Many Worlds:Geographies of Cultural Difference

Cultures and Cultural DifferencesCultures can change when they come into

contact with another culture.Ex: Western culture, like U.S. culture, has

helped to shape other cultures, and other cultures have helped to shape U.S. culture.

Ex: The idea of globalization Is every new idea adopted or only some? Are those ideas adapted to fit in with the new

culture?

Some terms to knowSocial Customs are a part of culture.

Geographers strive to understand the reasons for such differences and the relationship between social customs and the land.

Custom is the frequent repetition of an act so that it becomes characteristic of a group.

Culture is a shared set of meanings we use every day.Ex: values, beliefs, practices, language, family,

religion or ideas about religion, genderThey can be re-evaluated from time to time

In examining culture, geographers look at both material and non-material culture.Material Culture: things you can touch or see; it

includes all objects, things made and used by the group. Ex: tools, utensils, buildings, furniture, cars, clothing, musical instruments

Non-Material Culture: things you say or hear; aural/oral. Ex: stories, folklore, legends, songs, beliefs, superstitions

Your text divides culture into 3 types: popular, folk, and indigenous

In general:Popular Culture consists of large,

heterogeneous groups of people who change with the times; as norms change, so do they.

Folk Culture is made up of people who retain traditional ways, simpler ways.

Indigenous Culture is “native” or “of native origin”. They are of a distinct culture that was present before the dominant culture or people took over; tribes.

Folk Culture is a group that is:SmallIsolated CohesiveConservativeNearly self-sufficientHomogeneous in custom and raceStrong family or clan structureHighly developed ritualsOrder is maintained through sanctions based

in religion or family

Interpersonal relationships are strongTradition is most importantChange comes infrequently and slowlyLittle division of labor into specialized duties;

people must perform a variety of jobs; duties at times may differ between sexes

Most goods are handmadeSubsistence economy is prevalentIndividualism and social classes are not

developedEx: Amish and the Eskimo

Characteristics of Popular Culture:Constantly changingMade up of large, heterogeneous groups of peopleBased mainly in urban areasMaterial goods are mass-produced by machinesMoney economy prevailsRelationships are numerous and less personal

than in folk cultureFamily structure is weakerPeople are more mobile & less attached to a place

Distinct division of labor into specialized jobsGreat amount of leisure time for manySecular institutions of control like police,

courts, & military that take the place of family and church for maintaining control or order

By-word, most important word is changeOther noticeable words are: growth, trend

fad, & progressGlobalization

Indigenous CultureThis is a rather new distinction.This used to be considered part of Folk

Culture because many of the characteristics are the same.

Indigenous means “ of native origin”People are often tribal.They have a distinct cultureTheir social, cultural, & economic conditions

set them apart from the dominant societyThe people are descendants of those present

when the state or territory was conquered

Their histories are very different from both popular and folk cultures

Indigenous people are those who were colonized and are now minorities in their own homelands.

Folk and Indigenous Cultures can be seen as subcultures of the dominant culture.

Themes: RegionMaterial and non-material cultures can vary

from place to place and can change over time -- quickly in popular culture and more slowly in folk and indigenous culturesMaterial Culture from Folk Cultures: in

the U.S. we see remnants of at least 13 folk cultures. German Pennsylvania: Swiss-German type of

barn with overhanging “forebay” and is separate from the house, p 34 , fig. 2.3

Swiss-German Barn

Yankee Folk Region Barns attached to rear of house Traditional grave stone features “winged angel of

death”

Upland South Folk Region Distinctive house types Notched logs

African-American Folk Region Scraped earth cemetery – p. 34, fig. 2.4 Banjo Head kerchief

Quebec Folk Region Grist mills Stone towers Petanque (boules or lawn bowling)

Western plains Folk Region Beef wheel used during butchering

Placelessness Edward Relph, a Canadian geographer, says that

popular culture produces standardization and reduces regional variety. He says it creates “placelessness”.

One place looks pretty much like another – few distinguishing features, p. 35, fig 2.6

Geographers believe that people’s mobility weakens attachments to places and contributes to “placelessness”

Geographer Michael Weiss says that zipcodes can indicate what one can expect to find there;Gray Power: retirement areas, upper middle classOld Yankee Rows: older ethnic neighborhoods in

the northeast High school education Like bowling and hockey Live in row houses or duplexes

Norma-Rae-ville Non-union factory workers Eat lots of canned stew Have trouble earning a living

Subcultures in the U.S. have their own lifestyles, dress codes, spokespeople, and food preferences.

Page 36, fig. 2.8

Food choices can be different from region to region in the U.S. and from country to country: coconut vs. Almond Joy

Formal Regions: looking at one traitBeverage - Highest beer consumption is in the

West, except for Utah/Mormons. Highest whiskey consumption is in the South. Highest wine consumption is in California

Food - Southern choices are grits, barbecued beef/pork, fried chicken, chicken fried steak Fast Food Restaurants - more in the South and the

N.E. has the fewest

When fast food restaurants move to other countries, they adapt to the new culture if they want to sell their food.

Example: In India, they use local sauces at McDonald’s

Indigenous Culture RegionsUsually found in more isolated areas

few roads or communication systems found in mountainous areas or in arid areas live away from the national culture

They may also practice swidden or shifting cultivation. They may also follow animism or possibly Christianity.

