WHAT IS CULTURE

Culture consists of language, ideas, beliefs, customs, taboos, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, ceremonies, and symbols.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture

Culture Defined:

LanguageReligion

StyleFoodsArts

SportsCelebrations

Family

Areas of Culture

American Ideas - In America, time is a very important commodity. People 'save' time and 'spend' time as if it were money in the bank.

Americans view being late for a meeting or appointment as a sign of disrespect.

In the Indian world, things happen when they are ready to happen.

American Ideas vs American Indian Ideas

Language –The United States does not have an official language, but English is spoken by about 82% of the population.

Spanish is the second-most common language in the country, spoken by almost 30 million people (or 12% of the population).

In the Chickasaw language, there are less than 120 speakers, all older than 55. A recent study indicated the Chickasaw Nation could lose its last fluent speaker in 20 to 30 years if nothing is done to revitalize the language.

Languages

Bye! Goodbye! Bye for now! See ya! Be seeing you! See you soon! I'm off. Later! Catch you later!

Good night! There is not a word in the Chickasaw language that says ‘Goodbye’

Chi piza la cho is used to say ‘I will see you again’

Language

78.4% of Americans claim to be Christians 4.7% other (Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist) 16.1% unaffiliated 0.8 undetermined Most American Indians view religion as a

“Way of Life” not a faith to be followed.

Religion in America

American Clothing Style – casual, sneakers, t-shirts, cowboy hats, boots, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Levi and American Eagle.

Historic American Indian clothing style –sashes, turbans, gorgets, loin cloth, cotton aprons, deer skin

Style

American Fast foods Twinkies Hamburgers Hotdogs Apple pie Cook outs Steak

American Indian Fry Bread Pishofa Grape dumplings Salt pork Squash Corn Beans

Foods

Fine Arts – painting, sculpture, architecture, music and

poetry, theater, and dance.

The Five Ballerinas

Mike Larsen

Enoch Haney

The Guardian

Chickasaw Council House

Arts

Performing Arts –dance, music, opera, theatre, magic, spoken word, circus arts, recitation and musical theatre.

Fine Arts

Visual Arts - are art forms that create works that are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, photography, video, filmmaking and architecture.

Applied Art - is the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Ex. fashion (beading, clothing), pottery, photography

Arts continued

American sports Native American SportsBaseball Stick ballFootball ChunkyBasketball Marbles

Sports

Christmas Halloween Independence Day

Labor Day Memorial Day Columbus Day Thanksgiving

Weddings Piomingo Day Green Corn Ceremony

Stomp Dances Graduations Birthdays

Celebrations and Holidays

Nuclear – Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister

Extended – Grandmother, Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandfathers, in-laws

Step families, Single Parent, generational, adopted, non-traditional, foster, friend families, work families.

Family

Becoming aware of our cultural dynamics is a difficult task because culture is not conscious to us.

Since we are born we have learned to see and do things at an unconscious level. Our experiences, our values and our cultural

background lead us to see and do things in a certain way.

Sometimes we have to step outside of our cultural boundaries in order to realize the impact that our culture has on our behavior.

Why learn about culture?