Cultural Connections
An Intercultural Ethno-Cognitive Study of Personal Names for the Spirit-Child among the Igbo and Yoruba of Southern Nigeria
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Ikenna Kamalu
The Igbo and Yoruba sociocultural groups of southern Nigeria, like most other traditional African societies, believe in the duality of human existence. Both societies believe in the constant interaction between the world of the living and the dead. They also believe and accept the notion of reincarnation. The process of names and naming is one of the ways the groups affirm their assumptions on reincarnation. Both groups believe in the existence of a set of children known as Ogbanje (Igbo) or Abiku (Yoruba). Ogbanje and Abiku are Igbo and Yoruba words for stubborn spirit-children that maintain a cycle of dying and being reborn. The words therefore reflect a phenomenon in which a child dies and returns. Most studies on spirit-children in Igbo and Yoruba have either focused on their contextual manifestations in literary texts and creative imaginations, or on their characterizations in sociological and cultural studies. None of these approaches examined the cultural cognitive motivations for the names and naming of Ogbanje/Abiku children. Thus, based on insights from the framework of Cultural Linguistics (CL), this study examines the cultural and cognitive motivations that underlie the names and naming of spirit-children among the Igbo and Yoruba of Southern Nigeria. This study therefore aims to bridge the gap in knowledge on the Ogbanje/Abiku phenomenon
Featured Hawaiian Plantation Employee Records: A Multi-Disciplinary Exploration of Hawaiian History
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Sonia Pacheco,
Catherine Titzer
The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum and the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives partnered in the mid-2010s in the only known effort to digitize and make available to the public a substantial collection of Hawaiian plantation employee records. This paper features a multi-disciplinary approach to these records and includes a discussion on the necessity of a comprehensive historical and sociological contextual understanding of the populations that the records document; the digital humanities work that has been done using the raw data from the records; and the digital future of the records.
The Iberian Legacy in Hawaii: Forgotten Chronicles of Spanish Influence on the Islands
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Juan Antonio Sánchez Jiménez
Anglo-American historiography traditionally marks the modern era of Hawaii with Captain Cook’s “discovery” in 1778. Since Hawaii’s incorporation into the U.S. in 1959, its history has been framed predominantly through an Anglo-American perspective. However, overlooked chronicles reveal the significant role of the Iberian Peninsula in shaping the islands’ history and culture. It is likely that Hawaii was first sighted in 1542 by sailors from the expedition led by Ruy López de Villalobos, a navigator from Málaga, who named the islands Las Islas de Mesa, de los Monjes y Desgraciada. Some scholars suggest that Hawaii’s traditional colors (red and yellow), featured in its official coat of arms, may have been influenced by the Spanish flag. In 1832, King Kamehameha III recruited Mexican vaqueros—descendants of Spanish cattle ranchers—to teach ranching, giving rise to the paniolo tradition, a term derived from españoles. By the 20th century, thousands of Spanish and Portuguese migrants worked in Hawaii’s sugar plantations, alongside Filipinos and Puerto Ricans, whose cultures had also been shaped by Spanish colonial rule. The ukulele, now emblematic of Hawaiian music, evolved from the Iberian cavaquinho. This paper explores Hawaii’s often-overlooked Iberian past, with a special focus on Spanish migration and its lasting cultural imprint. By revisiting these forgotten narratives, it aims to broaden the understanding of Hawaii’s diverse heritage beyond the dominant Anglo-American perspective.
Labour Market Integration into Professions - the Key Role of Cultural and Linguistic Competency: Examining Immigration Practices and Policies for Internationally Educated Health Nurses
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Lillie Lum
Global migration has increased due to labour shortages in many developed countries. Skilled immigrants such as nurses and other health professionals are actively recruited to Europe and North America from developing to address labour market shortages. Despite several decades of initiatives to assist in their licensure and employment, the major barrier continues to be the language proficiency which is sensitive to the cultural norms of the host country. This paper presents a literature synthesis of current research describing the current state of knowledge of major literacy challenges experienced by new immigrants to English speaking and other developed countries who receive large numbers of internationally educated health professionals. Descriptions of specific linguistic challenges is discussed. The focus is on the need for profession specific language testing, bridging education programs, employment engagement and mentorship. Policies which enhance cultural diversity and adaptation are recommended.
