• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Your Cultural Heritage + YOU

Dr Mobius

Biting Shards
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
873
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Mainly Irish, a smidgeon French, and a bit of Welsh, Danish (well technically that would be German now; but then it was Danish.) As for cultural retention, the distance and rugged nature of the land had a brutally egalitarian effect on that. Are you after more familial story driven answers?
 

Cloudpatrol

Senior(ita) Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
2,163
Mainly Irish, a smidgeon French, and a bit of Welsh, Danish (well technically that would be German now; but then it was Danish.) As for cultural retention, the distance and rugged nature of the land had a brutally egalitarian effect on that. Are you after more familial story driven answers?

Neat combinations :)

I would love those kind of answers, but only if people are comfortable offering.

May I ask what land you are referring to?
 

Cloudpatrol

Senior(ita) Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
2,163
[MENTION=4347]Virtual ghost[/MENTION]
The mess influenced me in a way that I don't really care much about traditional culture (expect on academic level). Especially since remaking of borders usually means plenty of dead people.

Thank you for your answer. I always appreciate hearing your unique perspective. Your last line has got me thinking...
 

human101

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
510
MBTI Type
NiTe
Enneagram
1w9
Instinctual Variant
sx
I am from part of the world/Europe where borders are constantly being remade. Therefore I have about 10 various groups/nations in me from the perspective of few generations back.

The mess influenced me in a way that I don't really care much about traditional culture (expect on academic level). Especially since remaking of borders usually means plenty of dead people.

Croatia/serbia/Montenegro, old soviet? just a guess
 

ZNP-TBA

Privileged Sh!tlord
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
3,001
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sx
I'm a first generation (north) American. My parents are from Croatia.

Culturally/ethnically I think I'm:
75% Croatian
12.5% Ukrainian
12.5% Czech

My maternal great grandparents were from Ukraine and Czech lands. They migrated to the Balkans (Bosnia in particular) with their families due to the Austro-Hungarian Empire creating jobs there.
I know, not a whole lot of diversity but most Croats are of Slavic and old Illyrian extraction (genetically that is). Most of us belong to the Haplogroup i2a1 and R1a.
 

prplchknz

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
34,397
MBTI Type
yupp
50% russian
25% scottish
25% ??????? though we suspect either irish or french (the name is brezeale, which is found as a common sir name both in france and ireland, but more than likely irish because that part of the family were hill billies in the mountains of TN

I grew up eastern orthodox christian i'm not really that connected to russian culture there's some foods I grew up eating from there that my friends were all like what is that
? but i also grew up in an antiochian parish so i knew what hummus was before most people, and if i said i was orthodox they'd assume i was jewish and until very reacently it seemed like over here no one knew what orthodox christianity was.
 

Virtual ghost

Complex paradigm
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
19,769
[MENTION=4347]Virtual ghost[/MENTION]
Thank you for your answer. I always appreciate hearing your unique perspective. Your last line has got me thinking...

Logic behind my last line is pretty simple, if borders move all the time that means constant wars. Constant wars means that cultures will be full of intolerance and hate ... and often they only way to supress this is through dictarorship. What often creates new wars and endless circle that repeats itself since the collapse of Roman empire.
 

Norrsken

self murderer
Joined
Nov 27, 2015
Messages
3,633
MBTI Type
ENFJ
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I am of Spanish-descent, both of my parents' ancestry hailed mostly from Sevilla of Southern Spain. My father's side also has European French, Cubans of Spanish-descent, and we are suspecting some Italian in us as well. We do not have all the information with us at this time about other possible ancestry, but there you go. In America we are regarded as Hispanics.
 

ChocolateMoose123

New member
Joined
Oct 4, 2008
Messages
5,278
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
2nd generation American on paternal sides. 3rd generation on maternal side.

Mother:

English 25%
Irish 15%
Welsh/Hungarian <10%

Father:

25% Sicilian
25% Italian (Northern)

My families are culturally very different. I look Italian/Sicilian but culturally, I grew up with my mother's VERY English culture.

