Category: Reading Responses (Page 9 of 10)

Cultural heritage is something that is passed down from generation to generation. It is not necessarily something tangible, but something that brings pride and memories. I define cultural heritage as a set of artifacts, practices, and traditions passed down from our ancestors, that we collectively share as a community.

Cultural heritage can be beliefs that are practiced within a culture, such as Chinese people worshiping the guanyin and caishen, which are both gods of Chinese folk religion. Guanyin has roots in Buddhism and represents Avalokiteśvara. It shows how culture is shared between different communities and adopted to different cultural heritages. As Franchi stated in What is Cultural Heritage?, “cultural boundaries are not necessarily well-defined. Artists, writers, scientists, craftsmen, and musicians learn from each other, even if they belong to different cultures.” (Franchi) Cultural heritage does not have to be exclusive to a community as similar practices might be shared in another culture.

Food is what I often associate with my cultural heritage. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, my family would buy mooncakes and observe the moon to celebrate family reunion. Every Dragon Boat Festival, people in China would race on long boats to commemorate the death of the Chinese poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Miluo River. Interestingly, the reason why people eat zongzhi (rice dumpling) during Dragon Boat Festival is because when Qu Yuan drowned himself, people threw sticky rice balls into the river to prevent fish from eating his body. Behind every tradition and practice, there is a story that embraces the importance of unity, love, and hope. Cultural heritage is a way for people to feel connected to each other, to celebrate the joy of life, and to find a sense of belongingness. 

Similar to Día De Los Muertos in Mexican culture, Chinese people also have a day where they celebrate the dead, called Qingming Festival. I vividly remember climbing up great slopes as a child, to visit my ancestors’ tombs in the mountains. On this day, the adults would carry a whole roasted pig and white sugar sponge cake to share with our ancestors. We would also burn precisely three red incense sticks and some joss papers, which connects us with our ancestors and brings them wealth and prosperity in the other world. Qingming Festival is a way for us to connect with our loved ones and give back to our ancestors for all the things they did for us.

There are also many traditional clothing we have, such as the qipao and hanfu, that originated from different time periods. There are architectures like the Forbidden City that highlights the rich history of imperial China. There are pieces of literature that showcases the beauty of the Chinese language and how the language has evolved over the years. In a country with 56 ethnic groups and thousands of years of history, there are simply way too many examples of cultural heritage to all be mentioned. However, the shared history, holidays, and practices make us feel evermore connected to our identity and the uniqueness of our culture.

I have never been able to figure out what to consider myself. I am too Korean to be American, but I am also too American to be Korean. It was a struggle that I have had to navigate throughout my entire life. It never helped that there was a constant comparison that was made between my family and the other families one could see in America. Everyone would have large family dinners during weekends, special occasions, and holidays, but for my family, those large dinners would come once or twice a year if we were lucky enough to travel to Korea or my extended family were able to visit us. 

However, even with all of this confusion, a fact remained the same: I was Korean and so was my cultural heritage. Even though we were only able to visit Korea and see my family occasionally, I was raised with the same traditions and values as every other Korean. As Franchi states “Cultural heritage implies a shared bond, our belonging to a community”, that is the idea that resonates to me the most when I think of my definition of  cultural heritage. When I think of cultural heritage, I think of the values and traditions that every Korean shares. For example, in my culture, respect, especially to those that are older than you, is an important and essential value that is shared by every Korean. All Koreans use 존댓말 or jondaemal, which is a formal way of speaking, to each other until they are close enough friends to drop those formalities. Jondaemal, however, is not dropped when talking to an adult where there is a significant enough age difference. Franchi mentions how cultural heritage is often thought of as “artifacts (paintings, drawings, prints, mosaics, sculptures), historical monuments and buildings, as well as archaeological sites” but has “gradually grown to include all evidence of human creativity and expression” just like it is seen my own culture with something as common and large as the language spoken.

I believe that for me, my cultural heritage lies in my everyday actions and things such as the tradition of making sure that the eldest at the table eats first, the jondaemal I use to address my parents, the language I speak, the homemade Korean food that I eat, the Korean music that often plays in my house, and more. To some, it may seem like these are all everyday things, but these small things that differentiate me from people who aren’t Korean make up what I consider to be my cultural heritage as one day, future generations of Koreans will be doing the same. 

