That’s a comment by a Caucasian female in one of my classes… according to her, she felt (and i quote) “left out” in all the multi-culturalism stuff/activities/atmosphere within Canadian society. This was pretty much what she stated: “We have Asian Heritage Month” (it’s Asian Heritage Month here right now) and other dates that commemmorate other cultures - Chinese New Year, for example…and we have Chinese dragonboat racing here as well, and other cultural celebrations, but we have nothing that celebrates being Caucasian (according to her argument).
i completely disagree… Caucasian peoples do have their own cultures and they are as much a part of the multicultural mosaic (within Canada and around the world) as a Greek immigrant, or Italian immigrant, or anyone else.
i have heard this refrain before as well from some Caucasian individuals and so has my sister in her classes - specifically, the complaint that some Caucasians feel left out in all the midst of this multiculturalism uproar. i don’t see it as a valid complaint to be honest - i mean, of course Caucasians have unique cultures of their own. If you are from a Scottish or Irish background, for eg., then you have an extremely rich and unique heritage… Maybe it’s different if there’s less emphasis placed upon Scottish cultural events than, for eg., Chinese dragonboat racing (which is extremelyyyy popular here), but - that doesn’t mean that Caucasian cultures are being neglected. Does it ? i mean, for thousands of years, they have been celebrated. So big deal if it’s Asian Heritage Month in May or Black History Month in February… there should be an Irish History Month once during the year as well. What’s the big deal - this isn’t a race to compete with whose culture gets more exposure.
Does anyone know what i am trying to say. :~/ Why do some individuals feel as though they are competing against popularity for their respective culture. You’ve got a unique heritage, whether you are Caucasian or Jamaican. Celebrate it and get over it.
i know its not in the right context here, but it'll get the point across nonetheless...u know the urdu saying "ghar ki murghi daal barabar"...i think its the same in this case...i.e. ppl like this person look @ other cultures, and c how "lively" they are, and fail to c what their culture has to offer/realize what their culture is :) it is odd, but it happens...just like in pak, ppl look towards the west and "westernize" everythin, even their talkin styles in order to copy that "culture" :)
Her point is that should white people allocate a month during the year to celebrate their whiteness. Black people are a race, Italians are not. Should white people celebrate their race like blacks?
Besides, you don't need to refer to heritage from some other country to have a culture. Culture is about how you live and perceive the world. Everyone has that.
This debate comes up quite often at work as well when we try to pick diverse literature for classes.
It is moronic to assume that Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Clancy all have the same culture. White males? -- yes. Same culture? -- no.
I think you all may be missing the point here. I, too, am one of the "lost souls". I am of european descent but have no idea who or what my grandparents were or where they were from. Well, thats not entirely true, I do know a little bit about my grandma from my dads side but thats it. During the mass emigrations, much was lost. Maybe you will all come down on my family for not keeping on with cultural traditions and letting it be lost, but at that time, it was the "great depression" in america. So just being able to feed your family at that time was the great challenge and to heck with traditions and such. Sad but true. I so wish I had known my ancestors and am amazed an in awe of my husband;s family who can trace their roots back generation upon generation.
Maybe it’s different if there’s less emphasis placed upon Scottish cultural events than, for eg., Chinese dragonboat racing (which is extremelyyyy popular here), but - that doesn’t mean that Caucasian cultures are being neglected. Does it ?