Cultural Diversity - Research Paper Example

Introduction Florida is occupied by people of different cultures. There are dominant cultures and minority ones and their core values, lifestyles and other cultural practices are quite different. Minority cultures include Hispanic and African Americans among others. Hispanic culture is associated with anybody with linguistic or cultural antecedents in Spain. They are considered monolithic group of Americas and their cultures are referred to as mosaic culture. This notion is true due to the fact that there are very many Hispanic sub-groups with profound differences in their culture, origin and ethnicity. Florida state and its communities have been enriched by the Hispanic culture and its history. This culture has affected the way of life in numerous ways. (Collins, Cathleen and Esquibel, 2006) argued that the lifestyles of Hispanics have been adopted by other minority and majority cultures. Consequently, the culture of the whole state continues to benefit from the intellectual and cultural exchange between different people. Religion, dietary practices and social practices are the most common features which differentiate one culture from the other. This research paper attempts to explain the core cultural practices of Hispanics and African Americans. Description of Hispanic Culture According to Basiotis & Lino (2000), Hispanics are spreading to the whole of Florida State and the entire country. It is estimated that they will be the largest minority group in 21st century. Most of these people reside in urban areas such as Providence, Pawtucket and Central Falls. Hispanics are racially diverse and their roots include India, Europe and Africa. Youth represents the largest part of the population which sharply contrasts with aging US population. It is easy to distinguish Hispanics from other group of people living in Florida State because of their unique naming. A child is named after relatives or religious figures as their first name whereas their middle name represents the last name of the biological father. The mother’s last name becomes the last name of the child. According to Hispanic culture, wives are at discretion to keep their maiden names and add on their husband’s names. Furthermore, Hispanic surnames are not really Spanish. For instance, the founding father of Chile, presidents of Peru and Argentina were named as O’Hoggins, Fujimori and Menem respectively. This unique way of giving names makes the culture very distinct. Hispanics consider family as a primary source of support. Members of the same family are closely knitted and support each other emotionally and financially. People who are related by blood can belong to the same family; a characteristic which does not feature in other cultures. In the family structure, the eldest male is mandated to head the rest of the family members and should act as a role model to the rest. Every member of the family must participate in crucial decision making unlike in other cultures where the elders are mandated to make decisions without consulting the younger people. Hispanics have a tendency of placing utmost value on personal affairs than those of institutions. Co-operation and trust amongst individuals are the hallmark of the social structure practiced by the Hispanics. They dislike formal and impersonal structures. Young people are expected to show maximum respect to the older people and other authority figures within the society. When young persons are conversing with an older or an authority figure, they should address them as uste (Academics on Hispanic culture and Health Care, 2000). Diet and food is also a very unique feature of the Hispanic culture. They rely so much on beans and grains as their stable food. They do not consume much of food stuffs such as proteins, leafy green vegetables, dairy products or any other diet which has protein. Hispanics eat a great deal of tropical fruits, starchy root vegetables and fruit juices (Academics on Hispanic culture and Health Care, 2000). African Americans Culture This culture came into being due to contributions of Americans of African origins whose cultural practices descend to the general culture practiced in the United States. The culture is deeply rooted in the historical experience of the African American people. This is a distinctive feature of this culture. The culture has influenced American culture in a big way. Anthropological field research reveals that African Americans have not lost cultural ties with Africa. There are continuums of African traditions as shown by Africans in the Diaspora. The African American culture continued to flourish after emancipation. There were a lot of radical innovations in music, art, cuisine and religion. During ancient days, African American leaders prohibited written communication. They considered that African based oral traditions were the best ways of preserving African history, morals and other cultural norms. They did not rely on written words hence cultural elements were passed from generation to generation through story telling. Story telling and folktales were used as the primary means of inspiring