Two Cultures: Bridging the Gap with Etic and Emic Viewpoint
Culture is defined as a learned system of beliefs, feelings, and rules for living through which they organize their lives. Culture is a way of life that is passed from one generation to the next, and societies within the culture are guided by their learned system of beliefs, feelings, and rules for living. Within the customs of their culture, people within society are taught that they share some common understandings with one another. Being taught the customs, members of society are expected to follow the traditional customs of the group. Cultural relativism recognizes that different cultures have distinct social trajectories, or chosen paths (Carpo, 2013). In understanding a specific custom within a culture, it is important to view the culture from an outside perspective (etic). This is exactly what I will demonstrate within the first section of this paper while expanding and discovering another culture from an inside perspective (emic) which shows how even though customs are different within various cultures a different viewpoint can illuminate the entire picture and bridge the gap between both cultures – the Aboriginals and African Americans.
Part I – Religion and the African American Culture among Other Things

Religion and the Black Church in African American society, in regards to the socio-cultural, economic and political issues of the 20th century, has branched the African American experience of mere individual survival into one of prosperity and a sense of community. According to Editors of the Norton Anthology of African American Literature (1997), from the days of slavery, Africans have struggled to survive in America due to the unfair treatment based on the color of their skin; despite the fact that they were granted their freedom in 1865, they were still not seen on treated as equals. Since blacks were never treated or seen fairly in America they waged a constant war, to obtain equality culturally, economically, and politically (Gates & Nellie, 1997). According to Cole (2014), religion has always been one of the biggest contributors towards the movement of establishing equality in those three main issues.
Culturally religion created a sense of community behind which blacks could stand; furthermore, if gave blacks a sense of belonging. Economically religion gave blacks extra financial support in their hard economical predicament. Politically religion was the roots from which many great speakers came from. The reason why blacks were becoming stronger in politics is because they could draw strong parallels between the political world and religion (Cole, 2014). It is clear that religion has shaped the post-slavery African American experience because it is the foundations of their cultural, economic, and political life.
After every fight for freedom there is a rebuilding process that takes place, for the enslaved group. The first thing that is usually reestablished is the enslaved party's sense of humanity and self-worth. The way in which religion accomplished this is by creating a refuge and haven from the harsh realities of the world faced on a constant basis. Religion served as a place offering privacy from the white world that was constantly peering inward. With the establishment of churches and religion African Americans had a place to conduct their own cultural events without having to consult the "white" government. Another thing that religion did in terms of socio-cultural matters is that it rebuilt the old traditions that were lost during times of enslavement. Religion most importantly brought blacks together under a common cause. Since religion was everywhere it made it a lot easier to gain followers (Barnes, 2014). The Norton Anthology of African American Literature refers to the example of when Malcom X was in prison and how he "underwent a conversion to the doctrines of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam in America."(Gates & Nellie, 1997) Malcom X was one of the strongest political minds of the 20th century. Religion and the black church in the 20th century was most important because it brought families back together and created new ones for people who had no families (Gates & Nellie, 1997).
The second thing that was rebuilt during post-enslavement reconstruction is financial and economic status. After slavery the slaves were promised forty acres and a mule to compensate them for what had been lost. Little did they know that they would not receive that promise, but would instead end up working for their same slave masters for very little wages. According to Cole (2014), this economical trap would keep blacks struggling well into the 20th century. One of the most important parts of church services was the announcements portion. At announcements people would speak on matters such as a new black grocery store opening, a babysitting job opening, other black supported fundraising events, or even reminders to "don't buy where you can't work." These small but effective methods helped blacks economically and culturally by showing that they can support themselves in the hardest of times. The church also served as a mutual aid society (self-help network) according to the Sociology of Religion (Barnes, 2014). One of the biggest parts of the mutual aid society is that it served as a type of insurance policy in times when it was hard for blacks to get insurance. Also the church was partly owned by many blacks that had given money to help purchase the land; for many blacks that was the first and only piece of land that they owned (Barnes, 2014).
The last way religion affected the economic life of blacks is through the success of black writers such as Marcus Garvey. In "An Inspiring Vision" Garvey states "you are men, that God created you lords of this creation." (Norton, 1997) This line shows the influence that religion had on blacks writing and literature and furthermore shows us how religion affected the economic status of black writers. According to the journal, politics is the last step in going from simply trying to survive to prosperity. Politics is the hardest matter to gain equality in, but with the help of religion blacks began to establish themselves in a more political role. Many black political speakers have their backgrounds implanted in religion and the black church. Barnes described the example of how Martin Luther King was a Christian who grew up with that type of background. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream speech" was in turn a sermon not just any regular speech. (Barnes, 2014)
According to the journal, Mental, Religion & Culture, drawing parallels between political events and religious events in the bible is deeply rooted within the African American community. Black & Birthe (2011), even though some state it is far-fetched, point out the fact that many African American elders describe the parallel between the civil war and Moses. However, scholars agree that religion played a role in politics in that religion closely mirrored that of a form of government - they could vote, have open forums, and make laws in their own churches. Religion was also a big part of establishing schooling for younger people which leads to education being one of the biggest and main concerns for blacks after they gained their freedom. Some of the churches helped found today's colleges and even had schooling for blacks. This political movement was important because education is needed to be politically active. Religion played a huge role in politics because it was the basis of almost all political actions (Barnes, 2014).
Part II – Stolen Generations

