ETHNOCENTRISM AND CULTURAL

RELATIVISM
 ETHNOCENTRISM

Can be defined as making false assumptions

about the ways of others based on our own
limited experience
Ppl tend to judge other ppl based on the
standards set by their own cultural
associations.
 CULTURAL RELATIVISM
Promotes the idea that no culture is superior
over any other. It views all cultures as worthy on
their own right and are therefore of equal
value
A concept that widely accepts that cultural
values and norms derive their meaning from a
social context
 CULTURAL RELATIVISM
Franthropological standpoint, all cultural
patterns are equally valid expressions of human
existence, to be viewed frm an entirely neutral
perspective
Triesto understand why ppl act the way they
do and why institutions function as such based
on the societies that they are in
WHO DO YOU THINK ARE THE PEOPLE OR
COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THE TENDENCY TO
JUDGE OTHER CULTURES BASED FR THEIR
OWN CULTURE? WHY DO YOU SAY SO?
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Ask the students to write a brief story abt
their names
Theymay use poems, songs, word
descriptions, drawings and even humor
Share in the class

ACTIVITY: WHAT’S IN THE NAME

Research the different UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in the
Philippines and Asia,in Europe
and Africa and in America

GROUP ACTIVITY:REPORTING
Culturalheritage within societies maybe
protected and preserved
Accdg to UNESCO, Cultural heritage is the
legacy of physical artefacts and intangible
attributes of a group or society that are
inherited from past generations, maintained
in the present and bestowed fr the benefit
of future generations
 TANGIBLE FORMS OF CULTURAL
HERITAGE
Landscapes Buildings
Natural Artefacts
environment or
ecosystems
INTANGIBLE FORMS MANIFESTED Skill
OF CULTURAL THROUGH Set
HERITAGE Literature
Religious
Traditions
Music Ceremonies
Values
Arts Use Of
Oral history and
Cuisine
Technology
 voices Etc
Clothing
ARTICLEIII of UNESCO’S Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity
emphasizes the importance of
understanding cultural diversity as a
means to achieve a more satisfactory
intellectual, emotional, moral and
spiritual existence
ARTICLE IV of UNESCO’S Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity states that
cultural diversity presupposes the respect for
human rights.
This means that the protection of cultural
heritage and its defense is an ethical imperative,
inseperable from respect for human dignity
This imply that by understanding &
acknowledging cultural differences,
commitment to human rights & fundamental
freedoms are strengthened
Cultureand society are intricately woven
together
Culture has general characteristics, no 2
cultures are exactly the same
Culturalpatterns arise out of the unique
blend of human interactions within a specific
society
10 Unique Customs You’ll Only
Find in Specific Cultures
http://listverse.com/2014/10/11/10-unique-customs-
youll-only-find-in-specific-cultures/
 Taarof is the Iranian
TAAROF practice of performing a
gesture of respect and
deference, although it is
generally understood
that such a gesture
should be refused.
• For example, in some establishments, it is considered polite
for the shopkeeper to refuse payment from a customer of a
higher social rank. The customer understands, however, that
the proper response is to insist upon paying. The shopkeeper
may refuse payment several times before allowing the
customer to convince him to accept. This practice can be very
confusing to hapless foreign shoppers.
• Taarof may also extend to social invitations. It is understood in
Iranian culture that an invitation to one’s home, no matter how
enthusiastic, is a mere formality. Should the invitee accept,
they may inadvertently put their host (who may not have
wanted them in their house at all) in a very awkward position.
Mano po

