In An Introduction to Intercultural Communication Identities in a Global Community, Fred E. Jandt defines culture as "A community or population sufficiently large enough to be self-sustaining, that is, large enough to produce new generation of members without relying on outside people (Jandt 7)." Each culture is different but all have are rooted from the same foreground. Hofstede classified cultures common roots into four categories: symbols, values, heroes, and the topic focused on, rituals.
Rituals are a collective activity that are socially essential within a culture. Rituals can vary greatly from a certain style of a handshake among fellow members or to something more complex as a ritual dance. The combination of Hofstede's four categories form a sense of cultural identity that is shared and respected. Although Hofstede noted that heroes are expressed from a cultures myths, I believe that a cultures rituals also derive from its myths. A great example of this is hula, a dance that is unique to the Hawaiian Islands, the place I feel honored to call home. There are many myths about the origin of hula, all involving the actions of goddesses believed to be true in the Hawaiian culture. One rendition of the origin of hula that I find quite amusing is that Pele, the goddess of Fire, asked Laka, the goddess of Hula to amuse her because she was bored, so Laka began to move gracefully and silently acting out events only the tow of them knew about. Pele thought this to be fascinating and thus Hula was born. Which ever story is true there is no doubt that hula is a ritual deeply rooted in the Hawaiian culture.
Although hula isn't done by everyone and has changed greatly throughout time, from religious ceremonies at heiau (temples) to being banned while Hawaii was under captivity and now public performances all around the world, it's no doubt an essential collective activity.
The YouTube video above captures one part of the aspect of hula and what the dancers of the form are really doing. Kekuhi Kanahele-Frias (the women in the video) is a kumu hula (teacher of Hula) at Halau O' Kekuhi (school of dance), as well as a recording artist.
A problem that a culture faces when dealing with another is the discrepancy of truly understanding the meaning of its rituals. Hula is looked upon as entertainment but it's much, much more. I have danced hula for 15 years, 6 of those years I have been taught traditional Hula at Halau O' Kekuhi. Hula is a part of me even if I no longer reside in Hawaii. To dance hula you live your culture. I have put my blood, sweat and tears into dance and that's without exaggeration.The YouTube video below expresses how dancers and kumu hula wish that the ritual of hula to not be forgotten and to remember that hula isn't just a form of entertainment.
(By Katrina Ortiz-Chavez)
My Hispanic culture defintetly has many rituals. One ritual that we always do is that everytime we greet a family member or a family member introduces us to someone new we must give them a hug and a kiss on cheeck. If we do not do that than it is a sign of disrespect and it's considered being rude. Another ritual that my immediate family does is that we always celebrate chirstmas on the 24th and wait until midnight to open our gifts. Everyone has different rituals that they do and every ritual has a significant meaning depending on what it is, just like the hula dance you mentioned.
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