The intent of this paper is to develop a better apprehension of African American and Mexican American civilizations in my part and their importance to United States society. every bit good as associating their similarities and differences to each other and my ain civilization. This will be done in an attempt to develop accomplishments that assist me in supplying my future pupils the chance to value diverseness and overcome cultural barriers and prejudices. This paper covers assorted facets of each civilization. get downing with the beliefs and traditions of each civilization.
In add-on to those countries. the aspects of faith. vacations. and nutrients of great significance to each civilization are explored. Finally. the most meaningful country in relation to my learning success is analyzed. The country of instruction is considered. concentrating on educational aspirations every bit good as the professions of members of these civilizations due to their educational backgrounds. After analyzing all of the facets. the civilizations will be compared and contrasted in an attempt to larn how to get the better of cultural differences. African American Family Life Family life is one of the most of import facets in the African American civilization.
This belief stems from both their African roots and early bondage. Keeping household members near was of import in both tribal Africa and among slaves. Your household is believed to give you strength and support ; this belief is still widely practiced today. African American households often visit both immediate every bit good as extended household. In fact. vicinity barbecues and parties are a common happening. African American households besides hold household reunions annually. which include several family names of households who may be closely related or every bit distant as 14th cousins or more.
Often times. non-relatives are besides invited and treated as household. Many African American vicinities are closely knit communities who frequently spend much of their trim clip socialising with one another. Because of this intimacy. many non-relatives become known as “play” household. These “play” household members have become such good friends to the household that they are treated as members of the drawn-out household. The aged are regarded as the caput of the household and are given the extreme regard. To the African American civilization. populating a long life means the individual is really wise and is frequently the first beginning for advice.
An senior is believed to hold led a fulfilled life and the funeral. therefore. is frequently celebrated as a joyous juncture. To the African American civilization. decease is merely go throughing from one kingdom of life to another. They believe their loved one is go forthing the immoralities of this universe behind for a utopia. so there is frequently a party after the burial service. African American Hairstyles and Names Many African American beliefs and traditions can be traced back to their original African roots. Locks and lacing are two of these. They are widely practiced hairdos among African Americans today. Both types of hairdos were started by folks in Africa.
Locks. normally called dread-locks. are common among the folks of South Africa. Because H2O is scarce and dust is prevailing in that country. locks are popular due to their easiness of care. Braiding. on the other manus. is an facet of worth among Western African folk. Often. the work forces of folks there receive a braided lock for accomplishing a significant achievement. Both of these traditional African hairdos made their manner to the United States with the slaves and are still of great importance to African American civilization today. as a method of exposing pride in their historical roots.
Another facet of African American civilization with ties to Africa is calling kids. Children are frequently given names with African roots. However. the members of the African American civilization have besides developed a set of names. which are uniquely African American. They frequently add the prefixes of La- . Le- . and Da- to their children’s names. which is sole merely to their civilization. African American Music African American civilization has given United States society assorted manners of music in the signifier of spiritual anthems and spirituals. wind. blues. and hip-hop.
Spirituals began with slaves on the plantations. They were frequently used to direct secret messages between each other because the plantation proprietors could non understand their significances. These vocals were spiritual common people vocals based on African music manners and were improvisational. The spirituals used assorted musical facets from smooth fluxing manners. which led to the animal sounds of wind. to sadness and desperation. which led to the blues. to spoken-word singsong. which finally led to hip-hop.
“Ethnomusicologists trace hip-hop’s roots to the dance. membranophone. and vocal of West African griots. or narrators. its coupling of word and music. and the manifestation of the painful journey of slaves who survived the in-between passage” ( McBride. 2007. p. 102 ) . African American Language The American English linguistic communication was besides greatly influenced by the African American civilization. particularly in the Southern United States. “African American Vernacular English ( AAVE ) is a fluctuation of the American English linguistic communication closely associated with the address of African Americans” ( Coulmas. 2005. p. 177 ) .
AAVE is considered by many as slang. and it is in prevalent usage by African Americans. every bit good as other civilizations. all over the United States today. African American Religion The Black Church has historically been a beginning of hope and strength for the African American community. Religion is an indispensable and built-in portion of their lives. with about 85 per centum of African Americans belonging to a Protestant denomination. In the African American society. God is viewed as the beginning of both good wellness and serious unwellness. The most common method of handling unwellness in the African American civilization is supplication.
