Your Cultural Heritage + YOU

[small.wonder]

Thought I'd chime in because both of my parents are pretty into geneology. I'm a euro mutt essentially with (despite the hilarity of the all too true comment [MENTION=24479]themightyfetus[/MENTION] made-- really, I laughed ) I am actually 6.25% Cherokee. This is simple math from the knowledge that my Dad's great grandmother Frankie was full Cherokee.

From there, I don't mess around with percentages, because it's otherwise impossible to know. Majority of my heratage is Scottish, Irish, Dutch and German-- both of my parents are of the first two, but Mom with German, Dad with Dutch. The most interesting tid bits I've unearthed (that I would say may reflect on who I am) are 1) that my paternal Irish heritage is very probably Norse-Irish because our family immigrated from Armagh in Northern Ireland, a site of some larger Viking raids. I sometimes joke that my ancestors were raped by Vikings, but it's probably not a joke (and apologies if that's offensive). That part of my family immigrated to Charleston in 1641. 2) My Dad's side has a revolutionary war figure, but after the war, the family moved to West Virginia and Kentucky and basically became professional Hillbillies-- seriously, my great uncle Agnor manufactured moonshine on his property for most of his life.

This all should reveal some info about me. Haha! In truth, I'm not sure how much I can attribute who I am to my heritage (probably not much), but I am very moved by remembering the sacrifices many of my ancestors made, and the hardships they faced, so I could be alive and have oppertunities today.

EDIT
Actually, it does reflect on who I am, just not in the throwaway "you're Irish, so you have a bad temper" way that my Dad and brother use as a cop out. I think scrappy-ness, adaptability and oneness with nature are absolute traits of my family. We tend to "figure it out" and make do even in hard circumstances-- perhaps each in their different way, but those themes are there. My Dad, Brother and I are also pretty intense people, I'll pin that on the Viking stuff.

 

[Cloudpatrol]

We share Viking, German & Irish backgrounds

I hope my ancestors treated yours proper if they crossed paths Amazing you found back to 1641! Ha! I so would like to hear more about Agnor and his hillbilly proclivities

A relative of mine made moonshine also. His still caught fire and he went back into the house for his young wife and child. Regrettably, they died and he was burned very badly over 90% of his body. He was a very handsome man, but I only ever knew him as having a sort of mask for a face. His nostrils were open more at the base and his skin was shiny and puckered in odd places. Like someone had sewn him a face but it had been attached a bit askew.

The interesting thing is that as children we took no note of this. We would climb over him and I remember it was a REVELATION to me the first time I saw someone was afraid of him. He married again and my cousin is his Grand-daughter.

Sounds like you inherited some admirable traits

 

[Taratango]

Fan of your abilities and ambitions. I have a good friend who is Malay and I really enjoy when they tell me about the economy structure and dynamics there. I also like the home-cooking.

I appreciated your perspective on being open-minded while detached. Also the thoughts about how your religious view was shaped by the disparity of beliefs available.

Your stories are heavy on the feelz. Actually that is too casual of an expression for the depth and scope of your work. The first two pieces were very moving. I felt myself having strong reactions to both for different reasons. I enjoy the location-focused themes of the two final pieces. Hopefully will be able to read more from you.

Thanks so much for participating here. You are RICH with culture heritage and influence

Haha Thanks for creating and inviting me to this thread. Reading upon your own, and the stories and impacts of others' cultural heritage has been fascinating

Also, I'm glad you liked my writing pieces, they are still a working progress. Both are true stories, and I think it's important to spread awareness of certain happenings around the world.

You seem to be very interested in food and cooking, that's pretty cool. Regretfully, that is an area I'm not too well-versed in.... I don't know the names of the majority of the dishes and I can only make simple things haha xD

 

[Cloudpatrol]

Haha Thanks for creating and inviting me to this thread. Reading upon your own, and the stories and impacts of others' cultural heritage has been fascinating

Also, I'm glad you liked my writing pieces. Both are true stories, and I think it's important to spread awareness of certain happenings around the world.

