Creating ourselves: Arts and acculturation in New Zealand Study 1 results Stephen Fox Victoria University of Wellington Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural.
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Creating ourselves:
Arts and acculturation in New ZealandStudy 1 results
Stephen FoxVictoria University of WellingtonCentre for Applied Cross-Cultural
Research
Study funded by a generous grant from BRCSS
Creating ourselves:
Arts and acculturation in New ZealandStudy 1 results
Stephen FoxVictoria University of WellingtonCentre for Applied Cross-Cultural
Research
Study funded by a generous grant from BRCSSBorder courtesy of maori.org.nz
Personal background
Immigration and acculturation
Acculturation:
1) Cultural modification on individual or group levels by adapting to or adopting
aspects of another culture.
2) Changes to a culture as a result of prolonged contact with another culture
Immigration and acculturation
Acculturation:
1) Cultural modification on individual or group levels by adapting to or adopting
aspects of another culture.
2) Changes to a culture as a result of prolonged contact with another culture
Immigration and acculturation
Some threats to psychological well-being:
1) Negotiating an alien cultural landscape in which you are identified as an outsider
2) Finding a sense of identity that works adaptively in context of another culture
3) Maintaining inter-generational and community harmony even as some members (usually younger) adopt ways and values of
the dominant culture
4) Creating a place in society for your people and culture
Immigration and acculturation
Some threats to psychological well-being:
1) Negotiating an alien cultural landscape in which you are identified as an outsider
2) Finding a sense of identity that works adaptively in context of another culture
3) Maintaining inter-generational and community harmony even as some members (usually younger) adopt ways and values of
the dominant culture
4) Creating a place in society for your people and culture
Arts and well-being
Research has shown arts practices to have benefits in:
Therapeutic settings
Substance abuse treatment
Educational outcomes
Community cohesion
General happiness
Youth programs
Ageing
Research has shown arts practices to have benefits in:
Therapeutic settings
Substance abuse treatment
Educational outcomes
Community cohesion
General happiness
Youth programs
Ageing
Artists are known by other disciplines (anthropology, sociology, etc.) to serve as reservoirs of cultural information and hubs of important cultural activity, providing an important part of the symbolic resources and social activity of cultures.
The processes are widespread, common across cultures, and important within cultures.
Filipina dancer: It’s something that-- ok, you study a culture without reading a book and that’s in a dance presentation. Don’t have to turn a page!
Artists are known by other disciplines (anthropology, sociology, etc.) to serve as reservoirs of cultural information and hubs of important cultural activity, providing an important part of the symbolic resources and social activity of cultures.
The processes are widespread, common across cultures, and important within cultures.
Filipina dancer: It’s something that-- ok, you study a culture without reading a book and that’s in a dance presentation. Don’t have to turn a page!
Arts as an avenue of inquiry into identity and acculturation
Arts as an avenue of inquiry into identity and acculturation
Practitioners of ethnic arts are those who, by definition and
profession, most tangibly express the salient features of their cultures
and ethnic origins
Arts and acculturation:This project
How does ethnic arts participation (EAP) affect psychological acculturation processes and outcomes in acculturation and adaptation in New Zealand?
Qualitative interviews with 23 ethnic and/or immigrant artistsAny ethnicity or art form
Thematic analysis
How does ethnic arts participation (EAP) affect psychological acculturation processes and outcomes in acculturation and adaptation in New Zealand?
