Module III - Cultural History

Essential Question: What is culture?  How can it be defined?

To define culture is to take this extremely large idea and try to cram it into a small box.  Its definition is complex, and deserves much more than just a fast and easy answer.  It becomes difficult to define because it is possible for people to identify with more than one culture, based on their environment, family, etc.  Parts of a culture can also change and adapt over time.  In Rosman, Rubel, and Weisgrau’s book, The Tapestry of Culture: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, they write that “cultures were ever separate bounded entities…the characterizations of one culture have always spread from one culture to another” (p. 5).

A cultural mosaic

But if I had to define culture I one swift sentence, I believe that it describes the beliefs and values shared by a group of people.  The word culture can be used to describe and incorporate the lifestyles, traditions, language, and even food of that group of people.  Depending on what cultural group we hail from, it can impact how we view the rest of the world and interact with others.

In order to characterize and understand a culture, it is important to know the history of that culture.  In the “Philosophical Foundations” (2004) article on the AK History and Cultures Website, the author addresses the value of history:

The study of Alaska cultures and history is useful and important for helping us to understand how human life has developed in this region, this state.  It’s important for helping us understand what challenges people have faced and how they met them, and how the process shaped their lives and their culture.  Alaska’s various people and their histories affect us today; we did not create the world we live in; it was created for us by those who went before us.

Because history is alive and always changing, so is culture.  Of course, there are traditions and values that are passed from generation to generation.  When a culture faces new challenges or developments, parts of the culture may adapt without completely losing focus of its long-standing history.

Examine Question: What are some examples of cultural contact that represent adaptation, adoption, resistance, assimilation, acculturation?

Adoption: To take as one's own, especially an idea, principle, or a religion and henceforth live with it and by it.  In Native societies, the shaman was viewed as having the healing power that provided the people with good health.  When smallpox was first introduced to Alaska in the 1700’s, shamans were no longer useful in warding off or curing the disease.  A Russian Orthodox clergy was able to provide the smallpox vaccination for anyone who needed it.  Because of the vaccine’s effectiveness, many natives turned to the Orthodox church and adopted many of its values and beliefs.

Saint Michael's Russian Orthodox Church in Sitka, 1887

Resistance: The refusal to accept or comply with something.  One issue that is still a point of contention today is that of Alaska Native’s rights for subsistence.  From a cultural standpoint, Alaska lands had traditionally been used by Native societies as “uses of fish and animals for food, shelter, fuel, clothing, tools, and transportation, implying a continuous dependence on the resources over time” (“The Alaska Natives,” p. 97).  This issue has caused a division of ideas, with some believing that the government should support rural rights, whereas others think the state’s natural resources should be tapped without regard to traditional use.

Assimilation: the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another.  In the early 1900’s, the United States passed the Dawes Act, which divided land into singular units for Native Americans in an order to ‘civilize’ the people.  The American dominant society (Western-European) wanted to assimilate the Native societies into their culture.  Unfortunately, the Native males were often given rights to lands that were not adjacent, thereby breaking up the society’s unit. In “The Alaska Natives” by Fae Korsmo, she writes that the Dawes Act “failed to assimilate Native Americans or to eliminate the tribe as a fundamental unit” (p. 81).  Resistance to the new laws resulted in a repeal of the Act, and turned land rights back over to the Native societies.

Evaluation

Even though the content available for this week’s module was extensive, I found myself seeking other resources that were more specific to topics that I found appealing and wanted to know more about.  I’ve also had a lot of experience researching Native culture in Washington state, and found it interesting that as different as the history and cultures may be of each tribe, the interactions with the Western culture is eerily familiar.

Blog Reviews

Brad discussed the issue of teachers bringing their own culture, experiences, histories, etc. into the classroom and sharing it with their students.  I liked how he addressed that teachers have to be aware that they do in fact share their culture – it is not invisible, and can impact their teaching practices.

Peter addressed the critical need for understanding of Alaskan cultures, past and present.  Without knowledge of the history between Native societies and early explorers and settlers, there can be a misconception about the current state of Native cultures.

Heather looked at the beliefs and values of the Alaska Native groups.  She pointed out that several of them are universal – working hard, showing respect for the land, sharing, etc.  She also mentioned that each culture’s values can be specified due to their Place, and address the particular needs of that tribe.