essay about my culture and me

Essay on My Culture

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Culture in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Culture

Introduction.

My culture is an integral part of who I am. It’s like a colorful tapestry, woven with traditions, customs, and values that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Family Traditions

Family traditions are a significant part of my culture. They include celebrating festivals, preparing and sharing traditional meals, and storytelling sessions that keep our heritage alive.

Language and Values

The language we speak at home is another cultural aspect. It connects me to my roots. Additionally, values like respect for elders, kindness, and honesty are cultural teachings I hold dear.

In conclusion, my culture shapes my identity, guiding my actions and thoughts. It’s a treasure I cherish and will continue to uphold.

Also check:

• Speech on My Culture

250 Words Essay on My Culture

Culture is an intricate tapestry, woven with threads of traditions, values, and experiences. It shapes our identity, influencing our beliefs and behaviors. My culture, a blend of South Asian heritage and modern Western influences, plays a significant role in defining who I am.

Traditional Roots

My culture is steeped in ancient traditions, each carrying profound meanings. From the vibrant festivals like Diwali, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, to the daily rituals such as meditation, promoting inner peace, these customs provide a sense of belonging and continuity. They serve as a bridge, connecting me to my ancestors and their wisdom.

Western Influences

Growing up in a multicultural society, my culture has also been shaped by Western influences. The emphasis on individualism and freedom of expression has encouraged me to question, explore, and form my own beliefs. This fusion of cultures has led to a unique blend of values – respect for diversity, emphasis on education, and the pursuit of personal growth.

Impact on Personal Identity

My culture, a blend of tradition and modernity, has shaped my worldview and personal identity. It has taught me to appreciate diversity, strive for knowledge, and maintain balance in life. It has also instilled a sense of responsibility to uphold these values and pass them on to future generations.

Culture is not static; it evolves, influenced by time, place, and people. My culture is a testament to this dynamic nature – a harmonious blend of old and new, East and West. It is an integral part of my identity, shaping my thoughts, actions, and aspirations.

500 Words Essay on My Culture

Culture is the lifeblood of a vibrant society, expressed in the myriad ways we tell our stories, celebrate, remember the past, entertain ourselves, and imagine the future. Our creative expression helps define who we are, and helps us see the world through the eyes of others. As such, I take immense pride in my culture, a rich tapestry of traditions, customs, and values that shape my identity and worldview.

Defining My Culture

My culture is a beautiful amalgamation of shared beliefs, practices, and traditions that have been passed down through generations. It is a social construct, born out of the need for a collective identity, yet it is also deeply personal, shaping my individuality. It is a complex interplay of history, geography, religion, language, and art.

Language and Communication

Language, an essential component of my culture, is more than just a tool for communication. It encapsulates the essence of my cultural heritage, carrying with it the stories, wisdom, and ethos of my ancestors. Each idiom, each proverb, each dialect is a window into the collective experiences and values of my community.

Traditions and Rituals

The traditions and rituals of my culture are a testament to its rich history and diversity. They are symbolic, carrying profound meanings and lessons about life, community, and spirituality. These traditions, whether they are festive celebrations or daily rituals, connect me to my roots, providing a sense of continuity and belonging.

Values and Norms

At the heart of my culture lie the values and norms that guide my behavior and interactions with others. They instill in me a sense of responsibility, respect, and empathy, molding my character and influencing my worldview. These values, embedded in the fabric of my culture, serve as a moral compass, guiding me through life’s challenges and dilemmas.

Art and Expression

Art, in its many forms, is a powerful expression of my culture. It is a mirror reflecting society, a canvas depicting our dreams, fears, joys, and sorrows. Be it music, literature, dance, or visual arts, each piece is a thread in the intricate tapestry of my culture, adding depth, color, and texture to the narrative.

In conclusion, my culture is an intricate mosaic of shared beliefs, traditions, values, and artistic expressions. It shapes my identity, influences my worldview, and connects me to a community and history larger than myself. It is a source of pride and a beacon of diversity, reminding me of the richness of human experience. As I navigate my way through life, I carry with me the invaluable legacy of my culture, a testament to the resilience and creativity of my ancestors.

While cultures may vary enormously across the globe, they all share one thing in common: they are the lifeblood of human societies. They provide us with a sense of belonging and identity, and help us understand our place in the world. By cherishing and preserving our individual cultures, we contribute to the beautiful diversity of the human race.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Class Room
• Essay on My Class
• Essay on My Cat

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Culture influence on personality identity, chinese – indonesians’ culture in relation to personal identity, how am i shaped and influenced by culture.

Culture or the way of life is attributed to the personality of an individual and makes them who they really are. Self awareness emphasizes the significance of an individual to exist and is attributed to social views and practices. It defines individual characteristics and contributes to the diversity of people in the world and this makes life interesting.

Culture and personal identity relate closely and are dependent on each other. Construction of identities is within individual in relation to a particular historical background and organization. This paper shall explore the personality trait explained above and explain the contribution that culture has made.

The vibrant Indonesian culture is ethnic and is also being influenced by countries such as China and India which neighbor it. Cultural identity is marked by the influence from the family, regional, and religious aspects. For instance, am a mixture of Chinese and Indonesian, born in Indonesia and have lived there my entire life.

My family background is relatively humble although my parents provide for my basic needs. However, Luxuries are not always present when needed. With hard work, the family is better than before since the parents have worked extra hard to make ends meet. Nevertheless, the initial financial constrains that my family experienced contributed to my personality.

I have come to be known as a girl of low profile since my cultural background has dictated so. I have learnt to save money and use it on important things only. In addition, I’ve learnt to share with others and not to become self-engrossed, an image that I always portray not only to my parents and friends but also to the society at large. This has made me and the whole family relate well with others.

Chinese- Indonesians are an ethnic minority whose culture is heterogeneous. They have been categorized into totok and peranakan. Since peranakan have their birthplace as Indonesia, they are identified with the ethnic regions of Indonesia and they disregard their Chinese origin.

In contrast, the totok has a lesser Indonesian orientation instead, are more of Chinese since them or their parents have been born in china (Aimee 77).

Another distinction is in the commercial activities undertaken by the groups. Totok group are geared on achieving business success and accumulate wealth. Thus, this is reflected in their self-reliance, investment approach, and prowess which are aspects that have greatly influenced my identity.

As a totok I practice a significant cultural value known as the guanxi . It is a concept which points out that for one to succeed, he or she should relate with people who matter and one must harmonize with the environment instead of altering it.

“For instance, through his personal and financial connections with government officials, particularly Suharto, whom he befriended long before he became Indonesia’s president, Liem Sioe Liong amassed a multibillion dollar importer that encompassed the manufacturing of cement and steel, automobile distribution …” (Aimee 78).

The example emphasizes the aggressiveness of the totok which in turn has taught me to avoid being self-centered but instead count on others in every activity I undertake in life.

On the other hand, the peranakan base their engagements on merit hence are not very successful in the Indonesian commercialism. Therefore, being a totok means that the culture has dictated my hardworking nature and most significantly, my networking and social nature. This has in turn affected my personality of being considerate of others and avoiding being self-centered.

Religious aspects, social environment, and distinct originality have had a strong effect on my identity. Being a Chinese- Indonesian I have learnt proper use of money and resources in order to become successful in life contribute to my identity of being low profile.

The family is a very important institution based on the cultural values if Chinese-Indonesians. Family ties are maintained and preserved by practice of norms such as marriage which ensures solidarity among members (Aimee 74).

It is the role of the parents to teach their children proper manners in life and this has been properly implemented by both of my parents in a strict way which has enabled me to follow the rules and regulations set in various areas quite easily. The family union is relevant to set a good example to the children and ensure happiness in marriage. Marriage is one cultural value that is highly regarded by Chinese-Indonesians.

