oYang: In the modern world, globalization has become one of the hottest
topics. Under the trend of globalizing, many fixed cultures have been greatly
influenced. And the cultural diversity has been affected by this trend. What
is your opinion of such a phenomenon?
Lucia: Since the age of the great discoveries, civilizations and cultures
have been influencing one another, mixing in a way or other. This is not a
phenomenon typical of the so-called post-modern age. Of course, the process
of globalization and financial capitalism
strengthened the influence
of the dominant cultures, those from the industrialized countries, over the
peripheral ones. Cultural diversity, different cultural identities,
struggles to subsist, to maintain their uniqueness before the pervasiveness
of the American culture. I believe, together with some important theoreticians,
that we are facing something new and challenging: the decline of strong national
identities and the emergence of hybrid identities. That may seem a reason
of concern for some, however, it is a significant change in
history. How many wars have been waged and disputes arisen in history out
of the will to affirm and impose a particular country national identity? It’s
enough to recall Nazi Germany. A hybrid identity would be a mix of intrinsic
elements with foreign elements. If
we look around, that’s what we see everywhere.
Do you think the Chinese are really less Chinese because MacDonald’s has settled
here?
You know, Brazil is a multicultural country. Brazilian identity was built
mainly by the contributions of Portuguese people, indigenous people and Africans
from many different cultures and languages. Italians, Arabs, Spanish, Germans,
Hungarians, Polish, Jews - just to name some - have also contributed to make
our society a true melting-pot . Brazilians are renowned for their openness,
their relaxed attitude and their creativity. Of course, American culture is
a strong presence in Brazil but the ÒBrazilian styleÓ continues
to be a very special and easily identified one. Our food, our music, our cinema,
our architecture, our way of being Latin Americans should resist the tendency
of homogeneity of our globalized World.
oYang: Brazil is world-widely famous for its football culture, traditional
dancing Samba, sculptures, etc. These have brought certain affects to other
countriesÕ culture. In the meanwhile, Brazil’s national culture has
been influenced by culture from other countries. We hope to see, how does
Brazil view the relationship between national culture and foreign culture?
Is foreign culture a benefit or threat to national culture?
Lucia:Of course I won’t deny foreign culture may be a “threat” to national
culture. That’s the reason why it is necessary to have institutions and channels
in the media that care for the protection of national diversity, for the expression
of the “spirit” of the country. This is one of the main roles of a government.
Considering the amazing diversity of China itself, with its 56 ethnic groups,
and the richness of these cultures, minorities should be given all the means
to protect their tangible and intangible heritage. I think one of the great
challenges at present is to see the dialogue between cultures in a more open
way, taking into account that identity always presupposes difference. It can
be a good way to practice tolerance, a virtue so essential in our world.
oYang:On May 26th, 2004, a Brazilian art exhibition “Amazon-Indigenous
Life” was held in China’s Palace Museum. We can see that Indian culture is
a treasure to Brazilian culture. Taking this exhibition as an example, would
you like to tell us how the Brazilian protect and develop Indian culture?
Can traditional culture be connected with modern life, without losing the
inner spirit of traditional culture?
Lucia:Presently there are in Brazil approximately 700.000 indigenous
people, distributed in 220 different ethnic groups, with 180 different languages,
according to recent data from IBGE (Brazilian Institute for Geography and
Statistics). Besides the national institution to deal with indigenous issues,
FUNAI, there are many NGOs working together with the Indians to help them
protect their culture and way of life. The representatives of the indigenous
communities have been struggling to get special schools for their people,
special education where the Indians can learn their history and are able to
preserve their cultures. The awareness of the importance of an indigenous
pride, an indigenous struggle for survival in the best possible ways is more
and more acute among the Indians. Many political leaders and some Indian intellectuals
are already official spokesmen for their people.
Of course, the dialogue of traditional cultures with urban, industrialized
societies is a difficult one. But one cannot stop the wheel of history. It
is an enormous struggle and nobody knows how it will end. We hope the traditional
indigenous cultures will be able, with the help of government and civil society,
to maintain their diversity, their millenary lore that has taught and still
can teach us so many things. Indigenous knowledge about the environment and
the medicines they can obtain from it are a precious contribution to Brazil
and the world, but they have to be properly preserved and defended from the
pharmaceutical industry interests. The spirit of the indigenous cultures,
their cosmogonies, besides their poetic beauty should be better known and
understood in the society we live in, which tends more and more to be raw
utilitarianism.
oYang: As is well known,
the Brazilian athletes have shown their traditional strength in football game.
So we would like to talk about it a bit today. Last year, the FIFA (Federation
International of Football Association) declared that Linzi in Shandong province
in China is hometown of football. This declaration has inspired many people’s
interest, and we have made a theme report on it in our magazine. Would you
like to talk about something on this?
Lucia: Linzi is the hometown of soccer, China is the homeland of soccer
as well as of so many important things. Your magazine published a beautiful
article about the subject with reproductions of paintings and sculptures on
the theme of soccer in the Chinese culture. Our Minister of Culture has proposed
to FIFA a cultural program for the next World Cup, with art and film exhibitions,
installations, etc. I am sure the films which will be shown by Brazil in 2006
Football Exhibition will amaze and delight our Chinese friends. Let’s hope
the iconography relative to the
origins of soccer in China will be shown on the occasion of the 2006 World
Cup. The idea is to show the diverse origins of soccer – let’s not forget
that the game may have been invented here, but the British made up the rules
and it flourished in a very special style in Brazil!
Talking about football styles, I can’t refrain from remembering that the football
art was one of our contributions to the world! Not only feet, but also legs
and waist are required in our “soccer-dance”. Who could forget Garricha, Didi,
Pele, Romario, Ronaldo?
