We are often told that it’s ok to be different. My younger version would definitely agree. Growing up Indian, I had the benefit of teachers repeating instructions a bit louder and slower. I never worried about getting injured on the baseball field, because I got to sit on the bench. My parents never had to worry about driving me to sleepovers, though I was seemingly friends with everyone in school.
Culture affects how humans view themselves, others and the greater world around them. Therefore, having a culture to call one's own allows an individual to form a unique identity which can also grow to be a source of comfort. One can also be prideful of their culture, using it as a motivator for their actions. All these qualities can be exemplified by protagonist Bugz, in the novel, "Walking in Two Worlds" by Wab Kinew.
A father’s influence on his son affects the boy the man will someday become. In the novel, The Light in the Forest, writer Conrad Richter tells the story of True Son, a white boy kidnapped and raised as a Native American for eleven years then returned to his white family, as he searches for his place in the world. True Son’s three fathers, Cuyloga, Harry Butler, and The Sun, greatly impact True Son’s identity. Each influencing True Son directly and indirectly during his course of hardships and new experiences. To begin, Cuyloga, a respected and beloved Native American chief, influences True Son’s personality and beliefs for eleven formative years.
“I was thinking that of all the trials in this life there are some that matter most. It is the trail of a true human being. I think you are on this trail, and it is good to see” (Dances with Wolves 214). This quote exemplifies Dunbar’s new understanding and appreciation of Sioux culture by acknowledging the language and the context during this quote. As with ‘Dances with Wolves', ‘Inconvenient Indian’ also emphasizes the importance of empathy within cultural understanding.
From Sarah Sincero, she says, “Personality is obtained thru culture and not biology. ”(3) Now, no one knows how much culture really affects our views on the world or biology. From this quote, culture is a tremendous part of our views on the people and the world In An Indian Father's Plea and Everyday Use have a great example of how culture effect on how people view the world. Wind-Wolf in An Indian Father's Plea asked, “... why the other kids in school are not taught the power, beauty, and essence of nature…”(1)
Anna Theune Instructor: Young English 102 9 June 2023 The Unspoken Truth In “Indian Education,” Sherman Alexie provides many elements with underlying meanings that play a major role in the daily life of the narrator. One of these underlying elements is the lack of stability and marginalized existence. The narrator says, “I was always falling down” (Alexie).
Culture is easily influenced and is constantly shifting as it passes through various racial and ethnic interactions and exchanges. “With your liberal minds, you patronize our culture, scanning the surface like vultures, with your tourist mentality, we’re still the natives. You’re multicultural, but we’re anti-racist. We ain’t ethnic, exotic or eclectic” (Prashad, 56). This refers to when cultures are commodified and picked apart without taking both the negatives with the perceived positives.
Culture plays a large role on how someone views others and the world. Some things that can affect some one’s perspective are their childhood, past experiences, and their ethnic background. In “An Indian Father’s Plea” by Robert Lake, Wind-Wolf’s father, Medicine Grizzly Bear, explains why his child isn’t a slow learner, and that he is just different from the other children in an educational way. He say’s this because his son has been taught differently than the other children- because of his Indian culture.
Every day we use our culture. Whether it be to argue claims, express opinions, or make decisions, culture plays a part in each area. Culture is who we are, one’s identity, its extent is enormous over our views and actions. A person grows up surrounded with culture at a young age. This can affect how they learn and what they learn.
Without the knowledge of what culture is and does, we as a society would be lost. In the essay, “An Indian Father’s Plea” by Robert Lake, the author takes to explain to his audience that your culture can greatly impact your perspective of others. For example, when the teacher Wind-Wolf a slow learner, the father writes a letter explaining why wind-wolf is not, but in fact the opposite. The author said “If you ask him how many months there are in a year he will probably tell you 13. He will respond this way not because he does not know how to count, but because he was taught by our traditional people.”
Do you know anything about other cultures besides your own? We live in a world with numerous countries and diversities. Each country has its own appeal and positives and often times we find ourselves comparing the resemblances and differences between these nations based on a variety of aspects like geography, culture, language, economy, government, weather and so on. Ethiopia is a country with a rich historic background which comes with a variety culture. The U.S is another country with an amusing culture.
When reading over the different diverse groups, I noticed that my culture seems to have some differences and also some similarities as these other cultures. A similarity I noticed between the African American Culture and my culture is that they tend to refer to most of their food as “soul food” and as I was growing up, my aunts and uncles will always refer to home cooked meals as “soul food” as well. Another similarity is that people in the African American culture have strong religious affiliations, and they are usually Christians. The reason I see this as a similarity is because in my culture, mostly all of the people I grew up around are Christians and attend services. I have also found a similarity between European Americans culture and
Zitkala-Sa a Native American activist who fought against white American. In her fiction story Zitkala-Sa uses her personal perspective; to display the struggles between Native American and whites. In ‘’ impressions of an Indian childhood’’, she portrays the changes of their language whose the white man forced Native American to speak, being taken away from her mother which depicts families torn apart in this struggle and being isolated from her cultural roots, which many Native American experienced in order to assimilate white American culture. Zitkala-Sa doesn’t agree or like the changes that her people are facing. she isn’t ready to follow the rules and the structure that has been set in place by the American.
We’re constantly being influences by our surrounding. Usually, our parent’s cultural background plays a significant part in shaping who we are. On the other hand, co-cultures also promote their own set of values which could easily shape our ideas about certain matters as well. These components are a part of how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive too. Growing in a Mexican household allowed me to be exposed to more family orientated events that included music, food and dancing.
Cultural competency: Indians Culture competency is defined as one has the knowledge, the abilities and the skill to deliver care congruent with the patient’s cultural beliefs and practices (Purnell, 2013). As a nurse or a health care provider, increasing ones consciousness of culture diversity improves the possibilities for health care practitioners to provide competent care (Purnell, 2013). Nurses and all health care providers should be aware of other cultures to provide the best care that they can for that individual. Developing a relationship with diverse cultural groups involves good interpersonal skills and the application of knowledge and techniques learned from the physical, biological, and social sciences as well as the humanities (Purnell, 2013). I am choosing to select the Indian culture for my first assignment.