Indonesian culture is very categorical on religious morals which are elements that are reflected in the entire society and more specifically by my trait of putting others ahead of me and sharing my resources with them. I believe that Sex before marriage is a vice that is forbidden by my culture which helps maintain an environment where children can grow well, become educated, and attain a high degree of moral standards.

Being a Muslim country it is also under the influence of other religions such as Buddhism as well as Hinduism which may as well have played a part on my personal identity. Its cultural, richness is depicted in the country’s art and theatre work such as dances and music.

The economic background, family relations and ethnic distinctions have contributed significantly to the personality trait of being a low profile person who is considerate of others. Moreover, belonging to a Chinese-Indonesian ethnicity means that I have interacted with several cultures.

A multicultural interaction may have similar or contradicting effects on personal identity which is reflected in my personality making it hard to evaluate specifically whether I am of totok o r peranakan origin.

Nevertheless the role played by my immediate family has guided me as I interact with the social environment around me. The culture has enabled me be identified in the society as a low profile woman. This does not only help to deliberately avoid undue prominence but also to exercise personal freedom and acceptance.

Aimee, Dawis. The Chinese of Indonesia and their Search For Identity: The Relationship Between Collective Memory and the Media . New York: Cambria Press. 2009. Print.

• Millennium Development Goals: Improving Maternal Health in Indonesia
• Gillette Company's Demand and Pricing in Indonesia
• "Mother Dao – the Turtle-like” by Vincent Monnikendam
• Negative Impact of Internet on Society Essay
• Multi-Occupancy Buildings: Community Safety
• Differences in Wages and Benefits at the Workplace
• Technology and Communication Connection: Benefits and Shortcomings
• Racial and Ethnic Inequality
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, May 22). How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-influence-on-personal-identity/

"How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay." IvyPanda , 22 May 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/culture-influence-on-personal-identity/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay'. 22 May.

IvyPanda . 2018. "How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay." May 22, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-influence-on-personal-identity/.

1. IvyPanda . "How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay." May 22, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-influence-on-personal-identity/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "How Does Culture Affect the Self Identity Personal Essay." May 22, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-influence-on-personal-identity/.

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Sociology Cultural Identity

Why I Am Proud of My Culture: Celebrating Identity

Table of contents, preserving heritage and traditions, celebrating cultural diversity, personal connections and values, culture's role in shaping worldview.

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• Social Class
• National Honor Society
• Media Ethics
• Cell Phones and Driving

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Essays about Culture and Identity: 9 Examples And Prompts

Writing essays about culture and identity will help you explore your understanding of it. Here are examples that will give you inspiration for your next essay.

Culture can refer to customs, traditions, beliefs, lifestyles, laws, artistic expressions, and other elements that cultivate the collective identity. Different cultures are established across nations, regions, communities, and social groups. They are passed on from generation to generation while others evolve or are abolished to give way to modern beliefs and systems.

While our cultural identity begins at home, it changes as we involve ourselves with other groups (friends, educational institutions, social media communities, political groups, etc.) Culture is a very relatable subject as every person is part of a culture or at least can identify with one. Because it spans broad coverage, there are several interesting cultural subjects to write about.

Our culture and identity are dynamic. This is why you may find it challenging to write about it. To spark your inspiration, check out our picks of the best culture essays. 

1. Sweetness and Light by Matthew Arnolds

2. how auto-tune revolutionized the sound of popular music by simon reynolds, 3. how immigration changes language by john mcwhorter, 4. the comfort zone: growing up with charlie brown by jonathan franzen, 5. culture and identity definition by sandra graham, 6. how culture and surroundings influence identity by jeanette lucas, 7. how the food we eat reflects our culture and identity by sophia stephens, 8. identity and culture: my identity, culture, and identity by april casas, 9. how america hinders the cultural identity of their own citizens by seth luna, 1. answer the question, “who am i”, 2. causes of culture shock, 3. your thoughts on dystopia and utopia, 4. gender inequality from a global perspective, 5. the most interesting things you learned from other cultures, 6. the relationship between cultural identity and clothes, 7. describe your culture, 8. what is the importance of honoring your roots , 9. how can a person adapt to a new culture, 10. what artistic works best express your country’s culture, 11. how has social media influenced human interaction, 12. how do you protect the cultures of indigenous peoples, 13. are k-pop and k-drama sensations effectively promoting korea’s culture , 14. what is the importance of cultural diversity.

“… [A]nd when every man may say what he likes, our aspirations ought to be satisfied. But the aspirations of culture, which is the study of perfection, are not satisfied, unless what men say, when they may say what they like, is worth saying,—has good in it, and more good than bad.”

Arnolds compels a re-examination of values at a time when England is leading global industrialization and beginning to believe that greatness is founded on material progress. 

The author elaborates why culture, the strive for a standard of perfection, is not merely driven by scientific passions and, more so, by materialistic affluence. As he esteems religion as “that voice of the deepest human experience” to harmonize men in establishing that ideal society, Arnolds stresses that culture is the effort to “make reason and the will of God prevail” while humanizing gained knowledge to be society’s source of “sweetness and light.”

“Few innovations in sound production have been simultaneously so reviled and so revolutionary. Epoch-defining or epoch-defacing, Auto-Tune is indisputably the sound of the 21st century so far.”

Reynolds shows how Auto-Tune has shaped a pop music genre that has cut across cultures. The article maps out the music landscape Auto-Tune created and examines its impact on the culture of song productions and the modern taste for music. While the author debunks accusations that Auto-Tune destroyed the “natural” process of creating music, he also points out that the technology earned its reverence with big thanks to society’s current custom of using technology to hide blemishes and other imperfections.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about culture shock .

“… [T]he heavy immigration that countries like Italy are experiencing will almost certainly birth new kinds of Italian that are rich with slang, somewhat less elaborate than the standard, and… widely considered signs of linguistic deterioration, heralding a future where the “original” standard language no longer exists.”

American linguist McWhorter pacifies fears over the death of “standard” languages amid the wave of immigration to Europe. On the contrary, language is a vital expression of a culture, and for some, preserving is tantamount to upholding a cultural standard. 

However, instead of seeing the rise of new “multiethnolects” such as the Black English in America and Kiezdeutsch in Germany as threats to language and culture, McWhorter sees them as a new way to communicate and better understand the social groups that forayed these new languages.

“I wonder why “cartoonish” remains such a pejorative. It took me half my life to achieve seeing my parents as cartoons. And to become more perfectly a cartoon myself: what a victory that would be.”

This essay begins with a huge fight between Franzen’s brother and father to show how the cultural generation gap sweeping the 60s has hit closer to home. This generation gap, where young adults were rejecting the elders’ old ways in pursuit of a new and better culture, will also be the reason why his family ends up drifting apart. Throughout the essay, Franzen treads this difficult phase in his youth while narrating fondly how Peanuts, a pop culture icon at the time, was his source of escape. 

“…Culture is… your background… and Identity is formed where you belong to… Leopold Sedar Senghor and Shirley Geok-Lin Lim both talks about how culture and identity can impact… society…”

In this essay, Graham uses “To New York” by Senghor and “Learning To Love America” by Lim as two pieces of literature that effectively describe the role of culture and identity to traveling individuals. 

The author refers to Sengho’s reminder that people can adapt but must not forget their culture even if they go to a different place or country. On the other hand, Lim discusses immigrants’ struggle to have double identities.

“Culture is something that surrounds all of us and progress to shape our lives every day… Identity is illustrated as the state of mind in which someone or something distinguishes their own character traits that lead to determining who they really are, what they represent.”

Lucas is keen on giving examples of how his culture and surroundings influence an individual’s identity. She refers to Kothari’s “If you are what you eat, then what am I?” which discusses Kothari’s search for her identity depending on what food she eats. Food defines a person’s culture and identity, so Kothari believes that eating food from different countries will change his identity.

