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Running head: THE MIGRATION OF CULTURES 1

The Migration of Cultures

Tracey Percifield, Penny Rogers, Cheryl Halford, Nate Conley and Amber Wirth

American Intercontinental University


Abstract

In knowing how people of the past decades lived we must examine the past and study many

things they left behind. By understanding how they lived and what impact they had as they

migrated to the New World, it is then we understand how they lived and understand what the

environment was like. Looking at the impact that immigrants had and brought to the New World

we see what cultures and food dishes they brought to our civilization.


The Migration of Cultures

By 1830 the United States consisted of 2.3 million out of 12.8 million were of African descent

and upon them settling after being brought here from Africa they brought many traditions and

impacted the culture today. When they came to the United States they brought scientific and

technological systems from the West and Central Africa as well as many food dishes such as;

gumbo and rice, millet, sorghum, watermelon and black-eyed peas. They also brought tradition

with them regarding funerals, celebration festivals, arts, music, dugout canoes, the banjo and

language which also had an effect on the European culture as welland this is known as

Africanism (Nps.gov, n.d.).

Africanism is directly related to African American and Creolization which asks the question

when you stop and give to the American or European culture. They point out that the African

culture has direct impact on Africa, African-American, Creolization, African-Jamaican and

European cultures and when examine the roots trace back to Africa.However, there has been

some controversial stating that African roots to America were long lost in slavery as some

believe but state the only strong culture they have still impacted are Latin America and the

Caribbean (Nps.gov, n.d.).

Many have traced the routes and the trade market to see what role the traits of Africa has on

the world where the settled or were forced to settle as slaves. They asked former slaves back in

1930 mainly from Georgia to give data of their life to try and preserve and understand what they

went through so they didn’t lose tradition and history but to show what changes were made and

what traditions they were allowed to keep when resorted as slaves. Below is the map in which

the Africans experience trade and slavery throughout the global world (Nps.gov, n.d.).


Here we see how immigration, trade took place and by looking at the map and routes then we

can see how easy it was for people to end up in the New World or the United States (Nps.gov,

n.d.).


In the western world dominance took tradition and culture to China and India and as one scholar

made statement to be that Confucian tradition would continue to be the sources of value system,

and modernization for material gains.China and India view the modernity as not having any

traditions or values the only thing they have is powerful utility (Norbu, 1996).

The Europeans given their vast of conquering techniques and invading came upon India and

China and instilled their beliefs on the people that inhabited these countries. The Spaniards won

the trade right of China and India; these countries did not care to trade with Europeans because

they did not care for their merchandise. They were however, concerned with the trade of

American Silver from the Spaniards in exchange for their fine silk (Butler, 2007).

China and Africa often did many trades; China was interested in their ivory medicine, spices,

exotic wood and exotic wildlife. It was written the Emperor of China was very fond of the exotic

animals and kept many things from India such as; lions, tigers, rhinoceros and even a giraffe and

a few other exotic animals to his collection.The most effects that India and China had with the

western civilization was the race to find routes to Africa and Asia amongst the sea to trade for

gold and silver to ensure their power and voyages, but India and China did not sustain to the

power of the Europeans as Africa did (Hays, 2008).

Syncretism is sharing and molding one’s culture into another. Europe was the center of all

that was going on in Africa, the Americas, China and India. They blended their cultures together

hoping to get a better outcome. Europe invaded their own culture by going outside the social

circuit. (Sayre, 2010) Below are some of the cultural factors that caused differences in Europe

and the different countries.

Europe had a soft spot for silks and spices and started looking elsewhere to trade. Europe

also empowered itself intellectually, lined themselves with many military personnel, they


controlled the finances and trading markets. Separation became evident when some of the

civilizations could not keep up with the trending markets. (Sayre, 2010)

In the nineteenth century, Europe dominated and brought Christianity into the mix and

inventive thinkers changed scientific discoveries and theories to cause self-serving arguments.