Stiff upper lip. No open affection, really. We all knew we were loved but the English aren't known for being flowery or effusive. Very dry humor in our family. Chuckles more than guffaws. Everything culturally was very...restrained, refined. Well mannered. Humility is a prized trait.

EDIT: even though my fathers grandparents were born in Italy/Sicily they refused to teach Italian to their children (my father). This was to make assimilation easier for them. I find that interesting. That was a different time.
 

Cloudpatrol

Senior(ita) Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
2,163
[MENTION=5223]MDP2525[/MENTION] Humility and humor = fabulous legacy!

I respect your grandparent's decision in some ways. My city has a large immigrant population. One portion integrates well and brings the flavour of their cultures to the big table. The other group is very insular, does not learn the common language and rarely branches out of the neighbourhoods associated with their background. This leads to social problems resulting from disconnection and tends to make native inhabitants suspicious.

Have you ever had the chance to visit Italy?
 

lunalum

Super Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
2,706
MBTI Type
ZNTP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I am a Californian, which I would argue is a culture onto itself and one that I identify with.

My mom is Panamanian and my dad is from Florida. Mom's background is predominately Spanish/Italian and Dad's background is predominately Italian/Norwegian.

I still don't know what the heck I am but I fit in perfectly in California because it's just a matter of fact here to have random culture of Latin America woven in the U.S. predominately-white/euro-inspired culture.
 

Dr Mobius

Biting Shards
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
873
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Neat combinations :)

I would love those kind of answers, but only if people are comfortable offering.

May I ask what land you are referring to?

New Zealand; back when it was primordial forest.

As for stories:

My Danish ancestor was a sailor from Holstein who was away on a voyage when the Second Schleswig War took place (Denmark ceded Holstein to the Prussians/beginnings of modern day Germany.). After hearing the news he took ship in the opposite direction going almost as far it is possible to go. All to flee those nasty Germans.....

The French side of the family were aristocrats, a very old family. They helped ransom back Richard I, married the daughter of one of Joan of Arc's generals. The family fled France just before the revolution, having seen the changing winds. Ultimately ending up in Cornwall smuggling silk stockings, and other luxury items.

One of the sons was caught, an press-ganged into the Navy, near the end of Napoleonic Wars. He received several commendations throughout his service for bravery. When he was finally released; he immediately went back to smuggling and was never again caught. :laugh:
 

Cloudpatrol

Senior(ita) Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
2,163
New Zealand; back when it was primordial forest.

As for stories:

My Danish ancestor was a sailor from Holstein who was away on a voyage when the Second Schleswig War took place (Denmark ceded Holstein to the Prussians/beginnings of modern day Germany.). After hearing the news he took ship in the opposite direction going almost as far it is possible to go. All to flee those nasty Germans.....

The French side of the family were aristocrats, a very old family. They helped ransom back Richard I, married the daughter of one of Joan of Arc's generals. The family fled France just before the revolution, having seen the changing winds. Ultimately ending up in Cornwall smuggling silk stockings, and other luxury items.

One of the sons was caught, an press-ganged into the Navy, near the end of Napoleonic Wars. He received several commendations throughout his service for bravery. When he was finally released; he immediately went back to smuggling and was never again caught. :laugh:

Wow! So much treasure in one family. Thanks for sharing (smile). I am grinning gleefully at the thought of your Danish sailor high-tailing it in the opposite direction.

