How do inter-cultural relationships affect the co-existence of different cultures in a region?
Cultural integration helps develop unity in communities leaving together. Equality in valuing different cultural practices where there is no single culture being considered inferior will facilitate peaceful coexistence. Bomba music was an approach based on merging different ethnicities and using them as a standard weapon. Bomba as a genre was first developed in Puerto Rico sometime in 1500 when the trans-Atlantic African slave trade was at its peak. Bomba music style was introduced by enslaved Africans, Taino, and the Spanish cultures as a tool showing their rebellion to the trans-African slave trade. The genre is seen as challenge between the dancers and the drummers where the dancers guide the drummer on the beats to provide. The music style encourages the art of rebellion on the part of the enslaved communities. The slaves had originated from different parts of Africa suffered from language barrier in communication when working in the sugarcane farms, bomba music style, therefore, became their common communication ground. many forms of this genre existed among the slaves as the slaves got separated within different groups and working areas. These groups started using different musical instrument when practicing the genre making it have more forms. African slaves had been forbidden from worship their gods, so bomba songs were then adopted as a way of worship and also an approach to scaring away the evil spirits. The songs emerged as an expression of the extreme slavery undergone by the slaves and at the same time depicted the spiritual strength of the slaves. The slaves used the genre to worship St. James during the festival used in honor of the saint. Before the adoption of the music genre and its international acceptance, the genre was racialized and perceived as black race genre. Approval of the genre into the music industry started when some songwriters like Rafael Cortijo first used the genre in the concert hall. The writer then made the genre popular by distributing the genres idea to America and other parts of the world. Bomba genre is still a community tradition being practiced to date.
What causes the ill relationship between the three cultures of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti living at the left side of Hispaniola?
The main source of the rivalry between the three groups is racism. The black to white ratio in the real cause for discrimination between these countries. Haiti, for instance, has its population made up of 95% black and 5% white, therefore, being considered a nation for the black. The nation, therefore, faces major racial discrimination from the neighboring countries. The Dominican Republic, on the other hand, has its population well distributed among various ethnic groups which are; Indio making up the largest composition with 78%, blacks 15.8%, whites 13% and the other races taking about 0.3%. Lack of equality in valuing different cultural practices where some cultures are considered as being inferior threatens peaceful coexistence and coordination between the three countries. The population distribution on the part of Dominican makes promotes coexistence. The economy of Dominican is higher than that of Haiti with a great margin making the country be discriminated on the economic ground. Haiti is also considered an inferior island; this is because Haiti is weak regarding military strength. The highland lacks an operational army but instead operates with coast guards in securing the island. Dominican and Puerto have active armies. Another viable reason for discrimination of the island is the high spread of HIV/AIDS in the island, the mortality rate as a result of HIV/AIDS is high in the island than in the other two islands. The Dominicans and the Puerto also have an ill relationship due to the racism of the Dominicans. Despite the two communities developing as a result of trans-African Atlantic slave trade, the Dominicans perceives themselves as better Americans than the Puerto. The Dominicans claim that the Puerto are more black, due to this a racial relationship exist between the groups. Dominicans also boost of having their president which the Puerto have not achieved. Haiti’s literacy level is also a valid basis for discrimination by the other islands. The island has the highest level of illiteracy among the three countries. Haiti suffers from a lack of skilled labor more as compared to its neighbors. The illiteracy level being the major cause of this issue, this also leads to high unemployment levels on the part of the island as compared to the other islands. Haiti is also considered as insecure due to its proneness to natural calamities such as the earthquakes whose results are catastrophic. Due to this, the island is avoided by many as a security measure. These calamities also affect the economic progress of the island making it rug behind when compared to its neighbors. Another reason for the ill relationship is the high-risk exposure to major infectious diseases to the Haitians, this makes the country to be avoided and therefore creating the basis for the poor relationship between them.
Reasons why Puerto Rico and Dominican latinidad regret their African origin.