Cultural heritage can be made up of both physical forms as well as intangible forms. Some physical artifacts may include cultural belongings such as paintings, books, writings, and sculptures. Unlike these physical artifacts, intangible forms of cultural property cannot be touched. These attributes may include music, language, dance, technology, theater, food, etc. In the text “What is cultural heritage?”, the author Elena Franchi states that she describes cultural heritage as something that consists of “culture, values, and traditions”, and that it implies a “shared bond, our belonging to a community.” She speaks about how cultural heritage represents our “history and our identity; our bond to the past, to our present, and the future.” This shows what a significant role culture plays in the development of one’s identity and how it shapes people to become the way they are. An intangible aspect of cultural heritage within my own family is history. My parents and family were born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenia’s history is a major feature and part of Armenian culture. More specifically, the Armenian Genocide is one of the most major historical events that effects people till this day. The Armenian genocide was the massacre of 1.5 million Armenian people living in the Ottoman Empire during World War I in 1915. The young muslim Turks sought to dominate the eastern Anatolia region through murdering Armenians and getting rid of any sort of Armenian presence. Widely known as the “Tsitsernakaberd” in the Armenian language, is a memorial that was built in the city of Yerevan in 1967 dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Every year on April 24th thousands of people gather at the memorial to pay tribute to the loved ones that had been lost during those sorrowful times. My mother was actually named after her great aunt who was kidnapped by a muslim Turk as a child and was never found again. Not only do people remember this day in Armenia, but there is a large Armenian community here in New York where we gather around in Time Square every year on April 24th and commemorate the victims. Although it is not a positive aspect of our culture, the horror stories of the genocide have been passed down from generation to generation and is a really big part of Armenian identity.

My unconventional background has made me struggle with believing I have a true cultural identity. I am ethnically Chinese, raised by a Ukrainian Jewish mother and an English Christian father. Franchi states that “​​Cultural heritage implies a shared bond, our belonging to a community.” However, I’ve never felt like I truly belonged to a certain community. In my opinion, I’m just as Chinese as I am Ukrainian or English. I was never taught any Chinese language, and although I may understand more Russian than most, English is the only language I’m fluent in. As if my ethnic background didn’t confuse me enough, a loose emphasis on religion in my household caused me to never identify with a religion.

Then I realized, my cultural heritage wasn’t limited to one culture and it wasn’t about trying to make myself fit in somewhere. It was about embracing and loving my unique upbringing, and as an American I’m not only inspired to, but encouraged to, explore multiple cultures. In terms of intangible heritage, I enjoy baking Ukrainian desserts with my mom and babushka, using recipes passed down from my babushka’s babushka when she lived in the Soviet Union. But I can also choose to go to Sunday morning church with my dad and grandma, singing hymns and listening to the pastor interpret parts of the Bible. As for holidays, Christmases are spent with my dad’s side of the family at my grandma’s house. We start by having the youngest family member, which has been me for as long as I can remember, wear a battered Santa hat while handing out presents. Afterwards, my grandpa leads us in prayer and we eat an early dinner together. However, New Years is spent with my mom’s side of the family at my babushka’s house. In the Soviet Union, New Year’s Eve was kind of like a different version of Christmas, so we always do a smaller gift exchange on this day. Then we watch the Times Square ball drop on tv, toast our glasses, and wish everyone “с Новым Годом!” or “Happy New Year!”

My traditions may be untraditional, but that doesn’t make them any less a part of my family or our culture. Franchi concludes the article by saying “Cultural heritage passed down to us from our parents must be preserved for the benefit of all.” While I can’t physically pass down my memories and experience, I can still share traditions and the feeling of love and family with future generations.

Family is the source for children, where they can learn about the family background, where they came from, and essentially what culture they belong to. I thought about what constitutes culture in our society before analyzing cultural heritage. My first thought while answering this question is that culture is what defines a person’s genuine identity, including their beliefs, behaviors, practices, and values. The individual’s personality and how it is passed down from generation to generation are upheld by cultural heritage. I was born and raised in a typical family in Bangladesh. My home country has a vibrant culture and traditions that attract people from all over the world. By “typical family,” I meant that my own family had a strong history and upbringing. My entire family is an outgrowth of Bangladesh’s tremendous cultural diversity. My sister and I underwent classical singing and dancing lessons when we were little.

My father used to take me to his hometown when I was a child so that we could learn more about our culture. My grandfather performed at a theater that is commonly referred to as “Jatra Pala” in our nation. Jatra combines singing and acting and is more akin to a Broadway production in the United States. My dad was engaged in it as well, and I found the way they act fascinating. Going to a Broadway musical reminded me of my early years and the way I used to watch my father or grandfather perform. That is the advantage my family gave me in that occurrence, and I keep wondering about the times when cultural appreciation played a big role in my family. “With our thoughts, we make the world”- Lord Buddha. Buddhism is my faith, and it distinguishes me as extraordinary. As Buddhists, we believe that karma exists. You reap what you sow; we believe in this fact. Buddhism teaches us the value of mental tranquility. Buddhism promotes meditation as a practice that can benefit practically all individuals.

