Creole American Culture

Merriam Webster defines an individual who is “creole” as “a person of European descent born especially in the West Indies or Spanish America.” (“Creole”) With this definition, almost every individual is or knows someone who would be considered creole. Over four hundred years ago, thousands upon thousands of Africans were resentfully transported to the distorted new world with the intention to be bargained for. Even though they were stripped from every physical attribute that they called their own, the abstract idea of culture superseded through their misfortunes. Furthermore, the resilience exhibited by these enduring creatures is still profoundly prevalent today, but is at risk of being abandoned. The ideals that were shared years and years …show more content…
Baham’s childhood, she continually shared how the town that she grew up in was populated by literate and culturally aware black people. Her father was born in the late 1800s and still managed to obtain his literacy and spoke French as his primary language. During a time where most black people in the south were share croppers, her dad was fortunate enough to attain his own piece of land on the side of a house where his family could live. Even though they were poor and had to go without some time, they did not let that stop them from celebrating the life that they did have. One of Mrs. Baham’s fondest memories is when her family would have cookouts and would spread the event by word of mouth. Everyone was invited and people would bring a dish with them to show their appreciation for the family. While the friends and family were eating, her father would play Zydeco music and everyone would just dance until they could not dance anymore. She remembered watching the elders stand around speaking French, “to not lose their culture” (Baham). This was their primary language, but they were only able to converse in such a manner in the comfort of their home. Many of the elders endured the times in school where they were forbidden to speak any other language other than English or else they were reprimanded. “If you wouldn’t your children to get ahead, you did not let them speak their native language” (Baham). The teachers in the schools mainly came from …show more content…
Baham’s family has adapted to are just a couple of examples of how creole culture trickles down through generations. Passed down through lineage are ideas of passion in a physical matter as well as spiritual. Mrs. Baham spoke on the heirlooms that has been rendered to her. Her mother’s childhood iron bed was passed down to her which dates to the nineteen-teens. Also, an item that is over a hundred years old which is what we call a cedar chest and a cedar robe, nevertheless, it is very important to Mrs. Baham due to the real cedar and value that it possessed. The minute and unintentional things that someone do not always have some higher purpose, rather it genuinely makes them happy. People think to have a culture, that it must be a traditional custom that only a couple of people know how to practice and it is only geared towards them. However, creole culture shows us how anything that someone is passionate about and that is rooted inside them is their creole entity is becoming their culture.
As African Americans, we are losing what makes us, us. We are obligated to string out any information from our elders to ensure that we keep our culture alive. Any practices by any family should continue through the generations so that the idea of being creole will not die. We are losing value, but it is not gone yet. There are no other words to say other than to, “live your culture, be your culture. If you can’t figure are your values, you don’t know