It is expected in most churches that an person should show their best visual aspect for worship. African American adult females in peculiar are known for have oning vivacious frocks and suits. The Black Church is one of intense enthusiasm and high emotion. African American writer W. E. B. DuBois possibly captured the spirit of the Black Church best by saying. “Even in the thick of prophesying. the worshippers carried on a duologue with the sermonizer by shouting blessings or naming out comments aimed at promoting him to work harder to make his point” ( DuBois. 2005. pp. 184 – 185 ) .
It is non uncommon to hear an African American fold shouting “Amen! ” or “Preach it. Brother! ” or “You tell ‘em. Reverend” in agreeance with their curate or to hear the choir repeating “Well? ” behind the dais to progress the pastor’s following words. The full universe could larn from the African American culture’s passion for Christ. African American Holidays The African American civilization has several vacations which non merely assist its members connect to their historical roots but assist the remainder of society in placing the important impact African Americans have had on determining the United States.
One manner this is done is through Black History Month. Each February. telecasting webs and schools throughout the United States celebrate the parts of assorted African Americans to the universe. One of the persons focused on during Black History Month is Martin Luther King Jr. . whose quest for equality. peace. and civil rights was so powerful in determining American society that his birthday is another of import vacation in the African American civilization. Now recognized as a national federal vacation. Martin Luther King Jr.
Day is celebrated nationally on January 15. Another important vacation is Juneteenth. The intelligence of the Emancipation Proclamation subscribing reached the slaves of the South on June 19. 1865. and the slaves responded by holding a immense jubilation. Today. Juneteenth allows African Americans the chance to observe freedom and is celebrated all over the United States with nutrient. storytelling. games. music. and African American civilization. “Each twelvemonth. over 13 million African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa” ( Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. 2003. P.
57 ) . This vacation uses imposts from the harvest jubilations of Africa and was developed to assist African Americans celebrate their heritage. This vacation lasts seven yearss and focal points on seven rules of the Swahili people. Upon a unity mat sits a candleholder with seven tapers. and one taper is illuminated each twenty-four hours to stand for one of the rules. Christmas is another of import vacation for African Americans because of the Black Nativity drama performed in many churches.
Originally written by Langston Hughes. it is a retelling of the authoritative birth narrative. merely with an entirely African American dramatis personae and Gospel manner Christmas carols. A major public presentation of this drama is held annually in Boston at Tremont Temple by The National Center of African-american Artists ( NCAAA ) . who refer to Black Nativity as. “a legendary Christmas event and the Black community’s Christmas gift to the world” ( NCAAA. 2008 ) . African American Foods The nutrients of the African Americans besides play an of import function in most civilizations of the United Stated.
These nutrients. normally referred to as psyche nutrient. have become widely popular throughout the United States. Many of these nutrients such as black-eyed peas. cornbread. leafy vegetables. Sweet murphies. macaroni and cheese. and deep fried nutrients were originally eaten in Africa and made their manner to the United States with the slaves. While others. such as chitterlingss. cervix castanetss. and ham Rhine wines. were created by the slaves out of necessity. During their clip in imprisonment. they were merely fed the garbages that their proprietors would non eat. emmet they had to detect methods of cooking these points in such a manner that they would be comestible.
African American Education and Employment African Americans in Mississippi unluckily live in one of the poorest provinces in the state. and their instruction is influenced by that factor. The hapless economic province of Mississippi greatly hinders the public school system here due to miss of support. In the Mississippi Delta. where the population is about wholly African American. “the economic system is so low that obtaining a quality instruction is highly difficult” ( U. S. Commission on Civil Rights. 2001. p. 36 ) .
The deficiency of a quality instruction hinders Mississippi’s figure of high school and college alumnuss. but for African Americans the figure is highly sedate. Merely 47. 3 per centum of African American pupils in Mississippi will gain a high school sheepskin. and of that per centum. merely 8. 8 per centum of them will travel on to gain a bachelor’s grade or higher” ( U. S. Commission on Civil Rights. 2001. p. 36 ) . It is a widely known fact that non graduating high school greatly influences a person’s fiscal and professional hereafter.
With less than half of the African American population of Mississippi graduating high school. the poverty degree among these persons is evidently high. The figure of African American households populating below poorness degree is enormous. particularly in majority-black communities like one would happen in the Mississippi Delta. “The per centum of black households with incomes below the poorness degree runs from a depression of 46. 4 per centum in Washington County to a high of 68 per centum in Tunica County. and most Mississippi counties are marked by double-digit unemployment rates” ( U. S. Commission on Civil Rights. 2001. P.
