Still Interested...?

Works Cited


If you find yourself really curious, check some of these web sites out, they're really great!


"Arab Americans." Arab American Institute. 2009. Arab American Institute. 5 May 2009 http://www.aaiusa.org/arab-americans/23/%20.


Clothing of Early Asian Cultures. 5 May 2009 http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/%20.


"Food." Oxford Guide to British and American Culture. 203. Oxford University. 5 May 2009 http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com/pdf/elt/catalogue/%20.


Fernandez, Kathy, and Victor Fernandez Fernandez. "Transcultural Nursing." The Hispanic American Community. 28 Apr. 2009 http://www.culturediversity.org/hisp.htm.


Google Search Engine. 2009. 28 Apr. 2009 http://google.coom/.


"Into the Mix." Caribbean-Guide. The Segmental Info System. 5 May 2009 http://caribbean-guide.info/past.and.present/culture/.


Law Department. Dept. home page. 2008. Yale Law School. 30 Apr. 2009 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/african_americans.asp.


McAdams, D J. Native American Culture and American Society. 2007. 28 Apr. 2009 http://www.djmcadam.com/ojibwe.html.


Pepper, C. Native American Cultures. 27 Feb. 2008. 28 Apr. 2009 http://www.ewebtribe.com/NACulture/.


Smithsonian Museum. American Indian History and Culture. 28 Apr. 2009 http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/History_and_Culture/%20.

...Can I Get A Definition?

Many of us don't know the difference between some common words such as bias, racism, homophobia, prejudice, and discrimination. Well here is what a few of these words mean.

Bias is a one-sided view stemming from one's background or previous knowledge. At times the person may not eve know that they are biased.

Prejudice, or pre-judging, is similar to bias. Meeting someone for the first time and pre-judging them because of what the word on the street was, is pre-judging based on your biased-ness...

Racism is when one race thinks they're better than the other. This can be cause by biased-ness and lead to prejudice and discrimination, which is the mistreatment caused by a prejudice or bias. Sometimes even cause by a stereotype, discrimination causes us to look at others differently.

A little bit of knowledge!

Culture: Religion

Native Americans value religion so much, it's hard to believe that they care about anything else, but they do, of course. Actually, many followers of Native American spirituality, do not regard their spiritual beliefs and practices as a "religion" in the way in which many Christians do. Their beliefs and practices form a integral and seamless part of their very being.

So what we would commonly consider as religion, Native American call "spirituality", and that is something we should respect.

The most common religions known are Catholic and Protestant, which covers anything that isn't Catholic (e.g. Christian, Pentecostal, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Baptist). The problem with most religions today is that we don't take it as serious as it should be, unlike the Native Americans. They have a large amount poems and prayers written in honor of these gods, and their fidelity is amazing.

When it comes to religion we should try to exercise our fidelity like the Native Americans, maybe that is what leads to pride and honor in our religion, or as Native Americans call it, spirituality.

Culture: Family

After high school, that's it. We graduate and figure we're done with the burden called family. Fortunately for us, we have some models in this world. Some people value family more than themselves, and are willing to do anything for their family. Some could care less about what anyone in their family has to say...and that's a shame, but it's the truth.

Family bonds are a link to our beginning and a guide to our future, and where we all need that sense of importance and belonging, we find it in the home. Of all the cultural groups displayed here, Hispanic families stay bonded the closest. 50% of Mexican families live with their immediate and extended family, and most Hispanics, when traveling to far places expect to stay with their extended family. This is not to say that other cultural groups do not care for their family, but the Hispanic families still remain the closest.

For example, only a small number of Chinese live closely with their family. African Americans keep strong ties with their families also, frequently having family reunions. Many Arab Americans have marital issues and therefore do not keep close ties with their extended family members. The Caribbean American family is much like the American family, with the mom, dad, brother, and sister, and they keep contact just about as close as the average American teen would.

Family is there to lend a helping hand, and if you don't keep your family close, who's going to keep you close when all your friends leave?

