Culture is a broad term that encompasses the shared characteristics, knowledge, and behaviors of a particular group of people. It’s a complex tapestry woven from threads of language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, and arts. Understanding culture is crucial in our increasingly interconnected world, helping us navigate diverse societies and appreciate the richness of human expression.
The concept of culture goes beyond a simple list of customs. The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition defines culture as the shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and understandings that are learned through socialization. This perspective emphasizes culture as a dynamic and evolving group identity shaped by unique social patterns. Essentially, culture is the growth of a group’s identity nurtured by its distinct social interactions and experiences.
As anthropologist Cristina De Rossi from Barnet and Southgate College in London explains, “Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones and a million other things.” This comprehensive view highlights the pervasive influence of culture in every aspect of our lives, from the mundane to the deeply significant.
Many nations are celebrated for their vibrant and distinct cultures. Countries like France, Italy, Germany, the United States, India, Russia, and China are renowned for their rich cultural heritage. Their unique customs, traditions, music, art, and culinary delights continuously attract tourists eager to experience these cultural treasures firsthand.
The word “culture” itself has interesting roots. It originates from a French term, which in turn is derived from the Latin word “colere.” “Colere” signifies tending to the earth and fostering growth, or cultivation and nurture. Arthur Asa Berger, a scholar of media and culture, notes this etymology, emphasizing that “culture” shares its linguistic origins with words related to actively promoting development. De Rossi further elaborates, “It shares its etymology with a number of other words related to actively fostering growth,” underscoring the dynamic and evolving nature of culture.
Exploring Western Culture: A Historical Perspective
Western culture, a cornerstone of global civilization, is generally associated with European countries and nations significantly shaped by European immigration, such as the United States. Khan University points out that Western culture’s foundations lie in the Classical Period of Greco-Roman civilization (4th and 5th centuries B.C.) and the rise of Christianity in the 14th century. Furthermore, Latin, Celtic, Germanic, and Hellenic ethnic and linguistic groups have been crucial in shaping its development.
Over the past 2,500 years, numerous historical events have molded Western culture. The fall of the Roman Empire, often cited as occurring in A.D. 476, paved the way for the emergence of various states in Europe, each developing its own distinct cultures, as noted by Stanford University historian Walter Scheidel. The Black Death in the 14th century, which decimated Europe’s population by a staggering one-third to one-half, triggered a rapid societal transformation. Ohio State University historian John L. Brooke argues that the plague’s aftermath led to a strengthening of Christianity in Europe, with a heightened focus on apocalyptic themes. The drastic labor shortage empowered the surviving working class, forcing elites to offer better compensation. Simultaneously, the disruption of trade routes between East and West spurred new explorations, ultimately leading to European expansion into North and South America.
Today, Western culture’s influence is pervasive, reaching nearly every corner of the globe through various forms of media, commerce, and global interactions.
Delving into Eastern Culture: Religion and Societal Norms
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Eastern culture generally encompasses the societal norms prevalent in countries across Far East Asia, including China, Japan, Vietnam, North Korea, and South Korea, as well as the Indian subcontinent. Similar to Western culture, religion played a significant role in Eastern culture’s early development. However, research published in the journal Rice in 2012 highlights the crucial influence of rice cultivation and harvesting on shaping Eastern societies. One notable difference is that Eastern cultures often exhibit a less pronounced separation between secular society and religious philosophy compared to the West.
It’s important to recognize the vast diversity within Eastern culture. Buddhism, for instance, originated in India but eventually became less dominant there after the 12th century, according to Britannica. Hinduism rose to prominence as a major cultural force in India, while Buddhism continued to exert significant influence in China and Japan. Interestingly, pre-existing cultural ideas in these regions also shaped religious practices. Jiahe Liu and Dongfang Shao point out that Chinese Buddhism incorporated elements of Taoism, a philosophy emphasizing compassion, frugality, and humility.
Centuries of interactions, both peaceful exchanges and conflicts, within this region have resulted in significant cultural exchange and mutual influence. For example, Japan exerted control over Korea in various forms between 1876 and 1945. During this period, many Koreans faced pressure or coercion to adopt Japanese surnames, as documented by History.com.
Unveiling Latin Culture: A Blend of Traditions
The term “Latin culture” encompasses a geographically expansive region known as Latin America. This region typically includes parts of Central America, South America, and Mexico, where Spanish or Portuguese are the primary languages. These are areas that were colonized or significantly influenced by Spain or Portugal starting in the 15th century. While some historians debate the precise origins, it’s believed that French geographers coined “Latin America” to distinguish between Anglo and Romance (Latin-based languages) regions.
Latin cultures are incredibly diverse, representing a rich fusion of Indigenous traditions with the Spanish language and Catholicism introduced by Spanish and Portuguese colonizers. Furthermore, the forced migration of enslaved Africans to the Americas starting in the 17th century, as documented by the African American Registry, significantly impacted Latin cultures, particularly in Brazil and Caribbean nations.
