How does Culture Affect my Identity

      1.How has diffusion, assimilation, and multiculturalism affected your identity?

    Well diffusion, assimilation, and multiculturalism has affected my identity both negatively and positively. Diffusion has a affected my roots because in Somali history when Italy took over most Somalis started speaking Italian as their second language. So my grandparents and parents both speak Italian so I have to learn Italian as well, so I don’t get lost with my cultural roots, and don’t forget who I am and where I come from.

     Multiculturism has affected in an amazing way. Before coming to Toronto I used to live in Quebec, and Quebec is an very narrow minded and closed when it comes to different cultures emerging into one. I would 

   have to hide sometimes who I was because there was not

   many kids from different cultures and religions. Most schools were Catholic schools so they

     looked down upon other cultural aspects.

   

     But when moving to Toronto I felt a great sense of unity. I saw kids from a Pakistan, or Chinese, and African backgrounds being good friends you don’t see that in Quebec, it’s usually people hanging with their own kind. But after living the multi life for 7 years I understood 

     what it means to know where you from come, 

showed me that where you come from makes you unique,                                                                    and it opened my mind to different people, and what they believe. 

     But when moving to Toronto I felt a great sense of unity. I saw kids from a Pakistan, or Chinese, and African backgrounds being good friends you don’t see that in Quebec, it’s usually people hanging with their own kind. But living after living the multi life for 7 years I understood what it means to know where you from come, showed me that where you come from makes you unique, and it opened my mind to different people, and what they believe. 

      Assimilation is both a good and bad thing in my opinion.  It’s good because it brings other people with different cultures together and emerge into one. But it’s also a bad thing because it could affect other peoples cultural/religious practices like for a me it mandatory to pray 5 times but the school schedule interferes with that. It affects my identity I want to fit in with everyone but at the same time I live up to my religious standards.

     2.       Reflect on 3 rites of passages that you will to go through and see how they were similar/ different to cultures.

   Passage 1 Sikh Wedding:  The groom receives a sword from their uncle/father and the nephews carry it in. The groom usually makes a grand entrance like riding a horse for example. The Arday prayers are recited by the guests. While the ceremony is being performed the woman’s face is covered with a sash or veil. During the ceremony the priest or gnick sits and the sash is unveiled. The couple sits down and listens to sacred prayers. This happens after the couples’s soul exchange. The ceremony is done with family, and friends. The meaning of this is marriage, commitment, and eternal love.

    

     

           In my culture this passage really differs because you are not suppose to make a grand entrance or carry swords, you are suppose to keep modest, and you cannot carry weapons of any kinds because you want to come in this new commitment as a person who love everyone and everything. Also in Somali culture instead of the ceremony being done in front of everyone the ceremony is strictly with the brides and grooms parents.  Also the girl is suppose to stay covered to show that she is committed with her husband and will only be modest. There are some similarities, like prayers are said by your guests for blessing, and the reason for the prayers, are for marriage, commitment, and eternal love.

    Passage 2 Maasai (Euonote):  The ceremony takes place at a mud hut. The graduating warrior must shave their long ochre stain hair, which is done by the warrior’s mother. During the festival, a animals horn is set on fire,and 

     the warriors are forced to take a piece of the horn before it burns out. The Euntois perform this ritual for the boys when they reach the age of 10. It is

       a transition from warrior to senior warrior. It also permits them to get married, which prepares to be future fathers.

   

    Some similarities with my culture is that once the child hits the age of 11 they must be able to read the Quran, pray 5 times a day, and fast during Ramadan, this will prepare the young man for marriage and fatherhood. 
   The reason it is similar to the Maasai is not the rituals but the meaning purposes behind the rituals that make it so important and meaningful.  






Marriage is another rite of passage that is important to me because once a girl hits   

     3.       Does race exist? Should race race exist? What is the impact of having race exist within a culture? Explain from a cultural and physical anthropological perspective the concepts of human variation, race, and ethnicity.

