How Westernization Changed Culture

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Another area you can see how the culture becomes westernized are in the houses they live in. In 1926, when “Within the Work Fair” was filmed, the natives brought to the colony were given little brick houses to live in with their family. To the Belgians, this was a better way to live than in a hut. However, over time, as evident in “In 50 years”, their houses have changed to individual houses with doors and window, very similar to what the Europeans would live in. The colonized have become westernized in the place they live now as well as the education they receive.

The culture that had been there also disappeared from the articles of clothing they wore. In “Within the Work Fair”, the natives are seen in loin clothes and fabric wrapped around their waist. To the home countries, that’s a scandalous way to dress. It is now apparent that in order civilize the natives, their clothing has to be changed. After they are examined medically, they’re given their “essentials” and those include a change in clothes. Twelve years later, in the film “Gold”, gone are the loin clothes and skirts from their everyday lifestyle. The natives are now seen dressed in a pair of pants and shirt. They have been shown and taught how to dress as the Europeans would. This can again be seen in “In 50 Years” when it shows the contrast between what the natives were dressed as before to what they dressed as after the Belgians had been there for 50 years, as explained above. Clothing, to some cultures, has meanings and can be sacred to some. As a result of this westernization of their clothes, I argue this has a huge impact as they now cannot express themselves as they previously would have.

Entertainment also changed in the colonies as result of westernization. Before the westerners took over the land, entertainment was typically hunting, dancing, and rituals held in a village. Now in 1958, as seen in the film “In 50 Years”, the entertainment consists of Sunday strolls, marching parades, concerts, choir, and the annual award ceremony. When the Belgians moved from their home country, they brought over their leisure activities with them. The natives were told and shown that these new activities were the “correct” way to relax and enjoy their free time. Soon enough, hunting was soon replaced with peaceful walks and talks, the dancing and rituals were replaced with choir, marching band, and the award ceremony. Once a year, workers and colonizers alike joined together to celebrate loyalty and hard work at an award ceremony. Here is when they were able to show off their new found western talents. I argue the change in what the celebrations and activities were in the colony impacted their lives.

Curiously, one of the only things left untouched by the colonizers were the art of the ancient culture. The film “In 50 Years” demonstrates the untouched art through songs the choir sang and the “warrior fights” that were performed at the end of the award ceremony in a concert setting. The songs that were performed were sung in their native language as opposed to the colonizers language. The performers of the warrior fights were dressed in traditional clothes for that region and were very primitive looking. Why this area of their culture was left alone was, Hobsbawm argues, “In the field of art, and especially in the visual arts, western avant gardes treated non-western cultures entirely as equals.” He also argues that the primitivism of the arts of Africa and Oceania were a big attraction to the avant gardes generations of the early twentieth century. Because these avant gardes saw it as art, they taught Europeans to see it as art, regardless of its origin (Hobsbawm, 1987, pg. 81). I argue this had a big impact on both parties is because while the colonizers learned of this new culture and appreciation of their arts, the colonies didn’t lose one huge part of themselves that had been there since before Imperialism.

In conclusion, the biggest impact of Imperialism on the world is most prominent through the westernization that occurred. The areas of impact (clothes, education, entertainment, language) can be seen in the films “Within the Work Fair”, made in 1926, “Gold”, made in 1938, and “In 50 Years”, made in 1958. This impact was first caused by unnatural borders, then felt through a shift of culture that occurred because of a “civilizing mission” the European powers had.

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Works Cited

Hobsbawm, Eric J. “The Age of Empire.” The Age of Empire: 1875-1914. London: Weidenfeld

and Nicolson, 1987. 81. Print.

Within The Work Fair. Dir. Ernest Genval. 1926. DVD.

Gold. Dir. Ernest Genva. 1938. DVD.

In 50 Years. Dir. Gerard De Boe. 1958. DVD.

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