If asked this question two years ago I would have provided a different answer, resultantly from having moved to a place where cultural identity and affiliation with one’s culture is overt and expressed in conversation daily, I have become accustomed to daily self-reflection. Living here has opened my eyes to who I am and where I come from in a greater sense than anywhere else I have lived. Hence, I am reminded daily, that my culture is different from those in my community and in my family, yet I am embraced by and embrace the people I meet. My cultural identity stems from privilege, security, abundance, education and sustenance. I recognize the difference’s between my husbands and my upbringing and understand the way family and one’s culture
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My cultural identity has changed over the course of my life as a result of my lived experiences. I was born and raised in a small Indigenous community where I had the freedom to roam and connect with nature. Being raised in a small community contributed to my self-awareness, as it was, everything I did, where ever I went was known by the community. My peers and I were always scrutinized by the adult members of the community. This made me very self-conscious as a teenager. At 18 I moved to Calgary, where I felt more free, thus, began to express myself without fear of becoming the headline of a rumor. I spent many years throughout my 20’s trying to figure out my purpose, I had a number of different jobs, took many college courses to try and determine what it was I wanted to focus on. At 28, after leaving an 8 year relationship, in which I learned so much about myself, what I wanted from life, and where I wanted to be, I decided to go back to university to pursue social work. This journey would bring with it many challenges and major life changes. Fast forward to today, 6 years later, I live in Hawaii, am married to an amazing partner and am back in school working towards my masters. Hard work and dedication towards my dreams has changed my cultural identity. Living in Hawaii, being in an inter-ethnic relationship has changed my cultural identity, caring for a step-daughter has changed who I am. I am forever evolving and will continue to do so as long as I am alive, hence cultural identity is interconnected to everything we do and everyone we encounter. It evolves over time, as we become a reflection of our environment and social
My cultural identity has changed over the course of my life as a result of my lived experiences. I was born and raised in a small Indigenous community where I had the freedom to roam and connect with nature. Being raised in a small community contributed to my self-awareness, as it was, everything I did, where ever I went was known by the community. My peers and I were always scrutinized by the adult members of the community. This made me very self-conscious as a teenager. At 18 I moved to Calgary, where I felt more free, thus, began to express myself without fear of becoming the headline of a rumor. I spent many years throughout my 20’s trying to figure out my purpose, I had a number of different jobs, took many college courses to try and determine what it was I wanted to focus on. At 28, after leaving an 8 year relationship, in which I learned so much about myself, what I wanted from life, and where I wanted to be, I decided to go back to university to pursue social work. This journey would bring with it many challenges and major life changes. Fast forward to today, 6 years later, I live in Hawaii, am married to an amazing partner and am back in school working towards my masters. Hard work and dedication towards my dreams has changed my cultural identity. Living in Hawaii, being in an inter-ethnic relationship has changed my cultural identity, caring for a step-daughter has changed who I am. I am forever evolving and will continue to do so as long as I am alive, hence cultural identity is interconnected to everything we do and everyone we encounter. It evolves over time, as we become a reflection of our environment and social