The Cultural minorities Are minority population groups with certain beliefs and customs that allow them to distinguish themselves from the community to which they belong. We live in a multicultural and globalized society, with constant migratory phenomena due to economic crises, wars and inequality.
This situation of globalization allows many cultures to live in harmony in a specific geographic location. It is not only a cultural minority that is considered to be small, isolated groups that have other customs.
But we consider any small group in a geographical environment with differentiated characteristics, but from the place from which they come, they would not be considered a minority.
Cultural minorities are not only formed by the development of differentiating customs, but in recent times it is closely related to Migrations Political, economic, and unfortunately, by situations of war.
Over the years, these minorities have been helped to greater acceptance within the society in which they live. The recognition of these proposes as basic principles that are not discriminated and helps to preserve the cultural identity of the same.
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What are the characteristics of cultural minorities
The characteristics that distinguish mainly minorities are ethnic , Religious, linguistic, cultural and social. To consider it a minority, it must have a significant number of members. This distinction is made, since otherwise we would all be a minority.
Unfortunately, in many circumstances, these distinctive features are a reason for Discriminated Of the ethnic majority of the region.
Cultural minorities can be differentiated in a society, either because they are in an organized structure, or simply because of the common characteristics they have.
There are many cultural minorities that practice inbreeding, that is, they marry and reproduce with people of the same cultural group. Such as Jews, Chinese and Greeks in the United States, Pakistanis in the United Kingdom or Gypsies in Spain.
In order for a cultural minority to be considered an ethnic group, it must create a mechanism of communication and interaction of its own, membership in that ethnic group must be easily distinguishable by others, must share fundamental values and must be biologically self-perpetuating.
The main characteristic by which we consider a minority is, without doubt, of a cultural nature.
The problem is that, throughout history, cultural minorities coexist with large majorities, usually in a situation of subordination, which can lead to a situation of self-exclusion of the minority group.
Classification of cultural minorities
From the sociological point of view, we can classify minorities as religious minorities, linguistic minorities and ethnic minorities.
Religious minorities are distinguished from the rest of the population by a practice or religious belief different from the prevailing one, such as Jews or Muslims in Spain.
Within these minorities are classified sects, which in a common language have a connotative and intolerant power. However, Dr. Margaret Singer suggests that sects are based on the behavior of a group, and contributes that"the sect itself is basically constituted by the hierarchical structure and power of the organization."
The use of the term sect to refer to religious minorities, encourages detachment and contempt for them. The sects would not only differ by their religious beliefs, but also by the structure of their society.
Linguistic minorities are those that have a language other than that of the society in which they find themselves. In most of these cases, these minorities come from migratory, labor or political phenomena, and are difficult to integrate into society until they are able to master the predominant language of the area.
Ethnic minorities, as we mentioned in the characteristics, are those with a mechanism of communication and interaction proper to them, belonging to that ethnic group must be easily distinguishable by others, have to share fundamental values and have to self-perpetuate biologically.
Examples of cultural minorities
Indigenous, Aboriginal and Native
They are cultural groups whose members belong historically to a specific region of a country. Its generational ascendancy can go back centuries in the past, long before social development phenomena such as colonization, conquest, urbanization, industrialization, etc.
They can be included in the term"native peoples"and their distinctive characteristics are as much ethnic or racial, language, religion and customs as of historical continuity in the territory.
Some groups maintain their ancestral lifestyle in communities in their original geographical location, feeling unnecessary the integration to modern technological urbanism; Giving the impression of being stuck in time.
Other groups have accepted, in different levels and dimensions, certain social and technological adaptations of the current urban modernism, but always maintaining their inherent identity characteristics.
Because of its clearly distinctive physical features and sometimes of clothing, it is easy to differentiate them from the rest of the population in a country. However, there are members and even whole families who have completely adapted to modern life in the cities.
