This is just a very quick follow-up. My recent post, Not (Exactly) about El Sistema, has been one of my most-commented-upon. I should have realized that using El Sistema (in particular) to bring up an issue that really was not about that program specifically could be a tactical error. Most comments were, understandably, about El Sistema in particular. For that I am glad. It is a wonderful program from which there are many lessons to be learned. So, for the record, let me repeat that I am very enthusiastic about El Sistema as a program and as a model. I also do understand a few things about globalization and the inter-permeability of cultures. At the same time, I have a nagging concern that it is European- and U.S.-rooted culture that in many (most?) cases is “winning” the globalization game, due largely to media and merchandising forces. (The fact to which one commenter alluded, that Indians and Pakistanis quickly took up and mastered soccer and cricket during and after British colonization, does not make this a moot issue.) But none of this is about El Sistema.
The real intent of my original post was to raise a principle that is important for those who work in the arts and community engagement. I don’t want to lose sight of it as a result of the discussions about El Sistema in particular. The issue is the need for awareness of and respect for cultural differences. Those of us steeped in a dominant culture are seldom aware of the fact that we are products of it. It is easy to take our cultural heritage as a given and look at others as “foreign.” I am simply advocating, for those whose heritage is rooted in the Western tradition, to adopt a habit of self-examination in developing relationships with peoples and cultural expressions outsider our native heritage. Another way of thinking about this is as “cultural humility”: simply Cultural Awareness 101.
Now, go make the world a better place with art.
Engage!
Doug
Hi Doug – I think it brought some fascinating commentary out of the woodwork, and enabled us all to think far more deeply about the subject of the “cultural heritage” vs. “cultural supremacy”. I don’t think that anyone who commented missed your point really – some particularly wanted to pick up on the El Sistema points you made, which is a fairly significant and topical issue for many of us – particularly the practitioners.
Speaking for myself, I did get what you were trying to say. I just didn’t think that El Sistema was an example of cultural domineering by its practitioners.
In Venezuela itself, there is a wonderful folk music heritage, which is certainly not being supplanted by this movement. In fact if anything it is being raised in practice and importance as the country becomes more musically oriented. And they did it to themselves – Europe didn’t do anything!
Which is why I don’t think that this is a consideration, because communities are happily adopting it around the globe by themselves – USA isn’t doing it, nor is the UK or Germany. El Sistema at least is a community-based activity. Without the community saying – “yes, let’s do it”, it just doesn’t happen. No imposition as they have a choice. It’s not like this is a church mission going into a godless community to teach them religion. It’s a music program which offers the children a sense of worth and hope, based entirely on their own will and effort. No obligation – ongoing. No conversion from one art form to another, nor the obscuring of one artform by another.
I can think of plenty of non-art based cultural imperialism exacted on other cultures by colonial powers – and I include USA in that bracket. And they really are lacking in “cultural humility”. In fact they are downright destructive of “native” culture. At least art and music in particular have some redeeming value.
Perhaps you could give some non-El Sistema examples of what you mean when you say that we need to be careful of cultural differences…