In this blog post, we explore the idea that the traditions we believe have a long history may actually have been shaped by the social and political needs of a specific era.
As humans grow up, they become accustomed to 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 given. They even establish their cultural identity by contrasting it with other cultures. This phenomenon demonstrates 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 of what we believe to be ancient traditions were actually invented in the not-too-distant past. For example, Scots wear kilts and perform traditional rituals, believing this 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 was annexed 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 when, in 1822, the British king visited and organized a grand welcoming ceremony, urging each clan chief to wear kilts with different patterns. The distinctive tartan patterns adopted at that time became established as 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 appears similarly in other cultural contexts. For instance, Japanese samurai culture and traditional Korean wedding ceremonies also exhibit strong elements of reconstruction within a modern context. In particular, since the emergence of modern nation-states, the “invention of tradition” by the state has often played a significant role in establishing the political system. In this process, a myth emerged that tradition had existed for a very long time, far beyond 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, tradition should not be viewed merely as a legacy of the past; rather, we must strive to understand the context and process through which it was formed. Consequently, if tradition is separated from its specific sociocultural context and mythologized, it becomes impossible to comprehensively understand the society and culture of that time. Furthermore, this approach can provide a standard for more accurately assessing the role and influence of tradition in the society to which we belong today.
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, considering that country’s social, economic, and political background allows us to understand more clearly 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 perceiving past cultures as foreign 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.
