Culture Unit: The Power of Tradition

Culture Unit: The Power of Tradition
In our Culture Unit, we have been studying the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that are passed down from generation to generation, and the occasional conflict that occurs when there are shifts or differences in ways of thinking. These sorts of conflicts are often our most challenging, because by their nature, they challenge our identity. What do I mean by that? The word tradition comes from a root word which means "to deliver": traditions are, then, those beliefs and customs that have been passed down to us, and which  consequently shape who we are. We inherit these things, these traditions, from our parents, and from our parents parents, and help establish our membership in our family's continuity; they help identify us in a particular tradition. This speaks to our heritage, and it is what we will pass on to our children; it is the first, and in many ways, one of the most powerful shapers of our personality. On the other hand, tradition can be one of the wackiest, most bizarre aspects of our cultural identity. 


Think, for example, about what you did with your family over Christmas break. Many of you participated in some sort of gift-giving tradition, had some sort of food-related traditions, and maybe some church-related traditions. Or think about any recent birthdays you celebrated; many of you had cake to celebrate that birthday. Why is that? What about that particular food item makes it especially appropriate for someone's birthday? Why aren't birthday pies or birthday soups more popular? Well, that's just the way things have been for our families, so that's what we will continue to do--and, that's why we'll continue to do it. Because "that's just what we do," and that's was helps define us as a culture.

When I returned to San Jose from visiting my family this Christmas, one of the first things I did was go to the grocery story and buy black-eyed peas for New Years--and, I might add, I was lucky to nab the last bag of them, for they had nearly sold out. This is something that my family has done for as long as I can remember. My mother's side of the family is from the South, and it is a family tradition among them to eat black-eyed peas on New Years, for good luck. So, I purchased (and soaked) the beans on New Year's Eve, and cooked and ate them with my housemates on New Year's Day. I called my parents to inform them that the deed had been done, and then sent them text-message photo proof that I had, in fact, cooked them myself (rather than buying them in a can!). What makes black-eyed peas lucky on New Years? The same thing that makes cake appropriate on birthdays, and presents appropriate for Christmas. The same reason why it's (usually) turkey on Thanksgiving, and candy on Halloween. It is a part of a long-standing tradition that helps define who we are, because that is what we do. Some traditions have more meaning and history than others, but that does not diminish their power. 


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You may respond to this blog as part of the extra credit assignment; please check the directions blog below for important notes regarding your extra-credit opportunities!

QUESTION TO CONSIDER:
Think of a tradition that is unique to your family; interview an older family member and find out where or how the tradition started, and share that story. Also reflect on how that particular tradition "fits" your family--in other words, how does that tradition help others understand your family's personality or heritage?

Culture Unit: The Power of Ritual

Culture Unit: The Power of Ritual
As we wrap up our reading of the first two cultural literature units and begin our writing process, I think it important that we take a step back and look at some aspects of culture that are significant and worth analyzing. When you think about it, nearly every aspect of our lives in some way has to do with culture--the cultures we belong to, as well as the ones we are opposed to. That concept, "culture," encompasses so many things in our lives: who we are (age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.), who we are (thoughts, actions, behaviors, beliefs, biases, etc.), and who we are (roles, expectations, privileges, disadvantages, etc.). "Culture" is something that we have a symbiotic relationship to; it is both something we define and something that defines us--something we shape and something that shapes us. It is inextricably bound to our identities.


One aspect of culture that we've looked at in literature and explored in our own personal lives is tradition, customs and rituals. These are the things we do that have been passed down for generations, or that may be even newly formed; these are things we may do or participate in without fully understanding their meaning, but realizing their significance. And these traditions, customs, and rituals have a great deal of power in our lives. Take, for your consideration, an example:


* Not too long ago, I shared with you an article about the booming funeral industry in Taiwan. We've seen this idea--the importance of funeral rites--in many ways in the literature we've read so far. Last semester, we talked about how death was an important part of Greek society, not just because a glorified death cemented the ascension of the hero, but also because a proper funeral guaranteed his entrance into the afterlife. When we looked at this more recently in the African and Middle East units, we saw that the death and the funeral had much different significance, mostly because of very different ideas about what happens after death in those particular cultures. I mentioned to you in our discussions in our society today, the power of that funeral rite is for the survivor, not the deceased, that this is a way for those left behind to cope and deal and answer the questions that we've been asking since we as humans had language: what happens to us when we die, and what is the meaning of our lives once they are over? It would be shocking to our sensibilities for someone to die and not be buried, or have a memorial of some sort. Therein, perhaps, is the power in that ritual, that "rite of passage": it is something that signifies the transition that is being made.


