Fabric Icons: The Impact of Traditional Costume Patterns on Ethnic Identity of the Sichuan Qiang Community (Published)
This is a comprehensive study focused on the symbolic significance of traditional costume patterns in the Qiang community of Sichuan. Recognizing culture as the soul of an ethnic group, this study sheds light on how these traditional costume patterns visually represent the Qiang ethnic culture and portray their tenacity and character. Utilizing systematic research into these visually striking patterns, which form a graphical system, this study offers a truthful depiction of the rich cultural heritage of the Qiang people. The paper discloses how a deeper understanding of these traditional costume patterns can enhance the Qiang community’s understanding and appreciation of their indigenous culture and nurture a strong sense of ethnic identity. Engaging with these patterns is not merely an act of cultural preservation but also serves as a potent tool to consolidate unity within the community. By revealing the interplay between traditional costume design and cultural identity, this study contributes to the broader discourse on ethnic studies, cultural preservation, and anthropological design. This research provides an insightful perspective for cultural and social anthropologists, designers, and those interested in ethnic cultures and their visual representations.
Keywords: Cultural Preservation, Ethnic Identity, Qiang ethnicity, Sichuan Qiang culture, traditional costume patterns
Participation of Women in the Traditional Music Scene: Perspectives from Avatime Totoeme Musical Performance in Ghana (Published)
The article provides an empirical example and a study rooted in the concept of cultural construction of feminism in relation to traditional music making of Avatime people of Ghana. Data was collected through participant observation of Totoeme. The author addresses the participation of women in traditional music performance and its associated rituals based on gender asymmetric assumptions. It also highlights removal of certain barriers among women in totoeme musical performance as pertains to installation of a new queen mother. The paper concludes that women can be credited for sustaining most African dances including totoeme in this contemporary world. It is therefore important that they are supported possibly by traditional authorities in this regard to ensure cultural preservation.
Keywords: Avatime, Cultural Preservation, Installation, Totoeme, Women, libation