Culture has been defined in a whole lot of ways. It is defined as everyday behaviours that have accumulated over time. Which have become the norm for us as a society and eventually become what we call ‘our way of life’, culture. The main underlying thing for me about culture is heritage and identity and its importance in making us grounded as people.
It is usually said, “If you do not stand for anything, you fall for anything.” Therefore, as an individual, when I say I have a culture, I am Motswana. What does that mean? It means my pillars are Botho or uBuntu as commonly called in Southern Africa. In that sense, I get to understand the things that fall under Botho. Like the importance of greeting people, being humble and understanding other people’s significance in my journey. These are very important in terms of keeping me grounded as a person. You will see this as you compare how you behave to people of other nations. Even though each and every one of us has our own distinct cultures that bring their own uniqueness. However, there is a specific common thread amongst us as Africans. These are the same little things that we have, and there are these differences too. When you speak about these similarities and differences, those are what make us up as Africans. That is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. It is also what brings us to say this is who I am as an individual, and that is who you are as an individual.
I feel as if culture today, at least my way of life has helped me have a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, that is something most of us struggle with and do not have. You find out that when you go to multicultural universities and spaces, people struggle with how to fit in and how they are part of an equation. Culture, for me, is that thing. That when you understand it, you have certain levels of confidence within yourself in what you know. This is what I have been taught, and this is what is relevant to me as an individual. At the same token, having a greater understanding of culture also allows you to question it as well. Like asking if bridal price/dowry, genital mutilation and marriage constructs are relevant to us today. When you can challenge these things, you can have a deeper understanding of yourself as a person and what you stand for. Beyond just saying this is what I have been taught. This is how I am going to go about in the world. You now have the chance to question it as well and help it evolve into something better. I think for me that is the complete blessing of culture. Just like anything, there are pros and cons. For me, as a young Motswana and African, understanding my culture today helps me to navigate my place in the world and realize my identity.
Culture is the core of our identity, and we can build our own culture. At the end of the day, culture is something we repetitively do and endorse on a daily to be the right thing. Even within a culture, we can say this is not right and what is a new way of life we want to endorse as individuals and together. There are so many aspects to explore in culture, and today, I wanted to speak about identity.
Photo by Paul Zoetemeijer on Unsplash
Comments