Accepting your culture and your roots is esteemed. However, when you only permit yourself and others to recognize it because it is “trendy”, it loses its value.
I remember when I was younger, many Hispanic classmates swore that they did not listen to Spanish music. Although it would be stereotypical to assume that they should listen to Spanish music just because they’re hispanic, it is interesting how once this music and fashion pieces considered staples in Mexican culture such as wearing boots became popular, those same people started to engage in the culture.
Some people didn’t like admitting that they spoke Spanish, others wanted their name to be pronounced differently to how their parents pronounced it because they didn’t want it to sound “too Mexican.” Some would quickly correct someone by saying that they were not Mexican, they were American because they were born in the U.S.. Although this is true, the attitude with which they would respond, made it seem like there was something shameful about being Mexican.
I understand that sometimes people feel like they need to fit into the norm, but there is no need to feel ashamed of your culture or deny your roots in order to fit in. You should be proud of where you or your parents come from regardless of what other people might think.
I vividly recall an occurrence in my freshman year where I saw how people blatantly denied knowing their native tongue. It was a few days after the first semester had started, and a new student who only spoke Spanish would be joining the class. The teacher asked the class to raise their hand if they spoke Spanish in order to be able to guide her in the assignments and help her in case she didn’t understand something. It was odd and unfortunate to see that no one else raised their hand, when in reality they did speak Spanish.
The curious thing about this situation is that the same people who felt embarrassed or intimidated to raise their hand, are also the same people wearing jackets with the Mexican flag on them or wearing western boots.
The problem has never been and never will be to admit or to showcase your culture, but when you only like to display your culture at times and fragments of it, then you aren’t accepting of your own roots. Doing this is like treating your culture as a trend. You pick and choose when you want to be a part of it, and when you don’t like how you may be perceived, you turn your back on it.
Why is it that people feel the need to disassociate with their roots? Because they won’t be accepted or because they are embarrassed? My problem lies in people’s insecurity to acknowledge and appreciate a great part of who they are. It shouldn’t take the influence of other people to know that what you have is great, even in silence.
