U2A4 Reflection: Understanding Culture Through Artifact Examination

This assignment is a reflective journal entry focusing on the analysis of an artifact and its connection to culture. The student explores how cultural expressions contribute to and represent a culture through time, relating them to personal experiences and examining the influence of their own culture (Thai) on Canadian culture, and vice versa. The reflection also considers how the artifact might be viewed by those outside the student's culture. A self-assessment delves into the student's personal journey of investigating cultural roots and their current understanding of culture's influence, referencing stages of change and cultural unity. The student also contrasts Eastern and Western cultural values, emphasizing the potential benefits of cultural exchange. The solution is available on Desklib, a platform providing a wide array of study tools and solved assignments for students.

Your Full Name
Home School Name/School Phone # /School Contact (Guidance Counsellor)
U2A4
REFLECTION: THE JOURNAL OF AN ARTIFACT
1. How do cultural expressions
contribute to a culture?
Expressions of culture are a part of presenting
the cultural heritage to the external cultures and
contributing to the development of the culture by
understanding the various elements of past
cultural heritage and how it has evolved. The
artefact chosen has its own way of expressing a
particular time period through the various
elements present in it. The engravings reflect the
desire of the maker to take part in the Gold
Rush, an event which changed the
demographics of America.
2. How do cultural expressions
represent a culture through
time?
In various times a particular culture goes through
various stages of evolution (Mead). The evolving
culture changes its different aspects and each of
the characteristic aspect is recorded by the
artefacts of that period.
3. How do cultural expressions
relate to you on a personal
level?
It is very interesting to understand the process in
which the cultural expressionism works, how the
little elements of history makes the total picture
of the historical era very clear and vibrant. The
artefacts of history record the time periods in
small divisions and reflect the various features of
the time period.
4. How has your culture (or
subculture) influenced
Canadian culture and, in turn,
how has Canada influenced
your culture (or subculture)?
My culture is the indigenous culture of Thailand.
The language spoken is the Thai language. The
predominant religion of the country is Buddhism.
The first Thai migration happened when the Thai
students came during the 1950’s in Canadian
Universities. Since then there is exchange of
language and culture from Thai people to
Canadian people and vice versa. The Thai
Association of Canada helps in keeping Thai
people connected.
5. How might your artifact be
viewed by the general public
not connected to your culture?
The artifact I chose will be viewed by Thai people
as an interesting piece to know more about the
American continent and the immigration history.
The people who are not connected to my culture
and the indigenous Americana and Canadian
people may also view the artefact with similar
interest because of the long history related to it.

6. Self-assessment of your own
personal journey as you
investigate your cultural roots or
the roots of your artifact.
My cultural roots is ancient and the practice of
Buddhism started when Lord Buddha taking birth
in India preached the faith. The Thai culture is
having deep and ancient roots and the country is
having constitutional monarchy supported by the
people in general.
The American or Canadian culture is relatively
new and the roots of the artefact begun in the
mid-19th Century. Immigrants from various parts
of the world started coming to collect gold.
7. Where are you now along
the Stages of Change
Continuum as your level of
awareness shapes your present
understanding, your knowledge
of culture, and your awareness
of its influence in your life?
Presently I am at the stage where I understand
the need of cultural unity and exchanges. There
are various glorious cultures around the world all
having their own presence and influence
(Mesoudi: 215-225.).
The eastern culture is of inner fulfillment, the
quest to find oneself, and the western culture is
about the material comfort and luxuries of life. If
these two cultures interchange valuable
knowledge then it will be ultimately helpful for
humanity.

Reference:
Mead, Margaret. Continuities in cultural evolution. Routledge, 2017.
Mesoudi, Alex, et al. "The evolution of individual and cultural variation in social learning." Trends in
ecology & evolution 31.3 (2016): 215-225.