Culture: Living or Preserved?

A First Nations youth wears traditional dress and performs a traditional dance, to techno music, under a black light.

Later on, ambient music and interpretive dance tell a traditional creation story.

The show ends with a rap song and Mardi Gras costumes incorporating Indigenous motifs.

The Indigenous Mardi Gras Pavilion, hosted by the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre at Folklorama, saw young people blend the old with the new, as well as incorporating elements from the unique Mardi Gras Indian culture.  

Is this a bastardization of culture, or a genius celebration of youth in a multicultural society?

Along the spectrum of thought when it comes to cultural expression, two key attitudes emerge.

One attitude is that traditional forms of cultural expression need to be preserved as they are passed down from generation to generation.  Young people need to be taught the value and importance of learning the traditional forms.  Through this approach, culture is crystalized, formalized, ritualized and even made sacred.  The advantage is a sense of continuity, and of tapping into deep meaning.  The risk is that culture can become marginalized, or deemed irrelevant by new generations.

At the other end of the spectrum, culture is seen as needing to be expressive of those participating in it.  As each generation learns from the previous generation, they remake it into their own.  Young people create their own value and importance for learning their culture.  Through this approach, culture is allowed to grow, change and adapt.  It is integrated into everyday life.  The advantage is a holistic connection to culture and continued relevance.  The risk is that the old ways, and some of the wisdoms they contain, could be lost.

The perspective taken on by the Aboriginal School of Dance seems to lean to the latter. The school believes in respecting cultures and customs, but also in giving creative freedom and allowing self-exploration and development.  Dance is a representation of the individual and that individual's culture.  Through nurturing talent, student's can tell the story of their history and their heritage.  The school is open to all ages, cultural backgrounds and skill levels.

The intent of the performance, as stated in the program, was to celebrate multiculturalism, and to "break the stereotype of physical performance and identity expressed by Indigenous people."

Many of the pavilions at Folklorama highlight forms of cultural expression preserved from the old world.   They encourage younger Canadians to find value and meaning in the traditions of their ancestral homelands. The Indigenous Mardi Gras pavilion, and it's focus on continually developing cultural expressions, makes for a fascinating change.

Learn more about the Aboriginal School of Dance at: http://aboriginalschoolofdance.com/