Ethnocentricism.......How to say it without being ethnocentric

What is Ethnocentrism???Well its not a good thing at all.I learned of this term in my interpersonal communications class.If my memory is serves me right,it is judging people or their culture according to your culture;feeling that you culture,pattern,value,norms are superior than that of others.

I feel like people tend to be ethnocentric without realizing it sometimes.It always seems like ones values or way of life is better that others.I know how hard it is to accept other people's way of living just the way it is.People always tend to compare their culture to others and it becomes even harder to be objective when dealing with them.

I wish people could be more open minded and ready to learn and integrate easily.I don't think it's that hard.It becomes hard when people try to make assumptions.

I found some interesting examples of Ethnocentrism,like someone would say things like "Mexican food or Chinese food is bizarre"that is being ethnocentric,the person is suggesting that her food,is better or more regular kind of food that that of the Mexican or Chinese.Instead people should to use other terms like "this is different"it sounds better and less judgmental.

Another example is when people go to another country and say,"oh they drive on the wrong side of the road of the road,implying that theirs is right/correct and the other one wrong.Instead one should say the side that they are driving on e.g left hand side or right hand side.

For a long time i used to judge others according to my own culture forgetting that it is just different and that i should appreciate it and accept it.(when you go to Rome?Pray as the Romans)........

Why is Ethnocentrism bad?It makes one make false assumptions about other cultures,nation or people.It also leads to stereotyping,prejudice and may lead to racism.

Placing ones culture superior to others causes us to misjudge others which leads to miscommunication and sometimes hatred.

I just found out that the opposite of Ethnocentrism is Xenocentrism.Which is preferring other cultures over your own culture.The assumption that other cultures are superior to your own.I think it is also bad.We should be able to appreciate our way of life and understand others way of lives as well.(EASIER SAID THAN DONE)

I will get back soon with Xenocentrism and how to avoid it.Well i hope you learned something today.

COLOR COMPLEX

I have learned so much since i came to this country.One of the most interesting but sad thing is color complex among African Americans.Growing up in Africa skin color was never an issue.All i know is that dark guys were considered more handsome than light skinned (brown)guys.But here in America it is different,i am currently reading the color complex by Kathy Russell

It is a very eye opening book on the "politics of color among African American."I never knew people of the same race would discrimate each other regarding their skin tones.The issue is mostly among African American and rare or even unheard of among Africans.

The lighter skin tone,the straighter hair one has among African American,the more beautiful one is considered to be.
I think this is an interesting topic it makes me want to scream because the whole concept is stupid.

But i also learned that this dates back to the Slavery period,the lighter skin toned slaves were given lighter work or would work in their masters house while the darker ones would do harder chores in the field.I think slavery is the root of all African American "evils."Everything that is complained about if you research carefully has ts roots in slavery.Everything started from there.

And you would think the concept of favoring or regarding lighter skinned slaves would end with the slavery time, No,it's still alive among the African American Community.Sad fact.

The perception is that lighter skinned African Americans get better jobs,make more money,have easier time dating,are more attractive, more popular,less intimidating and so on.All the good things.On the other hand,darker skinned African Americans are perceived to be assertive,aggressive,having attitude etc

The color complex issue is very complex.I will stop here for now but stay on the look out for Part 2 of this.

I am still doing my reseach.

somewhere In africa

Did you know or have ever noticed the art gallery in the campus center?


For a long time it has been there but always empty.This semester it has been different.At the begging of the semester the was some art stuff posted up and everyone was welcome to go in and enjoy the portraits.This second part of the semester there is a different artist's work.His name must be Robert Moran,there are business cards on the table a book for the visitors to sign in and put some comments.


I went in this morning and i really loved his work,there are black and white framed portraits taken around different parts of the African continent.There are shots from Mali,Niger,Egypt etc.
Photo coutersy of Robert Moran.

CULTURE DAY WITH STEP AFRIKA

On the 26Th of march which is today...The group step Afrika will be performing at the Gracie Theater.It is going to start at 8.00pm.Entrance is free.FYI today is culture day.
You might be wondering what step Afrika means or "where are these people from." Well they are a professional company based in Washington D.Cand the perform step dances.So what is step dance?

"Stepping is tap dance without tap shoes, James Brown without the music of the JBs, Cab Calloway sans piano, a marching band without John Philip Sousa. It is jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and rap without instruments. Stepping is lean and mean. The music comes from the synchronized interplay of hands and feet, from chants and hollers. It is a way to make music using the body as instrument."

—Jill Nelson, The Washington Post

This group has been around the country and the world sharing their culture with other people.The group was founded in 1994.


The Husson university international club together with students activities were hoping to have a fashion show or some sort of a cultural show but unfortunately they couldn't make it.Good news is that they are still planning to do it before the end of the semester.

