The importance of intercultural communications

On Wednesday, SCSU’s Multicultural Resource Center’s Darlene St. Clair moderated a panel discussion that focused on the work of intercultural relations today that connect the issues of the challenges and opportunities of intercultural communication from the days of the Lewis and Clark travels.

“Whether you are aware of it or not this event (Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery) set off a long process of intercultural contact and the legacy lives on today,” Frank Harrow, dean of SCSU’s College of Social Sciences, said.

The panel included representatives of community organizations including Mary Sam of Mille Lacs Area Human Rights Commission, Hedy Tripp of Create CommUNITY, and Eddah Mutua- Kombo of SCSU’s Communication Studies presented their experiences and work in research and intercultural communication.

The panel was an addition to explain the opening of the Lewis & Clark and the Indian Country traveling exhibit that is on display until Dec. 11 in the Miller Center.

St. Clair, said she sees the importance of intercultural communication through the history of the US.

“When Lewis and Clark traveled, the land was full of people. Some already had experience and familiarity with whites but the further west they went the less they had,” St. Clair said. “Lewis’ and Clark’s success was based on their sense of respect and understanding they had for the people they encountered.”

Many may not realize that Lewis and Clark’s lives depended on their ability to communicate with those they encountered because they relied on others heavily for safety, food and shelter.

This same sense of respect and communication still determines different community’s successes today.

“There should not be one community that is not concerned about intercultural relations,” St. Clair said.

Mary Sam, who serves as a liaison for her Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe tribe said that intercultural communication today is essential in undoing the damage that early white settlers caused.

“There were great losses that took place and the impact still effects the community today,” Sam said.

Mutua-Kombo, also acknowledged that even though intercultural communication
is essential, it should not be romanticized.

“People need to be realistic in what explains the prejudices and know the steps we have to take to step forward and get engaged in this work,” Mutua-Kombo said.

The series is planned to continue with a workshop for educators, a lecture on “Hate Speech, Horses, and Hostages: The Untold Story of Lewis & Clark in Teton Territory” following a reception called “Sacagawea: Reading and Presentation for Youth,” opportunity for students that are majoring in elementary education, and “The Educational Experiences of American Indian Students.”