You seem to be very interested in food and cooking, that's pretty cool. Regretfully, that is an area I'm not too well-versed in.... I don't know the names of the majority of the dishes and I can only make simple things haha xD

Yeah, I am always looking to expand my repertoire with dishes from other global locations. Where I live there are great Turkish, Vietnamese, Russian, Japanese, Persian etcetera restaurants and I like to try and replicate the food at home

No worries! You provided a wealth of treasures. Look forward to reading more from you!

 

[Coriolis]

I thought the same. That white meant just that and I didn't qualify Do you cook Italian food? Olive complexion skin is so beautiful!

I cook some Italian food, but my mother's family was from Canada, so there was influence from there, too.

 

[Cloudpatrol]

I cook some Italian food, but my mother's family was from Canada, so there was influence from there, too.

It's pleasantly surprising to find the majority of member's I talk to have some Canadian connection

 

[ZNP-TBA]

I have extended family in Hamilton and Toronto.

 

[nonsequitur]

I'm ethnically Chinese. Grew up on a certain over-achieving island in South-East Asia. Moved to Australia (Melbourne) for 9 years, currently back with my parents, moving back next year. My maternal grandmother was half-Vietnamese. My paternal grandparents were from China (Guangzhou), and so was my maternal grandfather. All my grandparents migrated here before WWII, and had a deep hatred of the Japanese. My paternal grandparents were quite well-off. My maternal grandfather was a cobbler and my maternal grandmother was a washerwoman. They struggled financially but managed to put my mom and her siblings through university, and instilled in my mom a belief that if she wanted, she could do anything.

I went to Chinese schools through K-12. I'm familiar with Chinese history/literature, did calligraphy and traditional dance was compulsory. Naturally, I speak/read/write Mandarin (but not my family's dialect, cantonese). I also speak/read/write Japanese but that's unrelated to my ethnicity.

What else..? Ah. My family and Chinese friends say that I'm a banana (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) but there's definitely bits of me that are very very Asian. I don't think it's possible to find a perfect cultural fit for myself, but it's definitely easier to live in a Western country because people are not as judgmental/narrow-minded.

 

[Forever]

Too lazy to figure out percentages so here we go (all 4th generation or less):

French, English, Austrian, Slovenian, Portuguese, Peruvian, and American.

Fun Facts:
I was black in 3rd Grade (2001).
Asian (oriental) in 11th grade (2010).
Mexican from senior year in high school to being in college. (2011-2012).
Czech-Slovakian in 2013.
Arabic and Indian in 2014.

Yeah, my amazing heritage. Forever is from all around the world. Hopefully someone claims me to be Australian in the near future. Got to practice my accent for this one. (The others were not by imitation or accent, just weird perceptions of me.)

MASTER RACE = Cultured AF = INFJ

 

[Cloudpatrol]

3/4 Brit/Anglo-Saxon/Native American
1/8 Danish
1/8 German (possibly Jewish German, as I researched my mother's German surname and found it was a common Jewish surname in the olde country)

It is possible I have some French, Belgian and Scottish ancestry, but I cannot prove this.

- - - Updated - - -



Some of my mom's relatives settled in Canada, so I have distant relatives there.

My Dad dated a Danish girl and lived there for a bit, before marrying my Mom. They remained friends and She & her Husband (and then later their kids) have come to visit us. As a result, my family loves Denmark. Do you know much about that side?

[MENTION=5076]nonsequitur[/MENTION]

I'm ethnically Chinese. Grew up on a certain over-achieving island in South-East Asia. Moved to Australia (Melbourne) for 9 years, currently back with my parents, moving back next year. My maternal grandmother was half-Vietnamese. My paternal grandparents were from China (Guangzhou), and so was my maternal grandfather. All my grandparents migrated here before WWII, and had a deep hatred of the Japanese. My paternal grandparents were quite well-off. My maternal grandfather was a cobbler and my maternal grandmother was a washerwoman. They struggled financially but managed to put my mom and her siblings through university, and instilled in my mom a belief that if she wanted, she could do anything.

