idea of an indigenous embassy has been around for a few years,... this would be such an intercultural education centre, RUN BY RECOGNIZED TRADITIONALS. How about establishing Indigenous embassies around the world! covering all issues from culture / politics to visit programmes...))
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Carlos
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What do we mean by culture?
April 8, 2004 - 05:58 AM
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I think that we are confusing the terms Culture for that of values.
Culture implies the very forms of manifestations of values, principals... but also of the counter-values and counter-principals. Culture is all that we do in relation to our surrounding, as it is the very process of providing context and meaning to human relationship and existence.
Traditional rituals and sacred symbolic represetations are a part of culture; or cultural manifestations, but they are not culture itself. Rituals and sacred symbols reenforce the memory of principals of identity and vision for a community. But it does not have control of cultural change, since it is not invulnerable to outside changes (as culture is).
Culture is truly sovereign (in the aboriginal form of freedom), the wind.
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Melina Laboucan-Massimo
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Re: Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
April 8, 2004 - 06:26 AM
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I think you are missing the point of the whole reason why I started this thread. Sure, let culture be 'free' and be shared. However, it should not be sold as a commodity to profit people who are not even from that cultural group.
I was wondering what you meant by:
Culture is truly sovereign (in the aboriginal form of freedom), the wind.
Is it a specific Aboriginal teaching?
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Carlos
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?
April 8, 2004 - 07:25 AM
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I am not sure if I am or not missing the point. I am just making a point that culture can't be appropriated or sold.
Manifestations of culture can be sold and appropriated, but culture itself can not be.
Anyhow, I think that the term sovereignty has a historical and cultural line within the discourse of main-stream media and politics. But the reality is that the term is used to describe true individual contextualizations in other discoursive streams.
Appropriation is always relative.
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Carlos
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Culture as property?
April 8, 2004 - 12:29 PM
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How can you not share or export culture?
Culture is a phenomena of consciousness.
It is a network of meanings and liminal interactions between the objective and subjective elements of human existance, within the contexts of specific communities.
Territoriality is not a matter of objective limitation for culture, but it is rather, a matter of time.
A human being or group can define and identify a system or arrangement of meanings and relationships as being of their domain. But it would be a bit of a strech to say that the culture is static, or that is has static moments, and it would be pointless to say that it is containable.
Even groups like groups like a large and 'powerful' multinational corporation, like Boeing (sp.) can't claim to have absolute control to their relationship to the world. A meaningful manifestation which proves my point is the attack in the WTC via the use of two large passenger planes.
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Melina Laboucan-Massimo
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Re: Cultural Sharing vs. Cultural Exploitation
April 8, 2004 - 12:51 PM
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It isn't about having control over one's culture - it is about respect. And when people begin to sell culture (i.e. Aboriginal culture) for the pursuit of profit, the 'multi-corp' is disrespecting the rights and culture of the group. Yes, I agree culture does indeed change over time and it is not static, but the traditions and the objects associated with these traditions are still sacred. Culture isn't something that should be sold, or else we would ALL look like pop culture idols (and many do). Culture in the tradtional sense is a form of human expression that is past on from generations to generations. I am not saying it is wrong to share one's culture with others which is a great way to engender cross-cultural understanding and tolerance, but what i am saying is that when a group's culture is sold for profit (i.e. exploitation), we are missing the point of what really culture is. Instead culture becomes something we can buy thus allowing it to become any other commodity. And that is a sad world when we get to this point which has happened with many other things things in our world.
"Only After the Last Tree Has Been Cut Down
Only After the Last River Has Been Poisoned
Only After the Last Fish Has Been Caught
Then Will You Find that Money Cannot Be Eaten"
-- Cree Prophecy --
There has to be some form of respect for life, culture, the environment or else when all things become commodified, we end up with a world that disrespects the lives of others, the beliefs and traditions of others, the natural environment, and kills people for profit or to assert their power. When things are no longer respected or considered sacred, we end up destroying ourselves and our planet.
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