1 – 2 ) . The persons who are employed are most likely employed in a place that pays the federal minimal pay rate. such as fast nutrient or retail ironss. due to the low high school graduation rate. Overall. the African American civilization in Mississippi is at a great disadvantage when it comes to educational and professional success. Mexican American Family Life Family intimacy is an of import facet of Mexican American civilization. every bit good. Not merely do the members of this civilization pass a great trade of clip with their households. but they frequently all live together under one roof.
It is non uncommon for grandparents. parents. kids. cousins. aunts. and uncles to all unrecorded in the same place. The full household is involved in all facets of each other’s lives. with the seniors being the most well-thought-of and august members of the household. Children are expected to honour their households no affair the fortunes. Their actions must ne’er convey shame to their household. and traditional Mexican American households are really rigorous on their kids in an attempt to maintain them from take parting in dishonourable Acts of the Apostless.
These values of award. regard. and household endearment are carried out in decease every bit good. When a loved one passes off. they are dressed in particular vesture and remain in the household place overnight. While in the household place. a aftermath is held. and friends and household bring nutrient to function at the aftermath. Merely the household so accompanies the organic structure to the grave. No service is held. but the household members sing spiritual Spanish anthem. “Most important is the position on decease held by many Mexican American Catholics that. instead than an terminal. decease is seen as a new beginning” ( Diaz-Stevens & A ; Stevens Arroyo. 1998. P.
73 ) . Because of this position. for old ages after the original aftermath. on the same day of the month. those who attended it will reunite to observe the life and passing of their loved 1. Mexican American Names and Language For the most portion. Mexican Americans stay true to their original Mexican heritage and civilization. While a few Mexican American households choose to call their kids more traditional American names. the bulk of parents choose names with Mexican ties and significances. like Javier. Joaquin. Carmen. and Rosa. Another manner. Mexican Americans stay connected to their heritage is through their linguistic communication.
Even fluid English talkers tend to talk Spanish with other members of their civilization. as opposed to English. Mexican American parents who choose to learn their kids to talk English learn them Spanish as good and most frequently speak to them in the Spanish linguistic communication. Mexican Americans besides choose to integrate Spanish music and telecasting into their day-to-day lives. In fact. the involvement is so high among Mexican Americans to hold Spanish telecasting in the United States that overseas telegram and orbiter suppliers have particular bundles created particularly for the Latino people. which include channels from Mexico such as Telemundo and Univision.
Mexican American Quinces Another tradition of Mexican American households is a Cydonia oblonga. “No affair how Americanized a Latina is. opportunities are she will look frontward to her Cydonia oblonga. No affair how economically tight her parents might be. they will keep the tradition” ( Figueredo. 2002. p. 152 ) . A Cydonia oblonga is the Mexican equivalent to a sweet 16 party combined with a debutant ball. The Cydonia oblonga takes topographic point on a girl’s 15th birthday and is really formal. The birthday miss has several female amahs and male bodyguards in her tribunal.
The tribunal makes its expansive entryway. and the birthday miss and her male parent Begin to waltz. Soon. the full tribunal joins in. and one time the walk-in is complete. the party continues. every bit would an American Sweet 16 party. Mexican American Religion Religion and supplication are really of import to the Mexican American civilization. “Approximately 80 per centum of the Mexican American population is of the Catholic faith” ( Figueredo. 2002. p. 166 ) . Mexican Americans are a really superstitious people. often have oning medallions or talismans for protection.
The bar of unwellness and unfortunate events is believed to be accomplished with supplication. have oning spiritual relics. and maintaining spiritual appeals in the place. Many places have shrines for supplication in them ; these shrines contain spiritual statues. images of assorted saints. and prayer tapers. The household members gather at these shrines. light the supplication tapers and strictly pray. Mexican American Holidays Holidays are of great significance in the Mexican civilization. and many of the vacations celebrated in Mexico are still celebrated by Mexican Americans in the United States.
Semana Santa celebrates the Christian vacation of Easter and runs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The most indispensable facet of this vacation is go toing mass on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. “Live representations of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion take topographic point in many communities…people from the communities assume the functions of Jesus. Virgin Mary. St. Peter. St. John. and many other characters” ( Michigan State University. 2008 ) . Cinco de Mayo is celebrated annually on May 5 and commemorates the licking of the Gallic ground forces by the Mexicans at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.
“This triumph gave the Mexican people pride in their state and the spirit of freedom and is celebrated in assorted parts of Mexico and in U. S. metropoliss with a important Mexican American population” ( Michigan State University. 2008 ) . The Day of the Dead is a jubilation that represents the integrity between life and decease. On October 31. relations decorate the gravesite of their loved 1s in readying for the return of their loved one’s psyche. They besides decorate an communion table at their place with exposures of the loved one and some of the loved one’s favourite points.
The Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe is a really of import spiritual vacation among Mexican Americans. It is believed that a female appeared to an Indian. outside of Mexico City. and said she was the female parent of God. She left an image of herself on his cactus-cloth. “It [ the fabric ] should hold deteriorated in twenty old ages but shows no mark of decay 477 old ages later” ( Michigan State University. 2008 ) . She has become a esteemed spiritual figure for Mexican American Catholics. and her vacation is celebrated on December 12 each twelvemonth by go toing a particular mass service.
The Christmas vacation season for the Mexican American civilization runs from December 16 through February 2 each twelvemonth and is combined with traditional Christian facets every bit good as particular Mexican celebrations. The first of these is Las Posadas. which is nine back-to-back yearss of candlelight emanations and parties. Neighborhood households gather to reenact the sanctum family’s dark in Bethlehem. The breakage of the pinata is a really of import facet of this vacation. The 2nd of these is Noche Buena. which is the extremum of vacation celebrations. with the jubilation of a midnight mass on Christmas Eve.
After the mass. the households enjoy a traditional Christmas supper. common to the United States. of Meleagris gallopavo. jambon. and other common Christmas dinner points. The household so opens gifts and celebrates with a pinata and ices. Christmas Day is traditionally set aside for remainder. The concluding of these jubilations occurs on January 6 and is called Dia de Los Tres Reyes Magos. This twenty-four hours celebrates the reaching of the Wise Men in Bethlehem. Mexican American kids wake up to playthings and other gifts.
Rosca de Reyes is served on this twenty-four hours. which is a crown-shaped sweet staff of life decorated with jewel-like sugar-coated fruits and a bantam plastic babe hidden indoors. Whoever finds the babe in their piece is required to host a party before the Christmas vacation season ends on February 2. Mexican American Foods “Tex-Mex is a term used to depict a regional American culinary art that blends nutrient merchandises available in the United States and the culinary creative activities of Mexican Americans influenced by the culinary arts of Mexico” ( Barrios Trevino. 2002. p. 3 ) .
Many dishes such as chili. fajitas. salsa. quesadillas. burritos. and nachos are non true Mexican dishes but were invented in the United States by Mexican Americans. Even dishes cooked here that originated in Mexico. like greaser. are non prepared in the same mode they would be in Mexico. While Mexican American Tex-Mex dishes are cooked to be hot. topped with dozenss of cheese. and served in big parts. true Mexican dishes are precisely the antonym. Therefore. Mexican Americans coined their ain manner of cookery and created some of the United States most loved dishes.
Mexican American Education and Employment Unfortunately. the graduation rates for Mexican Americans are really low. The linguistic communication barrier between the Mexican American civilization and the English talking population of the United States combined with the duty on many Mexican Americans to work to assist back up household in Mexico no uncertainty lend to this. “Only about half. 48. 7 per centum. of the Mexican American population finish their high school instruction. and a mere 15. 4 per centum of those pupils earn at least a bachelor’s degree” ( U. S.
Dept of Commerce Bureau of the Census. 2003 p. 5 ) . The bulk of Mexican Americans gain employment at blue-collar occupations such as building or in the eating house industry. Many Mexican Americans come to the United States illicitly. which causes them to look for employment with employers who will look past their position. Bing here illicitly or working a blue-collar occupation means that most Mexican Americans must settle for low rewards of minimal pay or somewhat higher. Similarities Between the Two Cultures Conducting this research led to the surprising find of several similarities.
Both civilizations desire to stay near to their households. both immediate and extended. by non merely seeing each other frequently but besides buy holding parties and get-togethers. Both civilizations rely greatly on the aged members of their civilization for their cognition and advice and handle them with the extreme regard and endearment. While the existent proceedings of the funeral are rather different. the civilizations are the same in that they see decease as a new beginning and. hence. a cause for jubilation. Both civilizations are besides proud of their heritage.
This can be seen in everything from their celebratory traditions during certain vacations to giving their kids names. which are alone to their civilization. Another similarity is the strong portion faith and supplication drama in the lives of the members of each civilization. In both civilizations. supplication is believed to supply comfort and protection. Finally. the most demoralizing subject which is common among both civilizations is the high dropout rate among high school pupils and the fact that most members of each civilization are employed in low paying places either due to a deficiency of instruction or chance.