Qualitative interviews with 23 ethnic and/or immigrant artistsAny ethnicity or art form
Thematic analysis
Age group Art form Origin Ethnicity
20-30 Traditional dance China-mainland Chinese
30-45 Visual art England English
30-45 Visual art China-HK Chinese
60-75 Traditional dance Philippines Filipina
30-45 Visual art Fiji Fijian
75+ Visual art China Chinese
60-75 Writer/actor/ Film NZ Chinese
60-75 Visual art South Africa White African
45-60 Weaving NZ Maori
60-75 Sculpture Samoa Samoan
45-60 Weaving/Music-traditional Solomon Isl Melanesian
60-75 Director/ Actor NZ Pakeha
30-45 Film/dance Korea Korean
30-45 Fashion Korea Korean
30-45 Traditional dance Niue ND1an
30-45 Writer/actor/ Film NZ Chinese
30-45 Film India Indian
30-45 Actor England Indian
20-30 Music-traditional India Indian
45-60 Visual art PNG
60-75 Actor Kenya Kikuyu
20-30 Music-modern China-Taiwan Chinese
30-45 Film Viet Nam Vietnamese
Age group Art form Origin Ethnicity
20-30 Traditional dance China-mainland Chinese
30-45 Visual art England English
30-45 Visual art China-HK Chinese
60-75 Traditional dance Philippines Filipina
30-45 Visual art Fiji Fijian
75+ Visual art China Chinese
60-75 Writer/actor/ Film NZ Chinese
60-75 Visual art South Africa White African
45-60 Weaving NZ Maori
60-75 Sculpture Samoa Samoan
45-60 Weaving/Music-traditional Solomon Isl Melanesian
60-75 Director/ Actor NZ Pakeha
30-45 Film/dance Korea Korean
30-45 Fashion Korea Korean
30-45 Traditional dance Niue ND1an
30-45 Writer/actor/ Film NZ Chinese
30-45 Film India Indian
30-45 Actor England Indian
20-30 Music-traditional India Indian
45-60 Visual art PNG
60-75 Actor Kenya Kikuyu
20-30 Music-modern China-Taiwan Chinese
30-45 Film Viet Nam Vietnamese
Questions
• General, part one:• How did you begin to practice your art?• Where did you begin to do your art?• Who taught you and/or how did you learn?• What led you to pursue your art as a profession?• Do you consider your art to be traditional? If so, how would you describe the origins of the tradition?• Personal:• How would you describe any connections between your art and the way you define your ethnic identity?• How does your art affect your life?• How might you feel if you didn’t do your art?• Interpersonal:• For whom do you do your art?• How does your family relate to your art?• Do your children also practice the art? Do/did your parents?• How does your art affect your home-life?• How do you feel about your relationships with students (if applicable)? Your clients/audience?• Community:• How often do you perform or exhibit your work publicly?• How would you describe your audience?• What do you perceive to be the purpose of your art in your ethnic community?• Inter-ethnically:• Have you noticed any effects of your art on relations with other ethnicities or communities?• How do you think people of other ethnicities might relate to your art?• What would you like people of other ethnicities to perceive in your art? • General, part two:• What do you wish to communicate with your art?• What is music/dance/etc. to you?• What resources or opportunities do you wish were available for your practice?
Traditional versus non-traditional
There are differences between artists who practice an ethnic art and those who practice a non-traditional one.– Ethnic identity– Cultural continuity– Community ties– Motivations for doing their arts
There are differences between artists who practice an ethnic art and those who practice a non-traditional one.– Ethnic identity– Cultural continuity– Community ties– Motivations for doing their arts
• Cultural maintenance and transmission• Social networks• Intergenerational harmony • Community cohesion • Inter-ethnic connection• Reinforcement of ethnic identity
• Cultural maintenance and transmission• Social networks• Intergenerational harmony • Community cohesion • Inter-ethnic connection• Reinforcement of ethnic identity
Social and community processes
Social and community processes
Cultural maintenance
Traditional arts provide a venue and method of preserving and transmitting culture, especially during acculturative processes
Niuean dancer: I wanted my Niuean group to be represented, and represented well in this field. And I wanted to pull in, as well, the Niuean communities. The youth are the future of Niue, the future leaders of Niue, just to keep our culture going through song
and dance.
Cultural maintenance
Traditional arts provide a venue and method of preserving and transmitting culture, especially during acculturative processes
Niuean dancer: I wanted my Niuean group to be represented, and represented well in this field. And I wanted to pull in, as well, the Niuean communities. The youth are the future of Niue, the future leaders of Niue, just to keep our culture going through song
and dance.
Social and community processes
Intergenerational connection
Cultural maintenance & transmission part 2-
Learning the values and behaviours
Families frequently pass on the art in a culturally specific way that goes back generations
Shared cooperative activities in which multiple generations enjoy time together
Intergenerational connection
Cultural maintenance & transmission part 2-
Learning the values and behaviours
Families frequently pass on the art in a culturally specific way that goes back generations
Shared cooperative activities in which multiple generations enjoy time together
Social and community processes
Intergenerational connection
Solomon Islands weaver/singer: we choose weaving and Roviana first at the moment, because I want to have them speak fluent Roviana, then go into weaving and any languages they want to know about Solomons. That’s very important to Mata and Sumana and I, is communication, to share things, to share about weaving, about music. We all share that part, they learn so fast.
Intergenerational connection
Solomon Islands weaver/singer: we choose weaving and Roviana first at the moment, because I want to have them speak fluent Roviana, then go into weaving and any languages they want to know about Solomons. That’s very important to Mata and Sumana and I, is communication, to share things, to share about weaving, about music. We all share that part, they learn so fast.
