A Review on The Keita L'Heritage Du Griot Essay

A Review on The Keita L'Heritage Du Griot - Essay Example Others have already been assimilated into the western culture or the American way of life and have lost their identity as members of their original community. As such, they seek to spread the spirit of cosmopolitanism everywhere. This may be seen in the way the Europeans assimilated African societies and later the Africans chose to adopt almost everything that is western (Baaz and Palmberg 29). Others have imitated the western culture to some extent but retained their traditions when it comes to certain rituals that favor traditional points of view. The current globalization has made it difficult for many cultures to maintain their traditions and this has strained many relations. Those who live in rural areas are seen to be the greatest adherents of traditions and customs in many societies. However, the migration that has led many to leave the rural areas to the urban areas in search of greener pastures has come with its constraints (Howard 80). Many have abandoned their cultures and even forgotten about their traditional roots. They have been assimilated into other cultures that have come as a result of the different people that inhabit many of these urban centers. The media has also played a considerable role in eroding many beliefs that people held years ago in the name of civilization (Merlan 105). However, there are others who are termed as the indigenous people. These are groups of people who are said to have stuck to their traditional roots and continue to practice their cultures based on their historical ties that are said to have existed before colonization. These people maintain their cultures despite the big divide between theirs and the mainstream culture as well as political systems (WGIP 2). They have maintained their distinct social, economic and political systems that have remained relevant to them despite the civilization that has taken place around them. Many governments have tried to assimilate them into the mainstream societies but have met huge oppositions, and this has led to mistrust amongst the two groups (Clifford 93). For instance, the Aborigines of Australia have managed to get the backing of the Australian government after years of mistrust and arguments over their territorial boundaries. The Maori of New Zealand have also got the backing of the government and have even contributed in some nation building through their cultural activities (WGIP 3). Therefore, these indigenous persons are not a threat but an excellent way of maintaining national unity and peace. Governments need to understand the indigenous people, and should allow them to conserve the natural resources since they understand the importance of sustainable environmental practices. However, the problem that arises is the system that the government can utilize as a way of identifying these individuals. Defining the term may be quite challenging since different schools of thought bear different definitions (WGIP 3). However, experts in anthropology a dvise that it would be better to identify rather than define these people. If people would come forward and identify themselves with these communities and the communities accept the member as their own, it