IN THIS ever-changing multicultural society, no diversity-conscious student would dispute the value of the ethnocentric fraternities and sororities on Grounds. The organizations of the Multi-cultural Greek Council infuse the idea of working together on diversity and culture issues with regard to specific communities and have had tremendous success over the past five years with their exponential growth and their effect within the community.
These centers of student life provide a home away from home and serve as comfort zones for students interested in developing their own sense of cultural awareness andseeking education on their own cultural history. However, a serious problem has been brought to light by one the nation's foremost authorities on Greek life, Dr. Walter Kimbrough, on his visit here to speak to all four of the University's Greek Councils. He pointed out the emphasis on the growing homogeneity fostered by these multi-cultural fraternities and sororities on campuses nationwide,and whether this is the best possible adaptation to the world of fraternities and sororities. As these fledgling organizations begin to develop and thrive on Grounds, Kimbrough noted that problems may arise due to a copy-cat culture and somewhat blind adaptation that multi-cultural organizations adopt as they acculturate to Greek life and to pre-established Greek modes.
Kimbrough argued correctly that though Asian-American and Latino fraternal organizations foster the same brotherhood and sisterhood many Greek-letter organizations promulgate as their main focus, these organizations need to be aware of the kinds of organizations that they are trying to replicate and invest more time and energy in developing a fraternity and sorority tradition all their own, instead of repeating the customs and possibly the mistakes from the cultures of other communities.
Here at the University, there is no doubt that the predominantly Asian-American fraternities and sororities are some of the fastest growing organizations on Grounds and have developed identities based on cultural interest. But this identity often replicates the ways in which African-American sororities and fraternities represent themselves. With sounding calls, line jackets, party strolls and "hops," Latino and Asian-American Greek-letter organizations are becoming more and more acculturated to the traditions of black Greek life in particular -- and to some extent are doing so without the substantial education on what and whom they are replicating.
Members of these organizations wouldn't necessarily question the "why?" of this adoption of cultural mores -- identification with a group gives each individual a sense of pride and belonging, and definitely fosters the brotherhood and sisterhood ofsingular organization on a much more "present" scale than do predominantly white organizations. But one has to wonder why the line jackets of Sigma Psi Zeta and Lambda Upsilon Lambda replicate those of Omega Psi Phi and Zeta Phi Beta. One must wonder why Asian-Americans are adopting Greek letters as their emblems of identification -- and whether it is for the same reasons Black Greeks do.
According to their mission statements, these organizations promote genuine interest in Asian and Asian-American culture while promoting individuality and scholarship, as do many other Greek-letter organizations. However, as in much of pop culture, the adoption of traditional African-American customs has begun to serve as blueprint models for the ways in which these fraternal organizations express and identify themselves, and though this isn't generally a problem in pop culture, in this instance it may be. Multi-cultural Greeks are adopting traditional models without proper insight or reflection on what they may or may not mean to the creators of these identities. Members of these organizations may not recognize what kind of cultural heritage and problems they inherit by adopting the traits of African-American fraternities and sororities, not to mention whether they are replicating them too directly or blindly -- even repeating calls, signs or one day perhaps, organization letters.
One way to resolve what may become a contentious issue in adapting to the pre-existing Greek world could be an educational course in which new members are required to attend workshops on fraternity and sorority mores across all of the diverse Greek-letter systems. In fact, the Greek Orientation and Leadership Seminar hosted by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, which Dr. Kimbrough spoke at, was a great start. This is an example of what kinds of lessons can be taught across cultural lines for all the multi-ethnic Greek councils.
There is no doubt that African-American, as well as white Greeks, would benefit just as much from these workshops and open communication. But as we expand, we should take note of what traditions we are all adopting, whether or not those are in our best interest and how they foster brotherhood and sisterhood across all the Greek systems.
(Kazz Alexander Pinkard's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. Pinkard is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a member of the Black Fraternal Council. He can be reached at kpinkard@cavalierdaily.com.)
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