I went to Chinese schools through K-12. I'm familiar with Chinese history/literature, did calligraphy and traditional dance was compulsory. Naturally, I speak/read/write Mandarin (but not my family's dialect, cantonese). I also speak/read/write Japanese but that's unrelated to my ethnicity.

What else..? Ah. My family and Chinese friends say that I'm a banana (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) but there's definitely bits of me that are very very Asian. I don't think it's possible to find a perfect cultural fit for myself, but it's definitely easier to live in a Western country because people are not as judgmental/narrow-minded.

My SIL is from Taiwan and also gets called a banana. Interesting that you feel 'between worlds'. If you feel comfortable: when you say parts of you are very very Asian, what do you mean

I love your Grandparent's varying backgrounds and what the maternal side instilled in your Mom. I don't know you very well but from what I do, it seems like you took that message to heart also

You love Australian life? You will go back?

 

[Cloudpatrol]

Too lazy to figure out percentages so here we go (all 4th generation or less):

French, English, Austrian, Slovenian, Portuguese, Peruvian, and American.

Fun Facts:
I was black in 3rd Grade (2001).
Asian (oriental) in 11th grade (2010).
Mexican from senior year in high school to being in college. (2011-2012).
Czech-Slovakian in 2013.
Arabic and Indian in 2014.

Yeah, my amazing heritage. Forever is from all around the world. Hopefully someone claims me to be Australian in the near future. Got to practice my accent for this one. (The others were not by imitation or accent, just weird perceptions of me.)

MASTER RACE = Cultured AF = INFJ

Yeah, you are exotic looking Forever. I can see why you have had so many questions applied to your aesthetic presentation.

I am not exotic looking but do find I constantly get asked if I am: Latino (hourglass figure), French (I think the way my lips move?), Middle Eastern (glossy, curly hair if not straightened), Italian (gestures), Nordic (pale skin) etc. I have a theory that fashion has something to do with it too I get asked about being European if I dress classy, Latino if more colourfully attired etcetera.

Some of my closest friends are from Slovenia. Have you been to Peru? Is there any one side that you identify with more?

 

[Blackout]

Oh, and again I just wanted to point out that the whole "save me please, women" was a sarcastic, because I was trying to make fun of women.

 

[Swivelinglight]

50% korean

White grandparent #1 (confirmed)

50% english
50% german

White grandparent #2 (unconfirmed aka she's not 100% sure, but this is the best I have to go with)

Austrian/Hungarian
Lithuanian
Polish

I have no idea what the percentages are.


So I guess

50% Korean
12.5% English
12.5% German
25% mix of Austrian/Hungarian, Polish, Lithuanian



Oh I forgot to post how it influences me. So I'll do that. My mom is where I get my korean genetics from. Uniquely enough, she spoke English very well, because that's what she majored in University. So I didn't realize that people having different ethnicity in parents was really a uncommon thing. I kind of grew up thinking that it was standard for everyone to be mixed, it wasn't until later that I started noticing that a lot of people, including everyone in my extended family at the time, were not mixed.

Being mixed has had different affects on me throughout my life. My brother appears more western than I do, I take after my mom a lot. But especially when I was younger, I appeared quite Asian, perhaps even full Asian. Therefore, I dealt with many of the Asian stereotypes in school, such as being a brainiac, good at math, etc. I always wanted to defy these stereotypes, because I wasn't even full Asian, but in many ways they were true at the time. That said, a lot of people can usually tell I'm not full Asian, and don't put me in a box. However, not being in a box is it's own dilemma. It's a common gripe among the happa community that they don't fit anywhere. So ironically, I did kind of break out of the box, but coincidentally I don't really belong anywhere, ethnically. That said I grew up in one of the most diverse areas of the country, and while there were some cliques basesd on ethnicity, it wasn't that bad. All in all it hasn't affected me too much. One of the funniest things I've ever encountered was when I was at a diner in a very white republican area, and all I got was looks from the moment I stepped in the door. I was wondering if it's that bad for an Asian guy I wonder what it's like to be black in that situation.