(World-history, 2011) In China and Japan they were controlled by the host, unlike Indonesia and

India. Christianity was pushed in the civilizations and changes came about in the text and

records. (AIU, 2011)

Japan did expansive networking by trading throughout Asia. During this time, Europeans

continued to trade by sea in India thus leaving Japan alone. Differences continued to grow when

the civilizations found their niche’ and starting doing things on their own. Africans and the

Americas became part of a new concept called slavery, which resulted in another culture change,

therefore causing diversity, hatred and upset civilizations creating animosity. Those not of the

slavery concept had much to gain and prospered from the agriculture and trading. (AIU, 2011)

As you can see, all civilizations have different cultures and ways of life but most work

together toward the same outcome and others take advantage of the weakness of other cultures

and expound on them for monetary reasons. With finances and trade come more change and

more differences.

Many legacies are still around today that are a result of the early encounters between the Native

Americans and Africans. Because of these encounters the Native Americans adopted and

integrated many of the African cultures and traditions into their own tribes. The African

language can still be recognized in many modern day settings. Architecture, food, and music all

resonate with the legacies from these early encounters. Not only are these legacies still an

influence in the Native American communities but in American society as well (AUK, n.d.).


While the early encounters between Native Americans and Africans were anything but

positive, it was worse between India and China and Westerners. Native Americans and Africans

encounters resulted in cultural changes while India, China, and Westerners encounters were not

as eager for these changes to occur. This is largely due to the fact that they don’t trust one

another. Both India and China believe that their beliefs, cultures, and way of life should be kept

as it is and has resulted in the smallest amount of cultural change (AUK, n.d.).

Because of these early encounters, and the integration of the different tribes and societies,

cultures and traditions have also been integrated in today’s way of life. In the United States

alone, many different cultures can be found in one city. People from all walks of life have

learned to live together and accept each other for who they are and often join in on the different

traditions each nationality enjoys (AUK, n.d.).

Cultural syncretism is the intermingling of cultural tradition (Sayre, 2010). Syncretism has

played a role when it comes to the negotiation of identities and hegemonies in situations such as

conquest, trade, migration, religious dissemination and intermarriage. There is so much diversity

insociety and it exists from beliefs, to ethnicities, to practices. In the New World the Amerindian

civilization controlled their way of life. They controlled their own belief system, social

hierarchy, and traditions.After the New World was discovered the slave trade took off in the

Americas, certain beliefs and religions came along with the people when they came forcing the

religious culture on those already there. Religions such as Candomble, Voodoo and Santeria

came to be with the influence of Roman Catholicism. However, if syncretism not occurred in the

Americas the independent high level of freedom would not be the same as it is today (Sayre,

2010).


One aspect that would have changed is the political syncretism. Had syncretism not occurred

in the Americas, the United States government would not be a solid whole unit. Instead it would

be divided up into sections, such as how it was when things were segregated there would be a

different section would govern certain people of certain races. For example, in the nineteenth

century Indian Americans along with African-Americans could not vote or get involved in

political issues. The Americas would not be considered a free nation as it is today. Slavery would

still exist, along with the mistreatment of minorities as common and fair behavior (Muraga,

2011).

Cultural entertainment would have also been affected. The Americas have a known history of

diverse entertainment styles. However, many of these styles have integrated in the American

culture through other countries. If not for syncretism America would not have the diverse range

of music and entertainment that is so broad and diverse today.

The partial integration of religious practices would not be so free and impartial. The constitution

allows the right for a person to serve or worship the god of their choice. Christianity has

dominated many societies in the Americas. In South America the Spanish colonization and its

Roman Catholic Church's proselytizing of animistic South America. Religious syncretism there

would be a conflict of religious practice in societies causing a conflict of interest (Religious

Syncretism, 1994). When the belief system of one culture doesn’t mesh together with another it

causes syncretism to become impossible. However, they can absorb and take into their culture

certain aspects and elements from other outside sources. If syncretism had not occurred in the

Americas the political and religion aspect may have evolved much differently than what appears

today.


Cultural syncretism means “the combination of different forms of belief or practice (Lindenfeld,

2006).”

The main focus if cultural syncretism had happened in China and India are the changes in

religion, work culture, and discipline. Syncretism would have resulted in China and India would

have smaller communities resulting in them being deeply religious, they do not work, and against

modernization and trade (Suresh, 2010).

