Personal Cultural Heritage Item Personal cultural heritage is a significant part of who we are. In this paper, I will discuss the cultural heritage of my own family, including topics such as, artifacts, familial ties, patterns, and the influences of our heritage on our family today. My parents are from different cultural backgrounds, but the majority of my cultural heritage is Polish. Poland is located in the center of Europe and traces its roots back at least one thousand (1,000) years (“Poland profile,” 2016). The surrounding countries are Ukraine and Belarus on the east side, Lithuania and the Russian province of Kaliningrad on the northeast side, Germany on the west side, and the Czech and Slovak Republic on the south side. It is basically …show more content…
The family is the traditional center of Polish life and plays a vital role in society. Extended families and even close friends will be there to help if there is ever a situation where an individual or family is not able to be self-sufficient. Parents typically are supportive of their children until they are grown and self-sufficient and children are expected to care for aging parents and grandparents. The Roman Catholic Church is a dominant force in the life of a Pole and during the 1980s, the presence of Polish Pope John Paul II was a significant influence in the Solidarity movement there. Common foods eaten are breads, noodles, dumplings (pierogi), potatoes, cabbage, beets, cucumbers, mushrooms, carrots, pork, beef, ham, and sausage (“Poland”, n.d.). Boiled potatoes are the most common side dish eaten with fish or meat and the Poles are well known for their “seasoned cucumbers”, or dill pickles. Meats are eaten regularly and pork is typically in the form of a breaded cutlet served with thick sauce. Cabbage stuffed with ground meat and rice, smoked and pickled herring fish, and soups are also popular. Desserts are …show more content…
Polish food is not exactly the healthiest, but at least once a year a lot of us try to get together and either go out to a Polish restaurant or one of us has the family over for lunch or dinner and traditional food is served. We do not have any of the traditional clothes, but I do have memories of growing up in the 60s and 70s, visiting our Polish relatives who lived in Canada, and seeing them in those garments. We had many cousins and there would be music and dancing at a large family gathering. A few of them played instruments and formed a family band of sorts and others would dance in the traditional outfits. When it comes to an artifact, a few members of our family have a piece or two of Polish pottery or stoneware in their homes. The oldest of my siblings is the one who is the most proud of, and connected to, our cultural heritage and has a good amount of bowls, plates, and coffee mugs mostly adorned with the cobalt blue designs. Regarding current dress customs, our family generally takes pride in appearance and typically the men wear shirts and ties to work and the women wear skirts or dresses. During casual times, most of us still do not lean towards looking sloppy or undone, although we do know how to dress comfortably. My parents and grandparents on both sides were the same with their dress and casual, athletic wear, pajamas, or sweat pants were
Heritage is one of the most important factors that represents where a person came from. In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, this short story characterizes not only the symbolism of heritage, but also separates the difference between what heritage really means and what it may be portrayed as. Throughout the story, it reveals an African-American family living in small home and struggling financially. Dee is a well-educated woman who struggles to understand her family's heritage because she is embarrassed of her mother and sister, Mama and Maggie. Unlike Dee, Mama and Maggie do not have an education, but they understand and appreciate their family's background. In “Everyday Use,” the quilts, handicrafts, and Dee’s transformation helps the reader interpret that Walker exposed symbolism of heritage in two distinctive point of views.
“In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.” These words of Alex Haley truly expressed to me personally the imperative need and importance of my family history and heritage. As I believe, family is a gift often cherished, but few take the time to discover and thank those who planted the roots from which a family grows. To express gratitude to my ancestors who planted such roots I have travelled back to discover the past and configure the life of my great grandfather, August Baier.
The exhibit “Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World” on the fourth floor of the NMAI museum does an amazing job of representing cultural sovereignty for many different First American tribes. The exhibit has alcoves for each of eight different tribes that range from Canada, around the USA all the way down to Peru. The exhibits act as a celebration of culture, spirituality, language, stories, life and family. Each exhibit is unique to the culture and recreates a depiction of an aspect of life. By having having such a diverse set of aspects represented in each gallery, the exhibit retains and presents the cultural sovereignty of First Americans.
