Question

Reflection Paper

Topic: What does it mean to be part of a culture?

Write a two-page, double-spaced reflection on the topic below. The readings, discussions, and videos you have done this week will help you write your paper.?

Answer 1

• A culture is the way of life of a group of people: their language, traditions, knowledge, art, holidays, music, food, and values. Religion — a set of beliefs about how the world was created, how life should be lived, and what happens when one dies — is often a very important part of one’s culture, often the most influential one. Indeed, it can influence all the other aspects of the culture.We all belong to a culture and show this by the way we dress, how we say hello, what we eat, and how we behave. We learn these things from our families, friends, teachers, and other people in our community.
• Culture appears to have become key in our interconnected world, which is made up of so many ethnically diverse societies, but also riddled by conflicts associated with religion, ethnicity, ethical beliefs, and, essentially, the elements which make up culture.
• When a person identifies with their culture, they often embrace traditions that have been passed down through the years. The cultural identity links a person to their heritage can help them to identify with others who have the same traditions and basic belief systems.
• Some people claim that a person’s cultural identity is the foundation or groundwork on which every other aspect of their being is built. It is the cornerstone of what makes them who they are. Embracing one’s culture often means practicing a specific religion, wearing a certain type of clothing or something else that represents their culture. It creates an outward, visible means of identifying that person as part of a particular culture or nationality.
• The Aboriginal tribes of Australia and New Zealand are excellent examples of this. Many tribes still live and behave as they did when they first encountered white civilization. They hunt, dress, celebrate and live their lives as if no one has ever attempted to influence them. They follow a tribal form of government and also adhere to a strict code of ethics both in tribal and family life. Traditions are often passed down from generation to generation and have been in existence for hundreds of years.