What is a cultural map?

Question

What is a cultural map?

Answer 1

It's important to know the definition of culture first.  Most maps are of a political nature.  That is, the borders we see on most maps and globes are politically established among governments, treaties, agreements, etc.

In the case of a cultural map, borders are not so well defined as cultural habits of people, and groups of people, are associated with populations that follow certain histories, religious habits, artistic endeavors, dietary constraints, etc.

Culture may also be influenced by the region or environment.  For example, an Aleut native American:

http://geo.ya.com/mafer_pal/NATIVE%20PEO...

would not share the same values, and consequently, the same habits say as the Matses in the Amazon:  http://www.amazon-indians.org/matses/22-...

A couple of good examples of cultural maps is the following link that maps out the different native Alaskan tribes within a political context (map of Alaska).  

http://www.aaanativearts.com/alaska_nati...

However, cultural mapping doesn't necessarily have to occur in a political framework as the following map on world values can attest (click on the Inglehart-Welzel map link):

http://www.worldvaluessurvey.com/