The culture I participate in the most is the Hispanic culture. It is a broad and diverse culture that deeply values family and unity. Spanish is the official language of the Hispanic people outside America. The control of the Spanish over Mexico led to the dominance of the Spanish language. Strong family values religious beliefs and food culture have enabled the Hispanic people to stand out over time. This has been part of the contributing factor that has led the community to rise to become the largest minority population in the United States.
Family values are at the core of the Hispanic social structure. Hispanic communities constitute large family groups that are closely connected. There exists very little difference between the nuclear and the extended families. Traditional family values have held strong over time, a factor that has seen the father standing out predominantly as the authoritative figure and decision maker (Commisceo Global, 2016). Mothers are also very respected, but their role majorly comes second to that of the husband. Hispanic society is viewed as a hierarchical one in nature. Authority is highly respected, and people look up to those above them in age or social status for guidance. Every person’s position is well known. It is considered disrespectful to break this chain of hierarchy. It is viewed as a duty and responsibility to support other family members on all levels including financially.
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As a Hispanic, I have come to value food is an important part of my culture. Delicacies such as tortillas, tamales, enchiladas, and tacos are favorites for many. Many of these foods have their origins from the Indian cultures of Mexico with some names originating from the Nahuatl language. Various salsas and other condiments such as guacamole, picco de gallo pebre, chimichurri, aji, and mole just to mention a few are the spices that give Hispanic food a different kind of flavor (Commisceo Global, 2016). Beverages of Mexican origin also stand out as much as their food counterparts with the likes of hibiscus tea cacao, horchata, mate and atole coming out as popular favorites. Desserts such as alfajor, tres leches cake, and rice pudding just to mention a few are mouthwatering delicacies that also form part of the rich Hispanic food tradition.
In terms of sports and entertainment, Hispanics living in the United States have assimilated over time to the American society. They have come to enjoy most of the leisure activities that the major American population enjoys. This, however, dies not rule out the fact that soccer is the love of many a Hispanic. Telemundo and Univision are the major broadcasting networks that provide Spanish language entertainment all over the United States and the Houston region in particular. There has also been a big Hispanic influence over the years within the music industry which eventually saw the rise to international fame of Hispanic sensations such as Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez and Christina Aguilera, idols who I personally am a big fan of.
In my personal view of the Hispanic position in society, our population majorly occupies the middle-class society. Many within the community are social workers and believe in a strong work ethic. Over the years, there have been many struggles that have helped shaped the community as a whole with factors such as discrimination on different levels standing out. Hispanics have over the years been subjected to racial discrimination, low wages, and unfavorable working environments. These have however never killed the resolve within members of the community hence leading them to stand out in various facets of the society such as entertainment as seen earlier.
In conclusion, it is quite evident that the Hispanic culture has great character in terms of value, customs, and traditions. Family has proved to be a major stronghold within the community with support being shown across the board towards extended family members. Food is an integral part that stands out as a signature of the Hispanic culture. The dominance as seen in the entertainment industry makes the Hispanic culture a force to reckon with. In a culture as deep as this, it takes the time to firmly identify with the traditions, I’m a strong believer in these values and find myself more in love with the culture each day as I get to indulge in it more and more.
References
Commisceo Global (2016). A look at Mexican Language Culture, Customs and Ettiquette . Retrieved from www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/mexico-guide
