In this blog post, we explore the possibility that what we believe to be time-honored traditions may in fact have been shaped by the social and political needs of a particular era.
As people grow up, they become familiar with their own culture, leading them to perceive certain institutions or ideas as having existed for a very long time. In this process, people view their culture as unique and distinct, with deep historical roots, and accept it as a matter of course. They even establish their cultural identity by distinguishing it from other cultures. This phenomenon demonstrates just how deeply culture is rooted in human beings, yet it often leads us to overlook the fact that culture is constantly being reconfigured through change and external influences. Furthermore, people often come to believe that these elements are essential characteristics of their own culture under the guise of “tradition.” However, this line of thinking prevents us from properly understanding the historical context and sociocultural significance of tradition. This highlights the need to view the culture of the past as distinct from the culture of today.
Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger argue that most traditions believed to be ancient were actually invented in the not-too-distant past. For example, Scots wear kilts and perform traditional rituals, believing these to be representative of their traditional culture. However, the case of the kilt raises questions about how such beliefs were formed. In fact, the kilt is not traditional attire; it was created as workwear by an English businessman who came to Scotland after the country’s annexation by England in 1707, as a replacement for the uncomfortable clothing worn at the time. Although the kilt subsequently became popular among the lower classes, it was not considered traditional attire until after the 1745 rebellion. After the rebellion, the British government banned the wearing of kilts. However, some people began wearing them secretly at home, and the kilt gradually came to be regarded as traditional attire. The unique tartan patterns of the kilt became established as symbols of each clan in 1822, when the British king visited and, as part of a grand welcoming ceremony, urged the heads of each clan to wear kilts with different patterns. The distinctive tartan patterns adopted at that time became the attire representing each clan.
The example of the kilt demonstrates that traditions can sometimes be created during specific periods to achieve political and social objectives. This phenomenon is not limited to the kilt but is similarly observed in other cultural contexts. For instance, Japan’s samurai culture and Korea’s traditional wedding ceremonies have also been strongly reconstructed within a modern context. In particular, following the emergence of modern nation-states, the “invention of tradition” by the state played a significant role in establishing the political system. In this process, a myth emerged that tradition had existed since time immemorial, long before the period in which it was actually created. However, tradition is created and shared by people situated in a specific time and space; it is closely intertwined with politics, society, and the economy, and thus takes on different meanings in each era. Therefore, when understanding tradition, it is important to consider the social, economic, and political context of that era.
In this context, we should not view tradition merely as a legacy of the past; rather, we must strive to understand the context and process through which it was formed. Consequently, if we isolate tradition from its specific sociocultural context and mythologize it, we lose the ability to comprehensively understand the society and culture of that time. Furthermore, this approach can provide a framework for more accurately assessing the role and influence of tradition in the society to which we currently belong.
Just as we can view our own culture more objectively through the lens of a foreign culture, we can accurately recognize the true nature of tradition by viewing past cultures as yet another foreign culture. For example, when analyzing the traditional culture of another country while considering its social, economic, and political background, we can more clearly understand the purposes and needs that shaped that tradition. The ultimate purpose of this perspective is not to expose the true nature of mythologized traditions. Rather, by recognizing past cultures as “other” cultures, we seek to restore the people of that era—who have been buried within myths—to their rightful status as subjects of culture and history, and to understand them. Through this, we aim to shed new light on the sociocultural context and meaning of tradition from their perspective. Furthermore, through this perspective, we will be able to properly understand the contemporary significance of tradition in modern society.