Vernacular Culture Region is formed by the perception of the people a mental map Dixie, Laker Country, Husky or Ram Territory,

Mountaineers

MobilityThere is slow if any movement in folk and

indigenous cultures.Popular culture is mobile: new means of

transportation, fast communication using radio, T.V., the internet, & the phone.

Popular culture is stratified and information often moves hierarchically first.Ex: McDonald’s: began in 1955 in the U.S.

and spread first to major cities before diffusing contagiously.

The exception is Wal-Mart: started in small towns and then spread to larger areas.

Advertizing is essential for the quick diffusion of goods, ideas in popular culture.We are bombarded with itIt gets us to buy things we don’t really want or

need.Sometimes giving the origin of a product lures

consumers to buy the product: New Zealand Wool, Irish or Belgian Lace, French Camembert, Greek Feta

Sometimes the place of origin can hurt sales: South African Krugeraands during Apartheid (boycotts)

Communication Barriers can hinder the spread of ideas: Government censorship kept the Cosby Show out of S. Africa or the Taliban banning T.V.s.

GlobalizationThere has been some homogenizing of cultures:

more leisure time, computers, T.V., music, movies, mobility.

This is called the convergence hypothesis.Cultures are converging, coming together.There were more pronounced differences from

region to region 100 years ago than there are today.

Globalization can and does lead to tension and struggle. This can be followed by resistance , slow transformation, and adaptation

People respond in different waysThey accept or reject certain ideas and

practices of the global world, and they might adapt them to their cultures.

By rejecting something, they have reasserted their national identity

By adapting the product to their culture, they have reasserted their national identity

Place ImageWe have perceptions about different areas

whether we have lived there, worked there, visited there, or only heard about the place through the media

Images might be inaccurate , misleading, or correct.

Our decisions concerning tourism and migration can be influenced by these images.

Nature-Culture2 Questions:

How is nature related to cultural differences?How do cultures interact with nature?

People who work with the land have a different view of nature than those who don’t. Ex: Farmer vs. City Dweller

There is a different view of nature by those in a folk culture and by those in popular culture.

Those of Folk and Indigenous Cultures had/have intimate, useful knowledge of nature called ITK or intimate technical knowledge.

Globalization is making this knowledge less useful.In globalization with its new technology and new

crops, this knowledge is often ignored.Indigenous peoples play and have played a major

role in conserving biodiversity.They took care of nature because they

acknowledge its forces and use its bounty – Subsistence Economy

Popular culture with its consumerism does not

Are we learning to think about and take care of nature?

Folk EcologyWhen Folk Cultures migrate, they usually look

for a place that reminds them of where they are from.

Ex: Swiss settled in Garrett County -- Glotfelty Family

Garrett County, Maryland

Switzerland

Gendered NatureEcofeminism – men and women have different jobsMen and women have different relationships with

nature and the landscape Women are involved with seeding, weeding, and

harvesting in folk and indigenous cultures (grow) Men clear and cultivate the land ( some see as

destruction) Because men and women have different jobs, they have

different knowledge Women in indigenous cultures are often the leaders and

activists in movements concerning the environment.

Popular Culture and Natureless directly tied to the physical environmentdon’t usually earn a living from the landno direct experiences with farming, mining, &

logging

Popular culture is tied to consumption, buying stuff without thinking about the physical impact their “stuff” has on the environment

Popular culture does use the land for recreation: jet skis, snowmobiles, 4-wheelers, cruises

But do the people think about the damage they do to the land and water?

Cultural LandscapeDo different cultures have distinctive cultural

landscapes?Folk Culture pp. 52, 53

Traditional buildings that are functional and conservative

Used the materials at handNo plans, just a mental imageChimney and kitchen placement are importantShape of roof importantLocation of doors and windows important

Folk Houses in the U.S. & CanadaYankee Folk House – p.53

Wooden frame constructionVarious floor plans and sizes2 ½ storey house with chimney in the middle,

& 2 rooms deepOne change to it was the upright and wing

house; it was big because it was also a workplace in winter

Top row p. 53

Upland South – row 2 p. 53Built for hot climatesSmallerNotched logs2 log rooms under one roof with breezeway for

air circulationChimney on outside of houseCalled a dogtrot houseThere is also the saddlebag house

African Folk Dwelling – p. 54 d.Shotgun houseOne room in width2 -4 rooms in depthAll doors line up, so if you shot a gun through

the front door, it could go right out the back door.

Quebec Folk House – p. 53Has a cellar with main storey on top of itAttic rooms under a curved roofPorchSummer kitchenstone

Ontario Farm House – p.531 ½ storeys BrickGabled front dormer

African House – p.55 -polygonal -main house -sometimes has separate kitchen -thatched or aluminum roof -uses local materials

Popular Culture LandscapesLeisure landscapes: shopping centers, malls,

indoor ice rinks, roller coasters, golf courses, Disney World

Amenity landscapes: area with attractive, natural features: lakes, forests, mountains; places for vacation or retirement

P.56Elitist landscapes: for those with money,

education, and expensive tastes: French Riviera, Gentleman Farm

P. 59

Popular Landscape in U.S.Cult of bigness in U.S.Casual chaosGobbledegook

P.59