About Cultural Equity"The dimension of cultural equity needs to be added to the humane
continuum of liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and social
justice." On Nov. 2, 2001 the principle of cultural equity as a human right was affirmed in UNESCO's Universal Declaration of Cultural Diversity, which put defense of culture on a par with protection of the environment and individual rights. That cultural diversity is as essential for human survival as biodiversity was first stated by Alan Lomax, who was dismayed that mass communications and centralized education systems were crushing local cultural expressions and languages. Against objections that scholars shouldn't act as cultural arbiters, he maintained that folklorists and anthropologists could not ethically stand by while local ways of living and the world's splendid variety of expressive cultures were "grayed out" by standardization, economies of scale, and powerful entertainment industries. Lomax was not alone in observing that the loss of cultures went hand in hand with social pathologies. Echoing Malinowski's dictum that "The role of the ethnologist is that of the advocate of primitive man," he stated in 1950, "The role of the folklorist is that of the advocate of the folk." While acknowledging potential problems, he maintained that outside intervention and advocacy can be invaluable in helping to safeguard and revitalize local traditions. Cultural equity was anticipated in the 1930s and 40s by folklorists Benjamin Botkin, Harold W. Thompson, and Louis C. Jones, who believed that folklore studied by folklorists should be returned to its home communities to enable it to thrive anew. Their ideas bore fruit in the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival; in the National Heritage Awards honoring great American folk artists; in organizations such as Survival International, and, increasingly in national and regional initiatives by public folklorists and local activists who provide recognition for traditions locally and to broad audiences. Lomax called on folklorists with their specialized training to help those they studied ensure the continuance of their cultural practices and self-representation on their own cultural terms — and for educators to ensure that children learn about the oral traditions of their families and localities. "An Appeal for Cultural Equity" by Alan Lomax
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