Running head: The difference in our culture

The difference in a white and black culture

Billy Dixon

South University Online

As a child growing up and into my adulthood, I have had the privilege of living in different places. I have lived in several major cities throughout the U.S. and have made friends from different countries, which are Africans, Mexicans, and Canadians. I moved from Georgia when I was nine, and I have lived in the rural of Texas since. Therefore in the past twenty-one years of my life I have had the pleasure of living in two different cultural backgrounds, and learn the differences in between.

Abstract

This paper seeks to explain that within the societies our beliefs, attitudes and values are the same when it comes to holidays concerning festivities and celebrations. Within societies, various religions, and ethnic groups can set us apart due to a range of responses, feelings, behaviors, attitudes, symbols, and material objects when it comes to death in our culture.

Celebration of holidays within a culture

The difference in a white and black culture

In the United Stated it is a tradition to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Death. Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October every year. It is a time when people of all ages mostly kids dress up funny, and does ‘trick or treat’. This holiday is celebrated by giving away free candy, buying costumes, decorating pumpkins to have funny faces or carved jack –o’lanterns with lit internal candles or it can seem a bit scary. Some people like to have costume parties and make creative Halloween-themed food. Halloween traditions are fun and exciting for kids and families, and are good way to preserve childhood memories. It is tradition for every family to gathers together for a very special day in America’s heritage and culture.
Another important holiday is Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday for the U.S. This day is full of thanks and is used to give thanks for all that they have been blessed with by saying grace. On Thanksgiving Day families will usually eat the traditional thanksgiving dinner. This usually includes Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy and all of the fine trimmings. It is a special dinner were each family gets the chance to reunite all together and have this dinner with there loved ones. Thanksgiving Day is a time of family reflection from those who come from far and wide to be with their siblings, relatives, and hold memories of those who have past away faithfully. In Texas I remember the city and town parades and all the festivities that followed. The hilarity and pandemonium; you can’t dream such of thing when it came to expressing gratitude by welcoming this day into our hearts. In Colombia unfortunately there is no such thing as Thanksgiving Day; it is only an American tradition which is nice for the family to enjoy a dinner all together. Celebration of holidays within a culture

The difference between a white and black culture

The next holiday we celebrate and observe is Christmas. Christmas has been an annual holiday since the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. This Holiday is celebrated on December 25th to commemorate the occasion. The Christmas season in my hometown was always celebrated by singing Christmas carols, reciting poems, speeches, and lighting candles on a wreathe while reading bible verses. We always had a Christmas Eve night service to honor the night leading to the birth of Christ Jesus. Other ways we showed our love and support of this major holiday was decorating our homes and yards with Christmas lights and putting up a live Christmas tree. To the Christians, Christmas and Easter are considered the two most important holidays of the year, because Christmas commemorates Jesus birth and Easter remembers his death and resurrection.
Another fun day of kisses is Valentine’s Day which is observed on February 14 each year. It is basically a holiday for lovers and close acquaintances. This day is celebrated by symbols; like the heart colored in red or pink, and pictures of cupid a small winged figure with his bow and arrow. People give cards; go to dinner and movies to combine for a festival of romantic plans. Couples like stay in romantic hotels, give gifts usually lavish gifts like rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Some people send dozens of roses and a box of chocolate candied hearts that jump out of the box at you when there opened. Death is perceived different in the white culture vs. the black culture The difference between a white and black culture
Finally, death is the main component to our social behaviors, language, material objects, and symbols as well as our views and struggles. Because death is universal, traditional families struggle with the reality of death that causes a variety of responses to coping with the loss of their love one. So I would like to compare and contrast culture differences among the black and white race when a person dies. As a funeral director I understand on the broadest level that there are differences in the components of cultural, ethnic, and religious groups in all aspects of life. My point is simple; in the black American culture when a family member dies other family member come to where there love one has come to their demise and there is usually a long waiting period with the body. The families usually have accepted the fact that death has once again invaded its rank which it has come to take out of this world the soul of their deceased. At the final viewing just before the body is taken away to the funeral home, the family usually gathers around the bed for a final prayer for that love one usually led by the family parish. During the week friends of the decease will bring food to help prepare for the week to help with financial hard times that lay ahead. This is a symbol of love because it shows their behavior and attitude on grief and dying. Death is perceived different in the white culture vs. the black culture The difference between a white and black culture

The one thing I notice in twenty years of the business, black people never bury within two-three days; but generally five to six days when the service will be completed. In the white culture when death takes place, a love one is usually buried within 48 hours after their death. The white generation has taken advantage of preened and prearranged funeral services. So when the times come the family is less worried or stressed because the trouble with preparing for a funeral is completed. Another caution I found with the black generation is they like to have nice and fancy things at their love ones funeral. They go through the extreme of ordering extra merchandise like limousines to aid as a family car so all the siblings ride together on funeral day. In the white generation a family drives their own vehicles to the funeral following behind the funeral director or they just show up at the church on their own. Death is perceived different in the white culture vs. the black culture
The difference between a white and black culture
Another comparison as well as contrast is that black families they must be mafias or something because they take off from work a week long cause the death of a love one. In the white culture they do not take off this much time considering the situation to cope with death and their loss. They normally use their lunch break to attend the funeral and go back to work. In the African American generation families tend to the responsibility of caring for their love ones at home versus a hospital or nursing home. There will always be a traditional funeral because of respect to their love one they try to avoid cremation. Among the white culture family members pawn there love ones off to the nursing homes and cremation is strongly recommended because of their love one age and their deterioration over a period of time. Attitude toward organ donors and autopsy has some religious restrictions in both cultures. These are the differences in the in the black culture compared to the white cultures. Although I gave examples between the two cultures, I used visual images to contrast the following scenarios; but among these differences can become most uncomfortable at sensitive times like death. Even the language we use is designed to make the pain less intense. We say words that suppose to be encouraging like be strong for the kids or he/she is in a better place. Then we should grieve in public conservatory. This is a general interpretation of our behavior so that we should bring our emotions under severe control in a so short time. Some cultures honor fraternities, masons, and other societies as variations to help families carry out these important traditions. So these are symbols of rituals in a ceremonial act or series of such acts used in actions or words or material objects. Closing statement
The difference between a white and black culture
There are significant variations among families and within cultures attempting to understand cultural similarities and differences. I believe it is important to continue to learn and observe our families, friends, patients, and colleagues about their unique socio-cultural and individual and nationalistic views and preference so that we may increase our ability to offer culturally sensitive care.