Although trends are increasingly toward multicultural pluralism and tolerance of differences, these people are more likely to prefer to marry one another in order to ensure the perpetuation of their racial features.
Examples:
- The indigenous communities of Africa such as the Masai, Zulu, Himba, Mbuti pygmies and Bushmen. They mostly live in traditional communities isolated from modern civilization.
- The aboriginal Amazonian tribes in South America such as the Huni Kui, Yanomami and Guaraní. They mostly live in traditional communities isolated from modern civilization.
- Dozens of native tribes from North America like the Cherokee, Shawnee, Inuit or Navajo. Some live in traditional and territorial communities, but others have adapted to modern life to the point of living among the general population. They are easily distinguishable by their physical features.
- The descendant peoples of the Mexica and Mayas in Central America as the Nahua, Quiches and Cachiqueles. They live grouped in territorial communities but their villages have adopted certain features of modern life.
- The descendants of the Inca people in the Andean countries like Quechua and Napuruna. They live grouped in territorial communities but their villages have adopted certain features of modern life.
- Aborigines from Australia and New Zealand such as the Yapa and Maori. They may be in isolated communities or be included in modern society.
- The Ainu Indians of Japan. Some live in traditional and territorial communities, but others have adapted to modern life to the point of living among the general population.
Religious
They are groups that are characterized by professing religious beliefs different from the majority of the population. Generally, members tend to stay together and relate to each other much more than they interact with non-followers of their faith.
They can live, be part of and participate in society in general within the city or town, but always consider themselves as a distinctive community.
These members could either have been born in a family that practiced the determined faith or had become by decision.
In many cases they can form an organization in communities with different levels of openness and interaction with the rest of society. Some are kept away from civilization and the amenities offered by technology.
Examples:
- Communities of practitioners of Islam in countries that are not Muslim by tradition, as in the United States, Europe and South America. They live among the general population and can be distinguished by clothing and sometimes by their physical features.
The management of the Arabic language is not decisive for the members of this community, as it depends on the need or interest to learn it as a foreign language. Those who speak it are probably immigrants.
- The Jewish community in general in any country outside of Israel. They live among the general population and only the most orthodox are easily recognizable by dress. The management of the Hebrew language is characteristic of this group but not at all exclusionary.
- The Amish peoples of North America. They live in 22 isolated communities between the United States and Canada and are famous for having a lifestyle similar to what the rural settlements of the eighteenth century were like.
Immigrants
They are groups of people who move from their original country to another country, with the intention of living and working. In some cases they go through the process of naturalization and residence to obtain the citizenship of that country.
The first distinction is the language, which makes them primarily seek each other within the destination country by forming small communities representative of their native country.
Every country in the world has a percentage of immigrant population in its total, being United States the country with more immigrants.
These communities of immigrants can maintain their native cultural traditions in the destination country, a fact that also influences their differentiation. Race or ethnicity may also be another of the distinctive features of immigrants, but it is not entirely definite.
The most common example is the Chinese communities living in an urban area of a different society and country.
Commonly called"Chinese neighborhoods"such as the city of San Francisco or Lima Peru, which are the areas with more concentration of Chinese outside China.
Gypsies
They are called Gypsies, Roma, Gypsies, Rom, Sinti or Gypsy people. It is the largest ethnic minority in Europe. The origins of the gypsy people are object of theories since they do not have a written history to the being mainly nomads.
They are believed to have their origins in the area of India and Pakistan and they began their migration to Eastern Europe through the Caspian Sea. The entrance of the gypsies to Europe goes back to century XV.
At the end of the 20th century, many Gypsies were persecuted and even exterminated, which led to migration from Eastern Europe to southern Europe, such as France and Spain.
Even within the gypsy ethnicity there are distinctions and subgroups. Like many other cultural ethnicities, throughout history this group has been socially excluded.
For example in Spain, the gypsy language was persecuted until almost its complete extinction, being relegated to almost a dialect of Castilian.