Culture: Art

Art is more than just paintings and drawings. There's always a meaning. In these paintings, ther is a great amount of depth and meaning. The first photo portrays the hardships that the African Americans underwent. It represents a dream that was not deferred, and it is saying that the result of this dream was so great, that the dreamer, Martin Luther King, Jr. has made the "Dream Hall of Fame". The next picture is a drawing of the passion African Americans have for music. You see a guy on the piano, with a girl standing next to him, possibly singing. Around the time of the invention of the genre, jazz, the piano, the saxophone, and the trumpet were very important instruments. This picture further shows the meaning behind this, expressing the importance of African American history. The last picture, entitled, "The Beauty of Color", is so catchy and interesting. Of course, one would think beauty because the women are dressed in evening gowns, but it is deeper than that. The beauty of color is talking more about the beauty of their skin tones, rather than the beauty of their dresses. The fact that they are dressed up makes the pickture look even better, but the message is in the skin.

All cultural groups have a unique style of art, African American being just one of them.

Culture: Dress

Dress is an important part of each culture. If a cultural group did not have its own style, how else would it be identified, fashion wise? Sometimes even the clothing they wear has a great meaning, a great amount of value behind it. The wearing of clothes is a great feature in all societies. Besides protecting us from harmful rays and toxins, clothes most cultural groups wear certain styles of clothing as symbol to modesty, religious practices, appropriateness, and also social status. Some even use it to represent various affiliations ranging from gang affiliations to political affiliations. At times, clothing is used to express one's unique taste, and is sometimes prohibited in some countries.

In some countries, only a certain type of social status would be allowed to wear a certain color, or form of clothing. For example, in some countries, maybe, only the family of royalty would be able to wear any from of purple. In some nations also, the social status is portrayed because many of the finest clothing that only the richest wear are to expensive, clearly placing the bar between the wealthy, and the poor.

Marital status is also represented in clothing. Take wedding rings for example, which is jewelry, but fall under the category. Men and women wear their wedding rings to show that they are married.

Religion may have the biggest effect on other forms of clothing that we are not accustomed to. For example, the dot that Hindu people (yes, both women and men) wear on their forehead. This represents their third eye, reminding them of their spiritual heritages where ever they may go. It also serves as identification among other religions.

Ancient Chinese history lets us know that the traditional Chinese style of dress was adopted mainly from the emperor and his family, who wore a robe, with a long-sleeved, loose-fitting garment that fastened in the front. The exact cut and style of these robes changed a lot over the years, and is practically abandoned now. Japanese style of dress was the kosode, a short-sleeved shirt that opened in front, and the hakama, or long trousers. The kosode eventually became the kimono. The kimono means "thing to wear".

Clothes is more than just a cover-up!

Culture: Food

In case you were not aware, food is a very important part of our daily lives. In some cultures (and religions), though, it has to do with more than filling the empty void in your stomach. Some religions have very strict diets, such as Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.

Another very important factor is that America adopted many of its own eating habits from other cultural groups. Some of these include: pizza and pasta, from Italy; burritos, tacos, and enchiladas from Mexico; egg rolls from China, and teriyaki and sushi from Japan.

I know it basically sounds like this list goes on forever, and maybe it does, but American have a few of their own traditional dishes. These include: corn on the cob, grits, and cornbread; turkey (popularly known to be eaten at the First Thanksgiving and was the first American bird), pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce, and also the hamburger.

Which Side Are You On?