Pagmamano is a
gesture that
symbolizes respect
for one’s elders
• It is akin to bowing, with the addition of taking an
elder’s hand and pressing it to one’s forehead.
• The practice is predominantly found in the
Philippines and some parts of Malaysia and
Indonesia.
• It is said to have been borrowed from the Chinese
centuries ago, when Filipinos began to acclimate to
the culture of travelers and merchants.
• It is quite common at family gatherings to instruct
children to ask for a blessing in this manner from
their elder relatives.
• A similar custom of addressing one’s elders with respect
is the use of the words po and opo.
• For instance, “Ano yun?” (“What is that?”) is a common
statement. However, adding po (“Ano po yun?”) signifies
respect to the person you are addressing.
• When an elder or anyone of a higher status asks you a
question, you should say opo to indicate the affirmative
rather than oo, the common Filipino word for “yes.”
• In some cases, po and opo are also used as terms of
endearment for others of equal stature.
Bayanihan
Another unique
aspect of Filipino
culture is
bayanihan, the
practice of
literally moving
an entire home
to a new
location.
• Bayanihan occurs mostly in rural
provinces, since the abodes found in these
areas are made of lighter materials like
bamboo and nipa palm wood.
• While it does take place in urban areas, it
is limited to moving items such as
hardware, playground contraptions like
swings and seesaws, and basketball
courts.
Henna Weddings and the Mehndi, or “henna,” night.
Blackenings Two nights before the
wedding, the bride is
surrounded by women from
her side of the family, who
paint designs on her hands,
arms, and feet. This was to
symbolize the bride’s
entrance to womanhood.
Some symbols are also
meant to provide luck and
fertility for the woman.
• Islamic weddings are steeped in centuries-old traditions and rituals. For
one thing, it is generally believed that the best day for the ceremony to
take place is on Thursday, since Friday is the holy day among Muslims.
• While henna night is an artistic and beautiful display, the same
can’t be said for a custom practiced in parts of Scotland called
“the blackening.” It involves friends of the bride and groom tying
the two together in bathtubs, large crates, or behind pickup
trucks before parading them through the streets to be pelted by
passersby with an array of disgusting material. Feathers, soot,
rotten eggs, curry, shoe polish, and mud are just a few of the
horrors in which the couple can expect to be covered. This fun-
filled tradition is believed to ward off evil spirits, and it also
provides a bonding moment for the couple that symbolizes the
hardships they are to endure and conquer together.
Mudras

Mudras are
seals, marks, or
gestures unique
to Hinduism and
Buddhist
cultures, most
notably India.
• No fewer than 500 different meanings can be expressed by the way a
person moves their hands and fingers. These movements are believed
to allow the individual to control the flow of prana, or life energy, and
focus their attention toward a certain goal. They can be seen in
statues, paintings, dances, plays, yoga, and meditative techniques.
• The gyana mudra, wherein the thumb and index fingers touch while the
other fingers extend away from the palm, is said to promote mental
clarity and calmness, making it the most popular mudra to use for
meditative purposes. The abhaya mudra (simply raising one’s right
hand with an open palm and fingers extended straight up) shares an
almost universal meaning with other symbolic gestures of various
religions and cultures. It’s related to the heart chakra and
communicates openness and honest intent. The agni mudra (the
thumb touching the middle finger while the rest extend away from the
palm) symbolizes fire and is said to aid the digestive process.
Arriving Late

