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- Convenor:
-
Jennifer McDowell
(Tohoku Gakuin University)
- Location:
- Multi Purpose Room
- Start time:
- 17 May, 2014 at
Time zone: Asia/Tokyo
- Session slots:
- 2
Short Abstract:
Through examples of divergent interactions like collecting and protesting within venues of tradition and cultural heritage, this panel contributes to a greater understanding of the processes by which tradition is created, innovated upon, and maintained.
Long Abstract:
Anthropology has long been concerned with how human actors negotiate their social worlds especially during times of transition and change, and the props and dialogues they choose during these negotiations. This panel focuses on several diverse cultural topics that contribute to a greater understanding of the processes by which tradition is created, innovated upon, and maintained. Through examples of divergent interactions (collecting, protesting, creating, or preserving) within venues of tradition or cultural heritage, including the appropriation of the past, or the introduction of new, often unwanted, cultural practices into the social milieu, it is hoped a conversation forms around the types of research strategies that these topics require, bringing a fresh approach and perspective to a classic anthropological topic. As communities continue to look to the past for ways to negotiate the present, rally against social change, often in the name of preservation, or openly embrace innovation, the importance of these topics to our anthropological futures is evident. As each panel participant brings a viewpoint from a different point on the spectrum, the discussion is intended to reveal potential convergence of the historic and current attitudes and practices of social interaction. It also affords the opportunity to attempt and delineate some of the overall issues affecting studies of tradition and heritage and, from there, invite participants to offer suggestions as to where we are now and where we might be going next.
Accepted papers:
Session 1Paper short abstract:
This presentation focuses on the practice of the street artist group called “ASARO” in Mexico. They put posters on the walls of public spaces to appeal their political message. I will verify how they update the traditional images and link them to the social problems happening in Mexico.
Paper long abstract:
Nowadays a common tactic for the people who are marginalized is to create self portraits as their identity in order to resist those who are being dominant.
In the 1920's mural movement in Mexico, the government used the images of the "Aztec culture", "Indigena people" and others as the traditional image of Mexico. Muralists painted such images on the walls of public spaces. However, according to previous studies, it is said that such images which represents of Mexico are flooding everywhere around the city and they do not evoke anything special to Mexican people anymore.
However, during the protest movement in 2006 in the small city of Oaxaca, a young group of students of the art school who were called by ASARO, started to draw traditional Mexican images like ones in the Mural movement. They would draw over thin paper posters and paste them on public space walls. The interesting part is that they combined traditional Mexican images and what was happening at that time during the conflict of Oaxaca in 2006.
It seems like ASARO is trying to explain the hard situation they are living by using their collective memory. In this article I will call it ASARO's tactic as a "Maintenance of the tradition". Through this presentation, I will verify that ASARO is trying to show with their art pieces the spirits of the revolution are still living inside of Mexican people.
Paper short abstract:
Cultural influence on the modernization of public Toraja ancestors: an anthropological study in Makale city, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Paper long abstract:
Toraja society is one of the tribes in South Sulawesi, which has a different culture specifically with other tribes in South Sulawesi. Toraja name originally given by the Bugis Sidenreng. Sidenreng people named residents of this area as To Riaja which means "He who dwells in the land above or mountains". There is also another version of the origin of that word Toraya To = Tau (people), Kingdom = from word Maraya (large), which means that the people are great, the nobility.
Culture that has evolved very recently in Tana Toraja has undergone modernization in various aspects to transform into Toraja culture known today. Various motives and factors driving a shift in the mindset of individuals who developed into the shift in mindset that led to the modernization of society. In chronological order, with unfavorable natural conditions and low economic level, adolescents tend to seek income Toraja in town and returned with a culture where she worked. Old cultural heritage Toraja tribe changed little by little through the various processes of modernization brought by the immigrants that. Most people still hold fast to the principle that the old culture and some choose to adapt to a change, this is what triggers conflict between groups of people. Modernization process is capable of changing the culture of Toraja society in terms of culture, the arts, both economic, livelihood, religion, language to the public system.
Keynote: Tana Toraja Tribe, Cultural Heritage, Modernization
Paper short abstract:
This paper aims to describe new subsistence in Ogasawara (Bonin) islands. These subsistence are created by new Ogasawara islanders who settled from mainland Japan since restoration in 1968. New subsistence are interrelated with island society and makes a kind of cultural construction.
Paper long abstract:
With the increase of settlers moving from main land to islands in Japan, there is a cultural construction by the new islanders through subsistence. I have focused on Ogasawara (Bonin) islands for the represent of this phenomenon, because in this region there are more than half of new islanders than old islanders called Kyu-tomin and Kikajin in Ogasawara islands according to one theory. Present day, Ogasawara islands are famous for sightseeing and attract many tourists especially since it was inscribed by UNESCO World Heritage in 2011.
