Honestly, I'm not quite sure what my culture is; its not one specific culture. The only tradition that's been the same my whole life is from my mom's Spanish side. On new years we each have 12 grapes and when the clock gets to 12 seconds left in the year we try to eat them all before the new year. Every grape you eat symbolizes a month of good luck in the new year.
In the reading it says Culture is learned by every person born into a society as part of the enculturations process. Having not grown up in the same place my whole life, everywhere I've lived i picked up traditions and they have become apart of me. For example before i lived in Japan, i didn't eat much Japanese food, use chopsticks, take off shoes at the front door, slightly bow when you greet people, or speak any of the language. The style there is very different, too. After living there for a while its kind of hard to change back to your old ways. The reading defines the process of making traits of other cultures a part of your own culture as acculturation. I'm not saying I'm Japanese now, but I've become accustomed to some of their traditions.
Moving to Hawaii this summer after being away from the U.S. for 5 years was kind of strange at first, a completely new lifestyle; i felt somewhat like a foreigner. Even the school has a different "culture" you could say; a lot more kids and different style, way of speaking (slippers, chee, ect.), dresscode, and discipline. There's still lots about Hawaii's cultures and traditions i dont know and will probably experience while living here. For starters I dance hula now.
What I'm trying to say is I don't think you have to be a certain ethnicity to practice their cultures. Culture isn't based on race its what makes up YOU. Everyone has different beliefs and practices. Sure in a family there might be some traditions practiced together but not all beliefs are the same. Everyone's culture is unique, and everyone's culture is always changing or being influenced in someway.
I totally agree with what you said in your last paragraph, about not having to be a specific race to practice their culture. However, I think it's important that you're making this culture a part of you because you truly feel a connection with it, and not because you feel obligated by the society or community that you're in. I think you made a really good point with saying that everyone in your family doesn't have to have the same beliefs. More often than not, I think teenagers feel pressured by their families and friends to have certain beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you're saying, especially the last paragraph. You don't have to have the blood, just the heart. If you enjoy learning about it, who is anyone to say you shouldn't be a part of it just cuz ehtnically you're not a part of that culture? Even though I'm half hawaiian n I come from a really hawaiian family, I am probably the most UN-hawaiian person in the world!! I never danced hula or tahitian, never surfed, and I HATE THE BEACH!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you're saying. Just because you're a certain race doesnt mean you are a part of their culture or you have to practice it. I mean Im both Japanese and Filipino, but most of the time I dont do anything related to my backgrounds. Culture is what you are on the inside not the outside.
ReplyDeleteYou have prompted a great discussion with your insightful comment about culture being about YOU and not about race. You have had the unique experience of living in different cultures. What are the top three pieces of advice you have for those who have to adapt to a new culture? Also, I am looking forward to hearing about your thoughts on YOUR CULTURE as you develop them through the moolelo project. You say at the start of this post that you are not sure about your culture but you are definitely the product of culture!
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