Since the start of the year, I myself experienced the passing of a close family friend, and experienced the very emotional memorial services; there was definitely something inherent in the ritual itself that allowed for closure, which would have been lost had there been none. Perhaps, then, rituals give us a way of understanding the inexplicable, of coping with the unbearable, of addressing the unimaginable, of making sense of the world around us.


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You may respond to this blog as part of the extra credit assignment; please check the directions blog below for important notes regarding your extra-credit opportunities!


QUESTION TO CONSIDER:

Think of a ritual that you've participated in (for example, the wearing of ashes at the onset of Lent). Research the origins of that ritual and explain how that particular ceremony came to be. Also, reflect on the power or significance that the ritual has for you personally.

Semester 2 Oratory Thread (Respond here for Oral Presentations)

For your oral presentations this semester, you will need to do two "Research Lites" and post them to this comment thread.  I have started one below as an example. You will be evaluated on the insight of your comments, and your accompanying write-up. You will give a 1-2 minute oral presentation; to prepare for Research Lites, you will do academic internet research on a topic of your choosing relevant to a unit of study. Areas include: Africa, the Middle East, India, China/Japan, and Latin America. Topics vary, and should include current events. One great source may be online news articles, or other outside reading you have done. This may be scholarly research (from the library databases page)—you may NOT use Wikipedia or non-academic/news internet sites. These may be a good place to start, but you need to use authoritative research. This will be similar to (but not identical to) your powerpoint group presentations, on a much smaller scale. Your posting should include the source of the research.

Semester 2 Extra Credit

Guidelines: You may earn up to 20pts of extra credit per semester by completing the following tasks. The points will be added to the homework category. All written portions of the extra credit assignments must typed with the proper MLA heading and formatting. Performance assessments MUST be approved by me; please check in with me before starting a large project to make sure it is scholarly and falls within the academic objectives! Note: Extra credit is intended mainly for those who need a small boost to supplement their efforts; it is not intended to replace the normal credit of what’s assigned. If you are missing several homework assignments, or your average for the class is 91% or higher, you should speak with me before embarking on these additional assignments.

Option A: Blogging
Similar to last semester’s Oratory presentations, you may post a comment on the class blog for extra credit.

For Blog Responses, you will read through a lecture on the blog and write a ½ page reflection synthesizing the information. You should generate critical questions, and/or highlight stimulating points of interest and relevance to you. Also, you should directly respond to any questions posed in the blog.

Blogs must be free of grammatical errors and in the ballpark of 200-250 words for credit. Each posting is worth 1pt. You may complete up to ten (10) this semester, for a total of 10 points. You are, however, limited to responding once per blog entry (so, in other words, you cannot do more than one response for the same blog).


Option B: Performance Assessment
This project is designed to give you another opportunity to refine your public speaking skills. Alone or with a partner, you will work independently to bring awareness to a cultural issue or an aspect of your culture that is important and relevant. This may range from analyzing current world events, to exploring and sharing your own heritage, to examining a subculture here at school. There are no limits to that topic, with the only expectations that you focus on the cultural significance. For your presentations, you will be required to do the following:


Presentation: You must present your finding to the class in 2-3 minutes. Each team member must have equal presentation time (2-3 minutes each). This must be “live” (no word-for-word readings or videos). However, you MAY create a short film, skit, dance, etc., as long as you are able to speak to the class briefly about your project and discoveries.
Summary: When you present, you will need to turn in a 1- to 2-page summary of your project. First you should describe what you decided to do, and how you approached the task. Then, you should describe your discoveries and what conclusions you arrived at. This should have the tone of a lab report: describe your initial hypothesis, your approach and findings, and how it relates to the “bigger picture.”

The project will be worth up to 10pts, and the write-up will be worth up to 5pts; you may complete one (1) performance assessment per semester for a total of 15 points. NOTE: These projects must be approved by me ahead of time!

* As most places of business do, I reserve the right to “refuse service” on project proposals. Moreover, “up to” means that project completion is not an automatic guarantee of points; the project must still be of high quality.