Introduction
Quick! Define “culture” in one sentence. Even as someone who has ruminated on this topic, I struggle to define such a complex word succinctly. However, after reading Social & Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction by John Monaghan and Peter Just, I have decided on my personal definition although it will likely change with time. Dual Perspectives is all about outlook. If you are familiar with our blog, you know that Riya and I often comment on the same issues but through different lenses. (I explore culture while Riya focuses on biology.) To me and Franz Boas, a trailblazing anthropologist mentioned in the book, your culture is the lens through which you experience life. I must stress its ever-changing nature; as you gain insight and exposure to new environments, your culture evolves. I believe your culture influences your principles, which you deliberately practice, but your beliefs and other results of your culture become so ingrained in you that they influence your innate responses, as well.
To deepen my understanding of the word, I asked three of my family members a series of questions about their cultures in hopes of making cross-cultural comparisons. I selected my mother, father, and aunt, each of whom offers a unique perspective on the topic. My mother is fully Indian but moved to Kenya at a young age. My father is Trinidadian and British but was brought up by Serbian foster parents in French-speaking Montreal. Both of my parents attended university in Britain and immigrated to America as adults. In contrast, my aunt was born in America; however, her ancestors were Native American and German, and she married an Indian.
Question #1: How would you define your culture? What aspects of your identity contribute to your culture?
My Mother
My mother views her culture as the composite of the places where she has resided and the people with whom she has interacted. She feels Kenyan because she lived in the country longer than India. However, since her family maintained aspects of its Indian roots even after moving to Africa, my mother identifies more with Indian culture. For instance, she practiced Hinduism, partook in Indian traditions, spoke Hindi, and ate her mother’s Indian dishes. She also embodied Indian values and beliefs: God, karma, food as a love language, family, continual self-improvement, service, hard work, giving your children a better life, music, and dance. Once my mother moved to the United Kingdom and United States, she maintained this foundation and realized that we are more similar than different across the globe due to the shared culture of humanity.
My Father
My father would define his culture as multiracial and thus multifaceted. Since he is mixed, he empathizes with African Americans but also disagrees with some views that members of the community stereotypically hold, such as a distrust or detestation of white people. (After all, he is half white and grew up around the race.) Although my father was born Anglican, he was raised Orthodox Christian in his Serbian foster home. His wife is Hindu, and one of his sisters is Catholic while the other converted to Judaism. Thus, my father believes in religious tolerance.
He also feels that America has influenced his culture. For instance, he promotes the country’s values of opportunity and freedom for all. While he acknowledges that the U.S. is not perfect by any means, he admires what it aspires to be. Overall, my father believes his complex culture has led him to be open-minded and willing to compromise with those unlike himself. He concludes, “Culture should be a bridge to understanding, not a fortress of perceived superiority.” In other words, we should not use culture to proclaim certain individuals’ supremacy but rather to understand one another. While fortress walls shut out external influence, a bridge provides an open invitation for cross-cultural exchange.
My Aunt
My aunt identifies more with American culture than her German ancestors’ nationality. After all, she is a fourth-generation American. Although she does not practice Native American culture, this part of her heritage does strengthen her ties to the country. As a child, my aunt believed in the “American Dream,” or the idea that she and anyone else can achieve anything in this land of opportunity. She thinks the country was intended for everyone, and, to embody this American quality, she has always been open-minded herself. As a result, she married into a family with a drastically different culture, which she came to call her own. Since it is a melting pot, America fostered her love of diversity. Likewise, my family is our own melting pot of foods, religions, ages, and backgrounds, and we have come to influence my aunt’s outlook. She has learned to find “so much love and peace” in Indian culture, from the art to the food to the overall community.
Question #2: What is your favorite part of your culture? Why?
My Mother
My mother appreciates that her culture provides her with an “anchor” or foundation no matter where she is. Due to her culture, she always feels a sense of belonging and a connection to something bigger than herself or her immediate communities. Yet, she can maintain her individuality.
Beyond these general benefits, she extols many aspects of Indian culture, specifically. She enjoys the food as well as the rituals and celebrations, all of which bring her family together. As mentioned, Indian values were instilled in her from a young age, and she admires many of them, such as serving the greater good.
My Father
My father loves that his culture is “a bit messy.” Since he is a blend of numerous identities, he feels comfortable commenting on the benefits and shortcomings of each. He believes that some hold rigid views about cultures; they are either faithful defenders or ruthless critics, an issue that sparks many of our conflicts. However, his mixed race has allowed him to develop flexible, moderate opinions.
My Aunt
My aunt’s favorite part of American culture is that anyone can identify with it; the country accepts all. She appreciates that it fosters the belief that you can arrive, even with nothing but faith, and thrive. This quality evokes the memory of her great-grandfather who emigrated from Germany at 17. Initially, he resided in a foster home, but he soon discovered his passion for inventing and catapulted himself to success. Another American ideal ingrained in the country’s DNA is “of the people, by the people, for the people.” My aunt believes that, if we truly exemplify this sentiment, the nation is amongst the greatest. Finally, she enjoys America’s patriotic holidays and celebrations.
Question #3: Do you identify with any stereotypes associated with your culture? Please elaborate on the ones you feel are accurate and/or inaccurate.
