1

“Communicating Across Cultures”

“Communicating Across Cultures”

Father Michael OleksaFather Michael Oleksa

2

Culture can be defined in three ways…Culture can be defined in three ways…

3

Culture isCulture is

…the way you see the world, the beam of light you are in, the worldview.

…the way you see the world, the beam of light you are in, the worldview.

4

Culture isCulture is

…the game of life as you understand and play it.

…the game of life as you understand and play it.

5

Culture isCulture is

…the story into which you were born.…the story into which you were born.

6

Our CultureOur Culture

• The “Global Literate” Culture• American Cultural History

• The “Global Literate” Culture• American Cultural History

7

Our CultureOur Culture

…the enactment of our story…human experiences on the planet earth…the story we tell ourselves.

Human Experiences on Planet Earth

…the enactment of our story…human experiences on the planet earth…the story we tell ourselves.

Human Experiences on Planet Earth

Millions of Years

8

Our CultureOur Culture

Millions of Years

EWK(Everything Worth Knowing)

9

Our CultureOur Culture

Millions of Years

•Biology

•Math

•Astronomy

•Cartography

•History

•Law

•Art

•Music

•Religion

•Ceremony

•Poetry

•Flora

•Fauna

•Medicine

•Economics

•_________

•_________

•_________

10

Our CultureOur Culture

Millions of Years

Biology

Math

AstronomyCartography

History

Law

Art

Music

Religion

Ceremony

Poetry

Flora

Fauna

Medicine

Economics

EWK

11

Our CultureOur Culture

•Cities

•Law

•Libraries

•Writing

•Courts

•Knowledge

•History

•Schools

EWK

A Package Deal

12

Our CultureOur Culture

Potential

Experience

Chronos

13

Our CultureOur Culture

Labor < Leisure

SpecializedMarketable Skill

Productive CitizenGlobal Economy

Labor < Leisure

SpecializedMarketable Skill

Productive CitizenGlobal Economy

14

Our CultureOur Culture

Game

7-8 Major Languages Today

Chinese English

French Spanish

German Russian

Arabic (Hindi)

Game

7-8 Major Languages Today

Chinese English

French Spanish

German Russian

Arabic (Hindi)

15

Global LiterateGlobal Literate

“Ball Game” 7-8 Major Languages Today

Global Political PowerGlobal Economic PowerGlobal Social Influence

Global Military Domination

“Ball Game” 7-8 Major Languages Today

Global Political PowerGlobal Economic PowerGlobal Social Influence

Global Military Domination

16

Our Ball Game’s Fundamental Assumptions

Our Ball Game’s Fundamental Assumptions

Global-literate Written language Knowledge-based Fragmented Specialized “Marketable skill” Chronos time

Global-literate Written language Knowledge-based Fragmented Specialized “Marketable skill” Chronos time

Leisure-labor (Play-Work Potential-Experience Productive

(Autonomous) individual citizen

Global economy

Leisure-labor (Play-Work Potential-Experience Productive

(Autonomous) individual citizen

Global economy

17

GLS ProfileGLS Profile

Increasingly secular Nature as resource

for human benefit Human centered and

dominant

Increasingly secular Nature as resource

for human benefit Human centered and

dominant

18

Why Schools?Why Schools?

Schooling:

• Necessary for the accumulation of status and possessions

• The more possessions, the more security is valued• But…Freedom vs Security remains a dilemma

Schooling:

• Necessary for the accumulation of status and possessions

• The more possessions, the more security is valued• But…Freedom vs Security remains a dilemma

19

Global Literate Society’s Attitude Toward Time/History

Global Literate Society’s Attitude Toward Time/History

Future Orientation

Knowledge to:

• Predict

• Control future

Literacy is key

Constant change

Development

20

Traditional Local Culture’s Attitude Toward Time

Traditional Local Culture’s Attitude Toward Time

Origins/Beginnings

Static

Eternal

Permanent

The past does not change.

Truth is forever the same.

21

Basic Characteristics of Traditional Local Cultures

Basic Characteristics of Traditional Local Cultures

“Pre-historic”: Non or Pre-Literature

Traditional

rooted in Local Ecosystems

Non-literate: Oral

22

TL Culture’s EducationTL Culture’s Education

• Education = Schooling• Education = What we learn that is…

• Useful vs Useless

• Meaningful vs Meaningless

• Relevent vs Irrelevant

• Education = Schooling• Education = What we learn that is…

• Useful vs Useless

• Meaningful vs Meaningless

• Relevent vs Irrelevant

23

Traditional Local Educational Goals

Traditional Local Educational Goals

Who we/you are.

Where we/you fit.

How we/you relate.

Who we/you are.

Where we/you fit.

How we/you relate.

24

CurriculumCurriculum

Origins…Patterns…Paradigms in Sacred Stories (Myths)

Origins…Patterns…Paradigms in Sacred Stories (Myths)

25

Traditional Educational GoalsTraditional Educational Goals

(1) Who in Alaska: The Human Beings

Lingit Inuit

Dene/Dineh Yup’ik

Unangax Inupiaq

Yuut

(1) Who in Alaska: The Human Beings

Lingit Inuit

Dene/Dineh Yup’ik

Unangax Inupiaq

Yuut

26

Traditional Educational GoalsTraditional Educational Goals

(1) Who?

Kairos

Repetition and Remembrance

Eternal Structures

(1) Who?

Kairos

Repetition and Remembrance

Eternal Structures

27

Traditional Educational GoalsTraditional Educational Goals

NunaNuna

Imaq

Qilak

(2) Where We Fit?

28

Traditional Educational GoalsTraditional Educational Goals

(3) How we relate to each other and the world.Myths:

Sacred (origin) Story containing paradigmsLegends:

Mostly negative stories w/consequences for violating patters/models/paradigms

(3) How we relate to each other and the world.Myths:

Sacred (origin) Story containing paradigmsLegends:

Mostly negative stories w/consequences for violating patters/models/paradigms

29

Traditional CurriculumTraditional Curriculum

Song/Dance/Ceremony

Art/Architecture

Clothing/Vestments/Tools

Household Utinsels/Weapons

Song/Dance/Ceremony

Art/Architecture

Clothing/Vestments/Tools

Household Utinsels/Weapons

30

Playing the Game of LifePlaying the Game of Life

Ritualized Behaviors:

Expectant Mothers (Naken Anellrusit?)

Nukalpiat

First catch (Mingqeq)

Table Manners (qanaqliq)

Naming (Yup’ik/Lingit)

Koo-eex “potlatch”

Ritualized Behaviors:

Expectant Mothers (Naken Anellrusit?)

Nukalpiat

First catch (Mingqeq)

Table Manners (qanaqliq)

Naming (Yup’ik/Lingit)

Koo-eex “potlatch”

31

Traditional Local CharacteristicsTraditional Local Characteristics

• Oral LanguageWisdom-basedWholisticGeneralistHuman BeingKairos

• Oral LanguageWisdom-basedWholisticGeneralistHuman BeingKairos

32

Traditional Local cont..Traditional Local cont..

Meaningful-Meaningless According to Paradigm/without Paradigm Real Person/Membership Eco-system/rural Essentially spiritual Nature as dominant

Meaningful-Meaningless According to Paradigm/without Paradigm Real Person/Membership Eco-system/rural Essentially spiritual Nature as dominant

33

Traditional Local cont..Traditional Local cont..

Spirit and Nature CenteredBalance and HarmonyConnection and Relationships

Spirit and Nature CenteredBalance and HarmonyConnection and Relationships

34

Traditional Local cont..Traditional Local cont..

EducationWho?Where?How?

EducationWho?Where?How?