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.