Reflection About Ethnicity

When you think of the Hawaiian culture, what comes to mind? Do fire swallowing, hula dancing, coconut bras come to mind? What about sitting by the pool, drinking a pina collada out of a tiki cup? Well remember that tiki cup... *hint* it’s important. 1 The Hawaiians are just one part of the big culture: Polynesian. Polynesia is Greek for many islands: Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, etc.

It appears to be that the discussion of race and class in America has become amplified, especially in the last couple of years. For many, it is a touchy subject that hits close to home. With the presence of social media and news that feeds off of racial tension in America, the issues are polarizing and difficult to productively discuss. America’s handling of race and class relations is generally not something to be proud of, and there exists a long history of issues with race. It is clear that there is a lack of understanding and empathy of what others experience toward those who are oppressed. So often it is too easy to dismiss another human’s experiences as reality if one has had no prior encounter with the same challenges. Race is easy to sweep under the rug, but we must address the problem, and it is not a one size fits all solution. It is a problem that has been years in the making and continues to have an enormous impact on our human capital from an economic standpoint. And most of the time, there is a correlation between race and class.

Upon entering the class I was anxious, curious, and also oblivious to the ideas I would be encountering. Like other students who had not previously spent time discussing topics of race and ethnicity, I myself had nervous tendencies in assuming that such a class may not strengthen my understanding of ethnic and race relations. I realized I knew little about race or ethnicity, and even the possible similarities or differences. However, I welcomed the opportunity to further discover the possibilities of the class. My understanding of race was concentrated in a definition that could be understood as different skin colors. My limited conception of ethnicity applied to people’s origin or where they lived. It seemed as though my lack of

In the U.S., the term “race” has different connotation compared to other countries like Brazil. As the book Culture defines it- in Chapter 11: Ethnicity and Race- a race is nothing more than a biologically related ethnic group. Often, the tendency of North American society to rely on hypodescent, leads to stress and lack of self-identity. As a matter of fact, the book describes hypodescent as the arbitrary classification of interracial children as a member of the least privileged ethnic group to which either of their parents corresponds. Besides, in today’s world U.S. population has become increasing diversified. Diversity has led to racial tension between different groups. Latinos is one general term given to people who speak a Latin-derived language (this includes South American

If I were to write a memoir highlighting issues of racial identity in my life, I would talk about my experiences living in rural Iowa, my interactions with my family in Chicago after I moved to Iowa, and the pressure I felt to work hard in order to break stereotypes which affected how I viewed myself as a black person.

Hawaiian is unique among the fifty states, especially in regards to its native music form, which is still preformed, and captivates audiences even today. Hawaiian chanting, music, and dance are not only key parts of life on the island, but have also become cultural icons as well as profound symbols of nature and religion in Hawaii. Hawaii has a rich history, beginning with the early settlers from Polynesia who brought their traditions and religions to Hawaii. Over the years, the inhabitants took those traditions and adapted them to their new home, creating the definitive culture that, even with Western influences, still is a captivating force within the society.

According to http://www.waimea.com/culture.html dancing is “reflections of the land’s innate beauty”. These traditions have helped Historians discover more of Hawaii’s history and where the people may have migrated. Hawaiian traditional dancing involves the well-known Hula. “The Hula imitates the rolling waves of the beach and the moves are expressions of what Hawaii is, a land of beauty, grace, and spirituality” according to http://www.waimea.com/culture.html. This dance also part of the Religion of the kānaka maoli, and Hawaiʻi maoli people because they believe that the first Hula was performed by a God however it through time the Hula became more for entertainment and celebrations. There are two styles of the Hula according to http://www.waimea.com/culture.html and they are the “Hula Kahiko” which is the “Ancient Hula” due to it being before the Western Cultures migrating to Hawaii, and there is also the ‘Hula Auana’, which was established in the 19th Century with Western influence. According to http://www.waimea.com/culture.html, “the costumes for the dancer included the anklets made from dog's teeth or whale bone called ‘kupea,’ a ‘skirt or pau’ made out of ‘tapa,’ and the ‘lei or the garland’ for the shoulders and head.” We can therefore see that dancing the ‘Hula’ in Hawaii is an important tradition with many different

When confronted with the question “What race are you?” it is difficult for many to answer. This is due to the fact that race does not provide a sense of identity, if anything it merely attempts to group people by their physical appearance. Stating Hispanic as my race does not encompass all the differences in between the many types of Hispanic there are. I embrace that I am Hispanic but there is more to me than just “Hispanic”. This is why ethnicity is what truly defines me. I can confidently state that I am Ecuadorian ethnically. There are customs that set Ecuadorians apart, such as in the food, the music, and Spanish dialect. I also believe you can be transracial. This is especially true with people that grew up with parents that differed

Race and ethnicity in American history are not identical concepts or categories; when in fact, they are very different. Since the very beginning, our views on classification and the defining of groups has been shaped by the realms of politics. Both have changed identities throughout history. While I will agree, there are similarities; I must also state they are distinctly different by definition.

"Race" and "ethnicity" are perplexing terms and regularly utilized conversely. These terms were at first isolated to assign "race" as a natural quality and "ethnicity" as a social wonder. This qualification mirrors endeavors to recognize sex and sexual orientation. Dissimilar to "sex" and "sex," notwithstanding, there is little concurrence on center qualifications in the middle of race and

The term race alludes to groups of individuals who have contrasts and likenesses in characteristics regarded by society to be socially important, implying that individuals treat other individuals distinctively on account of them.Ethnicity alludes to shared social practices, points of view, and refinements that set apart individuals from another. The most widely recognized qualities recognizing different ethnic gatherings are lineage, a feeling of history, dialect, religion, and types of dressings. Ethnic contrasts are not acquired; they are learned. There are distinct racial groups based on cultural differences. When it comes to race there will always be racial profiling and sterotypes.Racial profiling decribes the contraversial practice that

Talk about race and ethnicity, sometimes get hard to keep it in the gray area. My story started with my first time working in USA. When I started that job search in the agencies, I found that mixture of race and ethnicity of people from different countries. Wanting to share with them during work without malice any framework my way of being: the power of labels in race and ethnicity. When you don’t know diverse cultures, it is difficult when another arrives without resentment. When you send us to work through the agency, try to establish a friendship with the co-workers with whom you would spend all day. Understand that being in a country other than yours. While we worked during that day I felt some displeasure on the part of one of the coworkers; because I showed a desire to learn and do my best work, so they can send me to a job. Well. At the end of the day, the supervisor talked to me more and the group's directions were given through me as the one who interacted more with him and paid more attention to the details.

SCENARIO - Involving new hire paralegal Carl and the law firm Dewey, Dewey and Howe.

Racial injustices are what have made America the powerful nation it is today. America was founded on the genocide of Native Americans and built on the backs of African slaves. In modern day America, strides have been made to provide all Americans equal opportunities to ensure assimilation and success in society however there is still significant work to be to ensure equality. In this paper I have researched the anthropological perspectives on race and ethnicity globally. I have also compared and contrasted varying researcher’s works to ensure I have a thorough understanding of this topic

Although the terms “race” and “ethnicity” are often used interchangeably in everyday conversations, they are in fact distinct from one another. The idea of race is primarily associated with an individual’s biological and physical characteristics, whereas ethnicity reflects an individual's culture. The distinguishing feature between the two words is that of choice; one can choose his or her own ethnicity while race is predetermined. If somebody was born in China but adopted and raised by a German family, that person would be Asian in terms of race but could choose to identify as German ethnically. Becoming aware of one’s race and ethnicity is an important element in growing up as both can impact the development of a child.