 

[nonsequitur]

My SIL is from Taiwan and also gets called a banana. Interesting that you feel 'between worlds'. If you feel comfortable: when you say parts of you are very very Asian, what do you mean

I love your Grandparent's varying backgrounds and what the maternal side instilled in your Mom. I don't know you very well but from what I do, it seems like you took that message to heart also

You love Australian life? You will go back?

The part of me that is very very stereotypically Asian: survival/education first. I loved history but would never have done an arts degree at university because I needed a defined career path. Money is to be saved, re-invested. I'm highly risk-averse and am constantly thinking in terms of allocation of resources. I have a work ethic. I'm very circumspect about my relationships with other people. Now that I'm an adult, I would not ask my parents for financial help - it is my role to give them money and support them instead. I do not depend on my parents for emotional support either. I understand that it is my role as a child to be like a financial investment in a long-term bond with certain returns, and silent trophy to be shown off to relatives and society. That implies they are good people because they raised a successful child. Further, I am not to complain about being seen in these terms.

Thanks, I don't believe that I can be everything that I want to be - but I do think that it's in trying that we get to see beyond what we think possible.

Yes, I do! I will go back next year. That's how I'm very white - I still put my foot down for the life that I want to lead and make my own major life decisions.

 

[Blackmail!]

The first thing is to learn what is our own cultural heritage. This can take decades. The next thing is to apply critical thinking to our own cultural heritage. And the third thing is to add something new to our own cultural heritage for future generations.

But most of us don't even get to first base, never mind hit a home run. We are seduced by the worst in our culture and ignore the best.

I will always be fascinated how Americans seem to consider their ethnic roots to be their true "self", and how they frequently confuse phenotype and genotype, innate and acquired tastes.

Identity and culture are something completely different. I'm not who my ancestors were, however famous they were. I stand my ground here, in 2016.
The books I write are read and translated both in Europe, in America and in China. Just like those written by my father. So what ?
Transmission is just as important as reception, or as Mole pointed, "critical thinking".

Which words or references could really define me, if they exist ?

I like Mozart. Does that imply I'm part Austrian ?

 

[Cloudpatrol]

I will always be fascinated how Americans seem to consider their ethnic roots to be their true "self", and how they frequently confuse phenotype and genotype, innate and acquired tastes.

Identity and culture are something completely different. I'm not who my ancestors were, however famous they were. I stand my ground here, in 2016.
The books I write are read and translated both in Europe, in America and in China. Just like those written by my father. So what ?
Transmission is just as important as reception, or as Mole pointed, "critical thinking".

Which words or references could really define me, if they exist ?

I like Mozart. Does that imply I'm part Austrian ?

Hi! I haven't interacted with you before that I remember. Nice to 'meet you'.


Apologies, I am a little confused. Is this:

will always be fascinated how Americans seem to consider their ethnic roots to be their true "self", and how they frequently confuse phenotype and genotype, innate and acquired tastes.

a blanket statement or are you referring to the responders in this thread specifically? Because this thread consists of people from: Asia, Canada, Australia, America, New Zealand & the UK etc.

Identity and culture are something completely different. I'm not who my ancestors were, however famous they were. I stand my ground here, in 2016.

I don't think you are alone in thinking this. Here are some of the quotes from this very thread:

I think it's interesting to talk about heritage, but I don't really know a lot about mine.

