ConversationContext of transculturation: Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and her native American history professor. Lissa: Hi, professor Parson. Professor: Oh, hello, Lissa. I was grading the class exam. Lissa: Our exams, really. Did you grade my yet? Huh, I did actually. Great job. You did very well. You appeared to have a good strong grasp of the materials. Are you thinking of majoring in history? Lissa: I'm an art history major, actually, but I'm taking quite a few history classes this semester. And truthfully, this one's my favorite. I've always loved native American history. Professor: Uh, I'm glad to hear that. Lissa: Yeah, it's interesting stuff. And now I'm focusing on the final project of your class, and I wanted to run it by you because, well, really what I want to write about it is something kind of, well, different, I guess. Professor: Oh, so. Lissa: Well, I just got back from Washington DC where I saw Dale Chihuly's exhibit. Professor: Dale Chihuly is the glass artist. Uh, that was fantastic. Lissa: I love that. You're familiar with Chihuly. I've never heard of him. Professor: Absolutely. Of course, his use of native American design fascinates me. The way he incorporates it into his blown glass sculpture, incredible! Lissa: I especially like his glass cylinders. You know, he actually rolled glass onto glass cylinders and drawings and patterns inspired by Navajo Fablon design. Professor: The Navajo Blanket Cylinders, exactly! He turned two dimensional art into three dimension. Lissa: Yeah. The guide at that exhibit that, Chihuly described his pieces by saying the cylinders are wearing the drawing, looks like the native American people wore the blanket. I'm ... so ... include his work right now. That what I'd like to do is ... well, kind of a narrative description of his blanket cylinders, to explain the native American influences. Professor: Ok, there's some potential there. Um. Are you familiar with his basket theory? Lissa: Ah. Yeah, I think sort of them ... the glass basket? Professor: Yeah. But some Chihuly's glass baskets were based on the woven baskets made by the native Americans of the northwest. Lissa: Oh, so maybe I should consider discussing the basket then. Professor: Of course they're both excellent examples. Chihuly is interested in native American art, but ... but ... besides the history class and well remember in class we discussed the concept of transculturation? Lissa: Uh, yeah. Transculturation is the term that explains what happens when two historically steps with groups of people come together and share the same space. Professor: That's right. Specifically the merging of the two cultures, whether that be an art, music, political views, social tradition. Lissa: Oh, okay. So then Chihuly is not native American, but he's creating something that may be a result of hearing his space. Like maybe I could explore his art in the context of transculturation. Professor: That sounds more like it. Focus on the concepts we discussed in class less on the art itself. I think that's not promising.