Monday, September 6, 2010
Mixed Up!
I think that natives people don't have that tendency of being biologically able to abuse the alcohol is just that ( in my own point of view) their spiritual ways and way of live have been mixed up with the modern culture, causing that native people to get lost in their own path. For me is is the introduction of a new culture that is affecting the ways of native people to behave normally taking the alcohol as a relive or escape of the situation.For me people that actually has been able to preserve the pureness of the culture but at the same time explore an live in the actual world for me thats something to be rewarded.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I feel the current misuse of alcohol by native individuals is stemmed from them feeling as if they do not belong to any culture. They were rejected from white culture and in the process forgot portions of their native heritage. Now they are trying to decide how to find a balance between the two.Many young natives have grown up in the modern culture/lifestyle and relate to it yet they realize they are different and want to rediscover their native heritage. I feel that older native Alaskan's must recognize the struggle younger people are going through and should embrace changes in their culture even if they falter from ancient practices. All cultures evolve with the rest of society and in introduction of technology so native Alaskans' as a whole should embrace change and be excited about rebuilding their culture in a way that encompasses the new and old.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is easy to become addicted to alcohol if you've grown up in a setting where that is how people deal with their problems. If one grows up seeing their whole family or even community deal with problems this way then how would they know any better? If you live a sheltered life you might believe this is the "normal" way of dealing with negative feelings.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of alcohol abuse from this point of view. It offers an interesting perspective, however I dont completely agree with it. From my understanding of the essay, it seemed as if they were drinking and people were experiencing drinking problems before the Western people began to take over. Its almost like they were growing up with it.. So I can see the new cultural influence, but at the same time I believe it is also something that young children witness and grow up with. Causing them to believe that drinking will solve their problem. If only there was someone for them to talk to, someone they can trust, but at the same time someone from outside their community that could make them understand that drinking doesnt fix problems. Or to even point out how it is tearing apart their families and friend's families.
ReplyDelete