The effect of cultural globalization and media on indigenous cultures has been a major issue to small cultural groups. In this article Kelvin Glynn examines the new trend in global television programs where a program from culturally minority groups in New Zealand has found itself in international media. Mataku, a television program from New Zealand’s Maori is the first television program from Maori cultural group to be aimed at international audience (Glynn 206). A product of economic globalization and government policy to counter neoliberalism, Mataku provides an insight into future trends in media as globalizations become a reality.
New development in the media shows increase in reality television programs as well as emergence of supernaturalism. With this trend, programs of this nature are either motivated by magic realism or glocalization. A state referred to as ‘cultures in- between’ can also exist where a program address the interest of local audiences as well as global audience. According to Glynn, magic realism is being used to bridge postcolonial elements and postmodern elements in the media (Glynn 210). Magic realism is a new face of earlier realism that tried to depict reality as it is. In magic realism, the modern disenchantment with reality is rejected by showing the world in a new light of magic. The ability of television programs to show magic realism shows a world where multiple knowledge come together. As the author argues, Magic realism is a bridge between post-colonialism and postmodernism. Magic realism portrays magic in a way that creates an impression that magic is actually a reality. With this impression, people are able to imagine the future in a fast-changing world (Onsman 91). Glocalization in media explains the trend in media where programs try to reach to global community (Greene 83). Globalization of media programs is not an easy task since there are many cultural elements to be considered. According to the author, glocalization has encouraged generalization of cultural issues. The world has many cultural groups, cultural elements of these cultural groups cannot be accommodated in global culture. To come up with a globally acceptable culture, generalization of cultures is bound to happen.
The author place Mataku in a category between magic realism and glocalization. The television program features Maori cultural issues in a way that is able to appeal to international audiences as well as local audiences. On the other hand, in international audience’s eyes, the cultural issues seem like magic realism. The middle position of the program implies that the Maori culture fails to be not assimilated by global generic culture nor collaborate. Instead, according to Glynn the programs try to create a community with its history (Glynn 208). The author refers to Mataku as a border crosser. This term tries to define the elements of the television program to address both the local Maori audiences as well as international audiences. This term clearly explains the motive of the producers. In a country largely dominated by western culture, cultural elements of the Maori had been suppressed for long. Indigenous elements of the Maori were passed down only through oral stories. Through Mataku, these cultural elements are brought to international audience attention while the local Maori can appreciate their culture on new platform.
Some critics view globalization as an extension of colonialism. Colonialism had severe effect on cultural way of life of indigenous people. Through colonialism foreign cultures were introduced and sometimes imposed on people (Greene 56). By globalization, there is fear that Eurocentric worldview is introduced especially through the media. The fear of influence of media on indigenous people’s culture is especially prevalent in cultural groups that are minorities in areas dominated by European settlers. Indigenous people such as Aborigines, Maori and Native Americans have every reason for fearing globalization because of their past experience with colonialism (Havemann 52). Colonialism has great influence on indigenous broadcasting. Indigenous locals producers have been involving themselves in correcting stereotypes created by colonialism (Hirst 173). Through local news, shows and other television programs, indigenous broadcasting tries to offer alternative viewpoints.
Although there have been attempts to correct stereotypes against indigenous people, local people lack platform to do so since mainstream broadcasting is dominated by majority cultural groups (Greene 67). Globalization has allowed television programs and other forms of media to be accessible to people across the globe. With poor development of local broadcasting and poor funding for local programs, globalization is likely to influence local culture (Kawasaki, Kawashima, Nobuko & Crane 153). Local broadcasting, as a way to counter foreign influence, has succeeded in preserving indigenous culture as well as renew some cultural issues that had long been forgotten. The need for preserving indigenous cultures and protect against foreign media influence is evident. For example, videotapes targeting Aborigine communities have been produced. This example shows that fear for negative external influence is still common among some indigenous communities.
Media has great influence on culture. Globalization in media allows information to be shared across the globe. The author argues that presenting global culture has been a major challenge in global media. Many producers however have opted to generalize culture so as to present a culture that is acceptable to majority of the people. Reality television and supernaturalism are good examples of the trend in global media to accommodate cultural diversity (Berger 22). While reality television tries to feature the real way of life of people from different cultures, supernaturalism tries to avoid cultural differences by presenting supernatural elements. To ensure global acceptance, some cultural elements have to be suppressed while some supernaturalism can be used to accommodate some cultures. Mataku is an example of new trend in global media where culturally minority groups are getting attention from global audiences (Glynn 221). To produce the program, the programmers have to compromise some Maori taboos that prohibit sharing of some cultural elements to individuals outside the cultural group. At the same time, the program allows the programmers to share Maori culture with the rest of the world. As the director of the program testifies, the programmers had to rely on Maori tribal orator for most of their information. This shows the dilemma in global culture. For a global culture to be established there is need for more than just a global media.
Global cultural homogeneity is not easy to achieve. Globalization of the media calls equity in the cultures presented in the media. Cultural hybridization, where different cultures come together, is hindered by the over dominance of some cultures. Mataku’s ability to appeal to both the local and international audiences is a great success. From the article, effect of globalization of media on indigenous culture can be overcome through financial support of local media.
Works Cited
Berger, Peter. Four Faces of Global Culture. The National Interest 49 (1997), pp. 23-29.
Glynn, Kelvin. Indegeneity, media and cultural globalization: The case of Mataku, or the Maori X-File. International Journal of Cultural Studies 11 (2007) 205-224
Greene, Shane. Customizing indegeneity: path to a visionary politics. New York: Stanford University Press, 2009.
Havemann, Paul. Indigenous people’s rights in Australia, Canada, & New Zealand. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Hirst, Martin and Harrison, John. Communication and New Media. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Kawasaki, Kawasaki. & Kawashima., Nobuko. & Crane, Diana. Global culture: media, arts, policy, and globalization. New York: Routledge, 2002.
Onsman, Andrys. Defining indigeneity in the twenty-first century: a case study of the free Frisians. New York: Edwub Mellen Press, 2004.