The Nature of Cultural Identity

 

My childhood was one of the best phases in my life. I was born and grew up in the beautiful city of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. Growing up, I got to spend most of my vacations with my maternal cousins in the second well known city in my country, Kumasi. It was one of the best experiences especially growing up then as the only child.  I got to have lots of fun with my cousins who were boys and their sister who was the only female among them. One of the family traditions I experienced growing up was having all my family members come together to just bond during the Christmas season. During this period, we  would eat our traditional food, listen to our music and my grandmother will tell us stories about our history.

Another tradition we had as a family was we used to travel and tour some of the interesting places in my country. I always looked forward to these trips as it gave me the opportunity to appreciate the diverse cultures in my own country. I lived in Kumasi during my vacations and though also a city like Accra, Kumasi always felt different. This was because it is regarded as a cultural oriented city in Ghana. In this city, you get to embrace the beauty of all that the Ashanti culture represents from the food, the language, the kente cloth and the people. Being able to live in Accra and also experience Kumasi helped me to really understand my culture and appreciate it for what it was. 

Cultural identity was described by Lustig and Koester (2010)  as the "sense of belonging to a particular culture or ethnic group." We are able to form a sense of cultural identity  by belonging to a particular culture. Our identity is established through the learning of the language, thinking patterns and the social practices that exist within the culture. I identify as a Ghanaian first of all then an Ashanti. My tribe is the biggest in my country, thus our language is widely spoken. I have always belonged to the majority back in Ghana and never felt like a minority until I came to the United States. It is still a learning experience. Rigid adherence to a culture is desirable though not feasible especially as culture is always changing and  the way things  are done will continue to change over time. Our cultural identity is a reality we live with each day. There are some parts that we may not necessarily be able to change like where we come from but we can always create new realities and identify with different aspects of a culture.

Gradually, our world as we know it is becoming smaller due to the ability to move easily from one place to the other. In my view, the United States becoming a "minority majority" nation will influence existing cultures. The way things were done as we knew it may go through some changes as we make room to accept the culture of other groups. Gradually, these cultures will infiltrate an existing culture which may give room to a new way of doing things.  In order not to create the same cycle of others feeling out of the "group", we must learn to respect the cultures of others and give same opportunities as done for the majority. 

One generalization as an international student I made from watching TV shows like  "13 Reasons why" was the divisions that exist within classrooms or  the school. The formation of cliques where some students are bullied based on the color of their skin or even weight to the point of committing suicide.  Such events are unfortunate, hence, the need to actively include and be welcoming of all groups of people to make them feel like they belong.

Based on Lustig & Koeser's Stages in the development of cultural identity, I can  say that I am at the cultural identity achievement stage. This is because I have experienced my culture and its values first hand. I have come to accept and appreciate the beauty and even the flaws that exist within my culture. I am very proud of my cultural identity and I do appreciate its dynamics. Thus, no matter where I find myself, I will always be proud of who I am and where I come from as it has played a pivotal role in shaping me to be the person I am today.

References:

       1. Lustig, M. W. & Koester, J. (Eds.). (2006). Among Us: Essays on identity, belonging, and intercultural

competence (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

2. Adowa Dance. Retieved from https://csdsafrica.org/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-creative-industries-in-ghana/lady-displaying-the-adowa-dance/. 

3.