Social and community processes
Social networks
Unique settings in which identity is shared and supported
Shared history, world view, and experiences of life as an ethnic person in New Zealand
Chinese traditional dancer: I guess it’s a good thing to provide an opportunity to get those young kids to get involved into their cultural group, so they have same identity, same ethnic students, like friends, which they might not have in their kiwi schools. They can make more friends with their own cultural group.
Social networks
Unique settings in which identity is shared and supported
Shared history, world view, and experiences of life as an ethnic person in New Zealand
Chinese traditional dancer: I guess it’s a good thing to provide an opportunity to get those young kids to get involved into their cultural group, so they have same identity, same ethnic students, like friends, which they might not have in their kiwi schools. They can make more friends with their own cultural group.
Social and community processes
Community cohesion: intra-ethnic
Activities provide a setting for community gatherings, sometimes with no distinction between audience and artist
These activities by nature and design provide cultural continuity and interconnection
Community cohesion: intra-ethnic
Activities provide a setting for community gatherings, sometimes with no distinction between audience and artist
These activities by nature and design provide cultural continuity and interconnection
Social and community processes
Community cohesion: intra-ethnic
Indian singer: It strengthens the community. When you do concerts, people gather together and they come for one common goal which is music. It gives them a platform to be united? I think? In a far away place like NZ, so many miles from India, you kind of miss India. Me and the other people who are culturally active, they are quite responsible for, well, you can take us out of India, but you can’t take
India out of us.
Community cohesion: intra-ethnic
Indian singer: It strengthens the community. When you do concerts, people gather together and they come for one common goal which is music. It gives them a platform to be united? I think? In a far away place like NZ, so many miles from India, you kind of miss India. Me and the other people who are culturally active, they are quite responsible for, well, you can take us out of India, but you can’t take
India out of us.
Social and community processesInter-ethnic connections
• Ethnic artists believe their visibility enhances perceptions of their group by other ethnicities
• Arts provide a non-threatening venue for public exposure to and interaction with other ethnic groups, notably the dominant culture
• Arts provide media by which to explain the values, beliefs, and experiences of a culture or people to other groups
487,000 attended ethnic cultural events in 2004-
Statistics NZ
Inter-ethnic connections
• Ethnic artists believe their visibility enhances perceptions of their group by other ethnicities
• Arts provide a non-threatening venue for public exposure to and interaction with other ethnic groups, notably the dominant culture
• Arts provide media by which to explain the values, beliefs, and experiences of a culture or people to other groups
487,000 attended ethnic cultural events in 2004-
Statistics NZ
Social and community processes
Inter-ethnic connections
Actor/director (Pakeha, married to an African): New Zealand is still relatively isolated compared with say Belgium or New York, it’s still a relatively new experience to have a lot of faces in the street that to most New Zealanders still look quite strange. I think the less strange they look the less danger... This sort of cultural activity is one way to-- a very positive way because it has its own enjoyments, enrichments, way to avoid that happening.
Inter-ethnic connections
Actor/director (Pakeha, married to an African): New Zealand is still relatively isolated compared with say Belgium or New York, it’s still a relatively new experience to have a lot of faces in the street that to most New Zealanders still look quite strange. I think the less strange they look the less danger... This sort of cultural activity is one way to-- a very positive way because it has its own enjoyments, enrichments, way to avoid that happening.
Senses of belonging, inclusion, caring, interdependence, or emotional
closeness
(e.g. Flanagan, Cumsille, Gill, & Gallay, 2007; Hardaway, C. & Fulghini, A. J., 2006; Hynie, Lalonde, & Lee 2006)
Senses of belonging, inclusion, caring, interdependence, or emotional
closeness
(e.g. Flanagan, Cumsille, Gill, & Gallay, 2007; Hardaway, C. & Fulghini, A. J., 2006; Hynie, Lalonde, & Lee 2006)
Connectedness
Ethnic identity
EID components are very important to traditional/ethnic practitioners in this sample
EID is not considered important to most of the non-traditional arts participants, epecially ones of more
mature years
NZ Chinese writer: Well, in the 60’s and 70’s it was an exciting scene. We were having parties, we were creating. I
never thought of myself as “different” or “Chinese.”
This may reflect assimilationist attitudes in New Zealand prior to the recent increase in immigration.
EID components are very important to traditional/ethnic practitioners in this sample
EID is not considered important to most of the non-traditional arts participants, epecially ones of more
mature years
NZ Chinese writer: Well, in the 60’s and 70’s it was an exciting scene. We were having parties, we were creating. I
never thought of myself as “different” or “Chinese.”
This may reflect assimilationist attitudes in New Zealand prior to the recent increase in immigration.
