Cultural Appreciation Article Series #2: An Exploration of Relationship

Cultural Appreciation Article Series #2

An Exploration of Relationship

by: Joaquin Muñoz, Aiyana Masla, and Masumi Hayashi-Smith

We have noted that many teachers are carrying similar questions and concerns. Some are holding themselves back from taking risks that could lead to growth, afraid that they will cause harm or that they have already caused harm, and concerned with how to move forward. Some teachers have heard the term Cultural Appropriation, but don’t know exactly what it is, or how it relates to their work. Some teachers feel overwhelmed by the task of working with the concept. We hope to offer support, structure, and resources for teachers to authentically deepen their inquiries and expand their offerings.

 

In our last article (issue #117, Fall 2024), we examined what culture is, defined cultural appropriation, and explored the relationship between cultural appropriation and power. From here, we will explore the importance of relationships in moving from cultural appropriation to appreciation. Our hope is that by deepening our understanding and engaging in the practices offered, we will be able to share with our students and families respectful, authentic portrayals of the beautiful and diverse world in which we live.

 

In the first article of this series, Masumi spoke about a moment they came to terms with learning that a song they taught and loved was actually appropriating culture. Continuing that story, Masumi reflects, “When I considered how many songs in my repertoire were inauthentic examples of Indigenous songs, I felt frustrated and lost. I was confused why I, alongside so many others, have been satisfied with ‘traditional’ or ‘Native American tune’ as the source of a song for such a long time. I was also interested in connecting with multiple heritages and histories of the land I was on. I  wanted to teach music with histories and backgrounds that I could share with my students.”

 

As teachers, many of us interact with cultural artifacts every single day that we teach. In a recent workshop, Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribal member and Waldorf educator Celestine Stadnick emphasized that “we all transmit culture.” As we introduce our students to cultural practices that may be new to them, the question remains: how can we do so in ways that model to students how we want to interact with other cultures? How do we avoid appropriating culture, and instead model appreciating culture? In order to understand this more deeply, it's important for educators to consider all of the different aspects of culture that may be incorporated into our classroom practice.

 

Culture is what we share with a group of people, often community or family. It includes shared agreements and practices, shared assumptions and behaviors, shared rituals and symbols, shared meaning or beliefs, shared priorities or worldview, shared legacy, shared legends, songs, and stories. Out of culture, such technologies as musical instruments, housing, artwork, fashion, and food preparation are generated. Culture is learned and it is taught. How we approach another culture and its cultural practices or technologies determines whether or not we are appropriating or appreciating that culture. Key questions to ask include: What is our relationship to this other culture? Is there a deep respect and reverence for the other culture’s way of making meaning, of thriving, and of understanding the world? The nature of the relationship determines the quality of the cultural exchange. As a teacher asking whether or not something is cultural appropriation, we may consider: What is my relationship to this culture and this element of culture? In light of this, we must honestly ask ourselves: What are the ways I may participate in cultural appropriation?

 

In the first article of this series, we defined cultural appropriation as:

 

Theft of another culture’s cultural elements for one’s own use, commodification, or profit. This includes symbols, art, language, customs, etc. — often without understanding, relationship, citation, acknowledgement, or respect for its value in the original culture. Cultural appropriation is exploitative, and results from the assumption of a dominant culture’s right to take another’s cultural elements and use them to its own benefit, profit, and enrichment.^[1]

 

If we look closely at this definition, we can see how power plays a central role in cultural appropriation. Power determines who has the ability to take and exploit. Understanding power imbalances also helps us understand the difference between someone who takes on aspects of dominant culture for their own survival (assimilation), and someone from a dominant culture taking on the culture of others for their own added benefit (appropriation). Power imbalances throughout history contribute to anger, fear, and distrust today about who can access culture, and when, how, and why culture is accessed the way it is. Even if we haven’t directly been involved in causing these power imbalances, it’s important to know about them and understand how they influence the impact of taking and benefiting from the cultures of others.

 

Cultivating Relationship

To deepen our understanding of how to practice cultural appreciation, let’s focus on relationship. We know that we want to be aware of the power dynamics in our work, but we also need to go further than this. The first step is to examine our relationships, both to the content and elements of cultures that we are bringing, and also to the cultures and culture bearers we are interacting with.

Joaquin shares one example of a pedagogical approach to teaching with a positive relationship to Indigenous ways of knowing and being:

 

When teaching undergraduate education students about Indigenous communities and teaching practices, I always incorporate language learning. Here on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people (known colonially as Vancouver) the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language is still spoken regularly, though fluent speakers are harder and harder to meet.  Because we are not Indigenous to this place, I guide students to see that it is essential for us to teach and learn in ways that honor the people whose land we are on.

One way I do this is to have students work with hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language and to consider how they might incorporate it into their own teaching practice. Learning parts of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language helps students connect to the local culture by working with language, learning aspects of culture that are embedded within the language.

There are a number of well-crafted teacher and learner resources that have been developed in consultation with the Musqueam community. These include a digital alphabet word chart, a collection of books authored by Musqueam authors in English and hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, and YouTube videos showing chefs, storytellers, artists, and other creatives using hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ words. Students are asked to learn words and phrases like the days of the week, weather, and seasons. In this way, they encounter words and phrases that they might use as future teachers in classroom settings. Students are also offered the opportunity to explore their own personal experience and interests by identifying words in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ that connect to hobbies or pastimes as a way to enliven their language learning.

