Introduction
A person’s family plays an essential role in one’s identity as the family’s history oftentimes distinctly reflects one’s culture and heritage. The prominence of individuals’ identities is carried through special objects that are dear to the family, known as artifacts. My personal example of such an object is a set of silver spoons that my great-grandmother had purchased in her home country. Each of these spoons has a name correlating with a family member’s name at the time – my great-grandmother’s, her husband’s, my grandmother’s, and my great aunt’s. Inspecting these objects and learning about their history was a powerful method to connect to my heritage and ethnic identity.
Discussion
Looking at the set, it is evident that it has not been in extensive use. As long as I remember myself, these spoons were used for display, sitting proudly in my grandmother’s cabinet. In only exceptions were the days of great holidays or birthdays, when we could use them to eat dessert. When I look at them, I cannot help but admire the craftsmanship behind them. The patterns in silver are precise and intricate, and the silver is yet to tarnish. It is clear that my grandmother cares greatly for them and makes sure that they stay in good condition.
In order to obtain a better understanding of the subject, I conducted an interview with my grandmother. She told me about her mother’s religious upbringing and how it was a great part of her community’s living. People gathered in the church not only to praise God but also to feel a connection to each other by fulfilling a greater mission. The spoons were a part of the church’s fundraising campaign aimed to help those in need. Charity, as my grandmother explained, plays an incredibly important role in our ethnic identity. It allows people from all walks of life to feel included and supported, and it lets them know that if they fall in hard times, they will be supported as well.
Another important aspect of this artifact is that it has a direct connection to our family members who have passed. Looking at the names that are displayed on the spoons, I listened to my grandmother reminisce about the old times, remembering all the details of our family members’ lives. The struggles that they had faced and battles, small and big, that they had won. This conversation helped shape my understanding of our ethnic identity as people who are community-oriented and believe in the prevalence of the greater good. I have always known that giving back to the community and supporting those in need was important for us. However, examining and analyzing this piece of our family’s history has put it into perspective more acutely.
Conclusion
For people, it is highly important to maintain a strong connection to their ethnic and cultural identity. Personally, I realize that identifying with my heritage brings me closer to my family members, both near and distant. Furthermore, it has been established that having a high level of ethnic connection leads to a lower exhibition of various adverse factors among youth. Such factors include suicidal thoughts, binge drinking, impaired health, engaging in fighting, and other self-destructive behaviors (Ungar 621). I believe that my ethnic identity and artifacts that help share its understanding have made me a better and healthier person than I would have been without them.
Work Cited
Ungar, Michael, et al. “How schools enhance the development of young people’s resilience.” Social Indicators Research, vol. 145, no. 2, 2019, pp. 615–627.