Chapters 9, 10, & 11

      Chapter 9

   Humans communicate with words that are communicated with hand gestures, body movements, facial expressions, and words. The clothes you wear to the way someone styles their hair sends a message to others. We can always communicate by face to face or through e-mail, text, and phone calls. Do most know what Communication is? The real definition is the process of sending and receiving messages. Humans that communicate always involves language that includes symbols and signs. Language creates expressions from a little set of rules and refers to events and issues. Human language such as: sounds, vocabulary, and grammar can be analyzed.

    Sign language that deals with only hand movements to communicate messages. Hearing impaired use this as their main way to communicate. When do people use the silent treatment? When they are mad or upset usually. Being silent is another way to communicate nonverbally. All cultures have their own way to communicate. Some focus on facial expressions more while others use their body. The color of one’s clothing can communicate their gender, class, and identity. Radio, television, music,  internet, print media, and film are all emerged together by anthropology. Language experiences a constant change because of human creativity and linguistic innovation. Historical linguistics involves language  that changes through history. Methods include comparing shifts over time and across space of language like meaning. European colonialism played a large part in language change. Colonial powers declared their own language as the main language for the government, business, and education. They took different steps to suppress indigenous languages and literatures. Language is so important and allows for everyone to be able to communicate. The exact origins of human language are not known but the discoveries of  language families gives insights about early human history and settlement. 

Chapter 10

     Everyone has religion and believes one way or another. The technical definition of religion is the belief and behavior related to supernatural beings and forces. Let me clarify that religion is not a worldview or a way to understand the world and how it came to exist. Myth and doctrine are two forms in which beliefs are expressed and transfered. Myths are stories about supernatural forces or beings. One myth that everyone knows about is the myth of Big Foot. This myth has been going around for ages and people still continue to belief ad look for the creature. Doctrine is the other form that deals with direct statements about religion beliefs. They are written, formal and close to the law. Rituals are another practice that is patterned and repetitive. It focuses on a supernatural realm. Communion is a ritual that Christians perform weekly or monthly. Sacred rituals are much different then secular rituals such as the initiation of a fraternity or sorority. Thanksgiving is a Christian holiday that happens yearly. It involves secular and sacred elements. On this particular holiday Christians give thanks to God for all of their blessings and the remembrance of the pilgrims. Football on Thanksgiving Day is a secular aspect that all of America looks forward to watching, along with the Macy’s Day Parade. These two things have been traditions for years! Every year my family always turns the parade on while we cook! We look forward to seeing all of the floats and singers. A pilgrimage is a round trip that many take to visit a sacred place for religious purposes of religious devotion. Hinduism is also brought up in this chapter. Over nine hundred million Hindus are in this world. About 97% of the Hindu population lives in India. Hinduism provides a opportunity to have a philosophical tradition that reduces the multiplicity of deities into oneness. Last semester, I had the opportunity to visit a Hindu temple. It was very interesting to see the many buildings and gods they built. I enjoyed seeing all of the outfits, sacred objects, and food. 

   Buddhism was created by the man we all know, Buddha. Many honor his teachings and follow all his suggestions for being able to reach nirvana. About 400 million Buddhists are in the world today. I visited a Buddhist temple where I was allowed to meditate and experience the many cultural differences.

Judaism is another belief that I was able to experience. I went to a Jewish synagogue where I was allowed to sit through a service and see the many traditions and rituals they have. I learned the names of the certain holy objects and saw the many acts they performed.

Now, Christianity I know all about. I grew up Christian all of my life and still to this day remain strong in my faith. Christianity is the largest of the world religions with about 2 million participants which is about one third of the world’s population. The Bible is the main source we have that we believe and practice. We believe it holds all of the teachings of our faith that God himself wants us to know.

 Islamic is the last culture I will be focusing on. It is based on Muhammad as the main god. It is the youngest of the religions and means submission to the will of one god. 1.4 billion Islams populate the world which makes it the second largest religion in the world. Not one religion is frozen but instead constantly changing and growing. All religions continue to populate and grow. 

Chapter 11

I have many friends that are Art majors. I always think of them as creative, and very imaginative. The true definition of art is the application of skill and style. These particular attributes can be applied to activities and substances. I was so surprised to read that Brazil uses country music to demonstrate gender relationships, intimacy, and the family.

 In my cultural world, cut followers are important at weddings! You cannot have a wedding without flowers. They are essential for decorating, the bride’s bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets. The budget for a wedding is mostly spent on the flowers. They are expensive but essential for traditional wedding to be successful. 

One leisure activity that I can think of would be soccer. I have seen many injuries come along with this pleasure. My brother and boyfriend play this sport. They enjoy the intense battle and do not regret the hurt. 

A Speckled Boy

        Puzzle Pieces




  Culture is the background of who someone is. It helps the puzzle fit together and make one feel complete. Hugo struggled with his puzzle which led to his moving novel and the experiences he he had that were the root of pain and complications. Hugo Hamilton deeply desired a home of his own where he belonged and a “homeland” that he could call his own without restrictions and demands. It took a length of time for Hamilton but he sifted throughout the madness and found where his home truly was. 

  

                                                                                                        


Speckled


   Hugo struggles with confronting his past due to his father naming his children, “speckled people”. He understand he is more than just speckled with half-Irish and half-German descent but “we're marked. It means we're aliens and we'll never be Irish enough, even though we speak the Irish language and my father says we're more Irish than the Irish themselves”.

     Trying to fit into a culture that Hamilton’s family was not born into was a major struggle just like it would be with anyone. Everyone wants to hold onto their cultural roots but Hugo's father made it difficult and uncomfortable for his family. Hugo made a statement, “When I grow up I'll run away from my story, too. I have things I want to forget, so I'll change my name and never come back".

    No one like to be the odd man out or the black
sheep Everyone faces the chances of not fitting in. 
With Hugo he was bound to not fit in. His roots made his life more difficult than many are use to. If we 
are not forced to speak a language we usually do not or made to change ourselves for something else 
then we are to be very thankful.