In many parts of the

world, arriving late to a
social gathering is
considered quite rude,
but that’s not the case
in South America.
• In Chile, if the host says that dinner will be served at 8:00 PM,
guests are expected to arrive around 8:15 or even as late as 8:30.
Arriving on time or earlier could mean catching the host
unprepared, and the offender will be regarded as “too eager” for a
meal. In Ecuador, arriving 15–20 minutes late is also considered
being “on time,” and Brazilians consider meeting times “elastic,”
showing up whenever they please.
• Even parts of the United States have adopted these traditions,
because they have attracted large populations of immigrants from
these countries who brought their customs with them. For instance,
in Miami, it’s more common for dinner to be served late and guests
to be less punctual than in other parts of the country.
 Although stereotypes can be
Drinking Alcohol
harmful, it is true that Russia
is one of the highest-ranked
countries in the world in
alcohol consumption. The
country’s love of vodka is
also its leading cause of
death, from liver disease and
alcohol poisoning to fatal
accidents and crimes.
• Since it’s such an integral part of their culture, there
are many rules of etiquette surrounding drinking in
Russia. For instance, you can’t place a glass of
alcohol back on the table after a toast—it should be
bottom’s up and empty. Arriving late for dinner
means that you have to drink a full glass of vodka,
no questions asked, as you’ll have to catch up with
the rest. Between the first and second shots, there
must be no interruptions whatsoever. Lastly, you
should never make the mistake of offering a toast
with an empty glass. If you do, you’ll have to drink
the entire bottle.
• Russians also love to swear, but their custom
is steeped in superstition. It is said that when
you curse another person’s health in a manner
without malice, you should spit three times
over your left shoulder. This symbolically spits
in the eye of the devil, preventing bad omens
or a temptation of fate. If the curse is made in
writing, you should write the guttural sound,
“Tfu, tfu, tfu!”
Pearly Whites and the Tooth Fairy
There are several
variations of the tale of the
tooth fairy. In Denmark, the
tooth fairy is called Tann
Feen. In many cultures, the
mythical figure is actually a
mouse, known in France
as La Petite Souris, in
Spain as Ratoncito Perez,
and in Colombia as El
Raton Miguelito.
• In Greece and Mauritania, a child does not simply leave his tooth
underneath his pillow. Instead, children throw it as hard and as high
as they can toward the roof of their home. In Greece, this provides
good luck and strong teeth. In Mauritania, if there’s a rooster
crowing by daybreak, he could keep the tooth.
• In Jamaica, children are told horrible tales about a calf that will take
them away unless they place their lost tooth in a can and shake it
vigorously. The noise is said to drive the calf away. Malaysian
children take a more spiritual view of their lost teeth—they bury
them in the ground, as what was once part of the body must be
returned to the Earth. In Turkey, lost teeth can be used to convey
parents’ expectations to their children. For example, if they want
their child to be a doctor, they might bury the teeth near a hospital.
 Bushido, the warrior code of
Japan, emphasizes strength,
Bushidu and Seppuku loyalty, and integrity. Some
analysts and academics have
recommended its
implementation in the world of
business, given the many
irregularities that have faced
corporations in the past and
present. Conducting business
inspired by bushido means
working effectively and
honestly, with the best
interests of your superiors and
the public in mind.
• Seppuku, or ritual suicide as an alternative to defeat
introduced by samurai, has a less vaunted reputation. It
was particularly vilified in the wake of World War II, when
thousands of Japanese soldiers carried on the practice
by choosing to take their lives rather than surrender, but
it continues to this day in many parts of Asia. Notable
instances include the suicides of Yukio Mishima while
protesting Japan’s military policies in 1970 and
Masaharu Nonaka after he was laid off by his company
in 1999.
• In Korea, many people feel unbearable guilt
and shame in the wake of great tragedy and
see no other choice but to end their lives. When
the MV Sewol sunk on April 16, 2014 and left
hundreds of students dead or missing, the vice
principal was so intensely plagued by guilt that
he committed suicide.
Hakka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=uzg4rJJNX30
• The haka is a tradition of the Maori people of New
Zealand. The spectacle involves menacing facial
expressions, grunting, guttural howling, loud chanting,
stomping, clapping, chest-thumping, and tongue-wagging
intended to strike awe and fear into the tribe’s opponents.
• Today, it is most often seen when it is performed by New
Zealand’s national sports teams. Their rugby team, the All
Blacks, perform the haka on the field prior to a match, as
seen in the video above. During the 2014 FIBA
tournament, the basketball team nicknamed the “Tall
Blacks” performed the haka much to the bewilderment
and surprise of their US opponents.
• But the haka is more than just a war dance or a challenge
for a fight. It can also invoke poetry and art detailing the
history and the lore of the tribe, or be used to
communicate peace, a welcome greeting, or a show of
respect. One example is a moment that occurred after the
filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was filmed on
the island and included many local actors. Viggo
Mortensen was known for performing many death-defying
stunts that earned him the respect of the team, so on his
last day of filming, the Kiwi cast performed a haka for him
and another crew member.