Differences Among the Two Cultures As suspected. the research besides led to the find of many differences among the civilizations as good. As antecedently mentioned. the burial procedure of a loved one is rather different among the civilizations. African Americans tend to hold elaborate. celebratory services honouring the life of their loved one and ask for all friends and household members to the burial service. The organic structure is normally sent to a funeral place for readying and entombment. Mexican Americans. on the other manus. maintain the organic structure in their place and invite friends and household to pay their respects during a aftermath.
The organic structure is ab initio prepared by the household for the aftermath. and merely household members attend the existent entombment. Although African American households work hard to maintain their households near. merely their immediate household lives in the place with them unless fortunes cause otherwise. while Mexican Americans rather frequently live in a place with many relations of both their immediate and extended household. Their faiths and spiritual patterns are besides really different. Most all African Americans are of a Protestant denomination. while most all Mexican Americans are Catholic.
The Catholic services of Mexican Americans tend to be really quiet and grave. while African American services are really loud. emotional personal businesss. with frequent cries of congratulations and vocalizing. Shrines are besides really of import to Mexican American supplication. while African Americans choose to pray about anyplace. They do non experience the demand to pray at a peculiar topographic point or around peculiar points. Another major difference is in the types of nutrients each civilization consumes. African Americans tend to eat a batch of veggies and fried nutrients. heavy in salt.
Mexican Americans. nevertheless. eat repasts. which include a batch of meat and tortillas with really few veggies. which include tomatoes. onions. and hot Piper nigrums. Using the Undertaking to the Classroom Acknowledging the features of each civilization. along with the similarities and differences in each civilization. will help one in get the better ofing cultural barriers and prejudices. The information in this undertaking will turn out to be really utile inside a schoolroom. It could be used in several ways. the first being to learn pupils about each civilization. The 2nd manner would be to learn pupils how the civilizations are likewise or different.
The concluding manner would assist pupils compare the civilizations to their ain. One manner this information could be applied is by learning pupils about a vacation unique to one of the civilizations. For illustration. on or shut to December 16. the instructor could inquire the pupils to come to school dressed as a character from the birth narrative such as an angel. a Wise Man. or a shepherd. Then. after analyzing about Las Posadas and even holding a Mexican American pupil state a narrative about the vacation if possible. the pupils could exhibit up and down the hallways of the school and stop their celebrations by taking bends seeking to interrupt a pinata.
Another manner this information could be applied is to hold the kids write a narrative about a household jubilation or assemblage and so holding each pupil read their narrative aloud. By making this. each kid will hold the chance to see similarities and differences between each cultural group represented in the schoolroom. This would besides assist minority groups such as African Americans and Mexican Americans identify with bulk pupils and travel toward organizing bonds. A concluding manner this information could be applied is by analyzing the nutrients eaten by both civilizations.
The instructor could read a narrative about the nutrients of both civilizations and explicate the beginnings of each culture’s nutrients. During this lesson. the pupils should try assorted nutrients from both civilizations. By making this. the pupils will non merely be larning about another civilization and having the chance to seek something new but will besides most likely discover that they have already had many of the nutrients from both civilizations but were incognizant of it. Each civilization has facets. which are alone merely to that civilization. However. both civilizations besides have facets. which can be related to one’s ain civilization.
In any event. both civilizations are unambiguously beautiful and contribute to the United States society and civilization as a whole and should therefore non merely be respected but besides treasured. In its ain manner. each civilization. combined with all of the other civilizations of the United States people make our state the greatly extraordinary state that it is. ? References Barrios Trevino. D. ( 2002 ) . Los Barrios household cookery book: Tex-Mex formulas from the bosom of San Antonio. New York. New york: Villard Books. ( Primary Source ) Coulmas. F. ( 2005 ) . Sociolinguisticss: The survey of speakers’ picks.
Cambridge. Ma: Cambridge University Press. ( Secondary Beginning ) Diaz-Stevens. A. M. & A ; Stevens Arroyo. A. M. ( 1998 ) . Acknowledging the Latino revival in U. S. faith. Boulder. Carbon monoxide: Westview Press. ( Secondary Source ) DuBois. W. E. B. ( 2005 ) . The psyche of black common people. New York. New york: Simon and Schuster. ( Primary Source ) Figueredo. D. H. ( 2002 ) . The complete idiot’s usher to Latino history and civilization. New York. New york: Alpha Books. ( Secondary Source ) McBride. J ( 2007. April ) . Hip hop planet. National Geographic. 211 ( 4 ) . 100-118. ( Secondary Beginning )
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