E-Book of Articles - World Federation of Music Therapy

Amir, Dorit: The Role Of Music Therapy In Establishing Cultural Identity ...
“How far can old traditions be maintained in the face of increasing
urbanization and the opening up of travel networks so that remote areas are
remote no longer and modern technology changes patterns of living?”
Should migrants and refugees be encouraged to keep their old traditions and
language or be encouraged to assimilate?
Does the idea of separate cultural identity contribute to conflict with the
population of the host country?
How much do we lose of cultural diversity in world terms if we insist upon
assimilation and the adoption of the culture of the new homeland? And,
anyway, can we insist on assimilation? Will it happen?
How will people ever adapt to their new way of life if they strictly maintain
their original tongue, their old customs, old ways of thinking? Does it matter
if they do not adapt at all?
If the parents and grandparents maintain the old ways, will this cause
conflict with their children whom, because of school life and contacts with
their local peers, adapt to the new language, the new customs?
These are, indeed, crucial issues. I would like to sum it up and form in into
one question: in order to have a cultural identity, does a culture or an
individual need to "forget" his/her/its roots and completely adopt the new
identity? Another words, does past tradition have to be preserved or
rejected?
I also want to add another question that has to be taken into consideration
while discussing cultural identity: What is the right balance between
"personal identity" and "cultural identity"?
2. Examining Israel’s cultural identity as mirrored by Israeli folksong
repertoire
For Israel, being a predominantly immigrant state, the concept of cultural
identity has been a complex one. 50 years ago, when the state of Israel was
born, the "Israeli identity" was very clear: it was "Hebrew culture", Zionistic
in spirit. After the holocaust, Jews from all over the world came to
Palestine. The main goal was to build this country and to make it the home
of the exiles. The kibbutzim that were built were unique to Israel and
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