Andrew Wong - Week 9

Does the recreation of indigenous practices ensure a future for the spirit realm?

I agree with the author’s assertion that indigenous practices are always being recreated in their ever changing environment. I remember a great example of this phenomenon from another class I took. They talked about how when African slaves were converted to christianity and they were denied the opportunity to practice Vodou. They would draw out their intricate designs to practice/worship using rice. This allowed them to wipe it away quickly, if they heard a white person or their natural oppressors coming. The indigenous people never lost their traditions even though they had been uprooted and oppressed. Further, this is a theme for Asian Americans, who have been on the marginalized parts of society. This represents a subsection of the Asian population, as some Asian countries have become much more focused on development. This denies them a connection to nature and the environment at large. However, I believe that these practices being reinvented is helping keep them alive. There are a lot of Native American traditions that were kept the same for so long that they inevitably stopped making sense, to the modern generation. However, there are other traditions, which have taken on a new approach like their drum circles and food. These traditions are easily communicated to the outside population and they are honored by their people and others.