Lucas also refers to “Down These Mean Streets” by Piri Thomas, which argues how different cultural and environmental factors affect us. Because of what we encounter, there is a possibility that we will become someone who we are not. 

“What we grow is who we are. What we buy is who we are. What we eat is who we are.”

Stephens’ essay teaches its readers that the food we grow and eat defines us as a person. She explains that growing a crop and harvesting it takes a lot of effort, dedication, and patience, which mirrors our identity. 

Another metaphor she used is planting rice: it takes skills and knowledge to make it grow. Cooking rice is more accessible than cultivating it – you can quickly cook rice by boiling it in water. This reflects people rich in culture and tradition but who lives simpler life. 

“Every single one has their own unique identity and culture. Culture plays a big role in shaping your identity. Culture is what made me the person I am today and determines who or what I choose to associate myself with.”

Casas starts her piece by questioning who she is. In trying to learn and define who she is, she writes down and describes herself and her personality throughout the essay. Finally, she concludes that her culture is a big part of her identity, and she must understand it to understand herself.

“When it comes to these stereotypes we place on each other, a lot of the time, we succumb to the stereotypes given to us. And our cultural identity is shaped by these expectations and labels others give us. That is why negative stereotypes sometimes become true for a whole group or community.”

In this essay, Luna talks about how negative stereotyping in the United States led to moral distortion. For example, Americans are assumed to be ignorant of other countries’ cultures, making it difficult to understand other people’s cultures and lifestyles. 

She believes that stereotyping can significantly affect an individual or group’s identity. She suggests Americans should improve their intellectual competence by being sensitive to other people’s cultures.

14 Prompts on Essays about Culture and Identity

You can discuss many things on the subject of culture and identity. To give you a starting point, here are some prompts to help you write an exciting essay about culture. 

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips and our round-up of the best essay checkers .

Understanding your personality is vital since continuous interaction with others can affect your personality. Write about your culture and identity; what is your personality? How do you define yourself? Everyone is unique, so by writing an essay about who you are, you’ll be able to understand why you act a certain way and connect with readers who have the same values. 

Here’s a guide on writing a descriptive essay to effectively relay your experience to your readers.

Sometimes, people need to get out of their comfort zone and interact with other individuals with different cultures, beliefs, or traditions. This is to broaden one’s perspective about the world. Aside from discussing what you’ve learned in that journey, you can also focus on the bits that shocked you. 

You can talk about a tradition or value that you found so bizarre because it differs from your culture. Then add how you processed it and finally adapted to it.

Dystopia and Utopia are both imagined worlds. Dystopia is a world where people live in the worst or most unfavorable conditions, while Utopia is the opposite. 

You can write an essay about what you think a Dystopian or Utopian world may look like, how these societies will affect their citizens, etc. Then, consider what personality citizens of each world may have to depend on the two worlds’ cultures.

Today, more and more people are fighting for others to accept or at least respect the LGBTQ+ community. However, countries, territories, and religions still question their rights.

In your essay, you can talk about why these institutions react the way they do and how culture dictates someone’s identity in the wrong way. Before creating your own, feel free to read other essays and articles to learn more about the global gender inequality issue. 

The world has diverse cultures, traditions, and values. When you travel to a new place, learning and writing about your firsthand experiences with unique cultures and rituals will always be an interesting read.

In this prompt, you’ll research other cultures and how they shaped their group’s identity. Then, write about the most exciting aspects you’ve learned, why you found them fascinating, and how they differ from your culture.

Those proud of their culture will wear clothes inspired by them. Some wear the same clothes even if they aren’t from the same culture. The debate over cultural appropriation and culture appreciation is still a hot topic. 

In this essay, you may start with the traditions of your community or observances your family celebrates and gathers for. Then, elaborate on their origins and describe how your community or family is preserving these practices. 

Learning about your roots, ancestors, and family cultures can help strengthen your understanding of your identity and foster respect for other cultures. Explore this topic and offer examples of what others have learned. Has the journey always been a positive experience? Delve into this question for an engaging and interesting essay.

When a person moves country, it can be challenging to adapt to a new culture. If there are new people at work or school, you can interview them and ask how they are coping with their new environment. How different is this from what they have been used to, and what unique traditions do they find interesting?

Focus on an art piece that is a source of pride and identity to your country’s culture, much like the Tinikling of the Philippines or the Matryoshka dolls of Russia. Explore its origins and evolution up to its current manifestation and highlight efforts that are striving to protect and promote these artistic works.

The older generation did not have computers in their teen years. Ask about how they dated in their younger years and how they made friends. Contrast how the younger generation is building their social networks today. Write what culture of socialization works better for you and explain why.

Take in-depth navigation of existing policies that protect indigenous peoples. Are they sufficient to serve these communities needs, and are they being implemented effectively? There is also the challenge of balancing the protection of these traditions against the need to protect the environment, as some indigenous practices add to the carbon footprint. How is your government dealing with this challenge?

A large population is now riding the Hallyu or the Korean pop culture, with many falling in love with the artists and Korea’s food, language, and traditional events. Research how certain Korean films, TV series, or music have effectively attracted fans to experience Korea’s culture. Write about what countries can learn from Korea in promoting their own cultures.

Environments that embrace cultural diversity are productive and innovative. To start your essay, assess how diverse your workplace or school is. Then, write your personal experiences where working with co-workers or classmates from different cultures led to new and innovative ideas and projects. Combine this with the personal experiences of your boss or the principal to see how your environment benefits from hosting a melting pot of cultures.

If you aim for your article to effectively change readers’ perspectives and align with your opinion, read our guide to achieving persuasive writing . 

Aisling is an Irish journalist and content creator with a BA in Journalism & New Media. She has bylines in OK! Magazine, Metro, The Inquistr, and the Irish Examiner. She loves to read horror and YA. Find Aisling on LinkedIn .

View all posts

Cultural Identity Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

No matter where you study, composing essays of any type and complexity is a critical component in any studying program. Most likely, you have already been assigned the task to write a cultural identity essay, which is an essay that has to do a lot with your personality and cultural background. In essence, writing a cultural identity essay is fundamental for providing the reader with an understanding of who you are and which outlook you have. This may include the topics of religion, traditions, ethnicity, race, and so on. So, what shall you do to compose a winning cultural identity essay?

Cultural Identity Paper: Definitions, Goals & Topics 

Before starting off with a cultural identity essay, it is fundamental to uncover what is particular about this type of paper. First and foremost, it will be rather logical to begin with giving a general and straightforward definition of a cultural identity essay. In essence, cultural identity essay implies outlining the role of the culture in defining your outlook, shaping your personality, points of view regarding a multitude of matters, and forming your qualities and beliefs. Given a simpler definition, a cultural identity essay requires you to write about how culture has influenced your personality and yourself in general. So in this kind of essay you as a narrator need to give an understanding of who you are, which strengths you have, and what your solid life position is.

Yet, the goal of a cultural identity essay is not strictly limited to describing who you are and merely outlining your biography. Instead, this type of essay pursues specific objectives, achieving which is a perfect indicator of how high-quality your essay is. Initially, the primary goal implies outlining your cultural focus and why it makes you peculiar. For instance, if you are a french adolescent living in Canada, you may describe what is so special about it: traditions of the community, beliefs, opinions, approaches. Basically, you may talk about the principles of the society as well as its beliefs that made you become the person you are today.

So far, cultural identity is a rather broad topic, so you will likely have a multitude of fascinating ideas for your paper. For instance, some of the most attention-grabbing topics for a personal cultural identity essay are:

• Memorable traditions of your community
• A cultural event that has influenced your personality 
• Influential people in your community
• Locations and places that tell a lot about your culture and identity

Cultural Identity Essay Structure

As you might have already guessed, composing an essay on cultural identity might turn out to be fascinating but somewhat challenging. Even though the spectrum of topics is rather broad, the question of how to create the most appropriate and appealing structure remains open.