"Oroboy"is a composition of Dorantes in which its children interpreters sing in caló, gypsy language practically extinct.
The value of the word and mutual respect are values inherent in this culture. Just as his system of patriarchal family organization is part of his identity. Although they are a town with nomadic tradition, the last studies carried out affirm that almost all its population is at present settled.
In Spain, following the doctrine of the constitution, no people or minority should be discriminated against, so that in local censuses there is no reference to gypsies as such and it is not possible to know with certainty that part of the population belongs to this group.
Since the beginning of democracy, attempts have been made to integrate this people into Spanish society through the creation of various programs.
Cowboys
Boda vaqueira / Image via elcomercio.es
The vaqueiros or vaqueiros of Alzada, are an ethnic minority group of Asturias. They are a nomadic people, with main activity in livestock.
This group is distinguished because in the summer months it leaves the winter settlement and goes to the mountains where they have greener pastures for their livestock.
They are installed in the brañas during the summer, which were formerly made of stone and straw, leaving some still standing in some National Park.
As an ethnic group, they became related to each other over the years and developed a culture and a folklore that has reached unchanged until today, through the transmission of the same from parents to children.
They are one of the most important cultures in Asturias despite the discrimination they have suffered over the years by the church.
Thanks to the advances in technology, changes of livestock residence in the winter months are made more mechanically. Although there are certain redoubts of cowboys who are reluctant to change their habit and continue to do so by the traditional method.
The Vaqueira wedding to this day is one of the most important festivals in Asturias, celebrated by the high following the traditions and customs unchanged over the years.
Maghrib
Over the last few years, Spain has been receiving increasing migration from North Africa. Labor opportunities and a better life have led many North Africans to enter the dreaded shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in an attempt to reach the Spanish coast illegally.
They are the largest group of immigrants that Spain receives, and have ended up forming a community of their own here. Attempts are made to carry out integration and labor policies for them, although most do not have a residence permit.
The problem of integration of this minority group is that in most cases they arrive without knowing the language, which does not allow them access to many jobs.
This causes them to end up accepting unskilled and low paid jobs, entering a situation of precariousness, which ends up excluding them even more.
The jobs that they access mainly are the street vending, the collection of urban solids and temporary agrarian works.
They are often grouped together to support and share housing expenses in many cases, and because they often do not know the language.
Not only do they settle in Spain, they also try to reach countries like France and Italy in search of job opportunities.
Taking into account all the problems affecting these minorities, the Spanish government throughout history took action once they realized that immigration was not a temporary phenomenon but continued.
With integration policies, attempts were made to mitigate the discrimination suffered by these people, as well as the recognition that they have the same rights as other citizens, and that being in a less favorable situation, they should be helped through public subsidies , Allowing them to preserve their cultural identity.
References
- WIRTH, Louis. The problem of minority groups. Bobbs-Merrill, 1945.
- KARLSEN, Saffron; NAZROO, James Y. Relation between racial discrimination, social class, and health among ethnic minority groups.American journal of public health, 2002, vol. 92, no. 4, p. 624-631.
- HUTNIK, Nimmi.Ethnic minority identity: A social psychological perspective. Clarendon Press / Oxford University Press, 1991.
- I BOCHACA, Jordi Garreta. The socio-cultural integration of ethnic minorities: (Gypsies and immigrants). Anthropos Editorial, 2003.
- PÉREZ, Juan Antonio; MOSCOVICI, Serge; CHULVI, Berta. Natura and culture as a principle of social classification. Anchoring of social representations on ethnic minorities. Social Psychology Review, 2002, vol. 17, no. 1, p. 51-67.
- CAPOTORTI, Francesco. Study on the rights of persons belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities. United Nations, 1991.
- HOPENHAYN, Martín. Poverty in concepts, realities and policies: a regional perspective with an emphasis on ethnic minorities. Santiago, Chile: ECLAC, 2003.