基于文化适应理论的人口较少民族文化变迁与社会发展——以云南布朗族为个案

全球化现代化的浪潮使得世界各民族处于急剧的社会文化变迁之中,发展中国家及其少数民族尤其是人口较少民族面临更为严峻的挑战,文化适应是应对这一挑战的必由之路。本文以布朗族为个案探讨社会变迁背景下人口较少民族文化传承与发展的路向。在对文化适应理论进行回顾之后,结合实证调查分析,本文认为,贝瑞所提出的文化适应理论能够较好解释及指引布朗族社会变迁及文化传承,在调适中寻求发展应是人口较少民族当前社会发展的最佳路径。

Cultural Change and Social Development of Ethnic Groups with Small Populations Based on the Theory of Acculturation——Taking the Bulang People in Yunnan Province as a Case Study

Human beings are always in a process of dynamic development,and the social process in dynamic development is a process of social change. The process of social change is actually a process of cultural adaptation. In this process,various cultural phenomena change,separate,aggregate,and regenerate; social relations are reorganized,social groups evolve,social life turns directions,and the structure and function of social institutions are changed,etc. This process of change is the process of acculturation. The process of the formation and development of the Bulang is a process of adaptation and search for survival opportunities in the process of natural and social changes. In order to survive,they have formed their own means of livelihood which can adapt to the natural environment; in order to develop,they assimilated compatible the cultural traits from the Dai,Han and Yi. They have shifted from a hunting and gathering society to a farming society,from a mountainous region to urban areas. In this process,they constantly adjust their own culture so that it could develop in the course of constant adaptation. The acculturation of the Bulang is being negotiated in the process of adjustment to nature,as well as to the process of mutual interaction,learning,influence and adoption with other surrounding ethnic groups. Following social change and adjustment,the local culture of Bulang will lose some of its original features, and get some new traits. And,it is just in the cycle of ＂change- adjustment- change＂that the Bulang community gradually changes its local culture and moves forward. Following the high- speed development of the human society,the speed of cultural change has also become faster and faster. Under such a background,the developing countries,especially those minority nationalities in the developing countries, are facing a much more serious challenge. Acculturation is the only way that can handle the challenge,although this way is becoming more and more difficult. Speaking theoretically,acculturation is a two- way process. In other words,the cultural patterns of both groups who are in communication with each other will change. The people who live in the process of this kind of cultural transformation will doubtlessly experience dramatic cultural conflicts and imbalance, and might inevitably fall into confusion and wander astray,or even lose themselves. When Bulang are facing new cultural circumstances,they will be inevitably alienated from society if they completely resist the mainstream culture,which will be against the development of their culture; If they negatively accept all the mainstream culture. It is possible that they will lose totally their original culture,and lose their foundation. When they are facing the impact of the mainstream culture,if they cannot adjust the negative influences from ＂culture shock＂, they will not only lose confidence in their own ethnic culture,but will also have no identity within the external culture,live in a status of identity nothingness,wander between the two cultures, that is,stay in a ＂marginalized＂situation. They will gradually lose themselves,and their long-term development will be influenced. That will be the worst result of acculturation. Therefore,the innovation of new culture to adapt to the mainstream culture becomes the Bulang＇ s best way in keeping their original culture,and integrating into mainstream society as well. Acculturation is a process in which one kind of culture learns from another kind of culture; it is also a process of producing new culture and constructing culture patterns. Culture bearers,during the process of integration,constantly adjust their own cultural factors,and adapt to the mainstream culture while preserving their own essence so as to pursue for a long- term development. Only through preserving one ＇ s own cultural essence can a nationality set up its ethnic confidence,and only when one has confidence,can one be self-reliant, and accordingly, pursue development. Only when one adapts to the mainstream culture, can one be accepted by the mainstream culture, and will he then,not drift away from the mainstream society,and can he,then,keep pace with the development of the mainstream society. Therefore,when we face the inheritance and development of Bulang＇ s indigenous culture,we must be aware that the essence of the local culture＇ s survival and continuation is that it constantly adjusts to its environment,and develops itself during the process of cultural change. That is to say it seeks development opportunities within acculturation, and that this should be the best way for the Bulang to move towards a better future.