Personal/Cultural World View
Culture is defined as the tastes and manners that are favored by a social group. In this case, culture implies the practices and traditions of a certain community or group of people. This essay is intended to put across my cultural view of the world. In an attempt to do so, various questions will be tackled in the essay; what is the culture that drives me? How does it impact the way I leave and interact with others? How was the culture taught to me? To what extent does the culture affect you?
Among the people of South Africa, there is a certain community of people referred to as the Zulu. The Zulu have a very distinct culture compared to many other communities in the world. Of course all other communities in the world have a distinct culture, but that of the Zulu is a unique one. One common characteristic about cultures from different communities from the same area is that they share certain similarities. In the Zulu culture, many of there cultural practices are practiced among the people of the Zulu community only (Mphalele, 2006). Every year, the Zulu carry out a festival to revive there culture. It is no wonder that in a world where cultural practices and traditions are fading away, the Zulu have maintained there cultural practices over the years. There are some practices that have been carried on from one generation to another among the Zulu people and this has enabled them appreciate their culture and traditions. These practices are; the reed dance, traditional clothing and traditional healing. These are perhaps the most important of practices carried out among the Zulu people (Anderson, 2004).
One surprising thing is that I got to learn of this culture through an African friend. Although he was not from the South of Africa, he had an interest in other African cultures and through his quest for more information on the Zulu culture, I got to learn of this culture.
The Zulu culture has a great impact on the way I leave and interact with others. Amongst the Zulu traditions, are wise sayings and other words of wisdom. One of the sayings that the Zulu people abide to is “be good to everyone, you never know when you might need them”. In the world today, this saying is applicable and practical in every manner. In whatever I do and in every way I relate with other people, I take it upon myself to have a good heart and be good to every person that I interact with. In my view, this practice has helped me a lot in life as it has enabled me to look at people differently and have a positive attitude towards every one.
My position towards the world and the practices carried out in the world is that the old and indigenous cultures are being eroded and slowly, new ways of life are being adopted. These new ways are the new cultural practices emerging. I however, tend to disagree strongly with this fact. I think it is very dangerous to lose our cultural traditions and adopt others.
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