The host communities acknowledge the African Latinos as their citizens despite their African origin. The main source of the regret on the part of the Latinos is high racism levels by the fellow Latin Americans. The black to white ratio in the real cause for discrimination for the Latinos, with the white majority discriminating the blacks and denying them a voice. During census their population is included in describing the country’s total population. Being an African Latino has its own disadvantages making these communities regret being part of the race. The Latinos are discriminated against and suffer from both social inequality as well as political in equality. The Latinos continue to suffer racial discrimination in the hands of their host communities. The African Latinos physical appearance affects their social interaction with the whites. Their African origins make them discriminated against, due to this they live under escalated poverty levels in Latin America. The most fascinating of the race is that despite their discrimination they still celebrate their Latin African cultures. The race has also adopted a positive way of expressing their pain and suffering through hip-hop. The hip-hop genre has not only helped them express their live struggles but has earned them a political voice. Hip-hop has earned the Latinos an avenue for cultural representation while also acting as a unifying factor. Unfair treatment of the Latinos drives their regret for being Africans, their pursuit of justice and fairness always met with high opposition. Human is social beings the Latinos, unfortunately, lack the avenue to freely socialize which leads to high regrets. Lack of cultural integration hinders unity in communities leaving together
How do understanding other peoples culture and music heritage affects the inter-cultural co-existence?
Authenticity is the measure of originality when the culture losses the core purpose of its cultural practices it can lead to losing on the heritage. Cultural integration helps develop unity in communities leaving together. Respect to other people’s cultural beliefs and traditions help achieve beneficial coexistence between cultures. Equality in valuing different cultural practices where there is no single culture being considered inferior will facilitate peaceful coexistence. Commercialization of a cultural practices may lead the event losing on its intended meaning since the third parties involved may perceive a cultural practice from a monetary perspective rather than concentrating on its authentic value to the host culture. Some songs have different purposes and season based on a given cultural belief, understanding these songs, therefore, means understanding the cultural practices of the respective culture. Coexistence between cultures is possible after understanding the beliefs and practices of the other cultures involved. Socialization between the cultures provides economic benefits to the cultures involved. Exposing the cultural arts between cultures will offer an opportunity to commercialize this artwork and earn extra economic benefits to the cultures involved. Understanding the music heritage also allow the other members of a given culture to follow and observe the traditions practiced by their predecessors. Migra corrido song, for instance, was used to provide information about the suffering undergone by the migrant as they strive to change their living status. The song described harsh conditions faced by immigrants, for instance, women getting raped at the border. The songs also gave the information about the current situation at the other end after crossing the border. The societies members had been convinced that the practice brought about better living standards to the immigrants. The songs are therefore aimed at changing the perception of the fellow society members who perceived the boarder closing as the rite of passage. The songs were aimed at discouraging the Mexican from undertaking the practice.
Unit 2. Questions
Does the commercialization concept affect the authenticity of the cultural values and practices by altering their intended purpose?
What implications does commercialization have on an inter-generation transfer of cultural practices and will the future generations observe these cultural practices with the same tradition perception as the current generation?
Does commercialization cause creation of hybrid cultural practices as the communities try to add value to the traditional practices to leap more economic benefits from the traditional practices?
Does commercialization affect the intended purpose of a given cultural practice causing it to loose on its primary purpose?
Does cultural practices commercialization have other traditional implication such as consequences to the society involved?
Unit 3. Questions
How effectively do the songs influence the immigrant’s plans of undertaking the practice based on the immigrant’s beliefs pertaining the practice?
Does playing the songs on radio stations enable to reach the intended audience effectively?
Do the composed songs motivate the immigrants to pursue justice from their oppressors for the sake of their fellow immigrants?
Do the songs reflect the situation on the ground concerning the immigrant’s fate?
Why doesn’t the composed songs compel the immigrants from undertaking the practice of crossing the border?