Re: [xmca] Cultural memory

[ERIC.RAMBERG@spps.org]

Andy:

My understanding of how the Hmong written language was created was more 
for transmitting information from the public schools to Hmong families 
that did not read english.  However, now that the Hmong are into their 
second and even third generation of living in St. Paul they do utilize 
this written language and it appears on shop windows and billboards, but 
still the most prominent place that I see it is in correspondence from the 
schools to families.

eric



From:   Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>
To:     "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
Date:   10/17/2011 09:25 PM
Subject:        Re: [xmca] Cultural memory
Sent by:        xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu



So in this case of an indigenous people retaining cultural practices for 
a generation after being removed from their land, it turns out that they 
*created* a written language to do it!
Andy

ERIC.RAMBERG@spps.org wrote:
> Yes, exactly the cultural practices are transmitted from adults to 
> children via the extremely strong ties to what has been practiced for 
> generations.  An example is that the Hmong have a very strong belief 
> in spirits and that bad luck befalls a family as a result of spiritual 
> unbalance in a family member or in the belongings of the family; many 
> cultural practices revolve around appeasing these "bad spirits", very 
> common to see Hmong children wearing strings tied around their wrists 
> to off evil or to keep their 'souls' in spiritual balance.  Also if a 
> Hmong child is born with a disability then the family takes it on as 
> their personal burden and are very reluctant to seek outside assistance.
>
> It is also interesting that since the Hmong have lived in St. Paul for 
> 40 plus years now that a written language has emerged as a result of 
> schools efforts to illicit support from families in the educational 
> process.  However, it is interesting that Hmong cultural practices 
> believe that the child is sent to the expertise of the teacher and it 
> is not for the parents to interfere in the education of their child.
>
> By the way Clint Eastwood directed and starred in a fabulous movie 
> called "Grand Torino" that has a strong influence of Hmong culture 
> incorporated into the plot.
>
>
> If this has already been posted to XMCA please forgive the double 
posting
>
> eric
>
>
>
> From:        Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>
> To:        ERIC.RAMBERG@spps.org
> Cc:        "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> Date:        10/17/2011 11:10 AM
> Subject:        Re: [xmca] Cultural memory
> Sent by:        xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Yes, that is interesting, Eric. Do you know *how* they do it? Is it just
> by how they raise their children?
> Andy
>
> ERIC.RAMBERG@spps.org wrote:
> > Hey Andy:
> >
> > I don't know if this is exactly in line with what you are thinking but
> > in St. Paul there is a large population of Hmong (mountain people of
> > Laos) that have transplanted here.  They did not have a written
> > language but their cultural are still extremely strong (marriage at a
> > young age, long drawn out funerals, tending animals (I have been to
> > houses in St. Paul where chickens are kept in the house), gardening.
> >  Is this along the lines of your thinking?
> >
> > eric
> >
> >
> >
> > From:        Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>
> > To:        "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> > Date:        10/14/2011 06:54 PM
> > Subject:        [xmca] Cultural memory
> > Sent by:        xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
> > 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> > I need some help. I am having a discussion with a supporter of Robert
> > Brandom, who was at ISCAR, but is not an Activity Theorist. on the
> > question of cultural memory.
> >
> > One of my criticisms of Robert Brandom is that he does not theorise 
any
> > place for mediation in his theory of normativity. He supposes that 
norms
> > are transmitted and maintained down the generations by word of mouth
> > (taken to be an unmediated expression of subjectivity), and artefacts
> > (whether texts, tools, buildings, clothes, money) play no essential 
role
> > in this.
> >
> > I disagree but I cannot persuade my protagonist.
> >
> > I challenged him to tell me of a (nonlierate) indigenous people who
> > managed to maintain their customs even after being removed from their
> > land. My protagonist responded by suggesting the Hebrews, but of 
course
> > the Hebrews had the Old Testament. Recently on xmca we had the same
> > point come up and baseball culture was suggested, and I responded that 
I
> > didn't think baseball-speak could be maintained without baseball bats,
> > balls, pitches, stadiums, radios, uniforms and other artefacts used in
> > the game.
> >
> > Am I wrong? Can anyone point to a custom maintained over generations
> > without the use of arefacts (including land and texts as well as 
tools,
> > but allowing the spoken word)?
> >
> > Andy
> > --
> > 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > *Andy Blunden*
> > Joint Editor MCA: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hmca20/18/1
> > Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ 
> <http://home.mira.net/%7Eandy/> <http://home.mira.net/%7Eandy/>
> > Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857 
> <http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857>
> > <http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857 
> <http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857>>
> >
> > __________________________________________
> > _____
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> > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
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> >
>
> -- 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *Andy Blunden*
> Joint Editor MCA: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hmca20/18/1
> Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ <http://home.mira.net/%7Eandy/>
> Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857 
> <http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857>
>
> __________________________________________
> _____
> xmca mailing list
> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
Joint Editor MCA: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hmca20/18/1
Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857

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