In previous research of Ogasawara islands, there are many papers examined of historical changes of this island, because this areas sovereignty has changed several times. And also, there are large number of papers concerned with ecotourism and the islands society, because in Japan Ogasawara is one of the islands that gives high priority to ecotourism. These papers are mainly focused on how does ecotourism works in the islands, and also relation between the Ogasawara society. But, there is only few papers focused on subsistence in the islands though cultural constructions are seen by the new Ogasawara islanders. For example of new subsistence, there is Glass making, dyeing and pottery making called Munin-yaki. I'm looking forward to show how and why new Ogasawara islanders started these new subsistence, why they settled in this area, and also relation between island society changes.
Paper short abstract:
This paper aims to reveal the serious challenges which may obstruct Oman's plan in protecting its heritage. Through interviews and field study, the challenges and anticipations of restoring Omani heritage will be presented. Finally, suggestions for improving the restoration process will be deduced.
Paper long abstract:
The Sultanate of Oman has an ancient civilization which stretches back more than 8000 years. Oman's wealth of historical buildings include over 500 forts, castles and towers. In addition, Harat (the Omani quarters ) one of the outstanding features of the Omani heritage exceed 1160. It is also the closest monument with regard to the human activity, Other palaces, caravansaries and mosques are also included. In 1980, The Ministry of Heritage and Culture began to work on protecting such heritage through programs of restoration, legislations, and documentation of historical buildings. Regrettably, till now, only five harat (quarters) out of 1160 are under the renewing program.
This paper aims to reveal the serious challenges which may obstruct Oman's ambitious plan in protecting its heritage. These changes may constitute a real burden on local authorities. For example, tremendous lack of both experienced and qualified staff & professionals, difficulties in providing traditional construction material (sarooj), and a continuous shortage of traditional craftsmen are some of the challenges discussed.
At the beginning, the governmental policy of restoring Omani heritage will be discussed. Then, the remarkable history of Harat Al Bilad, the central theme of this paper, will be clarified. Through interviews and field study, the objectives, challenges and anticipations of the Omani heritage in general with a close scope of Harat al Bilad will be presented. Finally, suggestions to improve the restoration process of the Sultanate's heritage will be deduced.
Paper short abstract:
For the past five years, a new population of Japanese collectors has begun to explore the world of traditional kokeshi. This presentation will be a preliminary exploration and comparison of previous and new kokeshi collecting trends, and their influence on this nationally recognized folk art doll.
Paper long abstract:
For the past five years, a new population of Japanese collectors has begun to explore the world of traditional kokeshi. This seemingly sudden interest in kokeshi has been characterized by the Japanese media as a "kokeshi boom" fueled by young women. The defining of this collecting boom as female-driven has created and facilitated the negative perception among long-term collectors, primarily men in their late 60s to early 80s, that these new collectors are only interested in purchasing "kawaii" (cute) and small kokeshi for an assemblage that reveals little meaning or understanding of kokeshi culture and tradition. This presentation will be a preliminary exploration and comparison of these generational and gender-based kokeshi collecting trends, and their influence on this nationally recognized and culturally specific folk art doll. Artisans, who are charged with carrying on the tradition of making a particular design of kokeshi, must also find balance between long-term collectors' narrow definition of what kokeshi are and new collectors' aesthetic tastes. The real question then is not necessarily about the negative perceptions of new collectors, but what is considered a collection and how the process of collecting is accomplished. Borrowing from Thomas Tanselle's (1999) discussion of collecting, there is a social benefit to collecting that must be acknowledged here and, despite differences in opinion, the positive economic and social impacts of both of these collecting techniques cannot be denied. Contrary to negative associations, these two seemingly divergent collecting styles are mutually beneficial.
Paper short abstract:
Cultural heritage and the uniqueness of the Baduy traditions: a study of cultural history of ancestral heritage trip in the Kenekes village, Lebak, Banten, Indonesia.
Paper long abstract:
Baduy is natives tribe which is located in the kenekes village, South Banten. Baduy Culture is very unique and its kept the authenticity. The History explain that baduy tribe derived from royal padjajaran with strengthened found relic site of an inscription is somewhere baduy environment, and corroborated anyway in terms language by using language sundanese, showed baduy derived.
Baduy tribe is consisting of two groups:baduy inside (tangtu) and baduy outside (penampingang), in majority they still maintain customs and habits that is inherited ancestors. Of the two groups that still keeping originality is baduy inside, whereas baduy outside a little affiliation by other cultures. One of them is already known the health field and had have one a midwife. the peculiarities of culture owned baduy tribe, they still hold to a tenet of ancestors; called sundanese wiwitan, which is believe in worship ancestors. There is also an inscription named domas, where is kept secret because stele is very sacred. The process of an offering only do by the customary head "puun" from that baduy tribe very keep custom and tradition. Baduy inside still using pure barter to get daily needs, and all matters there in good grow their crops, marriage, and the other is still traditionally even should not be applied to use electricity, chemicals in their environment because its can destroy the balance of nature. Those things make natural condition are applied in baduy environment awake. Those all makes unique from baduy tribe.
Keynote: Baduy Tribe, Heritage, Uniqueness Culture