Reflections after the native women’s drum retreat
One of the speakers at the retreat talked about community in a way that really spoke to me, left an impression. She talked about being new to her culture and how before she started participating in the communities here she felt alone. She said that being with the people have filled a void she never thought could be filled. And I thought about that a great deal. As someone who can walk in both worlds she can see the difference between those sides. The individualism of white culture(s) in America, that she had always known, and how it differs from being in a community of California Cherokee people who are active in education preservation, drumming, etc. There is something to be said about how collectivist cultures are made up of people who may have a sense of belonging, acceptance, etc. as opposed to being in an individualistic culture and simply feeling alone.
