Modernization and Indigenous Cultures free essay sample

Without a doubt, whether it is called modernization, globalization, or Industrialization the remaining result will be the same, cultural destruction. Modernization is the alteration of a precise culture from agricultural, farming based society to a developed one. Indigenous usually means, having originated in and being produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment Merriam Webster dictionary. (2010). When Indigenous people hear the word Modernization, these very original and very natural living people, want to run and hide. In order for the indigenous people to live the way of their ancestor, they would need to be left alone. The reason is that they do not want to be involved in the very hectic life style of the modern world of today. hey do not want to pay taxes that are put upon them by becoming modern. According to the Central Intelligence Agency (2009), Current studies of genetics imply that Forest Peoples are one of the oldest human beings that have inhabited the earth. We will write a custom essay sample on Modernization and Indigenous Cultures or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Their people go back nearly 59,000 years, compared to 13,000 years for most of the people of this planet. In order for the indigenous people to live, the way of their ancestors did, in a nice peaceful existence in the forests of Japan, China, Africa, pacific islands, and many other countries. They do not want to be involved in a very hectic life style. Indigenous people do not want to pay taxes on land that has been theirs for enturies Just because society wants the land and expected the indigenous people to become modern. (Naofusa, 1983). Modernization is taking and making an explicit culture that farm undeveloped land that they have lived on for Hundreds of years and using the land for manufacturing. cutting down forests, removing the people from the only home they know, and putting them into run down development housing. Naofusa (1983), Modernizers may actually be doing more damage, more quickly, thanks to technology and the need for developing nations to generate income to pay for the structure of modern statehood. Modernization, as far as technology and science are concerned, emerged after the Industrial Revolution, which started by the creation of spinning machinery in England during the late eighteen centuries. (Traditional cultures and modernization, para 6. ). The Ainu of Japan standards, laws, politics, economic, society, history, literature and art, such as have been preserved, learned and transmitted in a given community or group over a long period of time. Japan is geographically located on the border of culturally developed countries such as China. Moreover, has become adapted to accepting foreign eveloped cultures. Japanese people have maintained a great interest and curiosity in imported things, including religion and science. This is why Japanese people never felt any strong resistance against the introduction of Western culture, both spiritual and material. the accepting of houses, hairstyles, food, and Western clothes can be considered as a part of Westernization. Although these things gave Japanese people some convenience and a smell of new culture, the functions they performed were almost the same as those, which indigenous substitutes had fulfilled in earlier times. On the other hand, the introduction of telephones, TV, airplanes, mass communication, bureaucratic institutions, computer control systems, and so forth can be considered a part of modernization because they contain the potential for enlarging the spheres of life and broadening ones outlook, and furthermore transform ways of thinking, patterns of behavior and worldviews. It definitely means remolding a cultural system into a new form. (Naofusa, 1983). According to the Minority Rights Group International, (2008) The Ainu are an indigenous people who nhabit the island of Hokkaido of Japan, as well as the north of Honshu, Japans main island and Sakhalin island, in Russia. There may be between 30,000 and 50,000 Ainu in Japan. Only a very small number remain fluent in their traditional language. Traditional Ainu culture, which has now largely disappeared in most respects, were unique: after puberty, women had distinctive tattoos such as around their mouths and wrists, while men never shaved after a certain age. Both were fond of earrings. They were traditionally animists, believing that all things were endowed with a spirit or god (kamuy). The Ainu had lived close together with nature as hunter, gatherer, and fisherman natives. The Ainu believe that gods or their incarnations found in every phenomenon and object, including natural phenomena from the sun, moon, thunder, wind, water, and fire, to animals, plants, and implements that are related to human life. On every occasion, prayers are offered and various ceremonies observed. Today, their lifestyles are widely integrated into Japanese society, but these days many of them try to recover their lost culture and tradition. Ainu is comparable to many indigenous peoples in the world. hey are faced with colonialism from a technologically advanced society: resistance, defeat, subjugation, destruction of traditional legal systems and leadership, and disregard of indigenous land and resource ownership followed over the next centuries. The Ainu offered some resistance to the Japanese invasion of their lands, Again the Ainu experienced dramatic consequences not related to what occurred to many other indigenous peoples falling under the sway of an alien power: unfamiliar diseases and mistreatment by the Japanese authorities apparently lead to a dramatic decline of the population between 1822 and 1854. The final legal and political steps, which would lead to the almost complete disintegration of Ainu society, emerged during the Meiji period (1868-1912). irect administration by the Japanese government then was now to be exercised over Ainu land and people, leading to the legal extinguishment settle in Hokkaido. These discriminatory government policies lead to a population explosion, with Hokkaidos population soaring to over a million people with the Ainu completely submerged in an ocean of foreign settlers. (Ainu, June 2008) Conclusion Indigenous people have never had the chance to be themselves. They have never had th ere own land or lived their cultures and traditions like those that we have. The indigenous people of Japan are the Ainu, forced off their land that they used to grow their food, and given a parcel of land to live on, on the island of Hokkaido. They had no legal system and because the legal system was destroyed direct administration by the Japanese government then were now to be exercised over Ainu land and people, leading to the legal extinguishment of all Ainu land rights and to a massive program to encourage ethnic Japanese to settle in Hokkaido. Today, their lifestyles are widely ncorporated into Japanese society, but these days many of them try to improve their vanished culture and customs. Ainu is similar to many indigenous peoples in the world. they are faced with colonialism from a technologically advanced society by conflict, overpowering, defeat, and devastation of long-established legal systems and control, and disrespect of indigenous land and resource ownership followed over the next centuries.