After the Fact. The Art of Historical Detection, Essay Example

National identities manifested in the social relationships, cultural expressions, and socio-economic experiences of a borderland community are distinct. In American history the borderland community is mainly Mexico from a geographical perspective. However, in a broader point of view when exploring the historical features of a borderland community occurring in the American culture it is far more complex than a geographic boundary. While it is true that each border has its peculiar boundaries determining location, social relationships, cultural expressions and socio-economic influences borderland communities emerging in the United States of America are unique. People at the border have been identified as Native Americans, Jewish families from Central Mexico and Mestizos of Indian and Amerindian heritage. Later English speaking immigrants became a strong borderland culture within the society (Rustumji, 327).

Essentially, according to the literature, for many people living in the borderland of American society it is a monsoonless territory where American civilization is obscure. Rustumji described the life of a family who lived in Oakland, California. They spent a horrifying thanksgiving due to their borderland experience. Thanksgiving is expected to be an American cultural celebration designed by the founding fathers giving thanks after overcoming their border land experience. Here this family with a loved one hospitalized (Rustumji, 327).

The thanksgiving was sad because the eminent loss of a mother dying from cancer overwhelmed the family. This dying woman questioned her son’s loyalty of being an American. She resided in her consciousness still, the borderland of Bombay where it was her home country.    As the writer continued to explain monsoonless land was a place of peace where she would have no headaches even when dying from cancer in the United States of America. This is a vivid experience of how national identities are manifested in the social relationships, cultural expressions, and socio-economic experiences of a borderland community.

This son who was on the verge of taking his mother back to India where she could peacefully die in the monsoonless land was filtered with the question of his cultural loyalty by an inquisitive mom. She obviously still loved her Indian cultural identity and cherished the memories as being awesome. Non-acceptance of the headache being associated with cancer is  a significant cultural identify whereby borderline culture has defined relationships with inland natives.  It highlights the belief that modern medicine is detrimental to health because of many serious side effects (Rustumji, 327).

The author further illustrates another social identity aspect of the borderland community in showing how this has shaped the socio-economic conditions. This writer exposes the living conditions of the family on a Thanksgiving Day celebration with paint falling in the food they were cooking from cracks in the celling.   Importantly, they had food to cook because the American community gives the needy food so that they could have a Thanksgiving Day meal.  Food is an important identity since wasting of food is linked to increased poverty with wrath  being sent down from the Gods (Rustumji, 327)

Interestingly, she could be declaring her sentiments as a woman too insisting in knowing the strength of her son’s affiliation to the American culture. In the American borderland community women are perceived as valueless. While women are considered subservient to men in Indian culture, it is not in a way of making them feel useless. They are important as mothers and wives. It has been reiterated by declaration of sentiments that the history of mankind has been a history of injuries. These injuries have greatly impacted borderland communities. Women form a large portion of that culture and they have been severely impacted by it throughout history (Declaration of sentiments, 1).

Diverse communities distinguish themselves as unique while still maintaining aspects of the dominant national culture or identity in many ways. For example, Frederick Douglass asked the question, what to the slave is the 4th of July. In the American History 4^th of July is celebrated as Independence Day. Historically slaves had no independence and they ultimately had to fight for their freedom from slavery and eventually Jim Crow segregation laws due to the color of their skin. Today they have become a diverse community, which has distinguished itself as African American (Douglass, 188).

In explaining this unique identity issue Douglass declared that there was a great distance and divide between the platform celebrating American independence and the slave plantation era. From the perception of a slave it meant crossing dangerous rivers metaphorically to reach that platform. In summarizing his discourse with adversaries he finally translated his grievance by saying that oppressed people are mad people (Douglass, 188).

Provisions in the declaration of Independence clarifies Douglass’ contention regarding the slave identity with a diverse society of people, enjoying an independence, which is foreign to another group within the same geographic location. Incidentally this group was deliberat6ely marginalized through structured inequality legislation and polices.  In a 1776,  4^th of July declaration thirteen states came together seeking their independence from British rule. They saw themselves as being oppressed. However, once that declaration was granted they seemed to forget how they were oppressed and began oppressing slaves who people were too. They refused time after time to grant abolition of slavery (Charter of Freedom, 1).

Diverse communities distinguish themselves as unique while still maintaining aspects of the dominant national culture or identity in many ways as perceived by declaration of independence as well as advocating for human rights within the society. Injustices against diverse groups prevail under these circumstances. Raymond Williams offered an interesting account of diverse groups functioning within a society as an aggregate but still holding sacred their cultural identity.  He spoke of his father’s impact in the society as a labor union activist yet continuing his farming business (Williams, 92).

The author further explained that from where he lived the bus stop could be viewed and the immense farming property too. Geographically, they were borderlands. However, in highlighting that culture is ordinary, the writer emphasized that the making of society into a cultural form requires understanding that diverse groups can function among as a single unit, but maintain their uniqueness. Williams’ experinces came from his father who demonstrated the techniques though which this can be achieved (Williams, 92).

James West Davidson’s accounts of strange death of Silas Deane; Jacksons Frontier- and Tuners; the view from the bottom rail; the mirror with a memory, USDA Government Inspected and from Rosie to Lucy all demonstrate cultural dynamics whereby diverse communities distinguish themselves as unique while still maintaining aspects of the dominant national culture or identity. The chapter on the Mirror with a Memory reflects a society which could be viewed as the mirror, but the memory are diverse groups that integrate to form a cultural heritage as in the current American situation. Borderland people emerge from all over the world creating a unique borderland culture significant to this society (Davidson,188)

Works cited

Davidson, West. After the Fact. The Art of historical detection. Mc Graw Hill. 2013. Print.

Charter of Freedom. Declaration of Independence. Pdf.

Declaration of Sentiments. Women’s Rights. Pdf.

Douglass Frederick. Selected Speeches and Writings. Chicago: Lawrence Hill, 1999. Print. 188-206.

Rustumji Roshni. Thanksgiving in a Monsoonless land. Pdf.

Williams Raymond. Culture is Ordinary. Pdf.