http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/23/local/la-me-San-Gabriel-float-20121123
I have scoped out The Los Angeles Times news site in the past few weeks, hoping to come across a recent news article regarding social and ethnic difference in Los Angeles. However, all of them seemed to be really outdated. Fortunately, I came across this interesting article just released today. It discusses San Gabriel's attempt to preserve its culture in in the midst of a rapidly changing society.
The article caused me to reflect back on what we learned in lecture regarding race as a cultural symbol. With race, there is a genetic foundation--the genes embedded in each individual. However, it also exudes a superficial and contextual expression--the phenotype. Race serves as a cultural symbol which signifies meaning about the particular race. In a sense race is a story that individuals, groups and societies tell each other. My relatives often tells me stories about my asian heritage. They tie in the features on my face, the food that we eat, the way we interact with one another to our "asian-ness." Cultural signifiers are not limited to race but extend to the hairstyle, clothes, as well as the make-up that people chose to wear.
The San Gabriel float serves to continue to tell the city's story to revive cultural and historical awareness. The float will serve as a signifier that holds meaning for the people who created it and hope to embed this meaning into the minds of its residents. The float will be reminiscent of the San Gabriel mission--what is believed to be the birthplace of the L.A. region. This story must continue to be told in order to hold meaning in people's minds. If it ceases to be remembered, then that part of the city's culture will be lost.
No comments:
Post a Comment