Ascension
Theme Music: "Just one of those days" - Sizzla
Peace,
Many people regard the NGE as a New York/East Coast movement that doesn't have any members in other parts of the country, much less internationally, so it may surprise you that I spent the weekend with NGE members in Buffalo, New York; Niagara Falls, New York; and Hamilton, Ontario. I plan to give a more in depth account of my trip later in the week, b.u.t. I can safely say that Gods and Earths all over North America are strong and growing. The NGE in Canada is particularly interesting, as it allows you to see things outside of American racial politics. In America, the NGE is thought of as a "Black"(African-American) thing, while in Canada, the population is diverse and represents a large cross section of original people, which underscores the reality that the NGE is not for just one segment of the population. Canada paints itself as a "mosaic vs. A "melting pot", so it allows you to see Culture as dynamic and constantly shifting vs. Stagnant and uniform.
Understanding this I now utilize the term "polycultural" versus the commonly used term "multicultural". To me, polycultural indicates that we are affected and influenced by a variety of ideas that shape our worldview and values, while multicultural communicates the concept of a host of equal b.u.t. separate cultures that exist among each other. Multiculturalism says respect the history and values of the indigenous people of the land, while polyculturalism shows you that everytime you have a piece of cornbread at a soul food joint, you are acknowledging the Black-Native connection in our country, as Native Americans introduced that food to what we now know as America.
Understanding that Cultures interact and share ideas, influence, and values with each other can lead lead you to research and study what you do and how you live, which will aid you in self knowledge. Do enough research, and you'll see that most of the Cultures on the planet have much more in common than you think, and when you connect the dots, you can identify the values that are found within most civilized cultures of antiquity. Armed with that, you can know yourself as you know the world, and know the world as you know your self.
Peace,
Many people regard the NGE as a New York/East Coast movement that doesn't have any members in other parts of the country, much less internationally, so it may surprise you that I spent the weekend with NGE members in Buffalo, New York; Niagara Falls, New York; and Hamilton, Ontario. I plan to give a more in depth account of my trip later in the week, b.u.t. I can safely say that Gods and Earths all over North America are strong and growing. The NGE in Canada is particularly interesting, as it allows you to see things outside of American racial politics. In America, the NGE is thought of as a "Black"(African-American) thing, while in Canada, the population is diverse and represents a large cross section of original people, which underscores the reality that the NGE is not for just one segment of the population. Canada paints itself as a "mosaic vs. A "melting pot", so it allows you to see Culture as dynamic and constantly shifting vs. Stagnant and uniform.
Understanding this I now utilize the term "polycultural" versus the commonly used term "multicultural". To me, polycultural indicates that we are affected and influenced by a variety of ideas that shape our worldview and values, while multicultural communicates the concept of a host of equal b.u.t. separate cultures that exist among each other. Multiculturalism says respect the history and values of the indigenous people of the land, while polyculturalism shows you that everytime you have a piece of cornbread at a soul food joint, you are acknowledging the Black-Native connection in our country, as Native Americans introduced that food to what we now know as America.
Understanding that Cultures interact and share ideas, influence, and values with each other can lead lead you to research and study what you do and how you live, which will aid you in self knowledge. Do enough research, and you'll see that most of the Cultures on the planet have much more in common than you think, and when you connect the dots, you can identify the values that are found within most civilized cultures of antiquity. Armed with that, you can know yourself as you know the world, and know the world as you know your self.
posted by I Majestic at 6:52 PM
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