Like any other kind of an academic essay, a cultural identity essay must compose of three parts: introduction, body, and concluding remarks. Let’s take a more detailed look at each of the components:

Introduction 

Starting to write an essay is most likely one of the most time-consuming and mind-challenging procedures. Therefore, you can postpone writing your introduction and approach it right after you finish body paragraphs. Nevertheless, you should think of a suitable topic as well as come up with an explicit thesis. At the beginning of the introduction section, give some hints regarding the matter you are going to discuss. You have to mention your thesis statement after you have briefly guided the reader through the topic. You can also think of indicating some vital information about yourself, which is, of course, relevant to the topic you selected.

Your main body should reveal your ideas and arguments. Most likely, it will consist of 3-5 paragraphs that are more or less equal in size. What you have to keep in mind to compose a sound ‘my cultural identity essay’ is the argumentation. In particular, always remember to reveal an argument and back it up with evidence in each body paragraph. And, of course, try to stick to the topic and make sure that you answer the overall question that you stated in your topic. Besides, always keep your thesis statement in mind: make sure that none of its components is left without your attention and argumentation.

Conclusion 

Finally, after you are all finished with body paragraphs and introduction, briefly summarize all the points in your final remarks section. Paraphrase what you have already revealed in the main body, and make sure you logically lead the reader to the overall argument. Indicate your cultural identity once again and draw a bottom line regarding how your culture has influenced your personality.

Best Tips For Writing Cultural Identity Essay

Writing a ‘cultural identity essay about myself’ might be somewhat challenging at first. However, you will no longer struggle if you take a couple of plain tips into consideration. Following the tips below will give you some sound and reasonable cultural identity essay ideas as well as make the writing process much more pleasant:

• Start off by creating an outline. The reason why most students struggle with creating a cultural identity essay lies behind a weak structure. The best way to organize your ideas and let them flow logically is to come up with a helpful outline. Having a reference to build on is incredibly useful, and it allows your essay to look polished.
• Remember to write about yourself. The task of a cultural identity essay implies not focusing on your culture per se, but to talk about how it shaped your personality. So, switch your focus to describing who you are and what your attitudes and positions are. 
• Think of the most fundamental cultural aspects. Needless to say, you first need to come up with a couple of ideas to be based upon in your paper. So, brainstorm all the possible ideas and try to decide which of them deserve the most attention. In essence, try to determine which of the aspects affected your personality the most.
• Edit and proofread before submitting your paper. Of course, the content and the coherence of your essay’s structure play a crucial role. But the grammatical correctness matters a lot too. Even if you are a native speaker, you may still make accidental errors in the text. To avoid the situation when unintentional mistakes spoil the impression from your essay, always double check your cultural identity essay. 

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

• Testimonials
• How it works
• Paper Writers Team
• Essay Writing Guide
• Free plagiarism checker
• Essay title generator
• Conclusion Generator
• Citation Generator
• Can ChatGPT Write Essays?

My Cultural Identity Essay: A Guide to Writing about Who You are

October 12, 2015

A cultural identity essay is a paper that you write exploring and explaining how your place of upbringing, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, and family dynamics among other factors created your identity as a person. Even facts such as what activities you took part in as a child can be part of your cultural identity. Your culture identity is ultimately the group of people that you feel that you identify with. The thought process behind this is known as cultural identity theory. To get a better idea of this, take a look at this single paragraph blurb of information that you might see in a culture identity essay. After reading, you can easily  write my paper  and feel comfortable getting grades as high as you can imagine.

Tired of searching something you need reading blogs? We care about your time and money! Use this 15% OFF Discount on any service you need and save your time now!

I was born in rural Missouri, but my family moved to St. Louis before I was a year old. My mother is 100 percent Irish and comes from a family that identifies very strongly with Irish culture. My father is Middle Eastern, but was adopted by an English family who moved to the United States when he was 5. We lived in a pretty big house in a subdivision. My parents had two more kids after me, they were both boys as well. My father wasn't religious, but my mom was a practicing Catholic. She went to mass every week. My brothers and I both had first communion and were confirmed, but stopped going to church as teenagers. We weren't really encouraged to play sports because our parents thought we should focus on our studies. They really emphasized math and science. I did well in these classes, but I didn't enjoy them. In high school, I became active in music and theater. Most of my friends were also into that as well. I earned a scholarship to study engineering on the East Coast, but I dropped out as a sophomore. I returned home to study music, needless to say my parents were disappointed. My brothers both pursued careers in technical fields. One is a mechanical engineer and the other is a software engineer. I am close with my family, but we do not have much in common. My circle of friends is fairly varied when it comes to race, ethnicity, religion, and economic background, but it consists almost entirely of people who are artists, musicians, writers, or people involved in those industries.

Keep in mind that your essay samples may look nothing like this. In our example, the writers choice of career, talents, and interests influenced his cultural identity more than his religious, ethnic background, or family values did. This may not be the case for you. Remember that when you are writing your paper there are no wrong answers. You just have to ask yourself insightful questions and keep the theory of cultural identity in mind as you write. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• How did the foods I ate as a child influence my identity
• Did I look different from the kids I went to school with? How did that impact me?
• Did birth order influence who I am as an adult?
• Does my life today match the life I was raised in?

While being committed to a number of charitable causes, like volunteering at special events or giving free art lessons to children, Marie doesn’t forget her vocation – writing. She can write about almost anything but has focused on time management, motivation, academic and business writing.

Related posts

October 12 2015

Don`t have an account?

Password recovery instructions have been sent to your email

Back to Log in

How to Write an Essay about Your Culture

Do you need to write an essay about your culture but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place! I’m Constance, and I’ll show you how to write an essay about your culture. I’ll guide you step by step, and we’ll write a sample essay together. Let’s dive in. 

Writing an essay about your culture includes 5 steps:

Step 1. Plan how many words you want in each paragraph.

When you know the exact number of words you need for an essay, planning the word count for each paragraph will be much easier. 

For example, a 300-word essay typically consists of five paragraphs and three key elements:

• The introductory paragraph.
• Three body paragraphs.
• The conclusion, or the concluding paragraph.

Here’s a simple way to distribute 300 words across the five paragraphs in your essay:

You’ll get 300 when you add up these numbers. 

Step 2. Decide on what your main and supporting points will be.

First, you must take a stand, meaning you must decide on your main point. What do you really want to say about your culture? Whatever you want to say, that becomes your thesis. 

For example, “My culture is very rich.” That is enough to get started. You’ll get a better idea of how to expand or tweak your thesis after the next step.

Next, divide your topic using the Power of Three to prove the point that your culture is rich using three supporting ideas.

The Power of Three effectively divides an essay’s main idea into its supporting points. It means your main idea is true because of the three reasons you will provide in the body. So, it is a three-part structure that helps produce your body paragraphs .

Let’s try it for an essay about Filipino culture!

For example, here are three supporting ideas explaining the richness of Filipino culture:

• The Philippines has incredible food .
• Traditional Filipino clothing reflects the country’s heritage.
• Family values in the Philippines are essential.

Great! Now we have everything we need to write an essay about Filipino culture. We’re all set for the next step!

Step 3. Write your introductory paragraph.

Here are the key components of an introductory paragraph you need to remember in writing your essay:

Our first sentence is the introduction, which should pull our reader into the world we want to portray in our essay.

And the rest of the introductory paragraph is our thesis statement. It includes our main idea and three supporting points.

Example of an introductory paragraph about culture

“Having been colonized for centuries, the Philippines boasts a vast heritage. It has a rich culture characterized by food, clothing, and family values. Filipino culture has delicious food inherited from diverse parts of the world and periods of conquest. Traditional Filipino clothing reflects the country’s history, as well. And Filipinos prize their family values probably above all else.”

Look at how the introductory paragraph goes from a general statement to specific ideas that support our main idea.

