Family Culture

            My identity as a Puerto Rican woman has great meaning for me. We are a mix of people that is a product of its history.  From the native Taino tribes, the Spaniards, African, and to the more recent American influences on the island, every part of the island contains its own richness and cultural identity (Harris, 2008). There is a shared affinity for the land where farming and fishing hold steadfast in many small communities on the Island and the land is cared for, still today. In speaking of fishing and farming, there are certain cookware that is used to create the marvelous dishes of my native land.  The Caldero.  This generic looking piece of cookware is sometimes passed down through the generations along with the recipes of old can be used on a stove top, or  over a fire and the more you use it the better it gets. This tradition has died down through the ages as more and more families acculturate to the construct of individualistic characteristics of the dominant culture that also orient consumption choice. Music is a central part of the Puerto Rican culture, as we sing and dance to the voices that evoke memories and nostalgia (Harris, 2008).  I’m pretty sure you may have come across a video where music is the motivation for cleaning. These are a few of the things that grounded me within a shared culture within in our own family circles.

            In the hypothetical scenario where moving to a country whose culture is completely different from my own; I would have to draw upon these deep rooted identifiers of my culture, and hold a strong social identity with.  Understanding some of the nuances that are involved in how we perceive ourselves within [in-group] population is no easy feat. Our experiences continue to shape who we are and what we believe, to how we act and assimilate or not. My items would consist of seeds, a Caldero, and if affordable, my hand held device (phone is possible). As I enter the passage of the previous sentence, I have realized that it is difficult to pin point three items that have cultural relevance, as many of the shared aspects originate from the meaning that we give particular concept of the much broader population and dominant cultures (Derman-Sparks, 2020).

            When thinking of only being allowed only one item, I realized that my technological device would be what I would choose.  Our traditions will live on through what we teach the families of the future as they have for centuries. Taking on the challenge of this inquiry means that you have to look at the possibility objectively.  Who I am will probably not change, how I interact, what I learn and what I need will guide the assimilation of the dominant culture in an opportunity to learn (Bronfenbrenner, 1977), and be of use to my new community, and their young. Who I am allows me to integrate the student in me to go and explore, use my experiences and positive nature to continue to grow and challenge myself in the continuous study of my identity.

References

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an Experimental Ecology of Human Development.  https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/39743807/Bronfenbrenner_Toward_an_experimental_ecology_of_human_development_1977.pdf?1446806100=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DBronfenbrenner_Toward_an_experimental_ec.pdf&Expires=1615943131&Signature=WJvDQLuvJqr0T~HE9RoTW1~kmLkNNXrQ2Rb~uYqn4mzYx36ZPLfDK~A9TtF~k3d~Cjpzf7qqRHg9VK6rj4D6g7DZZ5rX22ZbaLqLgqC8jfNiIP9WoNufFkPDZr3T7mI3aXwkF1VCz7UJ1lkkgGSmLUaIDcBH1CubsnpXnYIQ2DLf~XoA7zuS83L3sAmDbqMD~HZJRlTm6bLsqiRn9~xqs56wFNxQti98yBGfGL91mKlPipwRwWlSbU6O01c6NpZn7GXPzo92T~zojOID0tf2JfbY4ZBN9qUfrTg3W8aaJARl2Ah2uICjDfiZ1o1AI8nJlXkpxs~fz0~VNVrfZA__&Key-Pair Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Derman-Sparks, L., Edwards, J. O.  (2020). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, 2nd Edition. [[VitalSource Bookshelf version]].  vbk://9781938113581

Harris, S. R. (2008). What Is Family Diversity? Objective and Interpretive Approaches. Journal of Family Issues, 29(11), 1407–1425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X08318841