Culture as Big as Life

It is important to remember that culture has two meanings that can help us to understand families and why they function the way they do today. The first meaning most people think of is the inherited culture that is carried on because of traditions passed on in their ethnicities such as Chinese people celebrating the new year with lucky red envelopes and fire-crackers. The second meaning is that culture describes the customs that are held in common with a group. For instance, the closeness that is often felt in the Hispanic community that is often projected in their inviting welcomes and easy engagement and hospitality with strangers. These different cultures give a variety to family life-styles that can help form strong connections throughout generations but sometimes can be taken too far where it can hurt families. My purpose in writing today is to share my own experiences to share about the Hmong culture and how it has affected the way I grew up.

I remember as a little girl standing outside in the summer heat in a heavy weighted dress that was based in the color black that shimmered with silver coins hanging sewed around like bells, along the brightly patterned pinks and reds shaped in traditional designs. My mom had decided it was the perfect time to get us all dressed up in our traditional clothing and take pictures. I am very much thankful though that culture was a huge part of her and something she wanted to have be a huge part in her own children. It brings so many fond memories as I look back at those photos and reminiscence on the other memories of my childhood highly influenced by culture and tradition. This has always reminded me of who I am and the people before me that allowed me to appreciate what I have today.

Especially in realizing that in whole other part of the world there are people who look like me and celebrate in the same traditions that my parents are so proud of. It brings to me a sense of unity that even when I seem like a minority here in America, I am not a small group, there are thousands of us who share in the same history. One that has faced many hard things like war that caused us to migrate throughout centuries. We, although small in comparison to the world, are important and is why I am always so proud to share with someone about my background.

It is this reason that has pushed my parents and my parents to push their kids to be hardworking, focus on getting a better education, and to remember to family always. Throughout my childhood I remember my dad never resting and always saying that there was work to be done whether at work or being at home fixing something around the house.

Culture has also taught me to bring a more awareness of respect, reverence, and hospitality wherever I go. I remember when we would have guest over and the way my parents would lovingly invite them in and offer them a glass of water. It was their way to make them feel like they were at home. As such when we went to others we were to respect the hosts and their home, just as we would respect others to do in our own home. More prominently that I’ve noticed is my respect to elders. In our cultures, elders are highly respected, they have a lot of wisdom to give, and we should take care of them as they age. As an adult I still catch myself doing the same things because they were taught to me when I was younger.