"The 35th Anniversary of the June 1976 Events." Free Poland Info. Free PL. 25 June 2011. Web.
Some who were engaged in the discussion shared their personal experiences or stories of their close Polish relatives who lived in Poland during the period of Soviet communist dominance. As opposed to my prior belief that they would have taken Szymborska’s pro-communist works seriously and possibly be influenced, most of them remained unswayed and did not take it seriously, even finding it humorous. Most of them mocked the overly glorified communism in her
In the second half of the nineteenth century, after almost 30 years of general calm, the Polish people once again began protesting Russian rule. Meetings were held and discussions raged about reforms and emancipatio...
Pork is the most popular meat in Poland and is often covered in bread crumbs, fried and served with a thick sauce.
What country has more than thirty- eight million citizens and is located in Central Europe? What country speaks Polish for their national language? It’s Poland of course! They are geniuses when it comes to the culinary arts and know how to make a feast! They are very family centered in their culture. Poland has such a rich history! Through each invasion and journey to freedom they are torn down, come together, and grow as a country. From monarchs to oppressive communism and a democratic republic, they have seen it all! Poland’s history, culture, and people truly are a unique treasure although undiscovered to most. Let’s see if that can change!
The history of Poland in the 20th century plays a large role in the genesis of these posters. For a long time the country of Poland has been through many successions of being under the captivity of other
Growing up in a Polish-American family, the food is an acquired taste. A taste that I never did acquire. While my mother generally cooks typical American dishes (or American spins on other cultural dishes), family gatherings at my grandmother's house are a culinary nightmare.
In conclusion, Solidarity was a movement that helped change the course of two continents. It was a movement by the people and for the people. The iron grip of communism was destroyed, and democracy was born throughout Eastern Europe. Solidarity will always be remembered as the revolution that succeeded where so many others had failed. Today in Polish politics Solidarity's role is somewhat limited, and it has reverted back more toward the role of a more traditional trade union than a political party. The summer of 2005 marked the 25th anniversary of the Solidarity movement, and was a time to remember the hardships of its humble beginnings and to celebrate the changes those hardships inspired across the continent” (Local Life 1). Many of those changes are still being felt today across Eastern Europe.
My culture identity, as I know it as is African American. My culture can be seen in food, literature, religion, language, the community, family structure, the individual, music, dance, art, and could be summed up as the symbolic level. Symbolic, because faith plays a major role in our daily lives through song, prayer, praise and worship. When I’m happy I rely on my faith, same as when I’m sad, for I know things will get better as they have before.
The Moldovan culture has distinct differences that makes it stand out from Anglo-American culture. Hospitality is one tradition that is highly regarded in Moldova. Moldovans will try to make their guests feel at home in their houses and bring out the best they can offer. Even if the family is poor, they will always try and give the guests the best treatment they can. When they bring the guests into their homes they are usually brought into the biggest and best suited room in the house. “Usually, the guests are invited into the “Casa Mare” (big room)-a traditional room in each house where people fast together.” (ICAFair). While the American culture does have people that are hospitable, it is very rare that they welcome strangers into their homes. One could say that one of the traits of the Anglo-American culture is selfish. People from Moldova try to make it so that everyone will feel welcome in their homes. Moldovans take pride in accommodating to guests as much as they can. When Moldovans have guests in their house they make sure to bring out the best food they can offer. The food that is most common in the homes of people from Moldova consists of meat, fish, cheese, and vegetables. Fruit is also something f...
This book left me with a deeper sense of the horrors experienced by the Polish people, especially the Jews and the gypsies, at the hands of the Germans, while illustrating the combination of hope and incredible resilience that kept them going.
Family is an important part of the Austrian social culture. The family is generally small because of a lack of migration, and very closely knit within a certain town or village. Austrians typically devote weekends to family activities and spend time outdoors with each other. Eating dinner in the evening with family is the norm and on Sundays usually the family will go to their grandparent’s house for dinner. Weekends are generally devoted to family activities such as outdoor activities.