Expressing Culture

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
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Many Pakistanis living abroad make an extra effort to express their culture. For example:

1) Jubilant show of hospitality: Always ask people to come in and sit down, those who show up at the door, and then don’t let them go out without offering something to eat or drink. Even a person like the cable guy or the plumber don’t get by without having a drink, tea etc.

2) Gifts: Whenever they visit home they come back with gifts with cultural significance for their neighbors, co-workers, friends.

3) Festivals: Invite the neighborhood people to their festivals such as at Eid(s) or at least send them food to share their happiness.

4) Trips: Some people go as far as to plan a trip with a close friend to Pakistan, so that they get a direct exposure to the culture.

I believe it’s great that those of us who do immigrate to other countries, not only adopt the good things of that particular culture but also express their own culture! And in a way imprinting their image on the society they have chose to reside in. :slight_smile:

I would like people to add to this list of things that they do, or wish they would do .. or have seen others Pakistanis do while expressing their culture …

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I try to express it culinary. Most (well many) have little idea that Pakistani food is so similar to what they know as Indian food. Many have also admired my collection of Pakistani rugs, and little pieces of furniture that I have brought back. In new york, folks are pretty aware of Pakistani culture, as we have a sizable presence here, but whenever I have business colleagues from some remote parts of the country visit me at my house, they are generally surprised, in a nice kinda way.

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**5) Attire: **Wear your cultural garb for special occassions or even on casual Friday to work.

**6) Music: ** Blast fusion bhangra from your lowered Honda Accord with the tinted windows down and moonroof opened.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/wink.gif

j/k

Perhaps inviting them to a tabla/sitar fusion/jam night would be a better idea.

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  • display of photographs to enhance the narration related to culture.