THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF CULTURAL VALUES AND ASIAN LEADERSHIP: A STUDY IN THE CONTEXT OF AND THE SOUL SHALL DANCE

Abstract

In the twenty-first century world, Asian leadership is of paramount importance owing to many reasons such as its emerging economy, potential manpower, technological development, and most importantly due to having a vast treasure of rich cultural heritage and value systems. Among the above factors, the latter aspect of rich cultural heritage and value systems derive significance because of a realization that the world, currently enmeshed in materialistic ideals, often fails to recognize the significance of cultural heritage and values in the daily lives of people. This paper provides thrust on the rich cultural heritage and values systems of Asia as having a key role to play in the twenty-first century Asian leadership. It seeks to highlight how living abroad, the individuals can be inspirational instruments in spreading the message of preserving one’s rich culture as a way of embracing a life of values. This study seeks to illustrate this point by analysing one of the major writers of Asian-American tradition, Wakako Yamauchi. Wakako Yamauchi in her play And the Soul Shall Dance discusses how adherence to one’s cultural heritage can be contributive factor in leading a healthy life amidst the humdrum of a modern life. In a hurried life of twenty-first century, Asia’s role should be one that holds a mirror to its rich cultural heritage where the world can find a panacea for many of the malaise it suffers from. Therefore, this paper focuses on the need of Asia’s role in holding up a value system embedded in its rich cultural heritages.