I thought Thursday's in-class lecture about transculturation was very interesting. It was one of those concepts that I was aware of but didn't know the proper terminology or name, so it was nice to learn a bit about that. As of right now, my understanding of transculturation is when new cultural elements or practices are introduced to a person or community. This person or community then adopts some of these practices, at the price of the loss/alteration of some of their cultural practices or traditions. I'm curious about if the residential boarding schools for Native American youth were an example of transculturation. These children were forced to adopt different cultural practices, such as speaking English instead of their native language. To be honest, I'm still a little bit confused about the line between transculturation and forced cultural assimilation impacting/altering another culture. I think it's interesting to consider how often a consensual cultural exchange happens in our world. Too often, transculturation is forced on communities, causing forced assimilation. I also think that it's interesting to consider how, when I think about transculturation, my mind immediately goes to the past. While I associate this term with past events, I am trying to stay diligent and aware about the fact that transculturation is not an issue of the past. It has been an issue and continues to be one.
Hey Audrey! I really like your point about remembering to not just think about transculturation in the past. The sharing, adoption, and evolution of cultural practices is something that still continues to this day. I wonder if historians would consider the internet and social media to be facilitators of transculturation? I think they definitely help traditionally disempowered cultures become more seen. In my research excursion, for instance, I'm learning about modern government officials using a traditional Aboriginal practice to help reduce carbon emissions in Australia. This is just one example of transculturation occuring in the present, and hopefully in a beneficial way.
ReplyDeleteHey Audrey! I really like your point about thinking of transculturation as being in the past, when that must not be true. The world is more diverse than its ever been and lots of small communities with their own cultures creating new ones with the people around them must happen everyday.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct--transculturation happens today, everywhere. Once you know and understand the term, I think it's easier to identify it in unexpected, everyday places.
DeleteHey Audrey, I also believe there is a blurred line between transculturation and forced assimilation. From what I learned in history classes, many of the European colonizers who brought their cultures to the Americas forced it onto the indigenous populations. Later generations of these indigenous people would adopt the customs of the colonizers to alter it into something that resonated with them. It's interesting because it seems like "transculturation" can often happen as a result of forced assimilation.
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