My Family Culture

When I think of having to evacuate to another country I would take the following three items with me: 

• Family photo album
• My Bible
• My grandmother’s recipes

My family photo album would have pictures of family and friends that I love so very much.  I would be able to look back and remember the good days shared in those photos such as birthday parties, family gathering, and graduations.  I would share the memories of the places those photos were taken with family.  My photo album also have pictures of love ones that have passed on but their memories lives on in my mind. The photo album symbolizes precious memories that I could share with the younger people in my family that never got to know them.  I would explain to them how we grew from one generation to another by pointing out who each person is in the picture, and how they shaped my life.

The Bible is a representation of my family’s belief in God.  I grew up as a Christian believing that if you live by the word of God and do what’s right in life; then, there will be a place for you in God’s kingdom when you die.  For my family, there is power in trusting and believing in God and doing his will.  My parents taught us to take time out and read the words of God in the Bible.

My grandmother’s recipes are something that I cherish so very much.  My grandmother was a great cook and the entire family loved eating her food.  She did not believe in buying box cake mix and thing of that nature.  She would cook her desserts from “scratch” and they were delicious.  Her mother used the recipes, gave them to her, and she passed them down to me because I like to cook as well.  For me, this is an important part of my family culture.  And, I would say it is important for the rest of the family because now they look for me to prepare those desserts and I feel really good when they say, “this tastes like Bigmama’s cake or banana pudding” just to name a few.

Now, if I had to give up two items after arriving in the other country it would be the Bible and my grandmother’s recipes.  The reason why I would give up the Bible is that I could continue to tell my family what’s right and what’s wrong.  I could continue to teach good morals, how to pray, and how to believe in God.   As far as my grandmother’s recipes, I know how to prepare them without having the recipe cards in front of me.  However, I could not depart from my photo album because the pictures helps me to remember times that otherwise might be forgotten.  Also, I can look back at pictures of my love ones that have passed on such as my parents and grandparents.  I look at the pictures of my family members that have passed on, then,  I look at myself and other love ones and I can see some of their features in us.  It would be devastating if I could not keep the photo album.

An insight that I have gained is that each family sets the tone of their culture.  I have noticed that with my family each household have their own set of rules in how they manage their family; however, at the same time we are a culture as a whole family because of our beliefs, values, and traditions.  We come together and share those traditions, beliefs, and values when we have family dinners, attend church services, and communicate.

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children

     and Ourselves. Washington, DC