It's time to crack down...every man for himself! If I asked a series of questions, on which side would you stand? Here's just a few:

1. Are America's School's and Neighborhoods Resegregated?

2. Should African Americans Receive Reparations?

3. Is Racial Profiling Alright?

These were questions that the class had to answer. I'm not sure how many answers were to one side, and how many to another, but personally, I had a hard time being all for one side, and for one side only. The first question was a little easier than a few of the rest. I believe that our school and neighborhoods are a bit re-segregated, but maybe not entirely purposefully. Many times in our school, we are just not accepted in other cultural groups than our own. A few times, it is our fault, because many of us do not even bother attempting to talk to another cultural group, automatically expected a certain look, and a certain answer. Other times, it is the fault of our society, which has lowered our self-esteem too low to even give fraternization a shot. In terms of our neighborhoods, sometimes it is because of our finical situations that we end up in a certain area. Ending up in the same neighborhood with those in the same culture group as you is either because of coincidence or word of mouth, with me leaning to the side of the former.
For question number two, I believe that my answer was a no simply because if we were to give African Americans reparations, then we would also have the burden of giving reparations to other groups America has done wrong in the past, and I don't imagine that that's just two or three other groups!
And of course racial profiling is never right. We cannot condemn one group because of one person's mistakes! Yes you can take polls, surveys, and statistics, but really, how accurate will it be in a few months, years even? And for the small percentage that you're documenting, doesn't it seem a bit unfair overall for the rest of the group?
In life, there's only two sides, no in betweens, but in the American Multiculturism class, there's no rules!

Let's Go to the Beach! (Carribean Americans)

Everyone loves the beaches in the Caribbean, and they're only a flight away. What we tend to take advantage of though is the hard work put into preserving, maintaining, and caring for these beaches. You would think that Caribbean Americans go back home to a wealthy and prosperous country, but that isn't true. Tourism rates are high, but it's a seasonal industry, and Caribbean Americans do not prosper from this as much as you'd probably think they did. Why, you're probably thinking? Well, many of the companies that own the hotels, cruise ships, and airplanes are foreign, meaning that most of the money does not actually come in to the Caribbean people, but it goes out to these foreign companies.

I guess it's a good thing that they have their culture going for them during the dry season, which is virtually all the time (seeing as how they do not prosper from the Tourism industry). It is important to understand the people to sympathize for them. They value more important things than we Americans do, and they get my credit for that. For example, music and dancing have been their important, personal forms of release since the time of slavery. Today, these aspects of the Caribbean culture is so important, we even see it in hotels, in which many people offer dances at night for the guests. (Anyone who's been to the Caribbean know this already) Reggae has taken America by storm, but remember where it's from!

What's Your Religion? (Arab Americans)

What's the difference between Arabian, Muslim, and Islamic? Asking this question is the equivalent of asking: what's the difference between a student, the student's high school, and the high school's rules? Really. Arab American is a cultural group, on a larger scale, just like African American, Hispanic American, etc. Muslim is a smaller sector, not under, but on the side of Arab Americans. It's like saying in a group of Hispanic Americans, there are Puerto Rican Americans, Mexican Americans, etc. The biggest difference between these two lie in Islamics. Islam is a religion, and Muslims follow this religion. The tricky part is this: not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs...Okay pause and let this sick in....In simpler terms: not all African Americans are Baptist and not all Baptists are African American...

It's a shame that we are so quick to judge and stereotype Arab Americans because of 9/11, but being Muslim doesn't mean someone is willing to self destruct in the middle of any random flee market. We should take time to learn about these people, their religion, what they're passionate about, and how they live their lives; their culture. But of course we don't. When we see an Arab American, the first thing we do is panic, and pray that by some miracle they'll get off the train that you're riding. It's sad, but it's true.

Trust me, there's more to an Arab American then just their confusing titles, and their respect and faithfulness to Allah and the prophet Muhammad. They've made many contributions to our own culture including many well-known works of literature (The Exorcist, by William Blatty), many actors and actresses, including Danny Thomas and Kathy Najimy, and also singers, including Paula Abdul.

The extent of our intertwined cultures is more extensive than we think, and I encourage you all to check out this link here:

http://www.aaiusa.org/arab-americans/23/famous-arab-americans

Music Makes You Loose Control! (African Americans)

The history of African American is more extensive than just the music they make. This spans from Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, to Martin Luther King, Jr., to Frederick Douglas, to W.E.B. Dubious, to George Washington Carver, to Booker T. Washington, to Jackie Robinson, to Madame C. J. Walker, to Mary McLeod Bethune, to today with Colin Powell, Condeleeza Rice, and Barack Obama. African Americans have come a long way.

