Hi Bloggers,
I have recently read an article about Cultural Awareness that caught my attention... They stated that in order to know our own culture, we must learn about others'. The cultural awareness comes from comparing other cultures with our own. Although I see this statement as being credible as I've experienced it for myself, some people have firmly argued that we know nothing about our culture and that we must know our culture, hence teach it to our students before ever teaching another culture. Of course, I can understand that we are not very in tune with the characteristics of our own Canadian culture, but I must say that in knowing how one culture dresses in traditional occasions, or in knowing that one culture has tea in the afternoon while another has a siesta, I think it tells us a lot about who we are. We begin to think about our own traditions in reflecting on what we do in the afternoons, do we take a nap? Do we have coffee and cookies? What are our cultural traditions?? What is our traditional food? What represents our culture?
I feel like these questions appear when we explore other cultures because in knowing what THEY do, we want to discover our own customs.
What do you think?
I have recently read an article about Cultural Awareness that caught my attention... They stated that in order to know our own culture, we must learn about others'. The cultural awareness comes from comparing other cultures with our own. Although I see this statement as being credible as I've experienced it for myself, some people have firmly argued that we know nothing about our culture and that we must know our culture, hence teach it to our students before ever teaching another culture. Of course, I can understand that we are not very in tune with the characteristics of our own Canadian culture, but I must say that in knowing how one culture dresses in traditional occasions, or in knowing that one culture has tea in the afternoon while another has a siesta, I think it tells us a lot about who we are. We begin to think about our own traditions in reflecting on what we do in the afternoons, do we take a nap? Do we have coffee and cookies? What are our cultural traditions?? What is our traditional food? What represents our culture?
I feel like these questions appear when we explore other cultures because in knowing what THEY do, we want to discover our own customs.
What do you think?
4 commentaires:
Hi Viky, thank you for leaving another comment on my blog. I just read your latest post and I think that it is possible to teach another culture without really having to spend a certain number of classes looking at our own culture. I believe that the contrast can be made as you go along, comparing one aspect of our culture with another. Also, as Canadians, it is hard to isolate the specific rituals and customs which make us Canadian, though these factors probably exist. I believe that this process would be easier if you compare other cultures to our own as Quebecers instead of Canadians because there is more diversity and uniqueness there.
To answer your previous question, yes, I come from a shared cultural background. My father is Irish and my mother is French Canadian. I was raised more Irish than French Canadian though, and yes, there is always one side that takes control over the other. I believe that when you are given two cultural paths to follow, you will always identify with one more than the other.
How about you?
Hi Viky,
Interesting posts... I tend to agree with you in that our culture becomes evident only in comparison to the culture of others.
When I lived overseas for a year, I became acutely aware of my Canadian-ness whereas before, I had only a vague sense of personal culture. It was through living in another western country, thought to be quite similar to my own, that the nuances of being Canadian became apparent. Thus the experience of another culture (Belgian) gave me perspective on my own identity.
As for Vince's argument that Quebecois culture is more diverse and unique than Canadian culture, I disagree. However, I do think it is likely easier to define a Quebec culture as a Quebecer (than for an Ontario-an defining Ontario culture) because such Quebec/Canada comparisons are pervasive in the media and Quebec popular culture. To play the devil's advocate - I wonder if the sense of Quebec culture would be as strong without having the rest of Canadian culture to compare it to?
Thanks for your comment Diane!! I appreciate your example of when you went to Belgium. I also think that living in a Foreign place, we get to see how different our own way of living is.
I must say that I agree with you in disagreeing with Vince... I think that every culture is quite unique and to say that Quebecers are more diverse and unique simply shows the lack of knowledge regarding Canadian Culture. As I explained in my message, I find it important to get in touch with other cultures in order to see the beauties of our own... However, I do not think that it is completely possible to assume that one knows about another culture upon reading about it. The living experiences speak more for themselves than books - which are an excellent source for sparking one's interest in a culture, don't get me wrong.
There are many Cultural elements of Canada that I am not aware of, because of my Quebecer state. That is why I think it important to have an English Canadian point of view.
Again, thanks for commenting :)
Interesting debate. Myself, I have lived all over Canada (3 coasts including the far north) and most recently spend a few years in Quebec before moving to Ottawa. I have also worked as a physician in northern Canadian native communities and even in the middle East (the latter with the armed forces). So although I am a white caucasian male and have never had the "minority" experience, I have seen enough pieces to know that as a country we are extremely diverse, probably more so than other countries whom have had borders drawn up based on their distinctiveness. Melting pot or cultural mosaic?? Hard to say. But I agree generally that it is easier to be distinct relative to what exists in your geographical area.... I don't think Quebec is more distinct that Newfoundland or the far north for example (far from it) but it has been a mainstream focus for so long that the topic is, as Diane suggests, more pervasive...
CMM
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