I have been so impressed in reading different Leaders analysis on the question of culture v/s the global trend, i.e globalization system.
Now my analysis begins by citing that, the globalization system can be defined differently whether in terms of political trend, economical, socially or even culturally wise. Our world has passed through different stages to reach the current world trend. These all were inevitable as due to development processes.

Talking about development, it can simply defined as growth; it normally occurs as a process that changes over time depending on forces behind it.

Let me try to tress over the stages the world had pass through as due to development processes; starting with the period of communalism system particularly in Africa- hand in hand with the barter trade system; then the time when mercantile trade exercised- associated to the era of Vasco Da-Ghama exploration; it was then followed by the period of world discoveries; then we can not miss detailing the systems of human trade occurred; hence different innovations that took place in the world such as the agrarian and scientific revolutions; the epoch of great depression; the abolition of all sorts of trade which was against humanity; and the time when the world compromises to the global networking system.

Through out all these stages, people with different culture- both material and non material form- and from different parts of the world were integrated. I then believe all of us are aware to the fact that culture had never been defined as static. Therefore to me, Grace, culture goes hand in hand with DIVERSITY; it can change to accommodate the environment a person is in at particular point in time.

Now, talking about Globalization, the whole world had been seen as a single village; in terms of economy, socio-cultural networking, and the political structures. With globalization, people with different backgrounds and culture get together to find possible alternatives in overcoming worldly challenges. Therefore CULTURE in the eyes of GLOBALISATION can simply be seen as A MOSAIC OF CIVILIZATION aiming at achieving similar goals.

For instance; if a country think of its own development, then it should first need to think on some challenges it experiences on its own, within the global development missions- such as the MGD; therefore through its own culture and general practices, that country may need to find ways of integrating its intervention in reference to the global targets.

I believe people are not enforced to change from their ways of living so as to be entitled to the global village, what I think is happening is the situation where by people merge the INDIGINOUS culture forms to the MODERN styles to come with a so called the CONTEMPORALY culture practices. And that new form of culture to me is not harming anyone’s culture as long as the origin meaning of the indigenous culture is still customary.

I therefore conclude by stating that, let we all never run away from changes, what is needed is to face new possible challenges, and find an alternative ways of adjusting to them in respect to our own cultures.

Kind regards,
Grace Matui, Zanzibar.