Nice to see Mr. Smuggler stayed true to his nature :happy0065:

Hmmm, my synapses are still popping in wonderment of what precisely you mean - by the dynamic of the primordial forest? If you feel like expanding, I am interested.
 

geedoenfj

The more you know..
Joined
Oct 6, 2015
Messages
3,347
MBTI Type
ENFJ
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Since I live in a multinational society, I've been mistaken for Turkish, Persian, Eastern Europe, Russian
I'm 100% Middle Eastern, as far as I know
I'm from a honorable and well known tribe that has a long history, my ansestors are excellent fighters from both sides of the family (since this area always have been invaded) they're also have political and important impact on the history and culture of this region, what I got from my family is strong will, stubbornness, standing up for my beliefs..
Other things I got from my culture or specifically from my country is welcoming attitude, hospitality, family, wisdom, being nice and polite, help those in need and do charity, appreciate spirituality, good hearted, work ethics, love of culture and arts, and of course cooking and love of food haha
Although there are many things that we are taught to do but the reality says other than that, unfortunately..
 
Last edited:

kyuuei

Emperor/Dictator
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
13,964
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
8
Hmmm.. I grew up in Texas. I have Irish in my blood, as well as Czech, and I suppose my parents were pretty shit at traditions. My mom loves holidays and we always did some stuff (typical American things)... It wasn't until my grandma came to live with us that my mom felt peer pressured into doing more czech-y things. Honestly, I dont even know if we are Czech republic or Slovak side.. it was all one country back in the day.

I hear rumors from my family that Transylvanian mountains are somewhere in our history. My last name is English in origin, so somewhere that came about from my father's side. My mom married into it, her maiden last name is very Eastern european sounding.

Has it influenced me as a person? Not really. I do sometimes get a little prideful that I am redheaded, and Irish pride... while it definitely makes me feel slightly better about being as good in the sun as an ice cube and historically the Irish got a lot of shit.. they jumped quick on the racism band wagon and irish pride can frequently translate as racist-as-fuck in America now. It's a pretty well known stereotype. Also, I seem to handle my alcohol better than those around me, though I don't drink really. Basically, I'm American, proud to be from Texas with all of it's follies, and outside of that not much has influenced me. I didn't grow up czech or irish or anything like that. I can't really claim those realms.

Outside of the stereotypes for USA (4th of july fireworks, turkey at thanksgiving, ham during christmas, presents on birthdays, etc.etc.)...

- Texas and a few other southern states eat Kolaches. It's a czech food. It's the best thing for breakfast. Texas and Louisiana in particular have adapted the recipe to include boudain, a typical thing to eat in eastern texas and Louisiana.. Kolaches = basically a pig in a blanket... a savory something (ham and cheese or sausage typically, texas adds a lot of jalapenos) wrapped in a fluffy, slightly sweet bread (think hawaiian brand bread for the sweetness factor.. just slightly less than that) and they're big.. usually at least the size of your palm, if not your hand. It's a breakfast to go. And no donut shop in the states that do this would survive without Kolaches being offered. It's like... a give-in that you go eat donuts AND kolaches. Boudain is a particular kind of sausage with rice in it.. a sort of meal-to-go in and of itself. It makes my favorite kolache paired with jalapenos.

- Houston Texas is pretty diverse actually. It still has a sticker shock to me to go to places so... monochromatic in nature. I'm used to having a whole chinatown a stone's throw away from an entire block of nothing but native Mexicans with little shops and cantinas/taquerias. I'm used to having a school where it's pretty normal to be both white and the minority. I'm very happy to have grown up in a diverse city with a lot of cultures and opportunities to learn at my fingertips.

- America in general is still, to me, the land of opportunity. I think this shaped me more than anything else in my life honestly. I had the opportunity to be as ambitious as I wanted to be, and do whatever I want with my life. Especially going to China for a day, and Japan for 2 weeks, it's still a bit shocking to think there's a "big deal" about a woman having a kid and continuing to work and not quitting everything she's doing for her kids. While this is still a thing in America to some extent, it's generally pretty normal to see parents both working. In a world like Japan where there's a right way to do everything, I don't know how I would have turned out as a person or a woman for that matter growing up there vs here. (Edit: I'm picking on Japan because I was just there and it's fresh on my mind, and also because I have a dear affection for the country as a baseline. I'm glad to be born American either way.)

