My Heritage Identity

Thesis: one’s personal culture and sense of tradition will always be a strong part of the self, regardless of external factors which can have a profound influence on one’s life.

As one is passionate towards their heritage they will not identify or label themselves something there not. They will show pride and courage by showing they are willing to fight for their cultures independency. In the story “Borders” by Thomas King, King illustrates the idea that one should be proud of their heritage and to never give up. The story expresses this through the mother’s pride and her personal identity.

In Barbara Ehrenreich’s Cultural baggage, the topic of ethnic heritage is discussed as the author is responding to an acquaintance asking her what her ethnic background is. Ehrenreich finds her purpose for writing her essay in making readers aware that no ethnic background is in fact a background. She takes on a not so common viewpoint of herself as most people pride themselves in where they came from and the traditions of their culture, rather than feeling almost embarrassed to claim their background.

My cultural identity, as I know is Mexican American because both my parents are born in Mexico and I was born here. I can also be defined as a Chicana because that is another way used to call a Mexican American. My culture can be seen in so many different ways like for example it can be seen in food, music, religion, dance, art, festivals, and even more. Most of these traditions have changed a little bit over time as they were brought to the U.S. What I mean by that is that some of those traditions were brought from Mexico, and had a little change into them because they were combined with some traditions that have already been here in the U.S.

Most people call me Colby, but on the field i'm know as number 40. Soccer has been a part of my life since I was 3, my 12 years of experience have influenced how I act, what I eat and most aspects of my life-like who I hang out with and what I dislike. In the United states especially, sports are a huge part of everyone's cultural identity. With all this in mind I would call my cultural identity a soccer game. It can change in a blink of the eye but is consistent through life.My family is like the other players, education is like the field and my hobbies are like the ball.

What is my cultural identity? Personally, I don’t think I am completely assured on what my cultural identity is, but I can do my best on explaining it. However, I won’t get started on that yet, first I’ll explain the occasion of me learning about my identity. At almost the beginning of the year, it was announced in our English class that we would be doing an essay on our cultural identities. When my teacher announced this I thought to myself, “What in the world is a cultural identity, or even my cultural identity?” In these months, we have gotten to learn the definition of culture, and what it means to us, individually., I believe that culture means a group of people that share the same customs, way of life, and beliefs. Also, over these last couple of months we have been reading texts all about people knowing and understanding their cultural identities, meanwhile I still didn’t understand my own. All I know is that I was born on February 11, 2002, I like movies and music, and my mom is from Chile and my Dad is from Virginia. Now that didn’t feel like enough for me to write on, but then I started thinking about all of the cultural differences that my parents have had raising me as a person, and how those have all combined to make me. In my short 15 years of life, the culture clashes have sometimes affected me on my thoughts and opinions, which I’ll talk about later on. As well as how movies and music have affected my perspectives and opinions.

Family traditions/heritage is an aggregate of attitude, ideas, ideals and the environment, which a person inherits from his parents/ancestors. Individual identity entails aspect of one’s life that no one has control over, i.e., race, the color of skin, beliefs, etc. These family traditions and cultural legacies play a detrimental role in influencing one’s self-identity, which can be both negative and positive. A positive legacy consists of the trait that is inherited from consistent, diligent and thoughtful families. On the other hand, negative legacies are the ones that face opposition or rejection and are unwelcome in the family. Latter seem more prevalent in cases of adopting cultural shifts where an individual rejects legacies that were carried on for generations, and adopt a new way of life and be him/herself. Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” and Seamus Heaney’s “Digging” have a common central theme that is to show us how an individual breaks their family traditions and embrace a new way of life, and the consequences faced after that turnout.

