What should society do for “uncivilized cultures” like the Sawi?
First of all, society shouldn’t look upon cultures like the Sawi as “uncivilized.” In their own way they are civilized: they practice the arts of woodcarving and hunting, have hierarchies in their community, respect their ancestral traditions in song and have wise minds to live life. These aspects in the isolated cultures must be acknowledged. As for what the society should do for cultures like the Sawi, it is best for them to not come across as anxious to manipulate the culture in order to fit it to the modern world. Society’s first step should be to approach the culture with an attitude of respect and bring modern ideas in a manner of offering instead of enforcing.
Because cultures like the Sawi lack technology, medication, and convenience of such that we have in the modern world, it is only logical to offer them these things, especially medication. When these modern methods work well and it is evident that it brings improvement to their lives, the Sawi and others like them will be apt to accept modernism willingly.
In my opinion, the best messengers of the modern world to these isolated cultures are missionaries. Missionaries are, from what I observed, willing to position themselves to the level of different cultures. Unlike governmental officials, business organizations, and other groups who demand respect from cultures by just saying “because we are better than you,” missionaries approach cultures wearing similar clothes as the people of the culture, respect their beliefs, and do not tread on their traditions 
Society, indicating the modern world, should by all means try to help cultures like Sawi to reconnect with the outside world. However, I strongly suggest that the first step toward this act to be done with kindness and without urgency. I believe it best to come to these different cultures with small steps and a respect for the culture that they already have and had since the days of their ancestors.
Ocho
Posted by hyejin Saturday, December 20, 2008 at 5:37 PM
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4 comments:
December 20, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Hyejin, nice post! It was cool to read your thoughts and ideas about how to reach the isolated cultures. And I think you are right. We shouldn’t bash into other’s homes and order them to stop everything they are doing because we think what they are doing is wrong. It’s simply mean to order people not to do stuff just because you think differently.
I think the ones who like to enforce when in contact with isolated cultures were once employees fired by the managers and the managers said something like: ‘In an employee-employer relationship, I get to have what I want and you don’t.’ Heavily affected by the trauma, they had to go pick on other people and make them miserable.
I wonder why people can’t open their hearts to others and be happy. I wonder why I can’t open my heart to the orphans, the disabled, and the needy. Christian missionaries are brave people. If I were Don Richardson, I wouldn’t have gone to Irian Jaya. I would’ve become a professor in the school or a pastor.
December 31, 2008 at 3:47 AM
Kang Kang ^^
I agree that Sawi culture is also sophisticated and civilized, although it seems immoral and uncivilized to the modern world. Everyone is unique and thus everyone has different way of living. Hence, we must be humble and attempt to place ourselves in their shoes. It is not right to judge anyone by their appearence or with bias.
However, the world is changing and it will not wait for you to start changing. The quicker you start to change as the world changes, the more likely will you survive in this apathetic world. Hence, in my opinion, we should educate them our favorable traits in order for tribes like Sawi to survive. Through education, they would learn to live better. At the same time, they would manage to conserve their culture since we are not converting their values, priorities, or beliefs.
Anyway great post!
January 11, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Hyejin, reading your post was a pleasure for me, because I have similar opinions with you. I agree with you about respecting other cultures as if it is yours; however, it is true that the Sawi's are a bit disconnected to the rest of the world.
Still, who knows if the Sawi thinks that the outside world is uncivilized. As the traders, NGO, and missionary organizations are helping the Sawi's to take a look at the bigger picture of the world, being patient by not forcing or rushing them to simply change their culure is a great idea.
As you said, the rest of the world should think of a resolution by respecting and communicating with the culture, but definantely not by ordering.
Anyway, interesting post!
January 19, 2009 at 4:37 AM
Well written and definitey carefully thought out. You articulate your ideas well and have really sensible logic. Great job! Mrs.Mc.
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