Other than often being asked if I was Puerto Rican when I was younger, it doesn't affect me much.

influenced me in a way that I don't really care much about traditional culture

I really never felt that connected to my culture in any significant ways.

Which words or references could really define me, if they exist ?

I would think this is highly personal question that only you have the capacity to answer

I like Mozart. Does that imply I'm part Austrian ?

Again, not sure what part of THIS thread implies such a conclusion would be reached?

 

[Blackout]

Weird, about all the people feeling o ne side more then the other...how do you tell? I can't stereotypically define either ethnic sides all that well lol. I've been to a "Native" (blah, I feel queasy using that term" festival before, and I was quite surprised at how much I saw myself reflected in them, and I have felt myself often more sympathy for perhaps "tha colored" and often angry or resentful growing up towards racist (growing up seeing it from the predominate 'white' culture at the time) but now, not as much of course. I mostly feel a little inbetween, and don't really care for race matters all that much. I'm probably streotypically white in some regards but I don't know how because that culture is so dominate and has existed so long as such a dominate culture. I feel I relate to my western roots lately more then ever in certain ways, but not for anyways for reasons race related. I've realized that I'm probably as western as they come I suppose, and it's sad but I feel as though it's all been forgotten about now almost.

I'm French too, and I don't know, does that just fall under the bracket of "European"? I like them a lot, too. I almost feel like there's just "Free people's" running through my veins, and that's probably why I'm like this more then anything.

 

[Mole]

Which words or references could really define me, if they exist ?

I don't believe all cultures are equal. And this raises an interesting question: how do we know what is good and bad in a particular culture?

This is a very big question, so I orientate myself with a touchstone.

My touchstone is child rearing because child rearing substantially determines the personality.

And this is germane to Typology Central because it is devoted to personality.

And it turns out the history of child rearing shows a progression in child rearing from sacrificial child rearing, to abusive or blaming child rearing, to authoritarian or controlling child rearing, to finally to helping child rearing where the child is helped to achieve their life goals.

Each form of child rearing creates a particular form of personality from the paranoid personality, to the blaming personality, to the controlling personality, to finally the empathic and creative personality.

Do read the history of childhood by clicking on Chapter 1: The Evolution of Childhood | The Association for Psychohistory and read the critique by Alice Miller by clicking on Alice Miller: A critique of Lloyd deMause

 

[Beargryllz]

I am America

 

[Cloudpatrol]

I wish I could convey how helpful this was to me in understanding my SIL's parenting style I thank you from my heart for sharing = providing me with insight [MENTION=5076]nonsequitur[/MENTION]

The part of me that is very very stereotypically Asian: survival/education first. I loved history but would never have done an arts degree at university because I needed a defined career path. Money is to be saved, re-invested. I'm highly risk-averse and am constantly thinking in terms of allocation of resources. I have a work ethic. I'm very circumspect about my relationships with other people. Now that I'm an adult, I would not ask my parents for financial help - it is my role to give them money and support them instead.

It's lovely when children are responsible and wise with finances = and then CAN show filial gratitude!

I do not depend on my parents for emotional support either. I understand that it is my role as a child to be like a financial investment in a long-term bond with certain returns, and silent trophy to be shown off to relatives and society. That implies they are good people because they raised a successful child. Further, I am not to complain about being seen in these terms.

The bold is what I really recognize in my SIL and her family. I so appreciate you putting the words to what I have been trying to discern. The Asian side thinks our side is overly complimentary and focuses too much on the inner person. My side of the family is fascinated by the push to excel and long-term thinking. But, honestly, everyone is united for the one cause and I think the differences combine to form a great environment to grow within.

Thanks, I don't believe that I can be everything that I want to be - but I do think that it's in trying that we get to see beyond what we think possible.

Nice!

Yes, I do! I will go back next year. That's how I'm very white - I still put my foot down for the life that I want to lead and make my own major life decisions.

Cool. I respect this because ultimately: only we can be responsible for the consequences of our decision making processes.