While I was searching information for the New Zeland presentation of the Maorí people, I realised that its typicall dance it is very similar to our Rapa Nui's dance. In fact, the name is similar too: Maorí's dance is called "haka" and the Rapa Nui's typicall dance is called "hoko". To me this couldn't be just a coincidence, so I kept on looking for information about this.
The situation is that both cultures came from the Polynesia, and as far as I know by people that have been in Rapa Nui there still are Maorí descendant in the Island of Rapa Nui and they keep their costumes as the tatoos on their faces.
So I started to think that geographic territories are a big influence in people's culture, because these two cultures (rapa nui and maori) came from or near the same territory, but now they are apart, and their feeling of belonging is merely more territorial than ancestral. Because even they keep some similarities, their language has changed, their forms of art are alike but not the same and it is supposed that they come from the same place. So it is very curious how our physical territory can shape us despite of the strong ancestral culture. No matter if the traditions were passed from generation to generation, inevitably there comes a point where the paths diverge culture, due to the territorial differences. The time is responsible for change and evolve certain areas of each Aborigines, and though we can see many things in common, the earth itself seems to call the Aborigines to identify with it and, eventually, continue to adapt personalities, shapes, language arts and in summary...culture. Maybe this is why there is even in laws a nationality by soil and for blood, it is impossible to deny that both affect and define us perhaps equally.
Which of these do you think it affects you the most? Territory or Blood? Or they are both equally strong in you?
By Michelle Miralles V.
No comments:
Post a Comment