Subcultures: Comparison and Contrast between Colombia and Ireland

Author: Roy De La Hoz

The development of intercultural communication on a large scale is of great importance

in these times. This allows to fully understand the diverse characteristics of each country that

generate their identity, eliminating in this way erroneous ideas based on stereotypes and

generalizations imposed mostly by the media. Within this broad theme, the subcultures present

in each territory play a crucial role in deeply understanding the behavior of small groups

belonging to a great culture. Qvotrup (2018) affirms that “..subcultures are conceived as loosely

defined collectivities, neotribes in which individuals can choose to participate for a period of

time in order to display individuality.”(p.409). In order to delve into the relationship of two

cultures and obtain a clear, broad intercultural view, the subcultures of Colombia and Ireland

and the relationship between them will be analyzed. Demonstrating in this way that although

they have similar characteristics, the discrepancies are more relevant.

Both countries have a history that has marked its cultural path as time passes, however

it should be noted that Colombia is a country with a lot of cultural diversity in which multitudes

of subcultures are part. Ireland, on the other hand, lacks that diversity because its cultural

identity is very demarcated. For this reason, the comparison and contrast in indicators of

population, citizen participation and way of make a living of subcultures between both

countries is highly limited. In the case of Colombia, the indigenous group "Kogi" will be

analyzed and, on the Irish side, the Irish nomads or "travelers" will be analyzed as the only

recognized ethnic group (not recognized by Irish people) belonging to that country. “Irish

Travellers are, without a shadow of doubt, an ethnic group.”(Leyroyd, 2017, p.2).

 In first instance, the population of both cultural groups is of little magnitude in

comparison with the totality pertaining to the country, reason why in this indicator they have

great similarity, but if there is a comparison about the amount of net population between both

subcultures, it will be appreciate the high degree in which they differ. According to Rieder

(2018) the Irish Travelers are a subculture of an approximate number of 30,987 people. On the

other hand Kogis have a population estimated in 5,000 people (Macías and Garzón, 2005).

With these figures it can be inferred that the population of Irish Travelers is, compared to the

number of Kogis individuals, considerably higher. In order to better understand why this

number of individuals belonging to each subculture is due, the cultural context of each country

should be reviewed. As mentioned above, Colombia has a great cultural diversity, this triggers

numerous minority groups with a small number of individuals. Ireland by only identifying a

single ethnic group in their country, Irish Travelers, causes this unique subculture to have a

greater number of members.

Secondly, the citizen participation of both subcultures in their countries differs greatly

from base components. The indigenous Kogis have the right conceived by the Colombian state

to manage their own internal laws, as an ethnic group of the country recognized and protected;

However, they have contact with citizens through cultural exchanges fostered by visits made

by many people to their territory. Irish Travelers not being recognized by their country as an

ethnic group, are governed by the regulations applied to all citizens, therefore they are

categorized as counterculture. Oxford (2019) define counterculture as “a way of life and set of

ideas that are opposed to those accepted by most of society; a group of people who share such

a way of life and such ideas”. Taking this definition into account, it could be said that Ireland

considers this subculture as a subversive group with beliefs different from those proliferated

around the country.

 Finally, the way to make a living from both subcultures, is closely linked to the degree

of independence they have in relation to the country from which they come. For this reason it

becomes a key indicator of difference as mentioned above. In the case of the indigenous Kogi

"Agriculture is the basis of the economy, determining the pattern of distribution of the

population in space, as well as the residence pattern of the same " (Macías and Garzón, 2005,

p.138). That is, this minority attributes their progress and joint support through the

development of non-industrial and basic collection activities. In contrast, Irish Travelers base

their support through labor competency, being immersed in the ruling capitalist system of their

country, however, they are a greatly united community where cooperation plays a fundamental

role.

To sum up, although both ethnic groups are part of a prominent minority in their

respective countries, they differ greatly in their system of organization and beliefs. Both

populations are governed by different points of view and motives of subsistence. This is linked

to the appreciable historical events in each context and to the culture developed in its

surroundings. The Irish subculture can be considered as a contemporary minority, where forms

of thought typical of today's society stand out. The Colombian subculture develops a more

primitive vision, where tradition governs its path as time unfolds.

References

Sune Qvotrup Jensen (2018). Towards a neo-Birminghamian conception of subculture?

History, challenges, and future potentials, Journal of Youth Studies, 21:4, 405-421,

DOI: 10.1080/13676261.2017.1382684

Maria Rieder (2018) Irish Travellers’ views on Cant: what folk criteria of languageness tell us

about the community, Language Awareness, 27:1-2, 40-60, DOI:

10.1080/09658416.2018.1431242
Amarís Macías, M., & Cepeda Garzón, J. (2005). Analytical bibliographic review on the

cultural elements of the family of the Amerindian peoples, Kogi and Wayúu.

Psychology from the Caribbean, (16), 128-147.

Leyroyd Howarth, A. (2017). Irish Travellers: Ethnicity, Persistence, Recognition [Ebook] (1st

ed., pp. 1-2). Cambridge: Anthony Leyroyd Howarth. Retrieved from

https://doaj.org/article/de27d2f7a30940ffa34a7004c6b44ce6

Counterculture. (2019). In Oxford Advanced American Dictionary (4 ed). Retrieved from

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/counterculture