The Importance of Culture, Language and Identity

(Adapted)


Culture and language:

Culture is a defining feature of a person's identity, contributing to how they see themselves and the groups with which they identify. This may be broadly defined as the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings, which is transmitted from one generation to another.

"Understanding others makes possible a better knowledge of oneself: any form of identity is complex, for individuals are defined in relation to other people - both individually and collectively - and the various groups to which they owe allegiance, in a constantly shifting pattern." (UNESCO, Learning : The Treasure Within, 1996)

All individuals must feel free to explore the uniqueness of their culture and identity while developing understandings of the cultural diversity that exists in the world around them. Understanding and valuing cultural diversity are the keys to countering racism. Denying cultural expression means limiting the expression of unique perspectives on life and the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation.

Every community, cultural group or ethnic group has its own values, beliefs and ways of living. The observable aspects of culture such as food, clothing, celebrations, religion and language are only part of a person's cultural heritage. A shared cultural heritage bonds the members of the group together and creates a sense of belonging through community acceptance. The shared values, customs and histories characteristic of culture shape the way a person thinks, behaves and views the world.

Language is fundamental to cultural identity and is intrinsic to the expression of culture. The loss of language means the loss of culture and identity. As a means of communicating values, beliefs and customs, it has an important social function and fosters feelings of group identity and solidarity. It is the means by which culture and its traditions and shared values may be conveyed and preserved.

Cultural and linguistic diversity is a feature of most nations today as people from different groups live together as a consequence of historical events and human migrations. Within multilingual societies, the maintenance of the languages of the various ethnic and cultural groups is critical for the preservation of their cultural heritage and identity.

In many societies throughout history, the suppression of the languages of minority groups has been used as a deliberate policy in order to suppress those minority cultures. As a result a large number of the world's languages have been lost with the processes of colonisation and migration.

It has been estimated that approximately 10,000 spoken languages have existed. Today, only about 6,000 languages are still spoken and many of these are not being taught to children. More than half of these languages are unlikely to survive the next century. (W. Davis, 'Vanishing Cultures', in National Geographic, vol. 196, no. 2, pp. 62-89, 1999.)

As languages disappear, cultures die. The world becomes inherently a less interesting place, but we also sacrifice raw knowledge and the intellectual achievements of millennia. (Ken Hale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, quoted in Davis, W. 1999.)

In an increasingly globalised world, linguistic skills strengthen international ties and foster cultural exchange. While English is the dominant language, many people speak a language other than English as their first language within their families and communities. Proficiency in English is critical for successful participation with and within a dominant English speaking society. Similarly, proficiency in first language skills is essential for self-enrichment and expression of identity.

Identity and community:

An individual's sense of identity is grounded in their cultural identity. The use of community languages is important both for individual and group identity and for communication across generations. Maintaining a community's first language, therefore, becomes a significant issue for many people who belong to diverse ethnic communities.

With migration, ethnic identity does not have to be static. A person's understanding of their own and others' cultural identity develops from birth and is shaped by the values and attitudes prevalent at home and in the surrounding community. In a culturally diverse society, individuals may have multiple identities through identification with several different sub-cultures. This identity becomes more complex and fluid over time as people develop allegiances to different groups within the broader society.

At the same time, cultures themselves are not static but develop and change as the belief systems and ways of life of different groups adapt under other cultural influences including mass media and popular culture to create new identities.

Mistrust and fear of difference which often stem from isolation from other cultures can be overcome by fostering cultural understanding. The understanding of how history has shaped our relationship with each other and respect for each other's cultures can be the key components of the Reconciliation process.

Source: RacismNoway