“Cultural heritage is not only limited to material objects that we can see and touch. It also consists of immaterial elements: traditions, oral history, performing arts, social practices, traditional craftsmanship, representations, rituals, knowledge, and skills transmitted from generation to generation within a community.” My family’s views are ethereal because of how they have been passed down from generation to generation and that’s why it’s tangible. I have some basic knowledge about the cultural heritage of Bangladesh because I grew up there, which I may impart to future generations. When I first arrived in the USA, I was truly disappointed to see that my cousins were unaware of anything about Bangladesh customs or culture. But I can understand why they didn’t have the opportunity to find out more about it. Therefore, I will never forget the guidelines and behaviors I picked up from my family. And I hope that the tradition will continue from generation to generation.

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.

Having immigrated and separated from my extended family from an early age, my ties to my family’s heritage had largely been severed. For a long time I believed I had no culture, my family didn’t have any traditions like many others, we didn’t celebrate any holidays in particular and my house barely had any visible hints of my Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian roots. Whenever I had to discuss my culture and family traditions in class, I would often spin a stereotypical narrative about matryoshka dolls and ushanka hats to appear to be somewhat connected to my motherland when in reality, I felt gravely detached. Blindsided by the idea that cultural heritage had to take on a physical form, I failed to notice the intangible cultural heritage teeming around my household which the article brings into spotlight. Once I began to realize that “cultural heritage is not only limited to material objects that we can see and touch” but “also consists of immaterial elements,” I started noticing my culture still preserved in what I thought to be an “Americanized” household.

Many hints of slavic traditions did in fact weave into my family and express themselves through the intangible core values and beliefs behind them. For one, the Khorovod- a folk dance in which the members retain a circular formation by holding each others’ hands for the entirety of the performance. Usually part of celebrations within a community, a khorovod encourages an unbreakable bond between its members through its unifying choreography. The importance of unity and a close knit relationship within my family is a vastly present one and although we do not break out into a dance, we do find ourselves surrounded by each other, hand in hand- bearing much resemblance to the linked circle formed by the dancers. Despite leaving the physical aspect of the tradition behind, my family still upholds the familial values at the core of its elaborate gestures, and that—to me—makes it intangible and ever so alive. Another way I have come to realize my culture is through superstitions, which oftentimes have little to no logical basis but are still beliefs that continue to be part of my life as they also once were in that of my ancestors. It’s a connection that transcends pure logic and byway of believing in these superstitions you are respecting the beliefs of your ancestors and their traditions. In my household, for instance, we never congratulate someone before their birthday, let alone give them an even number of flowers as both are viewed as bad luck. Every culture has their own variations of superstitions and how they originated, indicative of the experiences, stories, beliefs, and ways of life specific to the people part of that culture. Although superstitions may involve doing a physical action or a tangible object, the choice to believe in the power of that action is intangible, making superstitions immaterial. They are simply passed down as children see their parents giving importance and following these superstitions which they then choose to or not to adopt into their own lives. This choice is a “result of a selection process: a process of memory and oblivion that characterizes every human society,” making the parts of our culture that stay preserved fully up to us-the present generation. 

Through my journey trying to figure out my culture, I’ve come to learn that even though the physical aspect of traditions may change throughout generations, much like it did in mine, they still transform and find their way into the lives of its descendants in ever changing and immaterial ways. The article aims to capture this very idea and keep the intangible aspects of culture just as alive as the tangible ones.

What is it?

Cultural heritage is an aspect of humanity that has existed for as long as human society has existed, and to me, is the culmination of human behavior that has been maintained throughout generations. This is discussed in depth in Elana Franchi’s article, “What is cultural heritage?”, where she defines how cultural heritage happens, “a process of memory and oblivion that characterizes every human society constantly engaged in choosing—for both cultural and political reasons—what is worthy of being preserved for future generations and what is not.” Anything can become part of a culture, but whether or not it sticks is more important to cultural heritage. New traditions and ideas are always being developed, and many of these traditions can be passed on throughout generations, developed even further, and grown in different ways like a tree’s roots splitting into the earth. While societies do choose what is worthy of passing on to the next generation, the process of deeming a tradition unworthy may take generations to fade away or could be seemingly instant. In general, cultural heritage is the culmination of traditions and ideas that are shaped in many different ways over generations.

