In Blier’s article three peoples were being depicted the Beni, Sapi, and Kongo. Each of them had their own depiction of the “others” in the article “the others” are the Portuguese. All though they all had a similar theme about the Portuguese their interpretations varied. The beni associated the Portuguese with Olokun who was the wealthy god of the sea and the undead. Works of art done by the Beni are linking these ideas. Many of the plaques and other artwork depict this other with oval eyes long hair and mudfish.
The Kongo and Sapi associated them with the undead as well. The Kongo associated there spiral forms and crown hats with the path of the underworld. These cultures also notice the cross that they were wearing which have long been around before they showed up. The cross being very similar to the cross roads was a reinforcement of their spiritual context. The x-shape to the Sapi was as Blier puts it “the conflation of spiritual and earthly realms, particularly the regeneration of the dead among the living.” As for the Benin they saw it as political and religious signifiers. Although their interpretations varied of the Portuguese they all had a similar theme and that was the relationship between life and death and controlling those worlds of power.
During class we began discussing this idea of how others cultures have influenced ours. Many example were thrown out and I think one of the best examples that was brought up was the Americanizing of food. When you go to a restaurant there are many choices and those choices are from different cultures. Have you ever been to three different restaurants, ordered the same meal and each one tasting and looking completely different? I think this idea can relate back to what the articles were discussing. We saw something but then we related it to our culture so that it would be better understood. In this case the food is being altered to fit American tastes.
I think the idea of the "americanized" food is very important. We have all been raised in a culture where Taco Bell is mexican food and Panda Express is chinese. So for us to see authentic food from various cultures it seems foreign to us. I also found it very interesting how the three groups of people discussed applied the ideas and concepts from the "others" and made them relevant to their cultures.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to acknowledge how different cultures are "folded into" existing belief systems, or in the food eg., existing taste expectations.
ReplyDeleteI see the "folding into" existing beliefs to be a changing/adapting of beliefs. I can see that beliefs are being adapted according to new information in Africa and in the USA. With rising technological advances it is almost impossible to not be bombarded by new information daily. It is not only how we choose to take in/view this new information but how important leaders take in this information and how they incorporate this information into our legal, belief, and environmental systems. Even our parents views about news they hear about can affect us. I think it comes down to us having to be critical thinkers for ourselves. We have to pick and choose what we believe and then become researchers and study why we believe the things we do.
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