Our introductory sentence is a general statement that serves as the opening in our essay. It briefly sets the essay’s context. Next comes the thesis statement — our main idea. Finally, we have three supporting ideas for our thesis.

Step 4. Write your essay’s body paragraphs.

Again, a 300-word essay typically has three body paragraphs containing your three supporting ideas. Here’s how to structure a body paragraph:

Looking back at our word count plan, we know that our body paragraphs should have roughly 70 words each. Remember your word plan as you write.

Body Paragraph 1

“The Philippines boasts a diverse food culture. It reflects indigenous flavors and foreign influences, such as American, Spanish, Indian, and Chinese. Whether it’s a typical or special day, Filipinos love eating these various dishes with rice, a staple. For example, rice goes well with curry, noodles, and adobo. It is also common to see various foods like pizza, pancit, lumpia, paella, (Filipino-style) sweet spaghetti, cakes, and ice cream at parties.”

As you can see, the first sentence in this body paragraph is a topic sentence . It gives context to the paragraph and briefly summarizes it.

The second sentence explains why the Philippine food culture is considered diverse. 

The remaining sentences illustrate your main point (topic sentence) by providing examples, starting with rice in sentence 3.

Body Paragraph 2

“Traditional Filipino clothing reflects Philippine cultural heritage. Although Filipinos now conform to current fashion trends in their everyday lives, the traditional clothing style is often used during celebrations. The traditional fashion sense exhibits influences from indigenous tribes, Chinese immigration waves, the Spaniards, and Americans, portraying the chronology of Philippine historical events. For example, the Philippines’ national costume, the baro’t saya, is an elegant blend of Spanish and Filipino clothing styles. Even some modernized forms of clothing also display other global influences.”

Just like Body Paragraph 1, this paragraph follows the same structure outlined in the diagram. It proceeds from a general statement to more specific points :

• The topic sentence.
• An explanation.

Body Paragraph 3

“Family values are vital in the Philippines. The daily lives of most Filipinos revolve around close and extended family, making them known for their family-oriented lifestyle even when they’re overseas. It’s common for children to live with their parents after reaching legal age; some even stay after getting married or obtaining a job. Filipinos also cherish their extended families (aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins) and hanging out or celebrating significant events together.”

Once again, this paragraph follows the body paragraph structure. Now, we’re all set for the final step — the conclusion.

Step 5. Write the conclusion.

The easiest way to write a concluding paragraph for your essay on your culture is to restate your main idea and its supporting points using different words. You can even paraphrase your introduction — a time-proven method!

Let’s write the conclusion for our essay.

“Because of its history, the Philippines has a rich, diverse culture rooted in a vast heritage. Filipino cuisine is a blend of indigenous and foreign flavors. The nation’s history is reflected in its traditional clothing. And family values display a distinct Filipino trait.”

Note that this conclusion uses different words to restate the points we’ve already made, including those in the body paragraphs. 

Hope this was helpful. Now go ahead and write an essay about your culture!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

You Might Like These Next...

How to Write a 300 Word Essay - Simple Tutorial

https://youtu.be/qXST2gJbkhw If you need to write a 300-word essay, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Tutor Phil, and in this tutorial I’ll guide you through the process step by...

Essay Writing for Beginners: 6-Step Guide with Examples

https://youtu.be/w6yanrc1a_g If you need to write an essay, whether for a college course or to pass a writing test, this guide will take you through the process step-by-step. Even if you have...

My Culture, Identity, and Cultural Identity

This essay about cultural identity explores how culture deeply influences personal identity through traditions, language, art, and cuisine. It examines the integral role culture plays in shaping individual perspectives and how it evolves over time through interactions within a global community. The narrative highlights the importance of cultural heritage in connecting with one’s roots and the broader human experience, emphasizing culture as a dynamic, enriching force in the modern interconnected world.

How it works

Within the vast mosaic of human existence, culture emerges as a profound element, serving as a lens through which we view the world, mold our identities, and integrate into the wider societal matrix. My cultural identity is not simply a collection of customs and traditions; it represents the core of my existence, seamlessly integrated into my personal narrative.

From my early days, I was enveloped in a diverse array of cultural influences. The values, beliefs, and traditions of my family laid the foundation of my personal identity.

The inviting scents from my grandmother’s cooking, the sounds of folk music during celebrations—each experience was imbued with the essence of my cultural heritage.

Language has been a vital component in shaping who I am. The rhythms and nuances of my native language resonate within me, linking me to my forebears and anchoring me to my cultural roots. Through language, I keep alive the wisdom and tales handed down over generations.

Culture is more than language; it includes numerous elements that inform our perspectives and shape how we perceive the world. From social norms to the meaning behind gestures, each component of my culture provides insight into the collective psyche of my community.

Artistic expression is a significant reflection of cultural identity, whether through the vibrant colors of traditional art, the pulsating rhythms of native drums, or the rich stories in classic literature. As an artist, I draw comfort and motivation from the myriad of artistic forms that are part of my cultural background.

Cuisine also acts as a portal into the essence of a culture, offering a taste experience that goes beyond words. The aroma of spices, the sounds of cooking, and the explosion of flavors recall communal and familial celebrations, each meal narrating the culinary skill and cultural amalgamation that characterize my gastronomic legacy.

However, I acknowledge that cultural identity is fluid and ever-evolving, influenced by time and interaction with the world. As a member of the global community, I am keen to engage with different cultures, learning and enriching my own through these interactions.

In our globally connected society, cultural identity serves both as a point of pride and a bridge for mutual understanding. It is a collage of various influences, each adding to the unique fabric of my being. As I traverse the complexities of contemporary life, I carry the legacy of my ancestors, the customs of my culture, and the endless opportunities for cultural interaction.

In essence, my culture is more than a reflection of history; it is a beacon for the future, guiding my path of self-exploration, fostering connections, and celebrating the richness of diversity. It reminds us that, despite our varied backgrounds, we are all woven into the same complex human tapestry, united by our collective experience of what it means to be human.

Cite this page

My Culture, Identity, And Cultural Identity. (2024, Apr 29). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/my-culture-identity-and-cultural-identity/

"My Culture, Identity, And Cultural Identity." PapersOwl.com , 29 Apr 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/my-culture-identity-and-cultural-identity/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). My Culture, Identity, And Cultural Identity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/my-culture-identity-and-cultural-identity/ [Accessed: 5 Jun. 2024]

"My Culture, Identity, And Cultural Identity." PapersOwl.com, Apr 29, 2024. Accessed June 5, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/my-culture-identity-and-cultural-identity/

"My Culture, Identity, And Cultural Identity," PapersOwl.com , 29-Apr-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/my-culture-identity-and-cultural-identity/. [Accessed: 5-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). My Culture, Identity, And Cultural Identity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/my-culture-identity-and-cultural-identity/ [Accessed: 5-Jun-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Am I me or who my culture has shaped me to be?

As people we naturally cohabit, collaborate and form communities. We share qualities, abilities, emotions and experiences, which are characteristic of our cultural identity, yet differentiate in our being.

Not everything in life can be planned and not all decisions taken are in our power. Some things happen to us randomly, unexpectedly and out of the blue. These are the situations which shake and awaken us, and I believe that one of these wonders is birth.

I didn’t know I was going to be born and I didn’t know that I was going to be me. But who am I? Why am I? What am I exactly? Questions as such, regarding one’s identity, have tormented the human mind for cen- turies and continue to remain unanswered. Maybe there simply is no exact answer, because an identity is an abstract construct and its meaning can therefore vary from person to person.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines the term «identity» as such: «who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others.» Substantially, this means that we all possess different qualities and therefore are all different. But don’t we often find similarities among each other? Do we not form communities because of these similarities? These questions constitute the concept of what is cultural identity, which aims at questioning and defining our identity based on the traditions, culture and nations we are born and brought up in.

