South Africa.
[Photo]. Retrieved from National Geographic. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/south-africa-photos/#/cape-town-dusk_10895_600x450.jpg.
South Africa, Cape Town by Tino Soriano.
Final Thoughts
While studying South Africa
and its various cultures, I came to understand that there are a lot of
similarities and differences among South Africa and the United States. For example, both South Africa and the United
States have had a past in which race was not only a focal point, but an
oppressive systematic system. Under these
systems, blacks in both nations had to rise up through social and political
struggle. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu were catalysts for
rising up, in America Martin Luther King and Malcolm X served a similar purpose. In both countries, people are still suffering
from the remnants of segregation and oppression both socioeconomically and
educationally, and this makes it difficult to break out from the struggle.
I also was surprised that both South Africa and the United States have large Christian populations, although some populations in South Africa believe in Traditional South African religions or combine Christian and traditional South African religions. One might assume that the practicing of traditional African religions is drastically different than African-American historic religious practices here in the United States; however, many slaves that were brought to the United States from the Caribbean and African Countries hid their religious beliefs and traditions among traditional Christian beliefs in order to protect their religion from colonizers that tried to strip them of their histories and culture. While I was reading about Apartheid, I discovered how important it was to be able to communicate outside of one’s culture in sensitive ways and understanding to enact social justice I think Desmond Tutu said it best when he said, “If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies” (Desmond, Tutu).
Although I already had some understanding of Apartheid, it was eye-opening to see some of the similarities in both countries’ racial, ethnic, and gendered struggles. In the United States media, Africa is always made to appear exotic with images that are often used to perpetuate and reinforce stereotypes of a land of “others” with references to “bare-breasted” women taken out of their cultural context, as well as wild and exotic wildlife. In studying South Africa, I was able to discover that some aspects that are often highlighted in American media as a result of their being so foreign to American customs, like the Zulu Reed Tradition in which virgins are celebrated every year, have a social purpose to the Zulu culture. The tradition was started to try and prevent the spread of HIV, which is a very real and serious problem in various parts of the world. However, American media often portrays this practice and others like it's from a normative stance, and in this case, make the young maidens’ nakedness a manner in which to label the Zulu culture in a negative way. One could make an argument that mainstream American media projects the identities of both Black South Africans and African Americans, especially in impoverished urban areas, or impoverished rural areas for that matter, in a normative way, too. In this way, the black body is often written upon from a white point of view to hold whiteness up in a privileged and problematic way.
One major difference that I noticed was that South Africa’s institutional structures like the school system, education system, and labor markets seem to need a lot more structure, such as holding teachers accountable for not showing up to work or teaching well. I understand that the United States has its own issues with education and politicians. However, the United States doesn’t have entire sectors of the labor markets on strike, which drives out the desire for investors to contribute to the economy.
In the end, what was most eye-opening was how complicated cross cultural communication is in general. Although it’s very important to study about other country’s various cultures, reading articles and websites doesn’t necessarily offer one a full understanding of a culture because there are so many variables and communication is contextual, relational, and centered around power dynamics.
I also realized that no matter where one lives, one is constantly having to exist with others that are different from oneself. Since people communicate within and between cultures through language, misunderstandings between people from different cultures (language groups and identities) are going to occur no matter where one lives, whether that be South Africa or the United States. Whether one lives in the United States or in South Africa, one still has to grow beyond one’s original cultural identity, beliefs and values in order to fully understand another person or group. Therefore, becoming interculturally competent means one has to have a willingness to self-reflect, gather information about one’s own and other cultures, appreciate cultural similarities and differences, use cultural resources, and acknowledge the essential equality and value of all cultures. It also requires one to understand that intercultural communication extends beyond understanding of language, and includes signs, gestures, body language, clothes, customs, and much more. In the end, I’ve gained a great understanding that intercultural communication is not necessarily made easier because one shares a country, religion, gender, race, ethnicity, or sexually orientation, etc. Rather, it is an on-going process that takes a great amount of willingness to be uncomfortable while growing and learning about one’s self and others. However, this is necessary for social justice for everyone.
I also was surprised that both South Africa and the United States have large Christian populations, although some populations in South Africa believe in Traditional South African religions or combine Christian and traditional South African religions. One might assume that the practicing of traditional African religions is drastically different than African-American historic religious practices here in the United States; however, many slaves that were brought to the United States from the Caribbean and African Countries hid their religious beliefs and traditions among traditional Christian beliefs in order to protect their religion from colonizers that tried to strip them of their histories and culture. While I was reading about Apartheid, I discovered how important it was to be able to communicate outside of one’s culture in sensitive ways and understanding to enact social justice I think Desmond Tutu said it best when he said, “If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies” (Desmond, Tutu).
Although I already had some understanding of Apartheid, it was eye-opening to see some of the similarities in both countries’ racial, ethnic, and gendered struggles. In the United States media, Africa is always made to appear exotic with images that are often used to perpetuate and reinforce stereotypes of a land of “others” with references to “bare-breasted” women taken out of their cultural context, as well as wild and exotic wildlife. In studying South Africa, I was able to discover that some aspects that are often highlighted in American media as a result of their being so foreign to American customs, like the Zulu Reed Tradition in which virgins are celebrated every year, have a social purpose to the Zulu culture. The tradition was started to try and prevent the spread of HIV, which is a very real and serious problem in various parts of the world. However, American media often portrays this practice and others like it's from a normative stance, and in this case, make the young maidens’ nakedness a manner in which to label the Zulu culture in a negative way. One could make an argument that mainstream American media projects the identities of both Black South Africans and African Americans, especially in impoverished urban areas, or impoverished rural areas for that matter, in a normative way, too. In this way, the black body is often written upon from a white point of view to hold whiteness up in a privileged and problematic way.
One major difference that I noticed was that South Africa’s institutional structures like the school system, education system, and labor markets seem to need a lot more structure, such as holding teachers accountable for not showing up to work or teaching well. I understand that the United States has its own issues with education and politicians. However, the United States doesn’t have entire sectors of the labor markets on strike, which drives out the desire for investors to contribute to the economy.
In the end, what was most eye-opening was how complicated cross cultural communication is in general. Although it’s very important to study about other country’s various cultures, reading articles and websites doesn’t necessarily offer one a full understanding of a culture because there are so many variables and communication is contextual, relational, and centered around power dynamics.
I also realized that no matter where one lives, one is constantly having to exist with others that are different from oneself. Since people communicate within and between cultures through language, misunderstandings between people from different cultures (language groups and identities) are going to occur no matter where one lives, whether that be South Africa or the United States. Whether one lives in the United States or in South Africa, one still has to grow beyond one’s original cultural identity, beliefs and values in order to fully understand another person or group. Therefore, becoming interculturally competent means one has to have a willingness to self-reflect, gather information about one’s own and other cultures, appreciate cultural similarities and differences, use cultural resources, and acknowledge the essential equality and value of all cultures. It also requires one to understand that intercultural communication extends beyond understanding of language, and includes signs, gestures, body language, clothes, customs, and much more. In the end, I’ve gained a great understanding that intercultural communication is not necessarily made easier because one shares a country, religion, gender, race, ethnicity, or sexually orientation, etc. Rather, it is an on-going process that takes a great amount of willingness to be uncomfortable while growing and learning about one’s self and others. However, this is necessary for social justice for everyone.