My Mother
My mother identifies with the stereotype that Indians and Kenyans work hard and are well educated. She believes that she embodies these qualities because her family stressed the importance of diligence and education. She is also superstitious (especially when it comes to her family) and adaptable as Indians and Kenyans are believed to be.
However, she does not fully identify with the stereotype that Indians and Kenyans speak English poorly. Due to her time in countries where English is prominent, she has developed impressive fluency. Additionally, although Indians are said to like spicy food, my mother enjoys mild spice only. Many believe that all Indians eat is curries, and while my mother loves them, she has more diverse food preferences. Not only does she enjoy Thai and Japanese curries, but she also samples other dishes from numerous cuisines. Also, my mother is not subservient as Indian women are assumed to be and does not subscribe to traditional gender roles. Although Indians are expected to excel at math and sciences, my mother gravitates toward the humanities. Her mention of the gender roles and fields of study expected of Indian women made me consider the following question: beyond the stereotypes imposed on cultures by somewhat ignorant outsiders, how are stereotypes partially encouraged by cultures themselves? I will have to save this inquiry for a future post!
My Father
My father thinks that stereotypes can be hurtful but does identify with some, for he admits they often exist for a reason. As a Canadian, he believes he is more polite than the stereotypical American. However, as a child in Canada, he enjoyed the “swagger” that American visitors carried. Some deemed it ethnocentricity and ego, but he described it as simply an “unshakeable confidence,” which can be a positive trait if properly channeled.
My father acknowledges that African Americans are typically viewed as aggressive or dangerous. He does not identify with this stereotype and, in fact, goes out of his way to put his acquaintances at ease. For instance, he uses a friendly tone and dresses in a non-threatening, professional manner. The pressure to show decorum is heightened by the fact that he has entered predominantly white fields, where his race often surprises his colleagues. Thus, he involuntarily assumes a daunting role: a representative for those of his skin color. Through pleasant interactions, he hopes to strengthen cultural bridges that are “so badly in need of maintenance.”
My Aunt
Americans are often expected to be arrogant. My aunt feels that, although she is not boastful, she does exhibit a lot of self-confidence. She also admits that she is wasteful as many privileged Americans are and, upon realizing that others are not nearly as fortunate as she is, has tried to alter her lifestyle while further educating herself. However, prior to her learning journey, she was ignorant of other countries and cultures, another stereotype applied to Americans.
Yet, my aunt deviates from other negative stereotypes through her polite behavior. She is respectful of authority figures—in fact, she fears them–and is neither loud nor obnoxious. Last, unlike the stereotypical white American, she surrounds herself with diverse family and friends.
Question #4: How has your culture affected the way in which you have raised your children?
My Mother
While my mother does not impose a specific religion on her children, she has made an effort to instill in us the values that have “grounded” her. Thus, she encourages us to be hardworking, service-oriented, and “God fearing” as our ancestors were. She taught us to believe in a higher power to whom we can turn at any time. Since He is within us, getting to know ourselves and believing in our capabilities is critical. My mother also stresses education as her parents did. Additionally, as children, we were exposed to Indian culture via Hindu rituals, for instance. My mother urged my grandmother to come to America to help her build a foundation of such beliefs beneath us.
Due to her own global travels, a broader sentiment my mother hopes to emphasize is the similarities between cultures, which she has conveyed through our trips. Overall, she wants us to “respect cultures but also not be intimidated by them.”
My Father
My father has tried to foster a sense of cultural pride and encourage his children to explore their identities. However, he has cautioned us about those who use culture to divide members of society who wish to be united. He believes that extreme cultural pride can engender intolerance. Hypocrites who present their religions as “above reproach” but disapprove of those who hold alternative beliefs frustrate him. In short, he hopes to teach his children to be proud of who they are but allow others to be proud of who they are. He has encouraged us to be accepting of all individuals even if they refuse to reciprocate that respect.
My Aunt
My aunt has stressed the American belief that her children can do and be anything. She has also taught them to display the country’s openness to all groups. My aunt’s own parents worked hard to provide her with more than they had as children. Thus, they inspired her to exhibit a strong character and work ethic. She hopes to have the same effect as a parent. Additionally, she wants her children to maintain connections to their roots, a struggle for the growing multiracial population (as well as immigrants) in America. As my mother was, my aunt was raised to believe in a higher power, and she hopes that her girls remember that He is supporting their development.
Conclusion
Culture is not as simple and clear-cut as you may have thought, right? As a child, I believed culture applied to ethnic groups and simply described their traditions and beliefs. However, the definition of the word is so much more nuanced. It also varies from person to person. Even the members of a single ethnic group have differing cultures due to their individual experiences.
Yet, as my mother expresses, there are undeniable parallels between all of us. This post demonstrates that my family members all have similar values partly due to their similar environments but also due to the fact that we humans have innate similarities!
I would urge you to reflect on your own culture and what influenced it. How does it compare to how your peers define theirs? If you feel comfortable sharing, please leave a comment below!
Sources
- Social & Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction
- Feature image: https://medium.com/@illuminz/cultural-aesthetics-and-web-design-navigating-the-global-user-experience-4938429faf43
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