Background
I was born in India from a Sikh religious background. My grandparents moved to India from Pakistan in 1947, soon after the two countries got their independence from Britain. They lived in India as refugees after Pakistan was partitioned from India soon after independence. I have lived in the US since 2001 after I migrated here from my country, India. I have been exposed to a very different way of life since when I arrived which influenced my personality greatly. This paper will reveal my cultural identity and lineage and how it has shaped my understanding of the current environment where I live.
The US is one of the few countries in the world with a diverse racial and ethnic population. It can be described as a contemporary melting point for different racial and cultural groupings. I have the advantage of being part of this diverse cultural and racial mix. I live with my parents and siblings here. My family is actively in touch with other Sikhs who live and work in the US and these connections help us cherish our culture. I attend religious Sikh lessons regularly through which I get insights into many issues that affect contemporary society. My personality has become stronger because I have learned to relate to people from other cultural backgrounds better (Oberoi, 1994, p. 39). I appreciate the positive aspects of other cultures which I have been exposed to.
I have a spiritual and physical connection to India where I was born. My early experiences in life were shaped by what I saw and learned from there. This is what gives me an identity that shows who I am as a person. I am tied to the events, aspirations, and blood relations that I have in my native Punjab region. I fondly recall the folk dances that I participated in while growing up there. These dances are done depending on the occasion that is being celebrated (Oberoi, 1994, p. 43). Occasions that are mostly celebrated in Punjab are weddings, harvest, and the birth of a newborn. These dances are complemented by bright outfits worn by participants. These outfits add color and glamour to the occasion being celebrated.
Exposure to Multiculturalism
My connections to India and my current residency in the US have a positive contribution to my development. I am more rational in all decisions that I make depending on the circumstances and choices I am faced with. My background gives me the courage to move forward in a world that is increasingly becoming unpredictable. I look at past experiences that I have faced and learn from them. My strong faith in the Sikh religion helps me to overcome challenges that I encounter from time to time (Patwant, 1999, p. 67). My faith guides me to be more cautious in the manner I handle sensitive matters.
India is a more conservative society compared to the US. The approach to issues in my native Punjab region is different from the one taken in the US. There is a clear difference in ideas, norms, and behavior between people living in India and the US. The migration of my grandparents from Pakistan occurred during a difficult time in the Indian subcontinent’s history (Butalia, 1998, p. 111). Pakistan was a part of India until the hostile partition that occurred in 1947 soon after independence. The antagonism between Hindus and Sikhs, on one hand, and Muslims, on the other hand, led Pakistan to become a separate state. Pakistan has a predominantly Muslim population while India has a large Hindu population.
My grandparents became refugees in India because, as Sikhs, they were being persecuted in Pakistan. Pakistan adopted Islamic laws that were not favorable to minorities. This made it difficult for followers of other religions to live there peacefully. The Islamic laws and ideologies became harsh and many Hindus and Sikhs had to flee the country for their own safety. My grandparents were among the 6 million Hindus and Sikhs that fled to India as refugees soon after independence in 1947. The disputes between the two countries made Hindus and Sikhs residing in Pakistan be treated badly by Muslims (Butalia, 1998, p. 115). These difficulties made my grandparents seek refuge in Indian-controlled Punjab.
My parents were brought up in a conservative environment which influenced their outlook on life and other issues in general. Their parents instilled in them positive communal values which they were to follow to make their lives more satisfactory. My grandparents made my parents understand the importance of family connections. Family ties are bound by blood and, as such, families support each other both in good and bad times (Ballantyne, 2006, p. 94). My culture values communal ties which are very different from what I have experienced during my stay here in the US. Western cultures value individualism and self-reliance.
Differences in cultural values and experiences in India and the US have sharpened my understanding of how the world works. My stay in the US has made me value freedom, personal liberties, and pride. These principles are valued by American society and they have a great effect on the personalities of people that live in this country. The values I learned from Punjab, India, together with the interactions I have had in the US, have made me wiser (Ballantyne, 2006, p. 102). My history helps me to reflect on the experiences that I have encountered while growing up in both India and the US.
People that live in Punjab are hearty and famous for their courtesy and generosity. A visitor to any village in the countryside is likely to be welcomed with food, drinks, and a place to rest for the night. Gallantry is a trait that is cherished by many in my community and people who display brave deeds are honored and celebrated by all in society (Bruzzi, 2001, p. 73). These are virtues that I cherish and I will always observe them no matter where I am residing. The high regard that is shown to acts of bravery is similar to what I have witnessed in my stay here in the US.
Punjabi food, clothes, and music are the aspects of my culture that I cherish and value. Bhangra music is very popular not only in Punjab but in other parts of India as well. Songs, dances, fashion, poetry, and Punjab cuisine add flavor to a rich authentic heritage that has existed for centuries (Bruzzi, 2001, p. 76). I cherish my time here in the US because I am now knowledgeable about western codes of conduct and attitudes. I have gotten an awakening that the global environment is now receptive to multiculturalism.
References
Ballantyne, T. (2006). Between colonialism and Diaspora: Sikh cultural formations in an imperial world. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Bruzzi, S. (2001). Fashion cultures: Theories, explorations and analysis. New York, NY: Routledge.
Butalia, U. (1998). The other side of silence: Voices from the partition of India. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Oberoi, H. (1994). The construction of religious boundaries: Culture, identity and diversity in the Sikh tradition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Patwant, S. (1999). The Sikhs. New York: Doubleday.