Cultural Landscapes Study Notes

The Cultural Landscape

3.2 Objective and Essential Learning

  • 3.2.1 Characteristics of Cultural Landscapes

    • Cultural landscapes embody a mix of elements:

      • Physical features

      • Agricultural and industrial practices

      • Religious and linguistic characteristics

      • Evidence of sequent occupancy (the historical layering of cultural influences)

      • Various expressions of culture, which include:

        • Traditional architecture

        • Postmodern architecture

        • Distinct land-use patterns

  • 3.2.2 Landscape Features and Cultural Reflection

    • Cultural beliefs and identities are reflected through:

      • Attitudes toward ethnicity and gender

      • Roles of women in the workforce

      • Organization of ethnic neighborhoods

      • Indigenous communities and their lands

    • These factors contribute to how a society utilizes its spatial resources and landscapes.

What Are Cultural Landscapes?

  • Definition:

    • Cultural Landscape: A natural landscape altered by human activity, which mirrors their cultural beliefs and values.

    • Composed of various elements:

      • Agricultural and industrial practices

      • Religious beliefs and linguistic characteristics

      • Evidence of sequent occupancy

      • Traditional and postmodern architecture

      • Patterns of land-use

  • Examples of Cultural Landscapes:

    • Eiffel Tower

    • Great Wall of China

    • Great Pyramids

    • Mount Fuji

Sequent Occupancy

  • Definition:

    • Sequent Occupancy: A principle stating that societies or cultural groups leave their imprints on a landscape over time, cumulatively adding to its character.

  • Observation: Most cultural landscapes today showcase both historic and modern structures.

  • Example: The Great Pyramids—demonstrate the long history of cultural imprints.

Patterns in Cultural Landscapes

Ethnicity

  • Definition of Ethnicity:

    • A sense of belonging or identity shared among a group linked by ancestry and culture, distinct from race, which is related to physical characteristics.

  • Influencing Factors on Cultural Landscapes:

    • Role of Women:

      • Traditional societal structures often limit women's roles to childbearing, with lesser focus on education and workforce participation.

      • In more developed regions, women's access to education and employment improves, impacting cultural landscapes positively.

    • Ethnic Neighborhoods/Enclaves:

      • Characteristics: Clusters of individuals sharing the same ethnicity in distinct locations, often within major urban areas.

      • Markers include:

        • Language

        • Religious buildings and imagery

        • Specialty restaurants and stores

        • Markets

      • Connection to Migration: Reflects chain migration dynamics and responses to racism/discrimination.

      • Example: Chinatown in Chicago.

Ethnic Patterns in Chicago

  • Predictable Distribution: Ethnicities can show consistent geographic distributions across various scales:

    • Southwest: Predominantly Latin Americans and Native Americans.

    • Southeast: Concentrations of African Americans.

    • West: Cluster of Asian Americans.

Gender in Cultural Landscapes

  • Changing Role of Women:

    • Shifts in gender roles often accompany social and economic development:

    • Increase in women's education and workforce participation.

    • Presence in higher education and ownership in property/business.

  • Gendered Spaces:

    • Places that either reinforce or accommodate gender roles and expectations.

    • Example: In a study involving women in Mexico City, only 19% felt safe using public transport due to high violence rates, highlighting gender design issues in landscape planning.

    • Example: Gender-specific public transportation like women-only buses in Mexico City.

Land Use in Cultural Landscapes

  • Geographical Studies: Researchers analyze land use patterns to uncover cultural values of communities:

    • Example #1: Terrace Farming:

      • Practiced notably in regions of South, Southeast, and East Asia and parts of Latin America.

      • Involves carving flat areas from mountainous terrain for agriculture, often for rice cultivation.

  • Example #2: Indigenous Land-Use:

    • Historical Context: U.S. Reservation System established via the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

    • Forced relocation of indigenous tribes to established reservations, exemplified by the Trail of Tears.

    • Cultural Practice: Subsistence whaling among Indigenous tribes in northern Alaska, emphasizing community values of sustainability, collective sharing, and cultural knowledge transmission.

Architectural Influences

Traditional Architecture

  • Characteristics:

    • Traditional architecture is heavily influenced by the environment and is constructed using locally available materials.

    • It reflects a culture's historical context, societal values, and environmental conditions:

    • Examples include huts or cabins for transhumance herders, stone and clay houses in Nepal, and portable yurts in Mongolia built from wool, reeds, wood, and fabric.

Postmodern Architecture

  • Characteristics:

    • Exhibits diversity in design elements, capturing popular culture and representing business and economic success.

    • Example: Skyscrapers showcasing contemporary architectural styles.