Grasping the Intangible

Within my own family, we don’t have any tangible cultural heritage, but we do have some intangible cultural heritage. My mom and dad come from far different places in the world, but one thing they both passed on to me was their religion: Catholicism.

Similarly, France and Italy share a history of the Mona Lisa, but neither can claim it as their own, “This painting has been defined as the best known, the most visited, the most written about, and the most parodied work of art in the world: as such, it belongs to the cultural heritage of all mankind.” (Franchi). My mother is from Poland, and my father is from Venezuela, but neither of them can claim sole responsibility for my inheritance of Catholic belief and faith. Instead, Catholicism has spread across the entire world and engrained itself in many places over centuries. Therefore, not only do both of my parents’ homelands have roots in the Roman Catholic Church but all of mankind does since it is a religion celebrated worldwide.

Catholicism in my family is an intangible aspect of my cultural heritage, because while anyone can choose to read a bible or take part in mass, I, along with many others, choose to place our faith in religion, which isn’t something you can just hold in the real world. It’s a belief, one that is passed down from generation to generation through maintaining habits like attending Mass on Sunday and prayer, as well as partaking in things like Catechism classes, special Mass services, and connecting with more Catholics. This is the cultural heritage of my family, which has been passed down for centuries to me, and is something I will pass down to whoever comes next.

Citation:
Elena Franchi, “What is cultural heritage?,” in Smarthistory, August 8, 2015, accessed September 3, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/what-is-cultural-heritage/.

In my words, cultural heritage are the stories that my mom told me when I was young, the noodles that my grandma make from scratch, the different structures that my grandpa had taught me to build, and the mahjong that my dad had taught me to play. They filled up my childhood and still continued to stay with me today. Most of the things that I learned are a part of who I am now. And not everyone have the same cultural heritage, everyone is shown different things and might be taught different versions of the same thing due to the little changes that could’ve been made when it was passed down to each individual family.

“It is also the result of a selection process: a process of memory and oblivion that characterizes every human society constantly engaged in choosing—for both cultural and political reasons—what is worthy of being preserved for future generations and what is not.” I agree with this statement to a certain degree in that not everything gets passed down from generation to generation and I think it’s due to a change in times. What could be trending in the past might be still be in trend in the present. But I think that these trends will always be able to circle back.

I remember watching this one YouTuber that filmed videos in which she made many Chinese artifacts by scratch and using traditional tools. It was very fascinating to watch her videos because you don’t really get to see those processes anymore as more people use machines and technology to make those things. Without these cultural heritages, traditions an values could really be lost, and that’s why it is very important we try to preserve as much of it as possible.

“Leonardo was a very famous Italian painter, that’s why the Mona Lisa is obviously part of the Italian cultural heritage. When Leonardo went to France, to work at King Francis I’s court, he probably brought the Mona Lisa with him. It seems that in 1518 King Francis I acquired the Mona Lisa, which therefore ended up in the royal collections: that’s why it is obviously part of the French national heritage, too. “

In this quote, Elena Franchi, the author of “What is Cultural Heritage?” uses the word “obviously” to describe the Mona Lisa as belonging to two cultures. In using this word, Franchi makes a sweeping generalization about the cultural heritage of art, despite most of the article discussing the intricacies behind culture and identity. I believe that, in many ways, cultural heritage is interpretative and Franchi even describes it as being “our bond to the past,” meaning that each individual has a unique connection with the history that composes our cultures and, thereby, the preservation of cultural artifacts, whether they are tangible or not. Therefore, I disagree with Franchi’s use of the word “obviously” in describing Mona Lisa‘s origins.

In referring to my own culture, I often share about my family, home, traditions, holidays. One example of a tangible piece of my cultural heritage is depicted by a room in my childhood house in December. In this room, a Menorah stands on the window sill. A couple of feet behind stands a “Christmas” tree. These two seemingly contradictory symbols represent my dual identity as someone who comes from both a Jewish and Russian background. We use the “Christmas” tree to celebrate Novoi God, or New Year’s, with the side of my family that is Russian while the Menorah is a symbol of the eight days of Hanukkah that the other side of my family celebrates. These clashing identities come together and are captured by these tangible pieces that stand within just a couple of feet of one another.

While these two symbols are tangible, the ideas behind them are not. The idea of the identity that my siblings and I share are often passed down in this format: objects that represent ideas. Every year, we take both the candles for the Menorah and the star that goes on top of the “Christmas” tree, and we tell stories of our families as we create new memories. This is how our story is passed down.

To me, the bright lights are a beacon of hope for peace to unite families all over the world in the same way that they have brought me in defining who I am today, which is not so “obvious.”