What characterizes my cultural identity? If we think of ourselves as people with qualities, abilities and opinions, then the place of birth and upbringing is essential for the formation of our identity. If we however further distinguish the physical place and the emotional state of our childhood habitat, we notice that more than the concrete country itself, it is the experienced culture which has a stronger influence on the formation of our identities.

Our birth setup from a national and cultural perspective (our family and friends with their religion, beliefs, traditions) is at the very core for the shaping of our cultural identity. Depending on where and in which family one is born in to, the opportunities given, the experiences made and the values taught, the formed identity will be very different from someone elses. An individual born in a given country and emotional state adapts to its habitat and surroundings by nature, developing its identity consequently around associated characteristics (such as being naturally loud, disciplined, individualistic). And although it does not exclude the option to further expand one’s personality and identity, unconsciously it strongly influences our way of being.

How am I me in a community of many? Cultural communities are formed around shared cultural experiences and/or other national similarities which make and individual feel like part of something. This cultural identity which over time becomes representative for an individual is however not all what makes us the person we are. In the melting pot that we live in today, our identities are only more diverse and complex than ever.

As individuals we are unexplainable unities of qualities, abilities, emotions and experiences, differentiating one from another. Knowing that we belong to something is a beautiful feeling, but when we learn to define the person we are it is even more beautiful: it is an exceptional feeling.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Narrative Essay about Culture and How It Has Shaped Me

Culture is a word that can mean a lot of different things to many different people. It can mean a way of life or belief, from attitudes and values, to how you choose to celebrate different holidays, even to the kind of food that you eat. To me, culture is a place or group of people where the attitudes, values, and expectations are shared amongst all that either were born into or shared the same attitudes, values and expectations.  It is a word that carries a lot of weight and everybody has been a part of some culture that has shaped them, myself included. I have had a multitude of cultures to thank for shaping me into who I am today. The most influential cultures I have been a part of and had the biggest impact on me are the cultures of my family, school and the many activities I was a part of, and my home away from home, Camp Abe Lincoln.

In my home with my family, the culture was one of success, family, and supportiveness. In my home it was always expected to put your best foot forward in all that you do whether that be the smallest activity like cleaning your room, or how you perform on a test. My father always told me to take pride in my work and that if I cannot stand confidently by my work that I had done, that it was not enough. It wasn’t the pursuit of perfection, but rather of reaching as far as you can and doing as well as you possibly could. If that was done, the outcome was always enough for my family. My mother was always my biggest cheerleader as well, which I believe the rest of the family picked up from her as well, adding a new layer of supportiveness into what anybody was doing into my family’s culture. My family is also extremely competitive, even from when I was young. Whether it was a video game against my father, or a game of tag against my siblings we all wanted to win no matter what. This competitiveness is definitely part of my family’s culture that was passed down to me. I believe that a lot of this comes from my heritage of being German, as my grandfather is one hundred percent German and brought that attitude with him when he came to America. An important part of German culture is how we celebrate holidays. Getting the whole family together and celebrating with as much food and positive energy as possible. We would always take trips to places where my whole family could meet up so that way we could celebrate christmas, thanksgiving, and birthdays together. Christmas was always special in my family, we would get all of my mothers family together and enjoy some German food and songs to celebrate the holidays. The feelings I would get from seeing cousins, aunts, and uncles from these gatherings taught me the importance of making sure to keep in touch and see your family, no matter the distance. The importance of success, family and supportiveness are just a few examples of what I have picked up from one of the cultures I have been a part of. The next culture I was introduced to would show me many new meanings I long thought I had already figured out.

Another culture that helped shape me into who I am today is the culture of the schools that I went to as well as the clubs and activities I was involved in. I know it’s not a very typical place to consider a culture but hear me out. I had played sports for my whole life and the culture around school sports was very similar to the one that I had experienced in my home which is why I was drawn to them. However, I grew tired of the culture around football at my school and looked for other outlets to be a part of something and I eventually ended up in band. Immediately I could tell things were different than what I was accustomed to. In football, I never felt as if I were part of a group, but an individual expected to put in the work on my own to put my best foot forward for the game. There it was as if everybody was a part of a big family and welcomed me in my freshman year with open arms and warm smiles. They had no care for how good you were at playing your instrument or if you put in extra work, they were nice and welcoming regardless of all that. The culture was one of mutual respect and kindness to all. They were always supportive and accepting of whoever you were regardless of gender, sexuality, race or any other factors similar to those. I consider myself very lucky to have been a part of a culture like that as it changed the way I felt not only about myself, but all others around me as well, teaching me to accept others with a smile and zero judgement for almost anything. They also defined success in a very different light than what I had been accustomed to. In the music world, the pursuit of goals is not always defined by success , but rather growth from where you started to where you finished. That way of defining success led me to try many new things that I never thought I would, such as singing in shows, dancing, and tons of other options that I would have otherwise, and previously had, dismissed without a second thought.  It also introduced me to how it’s ok to be yourself and put the best version of yourself forward as it is your most authentic self. This alone has led numerous people, myself included, to lead a happier, more fulfilling life of being who you were rather than who somebody expected you to be. Not to mention the creativity, the culture around music is different than anything I have ever experienced. Creativity, confidence, and giving everything you have is the key when it comes to everything that you would do, whether that's singing, dancing, acting, playing your instrument, or even the way that you are talking to your peers. This was a new and refreshing culture to be a part of, however there is one more that I can say had an equally big impact on me, if not bigger.

The last, and quite possibly most important culture to me, is the one that I experienced at a summer camp by the name Camp Abe Lincoln. Camp Abe Lincoln is a YMCA run camp that is open year round that I would attend every single summer of my life until I eventually became a staff there as well. The culture of that camp is fairly simple. They prided themselves on four core values that, if you had and showed, would make you a more complete and better human. These four values are caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. As a camper in this camp it taught me many things from every age. When I was young and in elementary school I was a shy kid who was scared of his own shadow, but when I went to that camp every person I encountered was so kind and caring it made me feel safe and at home. That alone is something I picked up from that culture from a young age. It taught me to also never judge someone from how they dress, where they came from, or what they were interested in. Just because somebody was not the exact same as you doesn’t mean you couldn’t be friends with others. Being in an environment where I was to be with five to ten kids from every walk of life for a whole week taught me all those values. Not to mention this is the place where I was taught how to believe in myself and that if you push past your limits you will be amazed at what the outcome is. We had this 50 foot tall wooden tower that I was scared to death of. For a long time I never even considered getting close to that monster, but my peers and my counselors expressed belief in me and because of that, I got on that tower. Never got to the top but I was amazed that I even made it onto it in the first place. Putting your belief in others and pushing people to reach their max potential is something that I have felt and that I continue to practice in my daily life.  As I got older, I realized that the values I learned there when I was a child still apply to all that you do. I have always made an effort to put my faith in others to help them reach their potential in whatever they do, treat them with as much kindness and respect as possible, no matter the age. Whether you were the youngest person on site, or somebody who had been there for years it was no different. As I began to work there, I could see the change in how people would react from the beginning of the week to the end from those values. It was very rewarding to have put my faith and best foot forward for others and to see the positive growth and change from  anybody, whether it be a fellow counselor or any number of children that would be under my guidance for the week. The feeling of helping others in such an impactful way is something that was supported and encouraged by their own culture and it is something I carry with me every day I wake up. The culture was always to have anybody who showed up there leave as a better version of themselves and I cannot think of a more impactful or meaningful culture than that.

Overall, I truly believe that everybody is shaped by some culture that they become a part of. Cultures have such a unique effect to teach you new attitudes and beliefs just by being a part of them. In my case it was my family, school and the activities I took part in, and my second home at Camp Abe Lincoln. I am aware that my opinion on culture may be different than everybody else’s but culture is a word that carries a lot of weight. It means a lot of different things to many people, and the cultures I have been a part of certainly meant a lot to me.

