It is interesting to note the various ethnic and racial groups that were present in the 19th-20th centuries. There was an intriguing emergence of cultural practices among the Italians as many have talked about. La Madonna was an important figure that immigrants would go to for guidance. She was a symbol of hope and allowed them to be optimistic about their situation. There were even festes in order to honor her and her image. We can even relate to this today where different groups of people have their own religious/cultural symbol they can go to for moral and/or spiritual support.
I also thought that the preservation of culture was/is a major part of all societies at the various times in history. The Italian “domus” makes us realize how similar many of our cultures are to the Italian moral code and values. In many cultures modesty and respect are key factors in family dynamics. As Silky talked about in the South Asian culture (specifically) our elders are considered very important in our lives. Putting them in a nursing home is definitely frowned upon as this goes against the whole idea of taking care of them. Additionally the independence of the new and rising young Italian generation is also a characteristic in many of the first generation Italians. This sort of attitude is seen in many first generation children that have been raised in America over the years.
New York City is an ethnically diverse mixture of all kinds of people. Each person brings with him/her his or her own values and cultural practices. We learn from each other via transculturation, which what makes New York City what it is and is the reason the way this City developed ever since the first few waves of immigration.
