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Transculturation

 To be honest, Thursday's class was the first time I've heard the word "transculturation." This term describes when a minority or marginalized group takes an aspect from a majority group's culture to use it for their own culture. This can be used in a similar way or an altered way. If we think about religion as an example of transculturation, we can see it all around the world. For example, when the English colonizers came to the modern-day United States, they brought their Protestant religion with them. Traditional Protestant customs such as reading verses of the Bible got passed over to the Northern Americas. Then, when the Spanish conquistadors brought their Catholic-based religion practices to Central America and South America, many indigenous peoples adopted Catholicism. I recall seeing pictures from my parents' trip to Mexico City and seeing many murals of the Virgin Mary all around the city. Mexican people celebrate Día De Los Muertos, a Christian holiday that praises the dead. This was another tradition the Spaniards passed on. 

Comments

  1. HeatherLFebruary 5, 2023 at 11:12 PM

    Hey James! I like how you made the connection between transculturation and religion. Adopting parts of a foreign culture will always have significant impacts, but when that part has to do with ideology and ethics, it takes it to the next level. During the process of native people adopting Western religions like Christianity, I wonder if they felt like the values being pushed on them aligned closely with their own culture's values, or if they were entirely different?

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