I believe cultural heritage refers to the embodiment of peoples’ collective memories and sense of self. It’s both the history of a group of people from a certain region alongside their traditions, values, and language. Elena Franchi shares the same sentiment in the article, “What is Cultural Heritage?,” when she says “Cultural heritage implies a shared bond, our belonging to a community.” She emphasizes that through our involvement in culture, we establish connections with one another, which can extend even outside our own nationalities and ethnicities.
One of the key themes that stood out to me in the article is how recognizing different cultures is all about celebrating diversity. Since different cultures around the world have their unique heritage, if we take the time to learn more about it, we can understand individual peoples’ history and values in order to create a welcoming and safe environment. Diversity also comes in the form of sharing ideas, which is common with cultures across the world. An example Franchi shares in her article about cultures mixing is through a tangible object, the Mona Lisa, which was created by an Italian artist but is on view in France. This is due to the fact that Leonardo Da Vinci worked for the king of France and brought his art with him, where it ended up in the royal collections and a part of a new community.
In the same way, my Pakistani culture mixes with my American culture in my identity through both tangible and intangible means. For example, I speak English, Urdu and Punjabi. I celebrate both the Fourth of July and Eid. I own Western clothing and cultural clothing. Just like the Mona Lisa is a part of both Italian culture and French culture because of how it moved and influenced those around it, I am the same. With my experience, I think cultural heritage has helped me appreciate who I am by allowing me to connect not only with my family history and traditions but also with those around me in school.
I find it really interesting to see the various ways people choose to express themselves depending on their culture. Since cultural heritage is a mix between the past and present, it is not static and influenced by numerous factors. In my family, one way our cultural heritage changed was when my great grandfather converted to Islam. This changed the way he handled his business, his family, and basically his entire lifestyle. Although my family recognizes our history as Sikhs, we appreciate how our heritage changed, and one way I represent that is by wearing the hijab.
Ultimately, cultural heritage is a reflection of the values and history of a society, which are ever changing but allow us to acknowledge different aspects of our identities and the identities of those around us. It’s something that we should continue to appreciate and protect amidst the different events, good and bad, which are happening in the world.
I think it’s really interesting to point out that culture has helped us not only with connecting to family but with people at school. Culture helps form social bonds, something invaluable in today’s world because of how scarce this can be. Being a part of a culture, or even multiple, helps us to identify with even more people even though we never met them.