- Texas has a surprisingly low cost of living and some pretty good education if you don't just stop at what lame book writers want you to read.
 
Last edited:

Blackout

Permabanned
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
1,356
MBTI Type
infp
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Anyway, I guess it's not true that I don't know ANYTHING about my "heritage" or background, necessarily. It's just not all that interesting.

My grand grand father was from America and my great grandmother from directly from Scotland, but she died when my grandfather was really young. They were farmers, and eventually I guess they eeked out of a semi-lower middle class background for his daughters, but I don't know much else. He of course got into an accident and almost died and it impaired his ability to work a fair amount. This sort of, I don't know, most of changed the family quite a bit.

My dad was also a farm kid, but he was adopted and then ran away from home when he was 15.

I grew up in lots of rural places and on farms. But it sucked, it was the first place for somebody like me.

Ugh, it's just sad and depressing.

Then my other side was as well as I can know, Native American, and what is there to tell about that?

Wow, I was just s*** out of luck, wasn't I.
I never was very close to my dad and he was fond of the bottle and debauchery. Eventually I really stopped seeing or associating all that much. I never did very much in the first place, and I really stopped seeing him at all when I was around 16 and then a couple years later he died. I don't have much to do with my family, and it's really hard to believe I'm not adopted, I cannot relate to any of them at all. And then my Mother, she pretty much abandoned me at the same time, because I could not really associate or be around her anymore. She was just really neglectful and distant from me always. She started to drink a bit too much as well, and started dating other men. She basically just...stopped spending any time around me and my other siblings. She was always gone partying/socializing/or with other men.

My Mother was so conservative and strict that she thought that was something wrong with me or something because I was not a "typical" or regular boy. She was always insinuating or putting it in my head that there was something wrong with me, that I didn't think right, and I think a part of her distance was because of that. I just got this sense that being around her made her uncomfortable and that she never really wanted me, or liked how I was. Whenever I have had contact with her she spends all her time trying to change me and criticizing who I am. Meanwhile they are all total screw ups and morons.




Girls out there reading this.


It's true, I know it's so sad, I'm broken and I need to be saved.




Please save me.




I'm a great guy underneath this disaster.
 

Blackout

Permabanned
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
1,356
MBTI Type
infp
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Cultural appropriation and unloaded protocol: Dirtbag. And that's what what I am to most of the world.

It's like in this video short made by Tim Burton, at 2:30 mark
 

Tazzie

New member
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
47
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
2w3
I am 75% Mexican which im sure it includes some indiginus blood as well other than Aztec and Spaniards. I don't know my biological dad side of the family at all. All I know is he from Mexico.
25% German, English, Irish, maybe Swedish, Native American and still learning about my mom European side of the family as well.

My mom was born and raised in the US. As my step dad was born and raised in Mexico. I felt like I was raised in two different cultures. My mom was more wanting us to be independent, responsible and be able to make our own decisions. Where my step dad was more wants us to work hard all the time, make alot of money, and have an attitude of it the women responsiblity to cooks, be submissive, takes care of everything else and work, while the men works (honestly I clashed quite a bit with how my dad wanted us to be raised).

I do not look hispanic at all. but Ive been told that my body looks more German but my height is Mexican lol. and my athletic side came from the German blood. I really hope I can travel to Germany soon. It be great to learn about the German culture as Im pretty unfamiliar with there background.
For the spanish side. My likes of bright colors and being more family oriented came from the spanish culture my mom would tell me. visiting several latin countries within the last few years has changed me alot in a good way and it was great to learn about my spanish side.
 

Lia_kat

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2016
Messages
750
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Both sides of my family are Cuban with Spanish ancestry. Cuba people are so mixed though that I'm sure there's some percentage of African and Native background as well.
Very passionate, proudful people (similar to Italians). Love of food, dance, family traditions.
 
Top