Ladygreek...man you're so SMART!!!
Hahaha, I like what you said a lot.
I think "tradition" is something people like to throw around. What constitutes a tradition? If you have a health fair for two years in a row, is it a tradition?
On one hand, I see people's points about the need to possess cultural heritage. Specifically, the Black community has been robbed countless times throughout history of its practices and traditions, so it seems natural to be protective of it. I'm sure if you reversed the roles of the last 600 years of Whites and Blacks you'd have the same want of many for protection and preservation of culture.
Yet, culture in itself is such a vague term. What constitutes it? Who can claim to have "ownership" of a certain cultural practice? In Greek terms, just adopting Greek letters is copying Phi Beta Kappa. Have secret rituals, etc. is also from them and before them the Masons. Everything is shared and mutates over time when different people adapt it to their own needs.
Like I said before, I think cultural defensiveness directly stems from how much you feel your culture has been taken from you. For example, if non-Scottish people started trying to play the bagpipes, I wouldn't be offended because inherently I feel I can have ownership of that "tradition" and "cultural" practice.
I don't know if any of my ramblings are making sense. I am trying to look at it from an academic point of view, ahaha.
As BluNYC2 said, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Why do you think Latino/a, Asian, Multicultural Greeks are imitating Black Greeks? I think it comes from a need to find one's niche and establish a counter-culture that is anti-mainstream (ie White). Black Greeks have a much longer tradition of creating (and sustaining) this counter-culture. Because of this, people look to it for guidance and direction, sometimes even subconsciously.
D9 orgs have a lot of pride and history in themselves, and it is truly admirable and something people see. Now, you're seeing people measure themselves to standards of D9 orgs...Latino/a, Asian, Multicultural orgs have their measures of success based upon Black Greek orgs. 100 years ago, that wouldn't have been possible b/c anything that was Black or related to Black culture was considered bad by mainstream society.
Am I saying that everything is peachy now? Helllllll no. But the fact that people who aren't Black are emulating Black culture and traditions is truly intruiging on a sociological level.
Is some of that imitation degrading? Yes of course (see people trying to act what they feel is "gangsta" or "ghetto"). However, when it comes to things like developing a strong presence on campus in the form of community programs, student organizational involvement, philanthropy, and alumni involvement, I personally feel that is a very good thing. Indeed, Black Greeks are the Gold Standard when it comes to that.
What I think has to happen now is that there needs to be more interraction between various Greek groups (ie NPC/NIC, NPHC, NALFO, NAPA, NMGC, etc) and beginning to develop mutual understanding and respect for each other (b/c I personally feel it doesn't exist now much outside of one's own ethnic Greek group) and share practices and ideas.
Imagine what could be done if things were shared and people had that cultural respect...man it'd be amazing.
Ok, I'm off my idealistic Soap Box now.
Threaded Mode