The ambiguity and beauty of Languages

Having lived in three different nations,visited other countries,having friends from around the world and speaking three languages more than three languages fluently i just have to admit that i love the idea of being able to speak and hear other people communicate in different language.They are some languages that i can understand but cannot speak.I learned most of the languages by first being able to understand them then was able to speak and then writing comes last.

It only depends on who you are talking to.It made me realize how blessed i am because i can speak to so many different people some of whom i couldn't talk to if i did not understand their language.

Some languages are so poetic than others and others so rich than others.Yet others so hard and others so easy.You can only notice this when you try to translate word for word from one language to another.for example green( the color)is kijani in kiswahili language and kijani literary means leaf or a leaf.I think that is so unique because leave are green anyways.In french you may say chocolate(sho co la)instaed of brown which also makes sense because chocolate is mostly brown.

By the way Kiswahili is spoken in some countries of East and Central Africa.It is originated from Arab and Bantu languages.Enough about swahili.

Another thing about language you have to speak so often to be able to master it.I also think the use of different word differ from language to language depending on the culture, environment for example in many African countries Dogs are not pets as such they are more of guards and they don't usually live in the house with human beings.They have cages outside.And they go eating anything they can find around their vicinity.They are also know to bite people they are not used to.They are dangerous creatures in that part of the world while here in the states they are people's best friends,companions etc.
So when people want to insult you,they call a dog,and it is considered very degrading.

Also there are some words that don't really exist in some languages,i don't know if that particular thing don't exist or if they other ways of saying it e.g in Kinyarwanda which is the native language of Rwanda(central Africa) the word sorry doesn't exist,instead they use "forgive me."Other words like excuse me don't exist also they say move or push you slightly.

I heard that in some languages instead of saying water the say fluid.I can't imagine saying,"can i please have some fluid"

Some words in some languages cannot even be explained in a different language,i think that's beautiful,The fact that you have to know that language to understand their jokes or stuff like that.

They are so many other different things that i always laugh about when i try to translate directly from one language to another but i cant remember all of them.I will update this blog when i remember.

Foreign Language Film............And The winner is..............

Foreign Language films....do people really care to watch them?I do.They are just like other movies only in a different language.The are as competent as other movies.

The foreign language films award was not there when the Oscar first started. It was not constant every year because there were films made in foreign languages.

The Japanese Film, Departures won the award last year.

There were nine nominees in the foreign language film category During the Oscars..Some of them were * Argentina, El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Juan Jose Campanella, director
* Australia, Samson & Delilah
* Bulgaria, The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner
* France, Un Prophète
* Germany, The White Ribbon
* Israel, Ajami
* Kazakhstan, Kelin, Ermek
* The Netherlands, Winter in Wartime
* Peru, The Milk of Sorrow

El secreto de Sus Ojos (the secret in their eyes)won this category ;foreign language film.It is the sixth time Argentina has won this award.The movie is acted in Spanish and translated in English (of course).It is the in so many genres such as drama,crime,mystery and romance.It runs for two hours and seven minutes.

It is the second movie directed by the same director to receive an oscar nomination.

Good Hair by Chris R ock

Good hair is a documentary about African American Hair culture.The movie was showing at Husson University Kominsky room on the 25th of February as part of the black History month.Precious was also shown the first week of the month for the same purpose.

The turn out for good hair was quite good compared to Precious which students regarded as too sad and some said it was irrelevant for Black History month.

Good hair was done by Chris rock so its funny but at the same time very eye opening.Being a woman of color i thought i know everything that was going to be in the movie but i was so surprised at how much i did not know about Black hair tactics.


Chris Rock was inspired to do the documentary after her daughter asked him why she did not have good hair.This set him out on a journey around the U.S and around the world to search for answers on black women's hair.In his search he visited hair salons,scientific labs and Indian temples.

At the scientific labs he discovered the chemicals found in the Hair relaxers that black women put on their hair to make it straight.The chemical is hydro-chloride, which may cause burning effects on the scalp if not used appropriately.

He also discovered where human hair weaves come from;they come from Indian temples.Indian women sacrifice their hair to their Gods in the temple,And then in the process they get sold to sales people who sell them to salons here in America.Biggest market for the weaves is Los Angles.

The best waves go for $1000 or even more.They are weaved on cornrows.

Featured in the documentary were,Kerry Washington,Ice T,Nia Long,Paul Mooney,Raven Symone',Maya Angelou and reverend Al Shaperon.Maya Angelou was also among them.

The movie was quite even more eye opening and informative for people who not familiar with black women's hair culture.It is always easy to see such documentaries because you cannot stop someone on the street to ask them how they do their hair or to even ask to touch their it.

As usual Chris Rock was narrating the documentary.

Husson university watch out for movies coming up in March.The student activities is dedicated to showing two movies every month.