Week 1 & 2 Discussion
Week 1:
In my reading of the Goffe text, I come to think that extra-coloniality is the colonization that occurs from countries not traditionally regarded as colonialist. Relating this to sound and soundscapes, the sense of hearing is a huge selling point within the system of capitalism. Something like songs played in a certain store may bring the customers back to the establishment thus increasing the capital gain of the business. A musical catchphrase is a tremendous tool in people remembering a certain product or business so that when the time comes, they will remember that sound and buy the product or service. The sound that we hear can also destroy our relationships because somebody can say something that another may find offensive which separates the connection between those two people. What we hear about someone can also destroy relationships because now a non-confirmed reputation is built around the sound that was spread about them.
At the same time however, it can also bring people together to express themselves, dance or sing. Winston Blake was mentioned in the article about how without the sound system, Jamaican music as we know it today would have never existed. It’s hard to think about how an entire music genre that brings joy to so many people and creates relationships through a shared bond over that music could be gone if what happened in Jamaica didn’t happen. The drive to create is something so distinctly human and the creating of sound is just one way we can express that desire. Bands, choirs, and ensembles are just some of the many relationships formed as a result of sounds and soundscapes.
Week 2:
There is a lot to unpack withe the term settler colonialism as the practice itself has caused a lot of harm over its history. The addition of Hawaii as a U.S. state is a true example of settler colonialism at work. The United States began to send American plantation owners and business men to Hawaii effectively taking over the islands’ economy. After this takeover, the monarchs of the Hawaiian Kingdom were forced to wave their power and hand over their home to the United States. In building a new map of East Asia, I would make each country distinct in their independence. The imperialism that the U.S. and Japan used diminished the fact the East Asian countries are all different from each other. Generalizations of Asians led to many preconceived notions about people that came from East Asia such as they were disease carrying or were out to steal American jobs.
The Caribbean is an interesting case when it comes to East Asia and British imperialism because there is such a mix of culture. Many Chinese escaping communist rule in China came to these countries such as Cuba to start new lives in a foreign place. Like in the Goffe reading, Chinese also went to Jamaica that was under British rule putting them in position that was in between the white, wealthy land owners and the predominantly Black working class. This asks the questions of where do Asians belong in a place that is so racially divided?