China is not really religious in the first place. It would not have been successful for the cultural

syncretism for China simply because of China not being really religious. China would have

become well known and may have had multiple issues on who believed what if they were

hardcore religious.

China celebrates multiple different religions. A few of those religions are Confucianism, Daoism

(Taoism), Buddhism, Islam and Christianity (Whyte, 2011). According to the Cha-cha website, it

says that China only has an income of $1,000 a year (Cha-cha, 2009). One thousand dollars a

year is not very much at all. The Chinese would not be able not to work with cultural syncretism

since they barely make any money as it is.

Modernization and trade is a must for China. Trade helps increase social and the economic

development of China (China). The amount of China’s trade is increasing every year. The

products in America are mainly made in China.

Religion is extremely important in India. India believed in Hinduism and Buddhism. Eighty-two

percent of India’s religion is Hinduism (Asian, 2010). Religion is so important to the Indians that

it is part of every aspect of life (Asian, 2010). Since cultural syncretism would have meant India

being very religious would have worked perfectly for India with little to no change.


The second important aspect of cultural syncretism in India is the wanting of not to work.

India’s average income for a year is around $500. The amount of money is so bad that children

have to leave school and help out in the fields and chores at home (Cha-cha, 2011). The income

for India is already so low and they depend on their money through working in the fields, the

chances of not working at all does not work for them.

India’s modernization and trade is continually increasing. The U.S.-India bilateral

merchandise trade in 2008 reached nearly $50 billion. The main things that are exported to the

U.S. are aircraft part, cotton, advanced machinery, and computer hardware. The software sector

is increasing and will modernize India’s economy (U.S).

In conclusion, overall China and India would not be able to handle cultural syncretism if

it would have happened. The only way they would have had a chance if force is by trade.


REFERENCES

Asian Info.(2010). India’s Religion and Philosophy. Retrieved on November 26, 2011 from:

http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfor/india/religion.htm

AIU Online, (2011) Media Content: Cross-Cultural Contact. (Unit 3 Course Materials)
Prentice-Hall and Pearson Education

AUK (n.d.). Legacy: West & the World. Chapter 9: Imperialism, Colonialism, & Resistance in
the 19th Century. Retrieved from
http://www.markville.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/history/west/ch9imperialism.pdf

Chris Butler. (2007). [Web log message]. Retrieved from
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China. (2005). United Nations Development Programmer. Retrieved on November 26, 2011

Dawa Norbu. (1996). [Web log message]. Retrieved from

http://ignca.nic.in/ls_03021.htm

History World, (2011) Europe. Retrieved November 24, 2011 from
http://history- world.org/europe,%20scientific%20superiority.htm

J e f f r e y H a ys . ( 2 0 0 8 ) . [ W e b l o g m e s s a g e ] . R e t r i e v e d f r o m
http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=45&catid=2&subcatid=90

Lindenfeld, David. (2006). Syncretism. World History Connected. Retrieved on November 25,
2011 from:
http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/whc/4.1/lindenfeld.html

Muraga, T, (2011 May 17). Syncretism in America, Retrieved from
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7818988/syncretism_in_america.html?cat=37

Nps.gov. (n.d.). [Web log message]. Retrieved from
h t t p : / / w w w . n p s . g o v / h i s t o r y/ c r d i / p u b l i c a t i o n s / A f r i c a n i s m s - C h a p t e r 1 . p d f

Religious Syncretism, (1994). Retrieved from http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/syncretism.htm

Sayre, H.M. (2010) Discovering the Humanities: The Age of Encounter, pg. 252-282. Prentice-
Hall and Pearson Education

Suresh.(2010). History and Culture of India.Syncretism.New-age-center. Retrieved on November
25, 2011 from:
http://www.new-age-center.com/article/history-and-culture-of-india.


U.S. Department of State. (2011). Background note: India. Retrieved on November 26, 2011
from:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3454.htm

Whyte, Bob. (2011). Religion in China.Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding. Retrieved on
November 25, 2011 from:
http://www.sacu.org/religion.html

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