TOPIC: CULTURE-FORM IV

CULTURE (Form iv-civics)

Aspects and Elements of Culture

Culture can be defined as all the behaviors, ways of life, arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed from generation to generation. Culture has been called “the way of life of an entire society”. As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behavior -as law and morality - and systems of beliefs, as well as the arts.

The Origin of Culture: As stated before, culture is the totality of people's way of life, so it is compatible with human life. It is argued historically that, culture started simultaneously with the creation of man and the formation of communities of people, as they were adopting themselves to their environment and struggled to sustain their livelihoods. As human beings started to struggle for basic needs in their environment, they used different tools, ranging from stone to iron tools such as axes, arrows pots and knives.

At the beginning culture was also determined by wearing style. Previously man made clothes using animal’s skins, grasses and trees. Language was used in communication especially when man established permanent settlements. Language united people during working, such as cultivating and hunting; through language man was able to construct songs and poems, which were used as a part of refreshments particularly when issues arose such as traditional rites. Although culture went hand in hand with human life, it varied according to the needs of the society, and the influence of environment.

Culture has two aspects, namely:

1.       Material culture; This is the extent of materials or wealth produced or used in a society. It includes the achievements to which one has mastered; level of instrument and technical skills, the scientific organization of labor, the availability of individual material and everyday needs. Instruments of labor are the tools individuals use to carry out material production. Their quality depends on the level of science and technology of a given society in that particular time in history. The level of material culture is expressed in skills and know-how applied in material production. It is also seen in other material elements of the society's life. For example, in the objects one uses, such as clothes, furniture and utensils, scientific, academic and medical equipment, as well as transport facilities.

2.       Intellectual culture; This is societal knowledge, skill and technical ability to organize and produce things as well as how one relates with others. This includes the achievements reached in science, education, ethics, literature and art. It is also reflected in the political ideas, civic education, legal relations, language, speech and behavior.

Culture is traditionally considered as kind of civilization and is very complex. It includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, traditions, customs and other capabilities and habits acquired by an individual as a member of society. Culture consists of patterns of behavior which are acquired and transmitted by symbols. Essentially, culture consists of traditional ideas.

Essentially, culture consists of traditional ideas, particularly their associated values. These include standards of behavior and ideology which justifies certain ways of behavior. Culture is rooted in the facts we know about human nature. There is interplay between man, his environment and society. As a result of this interplay, man behaves in certain ways.

Man shapes the environment and he is also shaped by his environment. Thus, while it is true to say that man makes society, it is equally true to say that society makes man. Hence, culture refers to the total way of life shared in the society. Culture therefore, consists of behavior patterns that are either open or hidden.

Open or explicit behavior patterns are those whose meanings are easily understood either by an individual or outside observers. Examples could be like patterns of modesty and hospitality. This does not mean that an open pattern of behavior is universal and is practiced in the same way in all cultures. In fact, there can be many variations in its expression from one culture to another.

In hidden or implicit behaviors patterns, the meaning of these patterns is not easily understood because it depends on other factors which are hidden in the cultural system. The inner aspect is not open and is either deliberately concealed or pertains to the unconscious life of the group. There are many concealed social practices in all parts of the world, especially common social fears; fear of the evil eye, fear of witchcraft , fear of speaking openly about sexual matters, taboos, fear of the luck on certain days or after certain occurrences like split salt. Although the practice of these things may be open and public, their meanings remain concealed. In most parts of Tanzania, salt is not asked for or bought at night by mentioning the word "salt,‟ instead people say "dawa ya jiko,‟ literally translated as "kitchen medicine.‟

Man needs culture in order to survive, but in order to be cultured he must participate in the cultural life of his human environment. He must get line with the norms of his human environment. Therefore, in this sense man lives by his culture. It follows therefore that, culture is the common way of living.

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