I have Cultural Pride in a Western Space: University Cultural Clubs

Abstract

Tertiary institutions perpetuate colonial legacies, teaching Eurocentric curriculums and using English as the language of instruction with little regard for non-European pedagogy. Many students from non-Western backgrounds have felt they needed to neglect their cultural ways of being and knowing to assimilate in university classes. University cultural clubs aim to be a safe space for different ethnic groups to gather on campus. As a former member of a university cultural club – the Griffith Pasifika Association, I tell our story and provide an analysis of our experience. I feel much of my cultural and academic success is attributed to this group, and for many of its members, this association is a family, where we can learn about our cultural heritage. This club was not only a space for supporting students from the Pacific Islands, but also for solidifying member’s cultural pride. This association has caused necessary disruption to the traditional Eurocentrism of tertiary education, but, through this process, the University itself has now become a new domain for cultural pride for Pasifika students.