They've undergone plans that did and did not succeed, such as the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights Movement, the Freedom Riders, the many sit down strikes, the abolishing of slavery and segregation, and today, with all the high positions African Americans hold in the government.

Yes, African Americans thrive in the music industry, and also the film industry, but these are so shallow (to some). Many take the creation of Hip Hop and R&B very seriously, which is fine, being that African Americans did create and influence many forms of music. From jazz to hip hop, African Americans have come and are still going--Music is just the beginning!

I Bet You LOVE Chinese Food! (Asian Americans)

Let's face it: that's probably all you know about Asians (unless your best friend is Asian). Honestly, prior to a couple of weeks ago, upon hearing Asian, I would have automatically thought: Chinese Food! But of course, there is more to Asian Americans than just kung fu, superstitions, Chinese food, and excellent math skills.

One thing that is very important in the Asian culture is respect for the gods.We find ourselves guilty of errors of judgment and distortions of our sources when we apply to the history of Asia our own religious patterns and evaluations.This is to assume that religious faith -- the ways men find meaning for their lives and evaluate their relations to the natural world, to each other, and to the transcendent -- is a factor of basic importance in shaping a culture. To Asians though, religious faith is the belief that 'tomorrow is not guaranteed, but let's be optimistic about it'. The view raises a lot of precautions and superstitions. We find it funny, the amount of superstitions and "ancient Chinese proverb/tale", but that's their view on life. Get used to it!

The Importance of Family (Hispanic Americans)

Growing up in America, a bit spoiled if you will, we often take family for granted. We lie, cheat, and steal from each other. We disrespect, tease, and kick some out. We need to learn a lesson from Hispanic Americans, who are too traditional to ever try to disrespect an elder or family member.

Traditionally, the Hispanic family is close-knit, and is the most important social group. This basically means, traditionally and generally speaking a Hispanic teenager would not ditch a family member in need to chill with their friends.

The term familia goes beyond just the mom, dad, brother and sister;it stems out to the extended family. They follow the basic family structure: the father as the head of the house, the mother as the caretaker, and the children as the obedient helpers. In the Hispanic culture though, the child is expected to help out as much as possible, even if that means dropping out of school at the age of six (much different from the American culture). Fortunately, the child is almost always willing to help!

The family ties are so deep that even when traveling long distances, they expect to stay with other family members along the way. A lot of Hispanic families live in clusters, and stay that way. The family is valued as highly as an American teenager with a phone. Keep that in mind, and maybe next time you won't abandon your fragile "phone" so much!

Native American, Indian, or American Indian?

What 's the difference (you may ask)? Well, actually, depends on who you are. There are currently nine different definitions of Native Americans. Although many people consider themselves Native American, they do not fit the term "American Indian". The US Government itself only accepts people with 1/4 of a recognized tribe as Native American--imagine the standards for one to be recognized as a n American Indian! All this, though, is done in an effort to minimize the amount of people who will qualify for special statuses and resources.

The weird thing about this minority group is that they are defined by political status and
not purely racial/ethnic status (unlike all others). Native Americans have (the only ethnic group) their own set of laws, treaties, and national government separate from the U.S. Government. They are considered separate from Americans and so are denied many of our culture's wealth. At the same time, their culture is somewhat protected from ever being destroyed.

Many may consider Native Americas a bit loony, but you must consider the customs in their tribes and bands. For example: Apache = body is an empty vessel after death; Lakota = body is sacred after death; Navajo = there is no afterlife. These greatly influence the ways they think and behave.

In the world we live in today, many of us are unsure of who we are; maybe currently going through an identity crisis. It's important for you to know yourself, and how else, other than learning about your heritage, or your background? Over the course of the next several posts, enjoy learning about others, their backgrounds, traits, and their lifestyle. And who knows, maybe you'll be encouraged to learn more about yourself! KNOW YOU!