In this section, I will examine a Stolen Generation from an inside perspective. Being an African American woman, placing yourself in another person’s culture especially one of the Aboriginal women whom had an entire generation stolen can be difficult. But through emic description of the culture of the stolen generation it is possible to be emphatic and examine stereotypes around the culture. The author, Murphy, examines the role of archival research in filling in missing historical and cultural background information for Australia’s Stolen Generation (aboriginal children who were removed from their families, much as Native American children were). The term Stolen Generations describes the many Aboriginal - and some Torres Strait Islander - people who were forcibly removed from their families as children by past Australian Federal, State and Territory government agencies, and church missions, from the late 1800s to the 1970s. These removals were carried out under acts of their respective parliaments, and the children removed were sent either to institutions or adopted by non-Indigenous families (2011).
Imagine being a child taken by state and territory authorities and not being able to have visits from their parents or families, such was the extent to which the separation from family, community and culture were enforced. Nearly every Aboriginal family and community was affected by these policies of forcible removal – those taken away, the parents, sisters and brothers, uncles and aunts, and the communities themselves. Why were children removed? Throughout the early 1900s, the Australian public was led to believe that Aboriginal children were disadvantaged and at risk in their own communities, and that they would receive a better education, a more loving family, and a more civilized upbringing in adopted white families or in government institutions. The reality was that Aboriginal children were being removed in order to be exposed to ‘Anglo values’ and ‘work habits’ with a view to them being employed by colonial settlers, and to stop their parents, families and communities from passing on their culture, language and identity to them. The children who were targeted for removal by the authorities of that time, in almost all cases, had one parent that was 'white' and one that was Aboriginal. The objective behind the removal of these children then was often one of racial assimilation - The Aboriginal Protection Boards at the time believed that by separating these mixed race children from their families, community, land and culture, assimilation into white Australian society would be all the more effective, with the mixed descent Aboriginal population in time merging with the non-Indigenous population (Hinton & Irive, 2013).
Being a child during this period in this culture feels lonely, confusing, and depressing. To be snatch away from your family, loved ones and culture to have another culture forced upon you as a child can be a very confusing place. The children removed and then placed in institutions or with new foster families so often received a lower standard of education, and sometimes no education at all, when compared with the standard of education available to white Australian children. In Western Australia, for example, once removed, children were often placed in dormitories, trained as farm laborers and domestic servants, and by the age of 14 were sent out to work (Read).
Experiences of the children taken from their families varied widely. Some coped with the trauma of losing their families, and flourished, despite the prevailing sense and knowledge of their loss of and separation from their birth families, communities, land and culture. “I was very fortunate that when I was removed, I was with very loving and caring parents. The love was mutual ... I know my foster parents were the type of people that always understood that I needed to know my roots, who I was, where I was born, who my parents were and my identity ... I remember one day I went home to my foster father and stated that I had heard that my natural father was a drunk. My foster father told me you shouldn't listen to other people: `You judge him for yourself, taking into account the tragedy that someday you will understand” (Read). That account of a person and confidential story of a woman fostered at 4 years in the 1960s was the way of life for the Aboriginal heritage in the 60s (Read).
However, once removed, many children were encouraged to abandon and deny their own Aboriginal heritage and language in favor of western values and norms, and the English language. Many woman and children could speak the original language, but were not allowed and therefore the culture (the original culture) started to fade. The Aboriginal people had to go out into the bush or talk their lingoes on their own. Aboriginal customs like initiation were not allowed. Aboriginal traditional festivals were not the norm and could not be performed. Read describes another submission of an Aboriginal woman who states that being removed in the 1940s were very devastating for her. Like many other children, who were placed with unsatisfactory foster parents or in institutions, as adults they continue to struggle to overcome their experiences of trauma, loss, isolation, and often, abuse. She described feeling very lost, confused, sad, empty childhood, as her foster father molested her (Read).
According to Murphy (2011), the institutions to which the children were taken were tasked with preparing 'part-Aboriginal' children to take their place in a society which treated non-white people as second-class. This has had long term impacts on the Aboriginal culture. The forcible removal of Aboriginal children irrevocably broke parental links, severing cultural connection to family and country. As a measure of remedy, the emergence of the Link Up services across the country now mean that increasingly, Stolen Generations members are able to receive assistance and support when seeking to be reunited with their families. The journey that Stolen Generations survivors embark on when looking to trace their family members as adults can be fraught with a range of varied and mixed emotions. Even when the opportunity to become reunited with one’s family arises, it is incredibly difficult to shift the deep and understandable sense of resentment that is felt by many Stolen Generations survivors and their families. For many, the question 'how could the policies of forcible removal ever have been justified in light of the trauma and loss they caused' has still yet to be answered. Few Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families have escaped the impacts of the forcible removal of children. The end result is a deep sorrow in the psyche or spirit for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities throughout Australia (Murphy, 2011).
In conclusion, the importance of religion and spirituality is typically a strength in the lives of African Americans. Spirituality may be an important part of their survival system and a coping mechanism for the stresses of life. Spirituality and religion can also be a source of comfort and support in times of emotional distress in their lives and the lives of their family members. Just as the church serves as a coping mechanism in handling the various pains of discrimination and racism, the church also provides a place for the African American families to take refuge and deal with painful life experiences and can be a safe haven for other throughout various culture’s as well that have had to deal with different avenues of life. By viewing different perspectives of cultures through an inside perspective and outside perspective, a complete picture can come into view.

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