Culture, like everything Humans have developed, is in constant flux. While we may decry the effect that globalization is having on cultures world wide, we have to understand that the institutions of individual countries were never carved in stone. Has the U.S. has an undue influence on the development of other countries? Yes. Has the U.S. done much to try and mold other countries into being mini-me's? Undoubtedly.
However, to date no other country is the U.S.. In fact, no other country will ever be the U.S.; and while our culture has infiltrated and modified that of just about every country in the world, each of those places still has, and will continue to have, their own culture.
This is because one cannot simply supplant the established culture of another country wholesale. At best, one can simply hope to massively influence it. And at worst, and this is what most cultures do, they take what one gives them and modify to fit their culture.
To be sure, the effect of the U.S. on the cultures of the world is profound. However, I hold that it is not so much due to any sort of innate superiority of the U.S., but more because of the technologies that are a result of it.
Looking back at history, the same effect can be seen when the British were masters of the seas; the Dutch were trading up a storm; or even when the Romans were were trying to make all roads lead to Rome. Nearly every country and culture touched by those empires still stands today, and still has its own distinct cultural identity.
And believe it or not, the influence goes both ways. All the while the U.S. has been peddling it's fast food, fast cars, anorexic supermodels to the world, it has also been taking in things and making them its own.
Now, all that preamble was leading up to this week's YiEMB.
This week there are four videos that demonstrate this cross-pollination with some truly beautiful music. The first video is the one that germinated (heh) the idea for this YiEMB in my head; Mei Han's Red Chamber with The Jaybirds performing bluegrass standard Katy Hill. The traditional Chinese instruments provide a sound that really complements the banjo and mandolin.
Second video is Persistence of Memory from the Afro-Celt Soundsystem. As the name of the band implies, they are a fusion of traditional African rhythms with Celtic melodies. Beautiful stuff.
Third is a performance of the Carmen Fantasie featuring George Gao on the Chinese violin.
Finally, the piece du resistance: Polish group Masala Soundsystem performing Od Tarnobrzegu po Bangladesz. This song is in a style called ragga-bhandra; a mishmash of reggae, Sihk folk, tuvan throat singing, and Polish rap. It is 100% AWESOME!
