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Culture?
Zayl
Veteran
Now I know that since this is the internet, you will come across people of all nations and creeds. So, tell me about your culture, your heritage and ancestry. I think it is important to recognize these difference in one another, so we can embrace and celebrate them, and show pride in where we come from. No matter your views, no matter how stubborn you may be you cannot escape the fact that some culture or another has practically shaped every thing about you, whether you like it or not. And for us mix-breeds which heritage do you feel a stronger tie to, if any? Please remember folks that I believe it is entirely possible to show pride in where you come from without excluding all others and being ignorant, it is possible. So let's leave that entire can of worms unopened, shall we?
Now. I feel a very strong connection to my Caucasian, specifically Scandinavian heritage. And I find it's ancient culture to be very fascinating. Full of ideals and laws that come from not logic, but wisdom and honor. Not to mention a very rich history of art and music, and some of the best story-telling I have personally heard. Now of course ancient cultures had their problems, and I am not ignoring them.
This is example of some traditional woodworking adorning a building at Urnes Stave Church, in Norway. Along with other various runestones and other wood carvings, something about the artwork is rather astonishing and beautiful in a primal way. I also own a copy of the Havamal, an ancient "code of conduct" or what have you, still kept up by modern Asatruars. Now the entire thing is far too long to put down here, but I will share a few of my favorite verses. Bear in mind, they are not in exact order and I am skipping many.
So please, share what you have pride in here, I am eager to learn about different cultures and arts and wisom.
Now. I feel a very strong connection to my Caucasian, specifically Scandinavian heritage. And I find it's ancient culture to be very fascinating. Full of ideals and laws that come from not logic, but wisdom and honor. Not to mention a very rich history of art and music, and some of the best story-telling I have personally heard. Now of course ancient cultures had their problems, and I am not ignoring them.
This is example of some traditional woodworking adorning a building at Urnes Stave Church, in Norway. Along with other various runestones and other wood carvings, something about the artwork is rather astonishing and beautiful in a primal way. I also own a copy of the Havamal, an ancient "code of conduct" or what have you, still kept up by modern Asatruars. Now the entire thing is far too long to put down here, but I will share a few of my favorite verses. Bear in mind, they are not in exact order and I am skipping many.
As you can see, no matter where you look, you can find words of wisdom. Now, you can hear the Havamal sung in the video below, if you wish.
The man who stands at a strange threshold,
Should be cautious before he cross it,
Glance this way and that:
Who knows beforehand what foes may sit
Awaiting him in the hall?
Drink your mead, but in moderation,
Talk sense or be silent:
No man is called discourteous who goes
To bed at an early hour
An ill tempered, unhappy man
Ridicules all he hears,
Makes fun of others, refusing always
To see the faults in himself
A man should be loyal through life to friends,
And return gift for gift,
Laugh when they laugh,
but with lies repay
A false foe who lies.
The halt can manage a horse,
the handless a flock,
The deaf be a doughty fighter,
To be blind is better than to burn on a pyre:
There is nothing the dead can do.
Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But the good name never dies
Of one who has done well
That hand among the hides
And move amid the guts,
Clear words often come.
Scoff not at guests nor to the gate chase them,
But relieve the lonely and wretched,
So please, share what you have pride in here, I am eager to learn about different cultures and arts and wisom.
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Comments
I'm mestizo...a mixture of Spanish and Mayan blood...or central American.
I have tan skin, dark eyes, and speak Spanish and English.
I was born and raised in Texas...yeehaw!
What I find about the Mayan culture fascinating is that they built cities near active volcanos...such as the capital of Mexico, their mathematics and of course, creepy 2012 calendar.
I'm actually very lucky to have that lineage...I do very well in hot climates, compare to my poor Irish husband.
When I was in my teen years in the UK, I never felt quite like everyone else. I was brought up to have a sort of european cultured mindset instead of an English island race so to speak. I was more accepting of other cultures and races, and when it came to the typical brit bashing Germany and Germans, you can understand how I felt.
Now living in Thailand I feel more at home in this culture than I ever have anywhere else. I do not know why exactly, but I feel that this place suits me very well indeed.
Mayan--very cool. I've visited many of the ruined cities. They didn't build anything as far north as Mexico City, that was the Aztecs. The Maya were (are) in both the highlands (near volcanos) and the lowlands (the Yucatan, Honduras, islands on the Caribbean coast). They did trade far and wide, though, all the way up to northern Mexico and the American Southwest. Fascinating.
Tom...that's cool. I kinda feel more at home with Tex Mexico culture than Honduran.
So not that uncommon.
But country music is soo sad!
"Culture", me? Just generic American. I'm a huge fan of cultural diversity, though. I think cultural diversity is one of humanity's greatest gifts and, sadly, one of its greatest stumbling blocks.
PARTICIPATE!
It was her light skin and green eyes...my father was Indian brown.
Yay, mental illness.
Did you have a barmitzbah?
So I have some German but culturally and by appearance I am Danish American. My dads family lives in Northern Iowa in a small town of Danish Lutherans. Instead of a rodeo queen they elect a Little Mermaid. Very cute. I tried to learn Danish when I was younger but didn't get far (my grandma refused to speak Danish to me). We celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve mostly. And everyone in the family can make vinebred (Danish pastry, this year was the first apricot one I did, yum) We don't use it often but I have an aebelskiver pan (pancake balls, they sell on the 'as seen on TV' deals now, sigh)
So I was researching my next tattoo and I am totally into the raven. I had 2 reasons (visit by animal/totem and Poe) and then I read about the Valkyrie connection. Super cool,
Do you bleed chocolate? Ummm, chocolate...oh shit, I forgot v day candy went on sale today.
Sorry...
I might try your ethnic dish this year for Xmas. Muslims still celebrate Xmas.
I have a couple Russian recipes for cold salads from a Russian family I babysat for. The little girl spoke no English and it was fun to teach her English. So beet salad and green bean salad, yum.
The thing about good Swiss chocolate is that it's very creamy, they don't skimp on the cream. Cream is more expensive than sugar, so in the US, the chocolate is sweet, not creamy.
Hey, we've had several tea threads in the past, how about starting a chocolate thread?
I agree, the baking chips are better.
The Russian part is all very mysterious since my grandmother broke all ties with her family and never really talked about it much. About all I know is that we hail from the part of Russia near the Ukraine... which may or may not have actually been the Ukraine since my family immigrated to the US while it was still the USSR. My father always calls it "White Russia" ...whatever that means.
All I can tell you about being Swedish is that we eat a lot of dry crackers (knäckebröd... which I can only seem to find at IKEA, haha, but whatever. My grandmother loves it.) and any sort of canned/jarred/pickled fish you can think of. Oh, and we drink A LOT of coffee. That's what being Swedish in America means to me, lol.
haha! Crackers! It's true, the Swedes have maybe 50 varieties of knackebrod, at least! Crackers (aka flatbread) and cheese, cucumbers. I don't know how they manage to be so healthy on a relatively limited diet. But fish is good for you, and traditionally they used to gather berries and make juice and jam out of the berries. Russians/Ukes did that, too. Oh, oh, and pancakes, like crepes, but heavier.
Hey, Lady_Alison, I just remembered: the Mayans invented chocolate! No wonder you like it!
I thought Belarus was an island in the caribean...I'm learning new things everyday!
:thumbsup:
Multi-lingual, and they all get along!
The Swedish side of my family is the freakishly healthy side. My great grandfather wouldn't even let my grandmother drink water with her meal because it dilutes the digestive enzymes... which is true. My grandmother always gathers every sort of berry to make jam... but I think that's a grandma thing, not just a Swedish thing, haha.