My heritage is America. My America is a melting pot - a combination of people from every corner of the earth. The culture of acceptance that exists here in America allows me to not only be accepted but learn to approach others with a open heart and mind. The word heritage can encompass so many ideas regarding race, tradition, language, and almost any social umbrella that you can think of. The images that pass through my mind when I hear the words “culture” or “heritage” are images of instruments made from decaying tree trunks being played in backyard slings and leather-bound literature being read to little children and sweet aromas that fill linoleum kitchens in the summertime. Though I live in Maryland, I was born in Washington, D.C. ,

In light of a new life, for many immigrants traveling westward was an opportunity as much as a struggle. Pioneers from distant lands are lugging memories, hopes, and heritage, seeking land that holds a promise of freedom and opportunity. The darkness fills the skies, the uncompromising weather of the plains, while the winds blow and sweeps the soil across the open wilderness. Until the light dawns, soil becomes fruitful, and life prospers in the West, immigrants must express their heritage and familiarize themselves with the new land. For immigrants in the novel O Pioneers!, searching for identity is troublesome and often lonely, developing a familiar longing for their homeland and heritage. Heritage is like the

Growing up I never had any contact with my Syrian heritage. I wasn’t made aware of my culture or even questioned it until others started to do so because of my distinct appearance. Simplistically, I saw myself as a Brazilian. As young as the age of fifteen, I began struggling to understand where I belonged. That day, as I saw my great-grandmother sing the lullabies of her childhood and speak a language I had never heard before, I knew the answers were there. She passed away a few days later. Just like the handmade

“Dale, dale, dale, No pierdas el tino; Porque si lo pierdes, Pierdes el camino”. The classic piñata song that is sung at parties. It translates to “Go, go, go, don't lose your aim; because if you lose it, you will lose your path.” The phrase ties in with my identity because of my cultural background and experiences at parties. Who am I? What is my cultural identity? The questions that have me trying my best not to have an existential crisis. I am a Mexican American, my parents were born in Jalisco and I was born in California. As for my cultural identity, I am a NSHS student that has been shaped by music, technology, and sports.

¨Pereme-what? That is the weirdest and longest last name i've ever heard of! Where do people get last names like that?¨ My answer? Well, my grandfather is from Siberia, but my family just consider ourselves Russian. Actually not long ago my dad had told me about a city in Russia called Peremyshl, my great great grandparents, as I was told, are from there, Peremyshl is in the Kaluga Oblast near Moscow. And because of my ethnic background, I go to my church's youth, our youth really likes to go and hang out at the park or go someplace else and play volleyball.

A family consists of usually parents and children. Family is the basic foundation of who you are because you grew up with them, however you have an extended family which consists of grandparents, aunts, and uncles. My medicine bag tells about my mom’s family in the Philippines. My mom is also the person who helped me get information about her family. The symbols I have chosen to represent in my essay are my heritage, something my family member is known for, and a family heirloom.

Doris Lessing’s “No Witchcraft for Sale” yes another story based around racism. “No Witchcraft for Sale” is based on a young black servant and a young white boy. As they grow and mature, they grow from close friends into just friends. As they grew up they grew further apart in their friendship as race and racism become a factor in their lives. One day as the young white boy , Teddy, is playing around and spits in the eyes with venom of a snake. During that time there was no way to save the young man's eyes, as he would go blind. But Gideon, the young black servant, runs an snatched up a few leaves off of a plant. When returning after a few minutes he put the green leaves into his mouth and chewed them. He then spat into Teddy’s eyes. He turned to the teddy’s mother and reassured her that Teddy would be fine. Word quickly spread of this young native boy that knew how to reverse the effects of the snake's venom. Scientist became aware of this miracle that only the natives knew. They soon visited Gideon and asked persistently for what the plant was. They bribe him with what he could become after he shows them. He could become a rich individual. After a long while he “gives in” he then takes them on a six mile hike where he leads them to “the plant”. He shows them

The one thing that sets an individual from other individuals is the uniqueness of one’s heritage. Heritage is the essential part of a person 's life, it is the very foundation that an individual future is built from. Heritage can be based on a family values, tradition and environment. Traditions, and cultural legacies come from grandparents or older relatives, they contribute to our family values. We all take the parts of the past that means the most to us, and combine it with the new traditions. In this paper, I will discuss what heritage is, the importance of how heritage identifies an individual, or can it inhibit an individual’s self-identity, and finally look at some family tradition that makes up one’s heritage.