and educating others. African Americans have affected development of modern day Florida States through their great contribution in culture, education, business and government. The vibrant cultural heritage has influenced many opportunities in the Unite States. Plantations have flourished due to their efforts (Collins, Cathleen, & Esquibel, 2006). Basiotis & Lino (2000) pointed out that the diet and food practices of African American people reflect creative responses to racial oppression. Most of them use many agricultural products like yams, peanuts, rice, watermelon, indigo, dyes and grits among others. They use hearty cuisine or soul food which can be easily procured through farming (p. 65). Discussion and Conclusion Similarities between African American Culture and Hispanic Culture Koster (2007) argued that the two cultures have some common characteristics. In both cultures, people believe in a supreme being. Research study indicates that a large number of people interviewed or interrogated believe in God as a determination for good health. One of the respondents from Hispanic culture said, “I go to church everyday and it is my medicine.” On the other hand, an African American respondent said, “Prayer and belief in the Lord (make you a healthy person).” In both cultures, there is a belief of helping others. They believe that helping others is the best way of defining oneself. It is interesting that both cultures’ prioritizes this aspect. Socialization is highly valued by both cultures as they believe that all people should socialize in a friendly way. The kind of food used by both group of people are the same as evident by the fact that people from both cultures consume most agricultural foods such as rice, peanuts, yams among others (p. 25). Differences between Hispanic Culture and African American Culture From the research study, we can identify that Hispanic religion is quite different from African American one. Hispanic religion is based on Catholic backgrounds since their ancestors were Spaniards. This is evidenced by the fact that most of the people from this culture believed that Catholic Church is the only church that was established by Jesus Christ. On the other hand, African Americans are predominantly Protestants and Muslims. This is supported by the fact that most of them do not perform rituals and other religious externals which are performed by the Catholic Community. Byrd (2006) commented that Hispanics like salsa rhythms and dance whereas African Americans favor rap, break dancing and rhythm of blues (p. 60). Importance of the Project: Application in Classroom The information contained in the research paper helps students in cosmopolitan institutions to understand their cultural differences. This enables them to appreciate one another hence promoting positive relationships amongst them. It helps to eliminate racial discrimination that commonly affects students learning in an institution with people of different racial origins. Importantly, teachers can adopt the project in promoting national and international cohesion amongst students from all parts of the world. They can build positive interaction by teaching the students from diverse communities on the importance of positive socialization. It increases the scope of mind amongst teachers on matters which affect cultures in the existing communities. Professionals are able to build their knowledge about relationships between different cultures in a country (Florida Research & Economic Database, 2006). Conclusion The two cultures have influenced greatly all aspects of living in the Florida State. Notably, the cultural practices by the people in this State encompass are both dominant and minor cultures. This implies that minor cultures have also affected the dominant cultures in many ways (Browne, 2006). Conceptual Map showing the variables which characterize the two cultures. References Academics on Hispanic culture and Health Care (2000), Retrieved from www.public.asu.edu/~cbaldwi1/swborderlands/lch.htm - Internet Sources Basiotis, P. & Lino, M. (2000). “Report Card on the Diet Quality of African Americans.” Family economics and nutrition review 131(6), 60-67- Secondary Source Byrd, M. (2006). Differences between Hispanics and African Americans. Journal of American culture, 21(2), 23-67. Browne, R. (2006). Alabama Folk Songs: Ph.D. Dissertation. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 12-45. Primary Source Collins, M., Cathleen, A. & Esquibel, K. (2006). Definitions of Health: Comparison of Hispanic and African- American Elders. Journal of American culture, 12(3), 264 -Secondary Source. Report on Ancient and Future Catholics (2006) - Primary Source. Florida Research & Economic Database (FRED) (2006) - Government Source Hispanic America USA Koster, W. (2007). Minority health facts: Hispanics/Latinos in Florida. San Francisco: University of California Press. 20-34 - Secondary Source. http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/content.htm Persons, G. (2005). Contemporary Patterns of Politics, Praxis, and Culture. National Political Science Review, Vol. 10(2), 213-234. Secondary Source Read More