   Yes race does exist; it exists everywhere we go, anyone we judge. It is socially constructed classification of who, what, and where we belong. I don’t believe race should exist because it judges as a whole and not individually. For example in Somali and African American/American culture are considered the same thing because of our skin, clothing, and hair style are similar. But that reasoning is not a fair thing because society

    only looks at the Somali males. 

   If you look at Somali female

   they are completely covered,

  they are lighter in skin. So

   because society looks at the males somewhat inappropriate behavior they consider black neighborhoods as a bad and dangerous place which is not                                                      the case.

    The impact of having race within a culture isn’t that big but it would create a misunderstanding with other cultures. For example people call Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, people Asian people just because of their small eyes and pale skin. But there are many differences like dialect, language, food, music, dressing. People have to look at those aspects to classify people not just there skin.

Korean Male

Japanese Male

Taiwanese Male

4.       Reflect on the purposes of religion as by anthropologists, and identify practices in your life that meet some or all of the purposes that were learned. These can be social events, locations, philosophies, that take the place of religion in your community.

       Islamic Practices in my Life

-Pray 5 times a day

-Fast during Ramadan

-Wear hijab

-Give Zakkat(Charity)

-Go to Hajj (Mecca)

Purposes Of Religion

Why are we here?

Very simple! The purpose for man’s creation is to worship the Creator.  The Islamic understanding of worship allows the whole of one’s life to be an act of worship, as long as the objective of that life is the pleasure of God, which is achieved by doing good and refraining from evil. A person can turn everyday activities into acts of worship by purifying his or her intention and sincerely seeking God’s pleasure through these activities. 

                  

 

What is Death?

Death, in Islam and in all Divine Religions, is nothing more than a transition. It is like a passage through which you enter another world higher and more advanced than the present one. It is there the birth to an eternal life.

     

Islam religion does heal all wounds when reading the Quran. When people are face with some uncertainty it is said that they are not fully connected with God and so they need to pray to heal that uncertainty.

Islam is huge religion so when people see other they call one another brothers or sisters because we come from the same creator. Islam does give a good sense of community because we are all common when it comes to our creator Allah (SWT) and so we have to help one another when in need.

   

      

        

1.       How is gender constructed? What factors in your life have contributed to your understanding of gender roles? Based on what you learned about marriage, what is your ideal type of marriage vs. what is expected of you? How are they similar/ different and why is this so?

    

   Gender is socially constructed. We know that gender roles are largely social constructs because at different times in history and in other societies, people of each sex have carried out gender roles that were/are different from that which is considered traditional in Western societies. Some factors in my life that helped me understand gender roles one is my family life my dad works, and plays sports, I have never seen him cry like ever, and my mom stays                                                        at home and takes care of the kids, cook, clean. So my family                                                                    basically lives like any normal family.

But my dad only comes by during the summer because he works in another province so when he is gone my brothers are expected to clean, and pick up the slack around the house. Half the time my mom is a single mom so she is very strong willed about gender equality.  Also my religion also is huge factor on how I base gender. The Quran states that the man has to provide for the family, and the wife is suppose to support the family by cleaning, cooking and nourcharing the children.  

      
        My ideal marriage would be that my spouse and I are both working and we share a fair workload because what I think  is that I did do 4 years of university and use all my parent’s money and hard work just so my husband could have a life while I sit at home. But what is expected of me is completely different            they must be obedient, and stay home, care for the husband and children. They can share certain          responsibilities like raising the children, and family build up. Also keep the house intact.  But I am living     in the 21^st century so many advantages and opportunities which I don’t want to waste in anyway. Even when it comes to marriage.

    6.Ethnic and Moral Dilemmas

The first article of Appendix A, a dilemma that has happened regarding the undertake the religion of Islam to those Muslim who try keep both maintain their connection to a worldwide religion and at the same time adjust  to the French political laws, and their everyday social life. Many Muslims who live in France are already different so they try to feel accepted by getting their citizenship from France. But for many Muslims it is required of Islam that they display of their cultural differences. Such dilemmas did have to be  brought up by the government. Before this all happened the government had already taken provision and respected Muslim women's rights. To stop these type of dilemmas there should be more multiculturalism in France so that more people can have a better understanding of other people around them.