Module III-Cultural History

Essential Question—What is culture?  How can it be defined? 

Cultural Cartoon

Culture is everything that makes up who you are. It encompasses interests, beliefs, traditions, values, concepts (etc) that are shared by a common group of people. Culture is a way we come together with people and relate on so many levels. Culture also sets us apart from other groups of people. Often times, people in a similar area tend to have more commonalities than people living farther apart. For example, I come from a small town in middle Georgia. Here, the majority of us speak English, share similar tastes in foods, attend the same church, and vote in a similar manner. All of these things would be considered part of our culture. If you compared my town to a city on the west coast or in Alaska, chances are there could be more differences than similarities.

Food is at the center of many cultures 

Football is a big part of our culture in the South

Being in Alaska, it is important that I know about the different cultural groups located here. The more I know about them, the better I can understand their way of life. We all know that it is very difficult to teach someone that we know nothing about. Differences among cultural groups are quite beautiful. We should embrace them, learn them, and accept them. After all, if we were all the same, wouldn’t the world be extremely dull and boring?

Examine Question—Who and where are the indigenous peoples of Alaska?

Regions of Alaska

I really love visuals and these maps have been extremely helpful in my learning about the indigenous people in Alaska. The first map is a general picture of the 5 regions in the state. As you can see, much of the interior is Athabascan. This is the area I live so I am able to understand the dynamics a bit better. The second map is a more detailed breakup of the languages throughout the regions.  In the interior, there are many groups within the Athabascan tribe. My school district mostly covers the Lower Tanana and Koyukon area. This makes things a little difficult for our district-wide native language class. Instead of only teaching one dialect, the teacher has to be very familiar with both dialects as they can differ greatly.

Language Map

This link takes you to a wonderful website that gives a great overview of the groups of Alaska Natives and the corporations with which they belong.

Extend Question—How has your culture informed your concept of culture and how you approach cross-cultural communication?

London Markets

Where I come from, we place high importance on the value of education. Through education, I have learned to be more tolerant, accepting, and appreciative of other cultures. Several times in college, I had the opportunity to study overseas. This really jump started my interest in traveling. I really do think travel is the best form of education. You see things first hand and it allows for active learning. I think because of my love of travel and appreciation for new experiences, I was able to make my decision to come to Alaska with peace of mind. I often encourage my students to travel any chance they get. The district provides them many opportunities for travel throughout the school year. I love hearing their stories when they get back and discover that there is a whole world out "there", outside of the interior of Alaska.

MODULE II Reviews--

Exploring Alaska from the Coast - Chelsey demonstrates that there is more to culture than just being “American.” She talks about her religious background, her interests, her traditions, etc. These are all things that make you, you!

Education Exploration in AK  -I like the facts and image Kristin used to point out exactly how large Alaska is. I've seen that photo before and I think it is a real eye-opener for those in the Lower 48!

Exploring Alaska's Cultures - Shannon did a nice job of explaining how people in Alaska are dependent of their natural systems. For example, the people of the southeast are dependent on the oceans and the land. She gives insight on both the Tlingit and Haida tribes.

Evaluation—

I really like learning about the different groups of people in Alaska. Their way of life is so different from how I grew up so it is very intriguing to me. I especially enjoyed the Inupiaq whale hunting video that you posted. They believe that the whale gives itself to them so that they can survive and prosper. That’s an interesting concept to me. I really liked seeing the whole community come together afterward; they really put in so many hours of teamwork. It’s a pretty heart-warming concept. There were a couple links and videos I had trouble pulling up. Overall, I really enjoyed this module.