Related Samples

• Personal Statement Essay: My Love For Medicine
• College Athletes Should Not Be Paid Argumentative Essay Example
• Should Every Child Own A Pet? Free Essay Example
• Research Paper about Humor and Its Theories
• Essay Example: The Exceptional Life In The Wood
• Personal Essay Example: Engineering Career
• Reflective Essay: Family Is More Than Blood Relations
• Reflective Essay about Dancing
• My Family Tradition Essay Example
• Essay Example of Our Cultural Lens

Didn't find the perfect sample?

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

• +91 85870 71481
• [email protected]

• AN ESSAY ON MY CULTURE

Written by ANEKE JANE CHIOMA, 10years, River Estate, Nigeria

Today, I will be talking about my culture but firstly, let’s define, what is culture? Culture can simply be defined as people’s beliefs and their way of life. Every tribe has a way of living and their beliefs. Today, I will be talking about my own tribe and culture.

Here in Nigeria, we own three major tribes which are; Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. I will be talking about my maternal home culture; i.e. the ‘Umuakah’ culture. It is part of the Igbo tribe. The Igbos are well known for their hard work and this is one of the reasons why I love my tribe.

Some time ago, I spent my weekend there. Luckily, it was around the time of the festival called ‘‘Owu’’. It was a dancing festival. When I was told of this culture and festival, I couldn’t wait to have an experience of it and of course, that day came. 

It was the first week of May and I was told that the festival will be held at that month. I had a great experience. I found out that my culture is an awesome one. I will like to put these experiences into documentaries.

Well, firstly, the ‘Owu’’ dancing festival is an annual event celebrated among the Igbos of my community. It is a complete two-month event around May and June. But before the ‘Owu’’ dancing festival, we have certain norms which we must follow. These norms are;

• Once a male child is born, he is taken by the elders along with his parents to the market square where the male child will be initiated.

• No female child is expected to perform anything at the festival. They just watch the males dance and cheer them up by clapping their hands.

• All females married outside the community are expected to come back home to celebrate with their families with a particular meal which we call ‘‘Ukwa’’ which is made out of ‘‘Corn and Ugba’’. ‘‘Ukwa’’ in English is called breadfruit. 

 All these are the norms guiding the Owu dancing festival. The dancing festival is a great moment for the community because we come together to celebrate not minding our religion or differences. It is celebrated in the market square where we gather and have some fun with our relations.

While the festival is going on, the males go to a hidden place and put on a mask made and carved out of wood which covers their face and gives them another identity which seems scary because of its paintings. Sometimes, I wonder how those paintings were made! I love this art so much because of the different colours used in the paintings. The remaining parts of their body are covered with an outfit made out of wool, which makes them look huge when worn on the body. After putting on these outfits, the males come out of their hiding place and make a loud shout for everyone to be alert. Once the masquerades are out, they begin their job by chasing girls with long mighty canes in their hands. This is just for fun. I enjoyed seeing them chase people about. The celebration is done on the first week of May but the other weeks are just bare except for the masquerade performances which they perform every day for the duration of two months.

I have mentioned our food earlier, which we call ‘Ukwa’. Ukwa is a food that is white in colour and is similar to beans. It is made and prepared with corn and ‘ugba’. It is prepared with corn because May and June are the seasons for corn. ‘Ugba’ in English is called oil bean. These are the foods we eat during the festival. We also have palm wine drinks. It is a flavour extracted from palm trees. I love and enjoy eating this meal.

I couldn’t stay for the complete two-month festival because I had to go to the city where I live. It was a pity that I couldn’t stay to experience more of it, but, I at least enjoyed my stay at Umuakah. I love my tribe and culture because it promotes peace and unity amongst us. 

Let's work together

• Published: 7 May 2019
• ISBN: 9780143789376
• Imprint: Puffin
• Format: Hardback
• RRP: $24.99
• Activity books & early learning
• Fiction & true stories
• Young readers non-fiction
• Personal & social issues

My Culture and Me

Gregg Dreise

A stirring story about pride, respect and maintaining culture.

Feel the rhythm of the music, from your heart down to your feet.

Enjoy the movements of melodies, as clapsticks keep a strong beat.

This is my culture. This is me.

Beautifully written and illustrated, My Culture and Me is a heartfelt and stirring story of cherishing and sustaining Indigenous cultures.

About the author

Gregg Dreise grew up in south-west Queensland in a large family that loves music, art, sport, Culture and family. He is very proud of his Kamilaroi and Euahlayi heritage. The Kamilaroi and Euahlayi peoples’ lands extend from south-west Queensland into north-west New South Wales.

Culture, music and storytelling have run through his family’s blood since time began. Gregg is a talented storyteller who uses didgeridoos, guitars, laughter and high-energy performances to pass on culture, unity and wisdom through his educational talks.

He is on a journey to get right around Australia to share his stories and learn more about the ancient and diverse histories and cultures of this beautiful country. He is fully aware that all of our cultural roots help strengthen the assortment of unique and proud Australians that we all become.

Also by Gregg Dreise

Praise for My Culture and Me

This beautiful picture book presents the voice of an Indigenous child relating the importance of knowing and living your culture . . . This book is perfect for Indigenous children who are finding their place in the revitalisation of Indigenous culture around Australia, and will also appeal to primary school aged children learning about Indigenous culture - Indigenous dance, music, instruments, spirituality, and connection to Country are all featured. Cassie Lynch, Books + Publishing

Beautifully written and illustrated, My Culture and Me is a heartfelt and stirring story of cherishing and sustaining Indigenous cultures, although there is relevance and applicability to all cultures whatever they may be, especially if the message of his dedication is read in its broadest terms . . . An important addition to your indigenous literature collection and curriculum. Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, thebottomshelf.edublogs.org

Indigenous author and illustrator shares his culture and his deep connection to Country. Words and pictures will inspire all readers to learn more about our beautiful country. Margaret Hamilton, Pinerolo Newsletter

In this vibrantly illustrated and lyrically written book Gregg explores and elucidates beautiful highlights of Indigenous culture – a ‘call to arms’ almost for all Australians, whether Indigenous or not, to admire the affinity with country and culture held dear by First Australians. Sue Warren, Just So Stories

While this book will be particularly poignant for those with Aboriginal heritage, the message of proudly embracing one's cultural heritage is universal. It's also a good introduction to children of Indigenous cultures and the narrative's rhyming words are soothing and engaging. mumsatthetable.com

Awards & recognition

Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards

Shortlisted  •  2020  •  Three to 5 Years

Discover more

Related titles

Our top books, exclusive content and competitions. straight to your inbox..

Sign up to our newsletter using your email.

By clicking subscribe, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Books Australia’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Thank you! Please check your inbox and confirm your email address to finish signing up.

Why I quit Goldman Sachs

I became a VP in six years. Then the 'boys only' culture drove me out.

Goldman Sachs has a problem.

Only 29% of the 2022 partner class was women — just slightly more than the previous two classes — and a flood of women leaders have recently taken their talents elsewhere . Dina Powell McCormick, head of sovereign business and sustainability efforts, left last year. Beth Hammack, a longtime partner, exited after she was passed over for the CFO role. Stephanie Cohen , once a likely CEO successor, left in March after 25 years. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that two-thirds of female partners had left or lost the title since 2018. The same was true for only 50% of male partners.

Two years ago, I joined the ranks of the women leaving Goldman. My career propelled me from an intern to a vice president in just six years, but it wasn't a walk in the park. I didn't feel like my innately feminine, sensitive self could cut it at Goldman, so I stashed her aside and stepped into an alternate persona. Under my desk, I would keep a pair of black pumps that I called my "Hollywood heels." When I put them on every morning, I channeled a thick-skinned character who thrived in a man's world.

