The “Beyond the Veil” video and the two women featured in it highlight the role of history and historical memory in shaping cultural identity and understanding. The video demonstrates how the historical and cultural differences between American and Iranian women impacted their cooperation and friendship, underscoring the importance of understanding one’s cultural heritage to bridge gaps and form meaningful connections with people from different backgrounds (Lawrence & Spencer, 1998). Ultimately, history and historical memory play a crucial role in the “Beyond the Veil” video, illustrating the power of understanding and empathy in overcoming differences and building bridges between cultures.
The most interesting part of the video was the presentation of the differences between the two countries. This program was the first attempt to illustrate the dialogue between America and Iran, so the authors used historical and cultural features as a contrast between the two cultures. In addition, women were from different cultures and countries and had different views on the world around them. However, they managed to overcome misunderstandings and significant disagreements, confirming the importance of the cultural interaction between America and Iran. The video highlights the moment when two women from the US and Iran share a similarity, they both had the same favorite American writer.
Gender roles and art were the cultural patterns that influenced the cooperation between women. Both women valued literature; the American woman was an English teacher, and the Iranian woman believed that literature enriches lives and opens minds. This woman also supported the Iranian Revolution; she was fighting for freedom, especially for women. The American woman was brought up in a country with other traditions and history, but she also fought for free speech and equal rights for women (Lawrence & Spencer, 1998). Despite these differences, the women shared a common belief in the importance of gender equality, which helped to foster their friendship and cooperation. The emphasis on gender roles in this context highlights the significance of cultural values and beliefs in shaping interpersonal relationships and creating shared understandings between people from different backgrounds.
In order to foster greater mutual understanding, women are encouraged to deepen their knowledge of their respective cultural histories. Given the notable divergence in historical, cultural, and attitudinal perspectives between Iran and America, such an endeavor may prove particularly fruitful. Moreover, these countries had different definitions of freedom and gender equality. In this case, women should discover more information about their past to understand their roots and share it (Lawrence & Spencer, 1998). In addition, each woman should get to know the culture and history of the other women to define differences and similarities.
History and historical memory are essential to understand ourselves and our past, and the video “Finding your Roots” proves it. However, history and historical memory might differ as memory might be erased or changed due to the features of the human brain. Sometimes the history of our ancestors might be painful or can shock us, but this is the legacy people should carry (Maggio, 2020). After viewing “Finding your Roots,” I understand the value of our history and historical memory because without knowing the past, it is hard to create the future and leave the present.
Our knowledge of the past is often selected, restricted, and “piece-meal” due to various reasons. Firstly, historical memory might be forgotten or lost over time, resulting in incomplete or missing information. Secondly, the information we have about the past comes from our ancestors’ stories or books, which might not provide a complete picture of events. Additionally, some historical events might have separated family connections, causing the loss of history as there is no one left to tell about it. Moreover, brain features can affect how we remember events, causing some memories to be easily memorized while others are forgotten. Therefore, the limited information we have about our ancestors and the limitations of our memory are the main reasons for our knowledge of the past to be piece-meal.
References
Spencer, K., [Yerosha Productions] (1998). Vis à vis: Beyond the veil [Video]. Vimeo. Web.
Maggio, J., [Anthony Kamm] (2020). Finding your roots [Video]. YouTube. Web.