Ethnic identity
For all artists, including non-traditional, arts practice provides a resource for examining
and resolving identity issues.
Fijian painter: It’s important to practice my art because as a mixed race person there’s a lot of internal conflict, and I think art is a way that helps me understand who I am and why I am the way I am. So I have to practice it, otherwise I’ll go crazy.
For all artists, including non-traditional, arts practice provides a resource for examining
and resolving identity issues.
Fijian painter: It’s important to practice my art because as a mixed race person there’s a lot of internal conflict, and I think art is a way that helps me understand who I am and why I am the way I am. So I have to practice it, otherwise I’ll go crazy.
Ethnic identity
In ethnic arts:
Information is provided about the culture upon which to base identity, values and behaviours
Setting and practices provide intrinsic reinforcement of identity
Filipina dancer: Dance would remind us where we come from, where we are now, and where we are heading tomorrow. It’s always there.
In ethnic arts:
Information is provided about the culture upon which to base identity, values and behaviours
Setting and practices provide intrinsic reinforcement of identity
Filipina dancer: Dance would remind us where we come from, where we are now, and where we are heading tomorrow. It’s always there.
Self-efficacy
“the individual's conviction of being able to master specific activities, situations,
or aspects of his or her own psychological and social functioning.”
(Baccini & Magliulo, 2003, p. 339)
“the individual's conviction of being able to master specific activities, situations,
or aspects of his or her own psychological and social functioning.”
(Baccini & Magliulo, 2003, p. 339)
Self-efficacy & self-esteem
On an individual level, EAP provides opportunities to gain mastery or self-efficacy skills and improve self-esteem
Chinese traditional dancer: It really helps in your life, like the way how you walk and the way how you think, the perceptions you receive from others. It’s a lucky thing if you can do dance in your life.
On an individual level, EAP provides opportunities to gain mastery or self-efficacy skills and improve self-esteem
Chinese traditional dancer: It really helps in your life, like the way how you walk and the way how you think, the perceptions you receive from others. It’s a lucky thing if you can do dance in your life.
One’s valuing of one’s ethnic group, evaluation of self as a member of the group, and perceptions of how the group is valued by outsiders
As a member:
Filipina dancer: When we get together, we sing and dance, and so perhaps I would see- and I admired my elders who were able to dance, and despite their age, they were able to move their hands and turn and twirl.
As perceived by outsiders:
Chinese traditional dancer: You express your ethnicity to Auckland, so you kind of like representing your ethnic group, and also you have better networks and more frequent contacts with government, because you are artist, because we performed in quite many functions or performing activities for people in the large area of Auckland.
One’s valuing of one’s ethnic group, evaluation of self as a member of the group, and perceptions of how the group is valued by outsiders
As a member:
Filipina dancer: When we get together, we sing and dance, and so perhaps I would see- and I admired my elders who were able to dance, and despite their age, they were able to move their hands and turn and twirl.
As perceived by outsiders:
Chinese traditional dancer: You express your ethnicity to Auckland, so you kind of like representing your ethnic group, and also you have better networks and more frequent contacts with government, because you are artist, because we performed in quite many functions or performing activities for people in the large area of Auckland.
Collective self-esteem (CSE)
Toward a model of EAP
EAP Ethnic identity
Environmental mastery(Self-efficacy)
Well Being
Life satisfaction
Social network
Mental health
Individualself-esteem
Collectiveself-esteem
1) Analysis of arts participation effects in a large, longitudinal sample of New Zealand
youth
2) A survey of participants in ethnic arts groups to more precisely test model and
components
1) Analysis of arts participation effects in a large, longitudinal sample of New Zealand
youth
2) A survey of participants in ethnic arts groups to more precisely test model and
components
Future directions
Participation in traditional/ethnic arts isviewed by practitioners to be an asset in
their acculturation experience
On a societal level its support mayprovide valuable avenues to aid in more
favourable acculturation outcomes and social climate
My book/memoir has multiple purposes: it's a story; an insight for others into my culture; a resolution
for myself. My hope is that all of these bear a universality that transcends cultural differences and therefore contributes to reducing prejudice
and racism.NZ Chinese writer/actress
Participation in traditional/ethnic arts isviewed by practitioners to be an asset in
their acculturation experience
On a societal level its support mayprovide valuable avenues to aid in more
favourable acculturation outcomes and social climate
My book/memoir has multiple purposes: it's a story; an insight for others into my culture; a resolution
for myself. My hope is that all of these bear a universality that transcends cultural differences and therefore contributes to reducing prejudice
and racism.NZ Chinese writer/actress
To conclude…
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