It worked, but it was draining. Eventually, I decided I'd had enough; I left to write novels and build my own coaching and consulting business. It's been liberating to work in my authentic style, and it's made me realize how much of myself I was keeping small while at Goldman.

The lack of female leadership in the financial industry is nothing new, but many companies have been making strides. Citi has a female CEO and surpassed its 2022 goal to increase the number of women in leadership positions. Morgan Stanley has steadily increased its share of women in senior management. And two women are likely candidates to succeed JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. But at Goldman, the problem has only gotten worse.

Related stories

In 2023, Goldman paid $215 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2010 that alleged it had discriminated against thousands of female employees. Earlier this year, CEO David Solomon told the Journal: "Advancing women into our most senior ranks is an area where we have not accomplished our goals." But as I watch senior women continue their exodus from Goldman, I'm not sure the company actually wants to change.

Bringing women in the door isn't Goldman's problem — in its most recent hiring report, 50% of its entry-level analysts were women. The problem is that it can't keep women, especially those in leadership roles, around.

In my first role, I was the only woman on a team of 20 investors. Without role models to reflect different ways to be a leader, I felt like I had to mimic the masculine way to succeed. I wore a pantsuit and muted my personality; I played golf, talked football, and cried in the bathroom stall so I wouldn't be seen shedding tears at my desk. My out-of-the-box ideas were discouraged. I was told to stick to the Excel templates and precisely formatted PowerPoint decks, and to stop using exclamation points in my emails. My schedule was whatever the male leadership pushed: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week and long hours most weekends.

Many financial firms have a rigid culture, but Goldman's takes it to the next level — and women tend to bear the brunt.

When I took my first week of vacation after being at Goldman for over a year, my manager lectured me for not replying to emails or updating financial models during my personal time off. I told him that I had been hiking off the grid with my mom and hadn't had much cell service. "Next time, choose a vacation spot with better reception," he told me. Jaw clenched, I agreed.

Many financial firms have a rigid culture, but Goldman's takes it to the next level — and women tend to bear the brunt. Take the firm's strict return-to-office policy as an example. While many companies have modernized to embrace hybrid and remote work , Goldman has not. This disproportionately hurts women, as research has found women are more likely to thrive and stay at companies longer when they have hybrid and flexible working environments. In a 2023 survey by International Workplace Group, 72% of women polled said they would look for a new job if their company took away their option for hybrid work. And a recent McKinsey survey found that two of the top priorities for the women in the poll when picking a job were the ability to work remotely and control when they work.

Rather than changing its "be in the office every day and grind it out" culture to better suit women, Goldman puts the onus on us to change ourselves to fit the model.

Jacki Zehner, a former Goldman partner turned CEO of the women's networking platform ShePlace, recently wrote about the company on LinkedIn. The biggest reason women leave, she said, is "not feeling valued."

This resonated with me. Feeling — and being — undervalued means women miss out on promotions. McKinsey calls this the "broken rung": For every 100 men promoted from an entry level role to manager in 2023, only 87 women were promoted, according to their survey of 27,000 workers in the US and Canada. This disparity out of the gate creates a leadership-pipeline problem down the road.

While leadership styles vary from person to person, research suggests that women and men tend to lead differently. In her book, "When Women Lead," the CNBC reporter Julia Boorstin says women are more likely to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, communal leadership, and a greater sense of purpose. Boorstin's reporting found that women were more likely than men to invest in mentorship and have more diverse teams. The differences translate to financial results: In a recent study, McKinsey found that companies with at least 30% female leaders tended to outperform financially.

Goldman says it understands the importance of female leadership. "When women lead, everything changes," its corporate site says. The company offers a women's network, encourages male allyship, and talks a big game about diversity. But Goldman leadership seems to want the benefits of gender diversity without the hard work of supporting diverse leadership styles. For all the talk, I never noticed it trickle down to how it actually felt to work there. My female coworkers and I talked about it frequently — Goldman was squandering our talents by making us conform to the small box of how finance was supposed to be done. It felt like they were glad to have recruited such bright, multidimensional women but had no interest in empowering our gifts.

When we contemplated what it would take to rise into the senior ranks, we knew we would be compromising too much.

As I moved up at Goldman, I tried to incorporate more of my true self at work, whether that meant letting out my bubbly laugh or writing a "Goldman Sachs joy newsletter" to boost morale. Many colleagues appreciated my style, especially when I worked for a year in the London office. But in New York, I met resistance. When colleagues found my poetry on Instagram, they made negative comments to me about how emotional the poems were. When I brought in cookies for my team, I was told I should have been building financial models instead of baking.

These are small examples, but that's where bias often lives — in the million little ways women are told to tweak themselves to be more like men. The implication is that our way is lesser. I became a VP at 28, but I was burned out — not from the work itself but from the parts of me I had to dim along the way. The internal balancing act pushed me out.

Nearly two dozen of my women friends at the VP and managing-director levels have also left Goldman to join companies — or start companies — where they have more freedom, whether that means hybrid work, greater autonomy, or the ability to be promoted based on the quality of their work, rather than who they knew.

Goldman was a great place for us to start our careers, but when we contemplated what it would take to rise into the senior ranks, we knew we would be compromising too much.

From what I've seen, the C-suite men who reinforce Goldman's culture generally have good intentions. They assume that because their way worked for them, everyone else should follow suit. But when a woman doesn't fit the typical pattern or mold for CEO or partner, she's passed over.

As more women leave Goldman, the business itself suffers. Data shows that companies in the top 10% financially have more women in leadership positions. These companies excel because their women leaders act differently. Sometimes they see things that others miss. Just look at the 2008 financial crash .

If Goldman can manage to grow its ranks of women leaders, more women will follow. Deloitte found that for each woman added to a financial firm's C-suite, there's a positive, quantifiable impact on the number of senior women in levels just below the C-suite. We all need role models to show us what's possible. Women like Asahi Pompey and Yassaman Salas, Goldman partners whose commitment to being themselves radiates like a superpower, and Rebecca Anderton-Davies , a managing director who also shines as an author and yogi, show me there's hope.

Since I left two years ago, Goldman has been good to me. They bought copies of my book and hosted me to speak with interns. But when one intern asked how I "brought my full self to work" — one of Goldman's favorite slogans — I sidestepped the question. The truth was, I didn't bring my full self. Most of the time, I kept my feminine side tucked away, and I was rewarded for it.

Since leaving, I've been able to let my full self shine. I delivered a TEDx talk comparing Wall Street dealmaking to modern dating — something I would not have had the autonomy to do if I were still at Goldman. And rather than matching my schedule to Goldman's rigid model, I'm able to honor the natural ebbs and flows of my productivity. My feminine side is no longer a liability; it's an asset. I lead creativity and breathwork workshops, write women-centered novels, and mentor clients to help them build their dream careers.

I'm grateful to Goldman for launching my career, but it has a lot of room for improvement. And until it turns things around, don't be surprised when talented women keep walking out. We know there are other places we can go.

Lindsay MacMillan is an author, speaker, and coach.

About Discourse Stories

Through our Discourse journalism, Business Insider seeks to explore and illuminate the day’s most fascinating issues and ideas. Our writers provide thought-provoking perspectives, informed by analysis, reporting, and expertise. Read more Discourse stories here .

More from Finance

Most popular

• Main content

Home / Essay Samples / Sociology / Chinese / My Culture and Me: Personal Experiences and Cultural Differences

My Culture and Me: Personal Experiences and Cultural Differences

• Category: Life , Sociology , Culture
• Topic: About Myself , Chinese , Culture Shock

Pages: 1 (666 words)

• Downloads: -->

--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.

Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?

are ready to help you with your essay

You won’t be charged yet!

Chinese Culture Essays

Day of The Dead Essays

Halloween Essays

Diwali Essays

Christmas Essays

Related Essays

We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service  and  Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Your essay sample has been sent.

In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.

samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->