My Family Culture

My Family Culture

 

 

 

 

Hello class, this was a really interesting assignment. It really made me think long and hard and myself and my culture. Most people have things that they cherish that represent their culture in a very major way. For instance I have an uncle that has a lot of cultural art pieces and clothing from Africa that a friend who lives there sent to him via mail. Me on the other hand I don’t have that many items that represent my culture, but more so represent my interest. Immediately I be began thinking of all my belongings and how they related to my culture and which of the items that I would decide to take with me.

The first thing that came to my mind was a picture that was taken of my grandmother in the 1940’s. A wooden musical jewelry box that my great grandmother gave to my father, and lastly a calendar hand made by my grandmother. I would take the picture of my grandmother because she was the matriarch of our family, the glue that held us together. Even though she is with me in spirit and in my heart this picture has been in my family for years. She was the one that instilled morals and values in all of us, she taught me a lot about our culture. I would bring the jewelry box because it represents my father side of the family, my father cherished this jewelry box and once told me that it had been in my family for a while. So I guess it’s safe to say it is a family heirloom. I don’t have many items from my father’s side of the family so it would be very important to me to take this jewelry box with me. I would take the calendar that my grandmother made because it reminds of how people from my family like to make different arts and crafts.  

If once I got there I was told that I could only take one of the items, I would take the picture of my grandmother Aline. This would be my item of choice because she was very influential in my life. She taught not only her family but some many others different things about our culture. For instance she always had an outstanding garden every year. Keeping her picture would be a constant reminder of everything she every taught me and it would give a face to my children who never got a chance to meet her. My grandmother only had an eight grade education however she was very intelligent. She successfully raised seven children by herself along with helping to take care of others. That picture of her means a lot to me. This assignment really made me appreciate my grandmother for everything that she taught me even more. I always that highly of any possessions that she might have had, it kind of helps me to cope with the fact that she is no longer with us. However I hope that I am never put in the position to have to make a tough decision such as this.

 

Follow the link to see the picture of my grandmother Aline

(This is similar to what my father's jewelry box looks like)