My Family Culture

•If I was forced to select three personal items that could effective represent my family and our culture, I would first choose a cross statue. This cross has been passed down through about 3 generations and now lives with my mother waiting to be passed down to one of the next group of children. The cross represents our family’s faith and religious back ground. It is a clear symbol of what we believe, our values, and what we find important in life. The second item I would want to bring would be my hand-made Native American Chief sculpture. My great-grandmother created this sculpture and has also handed it down through generations. This items embodies our cultural background and family legacy. It shows the pride and strength of a family and an entire ethnic group that refuses to die. The last item I would

select a huge family photo album, which holds hundreds of pictures throughout many years and represents our family. For every family event from wedding, births, and baptisms to barbeques and family reunions we take loads of pictures and put them all in one book.

•I would most likely be devastated if I had now give up two of my three treasured items after we arrived in our new country. It was hard enough selecting three, and to have to be told I would have to limit it to one would be heart breaking. All three of those items have their own significance to my family and me.

•I really set down and thought about all the important things and symbols that could represent our family as a whole and noticed it was actually hard and confusing. Something that I think or hold as important or symbolic someone else in my family might not have the same feelings.  I also found myself looking for items that could show different segments of our culture, from religion, family lineage, and family heritage. I think I did a pretty good job narrowing my entire being into three items, even asking my parents if the items were good and appropriate (which they agreed).