Thursday, September 19, 2019
Step into my Parlorââ¬Â¦ : Perceptions of Cultural Survival among the Kyapo and Yanomani :: Essays Papers
Step into my Parlorâ⬠¦ : Perceptions of Cultural Survival among the Kyapo and Yanomani When caught in the web of global media, the ââ¬Å"cultural survivalâ⬠of indigenous communities becomes a potent international issue. As affirmed in a 1997 UN declaration, international communities receive, ââ¬Å"with gratitude, the message of harmony and respect for all life brought to us by ancient [indigenous] people whose culture mayâ⬠¦make a worthy contribution to the world communityâ⬠(Neizen 2). With the ââ¬Å"politics of shameâ⬠winnowing away at the public integrity of Brazil, the two cultures of the Kayapo and Yanomami are strategically set in the international web as endangered peoples suffering ââ¬Å"onslaught of civilizationâ⬠, yet still worth some ââ¬Å"contribution to the worldâ⬠. Yet to what degree is their ââ¬Å"worthy contributionâ⬠qualified by dominant international definitions of their ââ¬Ëcultureââ¬â¢? The global reception of "threatened" indigenous cultures is colored with pre-existing values and assumptions. In contrast to the dominant consumerist culture pulsing in global politics, indigenous groups are seen to offer elements of fantasy rather than diplomacy, and provide a kick-back to the ââ¬Å"primitiveâ⬠ideology of early man. As the general public enjoys indigenous romanticism like a favorite Hollywood movie, romanticizing indigenous cultures through media is quite common. Yet, romanticism creates an indigenous cultural dichotomy. Sustained interaction with governments broker change among indigenous people and elements of culture assimilate. Interaction provokes Kayapo demands for goods ââ¬Å"from fish hooks to cooking potsâ⬠(Rabben 48). The Kayapo became dependent on whites ââ¬Å"for goods they wanted but had no way of producing themselvesâ⬠(47). Dominant society assumes that ââ¬Å"cultural survivalâ⬠is only achieved by preserving a static and untransformed people. To safe guard indigenous authenticity and exotic appeal, the common assumption is such that native ways of life must not be influenced or changed in anyway. However, to survive as a people in the modern world, indigenous cultures must be aware of their civil rights, for negotiations with imperialistic governments are essential. In 1981, the Kayapo were cheated out of 99.99% of their mining profits because they did not know ââ¬Å"enough arithmetic to perceive the trickâ⬠in the white manââ¬â¢s contract (71). Only after years of litigation were they able to win 5% profit. The Yanomami are constantly pressured to ââ¬Å"assimilate into Brazilian society as the poorest of the poorâ⬠rather than remain a fractioned culture (86). ââ¬Å"Cultural survivalâ⬠thus becomes a question of protecting the collective rights of an indigenous people from governmental abuse, while educating the people to the extent that they people may choose and protect their own future in a world of inescapable influence.
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