Students learning words and phrases from the Musqueam community is a pedagogical technique to help them experience language learning firsthand. Because many of these students will be working with early elementary-aged children or English language learners, it is essential that future teachers have the chance to experience learning a language that they are not familiar with. These teacher candidates often become vulnerable and anxious as they engage with a language they are unfamiliar with and as they work to shape words and phrases they have often never heard before. This helps them to develop empathy with future students who may be having their own encounter with a new language, and to approach this task with understanding and care. It also gives these future teachers the opportunity to talk about language learning with joy and humor, while being very careful about the kinds of nervous laughter that sometimes happens with encountering unfamiliar words. We talk about the importance of valuing and respecting everyone's forms of communication, the importance of being accepting of our learning process and not demanding perfection, which I hope these future teachers transmit to the young ones they will soon lead.

 

I remind students that, as uninvited visitors to this land, we have an obligation to learn and honor the language of the people whose land we are on. Because Indigenous people in North America are so often conceptualized as being relics of the past or historical fixtures, having students learn a living and breathing language connects them to the people who continue to live on. Students are compelled to examine their own biases and preconceived notions and at the same time must contend with correcting erroneous assumptions they may see in society around them.

This approach aims to instill a sense of respect and reverence for the languages around them. Teaching them about the current, day-to-day use of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ helps to increase their awareness of Indigenous culture around them everyday. In this way, it is hoped that they will transmit this contemporary understanding and awareness to their future students.

One question students often ask is about teaching language when they themselves are not members of the community and if this is an act of appropriation. I describe to them the significance of “citing sources,” analogous to what one might do when creating a references list for a research paper. There are some hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speakers who argue that language learning is for all people, as long as it is done with respect and reverence, and not used as a tool of manipulation. Students learning the language as a sign of respect and appreciation must cite who they have learned from, either citing the sources they have worked with or referencing the names of individuals who they have learned from, to show the lineage of their learning. Teacher candidates are also taught to resist any urge they might have to monetize their learning (that is, taking what they've learned and commodifying it for their students or other teachers, or worse, to members of the Musqueam community). By citing sources and approaching this work with respect and reverence, students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful cultural experience while also learning crucial pedagogical techniques.

 

Practices of Cultural Appreciation and Questions to Consider

Joaquin’s story emphasizes that there are multiple ways to develop relationships with culture bearers and elements of culture. Some ways can be more direct, and others less.  As you consider your own relationship to elements of another culture, we encourage you to consider the following questions:

 

Where have I learned about these elements of culture, and what more could I know?

A relationship that honors the culture bearers and the cultural significance of the elements of culture being brought to the classroom (be it a song, a story, a way of preparing food, etc.) is built out of research and developing an understanding of this culture as ongoing (not just historical in nature). We must get specific and precise in connecting to the context of the contribution, and pursue understanding it more fully before bringing it to the classroom or school community. This can look many different ways, including researching the source and story of the contribution, bringing in connected historical anecdotes, explaining why this content existed and how it was used, and inviting in guests who can speak to their own experiences with these elements of culture. This kind of action generates respect and an authentic relationship to the elements of culture, even if we do not have access to relationships with living culture bearers.

 

How can I ground in real relationships to build bridges and connections?

Relationships that are built out of respect include curiosity and a humble willingness to learn. Relationships of appreciation and celebration bring us to inquire, to be open, and to do research. Because of this, a real relationship takes time and is generally not initiated with a request for a service or information. If you are interested in building relationships with culture bearers, consider attending performances, cultural gatherings, activist events, and events where people share and build community together. Meeting people in these contexts allows you to gain a larger understanding and build further connections.

 

In the practice of cultural appreciation, there is a recognition that the culture we interact with is not ours, but instead something we honor and uplift as we interact and engage. A relationship is not exploitative or transactional. We do not own the culture of others - even if we buy a book or pay for something. A real relationship includes deepened mutual respect and exchange, which is fostered over time. An authentic relationship isn’t easy to define with words as much as it is felt.  We encourage you to consider: what does an authentic relationship feel like for you?

As we explained earlier, the reality of power and our understanding of power are essential first steps in acknowledging historical and contemporary impact. With an awareness of power, we are more equipped to cultivate authentic relationships. In the next article in this series, we will focus on reciprocity, and unpacking concepts of acknowledgment, recognizing harm, and repair, in more depth.

 

Joaquin Muñoz, Aiyana Masla, and Masumi Hayashi-Smith are associates with Alma Partners. Alma Partners is a diverse, multiracial, multigenerational group of eleven experienced consultants and facilitators who offer workshops, courses, Student Leadership Conferences, individual and group consultation, strategic planning, curriculum review and development, and more for schools and other organizations, bridging the gap between ideals and actions. almapartners.net

 

 

 

^[1]  Masumi Hayashi-Smith, Aiyana Masla, and Joaquin Muñoz, “Cultural Appreciation in Schools: An Exploration of Power,” (Cultural Appreciation Series #1), Lilipoh 32, no. 117 (2024): 8-13.