Place-making is the result of migration, whether that be forced or not. It is a way for new groups of people to find a sort of home in their different locale. The most obvious example of place-making would be the invent of new communities. For example, Chinatown in Honolulu, or the Chinese shops in Jamaica that created a structure for their new society. However, a prominent way in which place-making occurs is through creation of art, music, literature, etc., anything culture related. When a group that does not fully belong in a location begins to create elements of their culture in this new place, it makes their existence seem more permanent, and is a way of establishing their presence.
The outputs of this type of place-making could be labelled as ‘cultural products,’ and they have a direct effect on the eruption of political struggle, and the political scene of the group in general. Essentially, cultural production is a concrete foundation for a new community, it ties the people closely to their cultural identity and each other as a whole. The connections made through the joint production of culture are incredibly strong and lead to a close-knit community. This is essential when it comes to the political climate of the group. It is fair to assume that, if said group of people are having to partake in place-making in the first place, then they are being oppressed and often are silenced or left with little of their own voice to speak their personal concerns. This alludes to the idea that there will be political struggles. Eventually, the ‘out-casted’ group will reach its breaking point and will stand up for their freedom and rights as a community. The reason that any of these political eruptions result positively for the smaller communities is because the people within them stick together. They are a very bonded group, focused on their culture and it results in a successful attacking force.
Thinking of my own cultural identity, I am white, so there is nothing there. However, I do have a strong Scottish background, in which my family has taken a significant interest and become involved. I somewhat regularly attend events that focus on bringing different families together, playing our music, dancing our dances, and partaking our sports. By attending these events and doing research into my own family history, I feel somewhat connected to the people and their stories. I am aware of my family’s tartan and of the stories of rivalries between different families. The connection between us is different than what I have discussed before, as there is no history of oppression to force us to come together and stand up for ourselves. However, there are strong clashes between certain families within the larger community which allows for the family bonds made from cultural production to shine through.
By consuming other cultures’ cultural productions, I have become more aware of the struggles of others as well as general knowledge of their community. For example, the film Death by Hanging (1967) is a satire about the Japanese justice system originating from a news story about a Korean-Japanese man who was executed. I learn a lot from films and feel like this type of cultural production really connects with me and as a result I learne about the opposing group of people. Though this bond between me (or anyone for that matter) and different cultures is not the same as mentioned before, it can still allow for a solid alliance that can cause movement within a political struggle.