Latin culture continues to evolve and spread globally. A prominent example is Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday dedicated to honoring deceased loved ones, celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. While its roots predate Christopher Columbus’s arrival in North America, Spanish colonizers later shifted its celebration date to align with the Catholic All Saints Day. Mexican immigrants introduced Día de los Muertos to the United States, and in the 1970s, Chicano artists and activists popularized it as a way to celebrate Mexican-American heritage, as noted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Today, the holiday is widely recognized and celebrated in the United States.
Exploring Middle Eastern Culture: Crossroads of Civilizations
The Middle East, broadly defined, includes the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern Mediterranean region. Britannica also notes that North African countries like Libya, Egypt, and Sudan are sometimes included. “Middle Eastern culture” is another broad umbrella term encompassing a vast array of cultural practices, religious beliefs, and daily customs. This region holds immense historical significance as the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and is home to a multitude of languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, and Pashto.
While religious diversity is a hallmark of the Middle East, Islam is the predominant religion and has profoundly shaped the region’s cultural development. Islam originated in present-day Saudi Arabia in the early 7th century. The death of Islam’s founder, Muhammad, in 632, marked a crucial juncture in the Middle East’s cultural and historical trajectory, according to the Metropolitan Museum. Disagreements over succession led to a major schism within Islam, dividing followers into Shia Muslims, who believed leadership should remain within Muhammad’s bloodline, and Sunni Muslims, who believed leadership should not be hereditary. Currently, Sunni Muslims constitute approximately 85% of the global Muslim population, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Variations in rituals and traditions between these two groups sometimes contribute to conflict.
The Ottoman Empire, which held sway over a vast territory surrounding the eastern Mediterranean from the 14th to the early 20th centuries, also significantly influenced Middle Eastern culture. Areas once part of the Ottoman Empire are characterized by distinctive architecture reflecting Persian and Islamic influences.
Understanding African Culture: A Continent of Diversity
Africa holds the distinction of being the continent with the longest history of human habitation. Humans originated in Africa and began migrating to other parts of the world approximately 400,000 years ago, according to the Natural History Museum in London. Research led by Tom White at the museum, studying ancient African lakes, provides the oldest evidence of hominin species in the Arabian Peninsula.
African culture is characterized by immense diversity, not only across national borders but also within them. A defining feature is the vast number of ethnic groups across the continent’s 54 countries. For instance, Nigeria alone is home to over 300 tribes, according to Culture Trip. Africa has been a dynamic hub of cultural exchange for centuries. East African trading ports served as vital links between East and West as early as the 7th century, as highlighted by The Field Museum. This connectivity fostered the development of complex urban centers along the eastern coast, facilitated by the movement of raw materials and goods from inland regions.
It is virtually impossible to provide a single encompassing description of African culture due to its multifaceted nature. Northwest Africa shares strong cultural connections with the Middle East, while Sub-Saharan Africa possesses distinct historical, geographical, and social characteristics that differentiate it from North Africa, as noted by Britannica.
Traditional Sub-Saharan African cultures include the Maasai of Tanzania and Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa, and the Batwa of Central Africa. These cultures evolved in vastly different environments. The Batwa, for example, are part of a group of ethnicities that traditionally practice a forager lifestyle in rainforests. The Maasai, in contrast, herd sheep and goats on open rangelands.
Cultural Appropriation: Understanding and Sensitivity
Oxford Reference defines cultural appropriation as “A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another.”
A common example is when someone from a dominant culture adopts elements of a marginalized culture without understanding or respecting their original context. The controversy surrounding Victoria’s Secret in 2012, when a model wore a headdress resembling a Lakota war bonnet, illustrates this issue. These headdresses carry profound symbolic meaning and were traditionally earned by chieftains or warriors through acts of bravery, as explained by Khan Academy. The model also wore turquoise jewelry inspired by Zuni, Navajo, and Hopi tribal designs, highlighting how cultural appropriation can homogenize diverse tribal cultures into a single, stereotypical image.
More recently, in 2019, Gucci faced criticism for selling an item called “the indy full turban,” which sparked outrage within the Sikh community, according to Esquire. Harjinder Singh Kukreja, a Sikh restaurateur and influencer, addressed Gucci on Twitter, emphasizing that “the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practising Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as ‘hats’ whereas practising Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products.”
Understanding cultural appropriation is vital for fostering respect and avoiding the harmful misrepresentation or trivialization of cultural elements.
The Ever-Changing Nature of Culture
Regardless of its specific form, culture is inherently dynamic and constantly evolving. De Rossi emphasizes, “Culture appears to have become key in our interconnected world, which is made up of so many ethnically diverse societies, but also riddled by conflicts associated with religion, ethnicity, ethical beliefs, and, essentially, the elements which make up culture. But culture is no longer fixed, if it ever was. It is essentially fluid and constantly in motion.”
This constant flux makes defining any culture definitively a challenging task. While change is inevitable, most societies recognize the importance of respecting and preserving cultural heritage. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was established to identify, conserve, and protect cultural and natural heritage sites worldwide. Monuments, buildings, and sites of significant cultural or natural value are protected under the international treaty, the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
Culture is a living, breathing entity, shaped by history, influenced by interactions, and constantly adapting to the present. Understanding its multifaceted nature and appreciating its diversity is essential for navigating our globalized world with respect and empathy.
Additional reporting by Live Science Contributors Alina Bradford, Stephanie Pappas and Callum McKelvie.
