There are, roughly, more than three thousand cultures all around the world and hundreds in some countries and in those cultures, they have their own way with language, religion, literature, music, poetry and philosophy. Some would say culture is not something that is easy to find unless you are born with it. But culture is more than that, it is a way to share common ground with other human beings and the only thing that brings people, from different backgrounds and with different ideals, together.
In Mexican culture, they have a festival called Día de los Muertos, an ancient, complex and deeply heartfelt that sees the people throughout Mexico remember and pay homage to loved ones who have passed. In Nigerian culture, the New Yam Festival is an annual celebration that is held at the end of the rainy season to thank God for a successful farming season and yam harvest.
The Chinese celebrate their own new year which is called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival which marks the beginning of a new year on the Chinese lunisolar calendar.
Even religions have their own cultures and celebrations that bring them together and it is not just the supreme being that they serve. The Muslims, for example, have a three-day holiday that commemorates the initial sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim called the Eid el-Kabir. The Christians celebrate Christmas, a day that honors the birth of Jesus Christ.
Culture is not about festivals and celebrations; it is also about stories and the things we believe in and stand for. Folklores and mythologies are a common example of that. From the stories of gods and demigods to folktales that teach the young ones a life lesson, each of them is crafted to fit the narrative. It’s just like how in some cultures, the lion is the king of the jungle and in some it’s the elephant, tortoise or even tiger. But in the end, these stories bring the people in those cultures together.
Culture is a very important factor in our lives because it gives us a sense of belonging, especially when language and food are involved.
Culture – Why is it Important and How to Find it.
There’s also a sort of stability that comes with knowing what culture you’re from because it’s a lot easier to connect with people. There are videos on the internet of people from a certain country meeting their countrymen and immediately linking up. No matter what, culture brings us together.
Your culture is a vital part of who you are, and you can’t change that no matter how much you want to even if you get married and end up adopting your spouse’s culture, the one you were born in is still a part of you.
Also note that culture doesn’t just start and end at your country, state or tribe but it can also be something that you’ve grown to love and enjoy like for example music and football fans. Men come together to talk about their favorite football team and get into conversations and arguments about football or a football match they watched; that is culture. Listening to music and going to concerts to watch your favorite artist perform live and meeting people who enjoy that artist as much as you is also part of the culture.
Before you find your culture, know that it is all around you and it is not just how fluent you speak a language or how well you can shake your body to a cultural song, it is also having a shared and common interest with another person.
So, what is your culture?
Author: Emmanuella Elvis
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