Stuart Hall argues that ‘Culture’ is one of the most difficult and complex words to define. Its meaning seems subjective and is constantly evolving in my opinion. I use the word “Culture” to define a person’s exposure to art, literature and cuisine in relationship to Western society; however, anthropologically Hall defines Culture in two ways. One; from the traditional model as a shared culture or collective, or a rediscovery of identity and two; the cultural model, as acknowledging deep significant difference, an identity in constant transformation. Therefore, if culture is something that is difficult to define and subject to change, then how can we characterize a group of Diasporas people? Diaspora is any group of people forced to leave their homeland. The Palestinian HipHop band DAM brought up some meaningful points about transnationalism and the way in which modern society or cultures integrate aspects of different cultures to form their own unique hybridity. For a culture to be Diasporas they must first move to a country carrying all the traditions and lifestyles that they had in their homeland. As well as successfully return to their homeland, unchanged or implicated by their host country. Clearly the intention is that Diasporas will return to their homeland, as that is one of the main defining features of a Diasporas group, however, I question whether they can enter a different country without being informed by the new culture to return to where they once lived. It is apparent that with the band DAM, citizens who are situated in their own country are influenced by Western Culture. I find it exceptionally difficult to consider that a migrating group enters North America without knowing the Western characteristics that are portrayed in Mass Media. So it appears that Migrants would enter North America assuming that they would have a better life or achieve the American Dream. Therefore with Diasporas groups, irregardless of their intention to return to their homeland would be influenced by the Western community. On the other hand, does moving to another country with the intention of returning to a homeland change their recollection of their homeland by idealizing it? Can Diasporas really return to what they once knew? How does this perpetuate displacement?
Diaspora and culture both offer complexities and defining problems. It seems to me, Kait, that remaining a diasporic group, one that is not shaped by the country of migration or immigration is strongly related to the desire to embrace the culture, or merely experience the aspects that were missing within one's own country.
ReplyDeleteWe are products of our communities, so if we assume that moving away will rid us of our origins,we are wrong. Additionally, the group of people that seeks to forget their origins are bound to seek to integrate and are shaped and reshaped by the North American discourses and ways of life.
Contrastingly however, those who look at their home country as the promised land, will hold dear to themselves the idea of a return as well as their particular culture. These are often individuals forming communities that are shaped but to a limited degree, since other groups which are even more resistant to change as a result of their "otherness" are bound to be more focused on their nation and on retaining their identity, to the degree that they isolate themselves in cultural islands of safety and comfort.
Resistance is often futile, in my opinion, but it is the resistance that gives birth to the living hybrid and a dichotomy of identity.