Combining Cultures

Tuesday, March 2, 1999

Combining Cultures

While recent immigrants are more likely to preserve strong ties
to their cultures, those who arrived

generations ago identify with American society

By Catherine Turner

Daily Bruin Contributor

Almost everyone in the United States comes from a family that,
at one time or another, immigrated here. Some ancestors fled the
Holocaust, others escaped religious persecution and still others
came to escape poverty or rise from a stringent caste system.

U.S. immigration is continuous, but the groups that come here
are always changing. Because of this change, recently immigrated
groups are often more closely connected with their culture than
those who have been in the United States for multiple
generations.

"There is a strong ethnic identity connected with recent
immigration," said Donald Treiman, a professor of sociology who
teaches a class about Los Angeles in terms of social class, social
mobility, ethnicity and absorption of immigrants.

At a university where the student body is so ethnically and
culturally diverse, much of students’ identities revolve around the
culture they associate with. Reflecting this importance, many of
the clubs on campus orient themselves around culture.

And when an individual has trouble answering the familiar
question, "What are you?" they sometimes reply, "I’m American,"
unable to easily associate themselves with his cultural origin.

Aside from usually being third-, fourth- and fifth-generation
students, many students of European descent would typically be
referred to as Caucasian, European or even mixed.

Sarah Hockman, a second-year psychology student whose parents
are descendants of different European countries, said that more
than anything, her culture is American.

"When people look at me I think they just assume that I am
white, which I am. But being white also means that I’m a mix of
German and Austrian," Hockman said. "I really just think of myself
as American."

The peak for European immigration occurred between 1871 and
1930, while the countries that have the most foreign-born people
immigrating in 1996 were, in order of most to least, Mexico,
Philippines, India, Vietnam and China, according to Immigration and
Naturalization Services statistics.

Treiman said that once immigration from Europe slowed down in
the late 1920s, descendants of European immigrants gradually began
to become less absorbed with their previous cultural identity. Over
time, intermarriage between groups also becomes more common.

"With the reduction of immigration from Europe, identities faded
away," he said. "American values and ethnic distinctions become
less important. Other bases of identity become relatively more
important, like occupation or major. Identities are constructed out
of lots of different things."

Samira Kapadia, a first-generation Indian student whose friends
are primarily Indian, feels connected by the traditions that have
been passed down from generations before her.

"Most other Indian people I know have parents that immigrated
here and barely even know how to speak English," she said.

Kapadia said that her Indian friends usually find it easier to
relate to her because they all have similar backgrounds.

"Many of my friends are Hindu; some speak Gudrathi like me, and
their parents are usually really strict about dating, like mine. I
don’t think that many people of other cultures could relate as
much," she said.

In contrast, Hockman, like many other white and mixed students,
said that she cannot identify with other people through a
predetermined combination of common religion, food or parental
upbringing.

Rather, she said she is a combination of all sorts of traditions
from different cultures. Since people who are ethnically mixed
often do not have common traditions within one particular group,
they tend to find friends that have common interests, outside of
cultural origin.

Fraternities and sororities are in one sense a formation of a
culture, as many members share common interests and traditions that
are passed on from old members to new members.

Members also hold each other accountable for each other’s
actions because such actions are looked at as a reflection of the
fraternity or sorority.

"The sorority has definitely become a culture to me. I feel a
sense of belonging and know that my sisters will always be there
for me," said Hockman, a member of Alpha Delta Pi. "I am proud that
I am a sister."

The acceptance Hockman finds in her sorority is analogous to the
acceptance immigrants and earlier generation individuals find when
surrounded by members of their own culture.

"It’s easier, more comfortable and there’s pride," said Heather
Joseph-Witham, a visiting professor in the folklore department,
explaining a few of the reasons that some first- and
second-generation students culturally separate themselves.

Other students have found different ways of establishing their
group of friends. Jerome Calkins, a second-year history student
whose parents are white and African American, said that he does not
have one group of friends all with common backgrounds. Each friend
has one or a few interests in common with him.

"I look for similarities; maybe they’ll like video games or the
same movie I do," he said.

Although he hasn’t run into many problems with friendships in
college, Calkins has had problems with dating, as he has found that
many parents want their children to date within their own race.

"I’ve had girlfriends of all different races, but I’ve had
problems with their parents," he said.

Some scholars, including Treiman, speculate that people often
choose to be around people of their own culture to ensure meeting a
spouse with the same cultural background.

Yet, Calkins still believes that "it is a changing time with a
changing generation."

Treiman predicts that the distinctions among recently immigrated
cultures will start to fade with time, just like they did with
European immigrants.

"I see a future of these kind of movements situated in time
almost transitional. If immigration slows down, then there’s likely
to be more mixing, and American values will become more dominant,"
Treiman said.

This mixing of different cultural influences can be seen in many
different aspects of American life – especially pop culture.

Gwen Stefani of the band "No Doubt" wears a Bhindi on her
forehead (a "dot" that in the Indian culture traditionally
signifies marriage) at the same time she wears Adidas sneakers.
Madonna decorates herself with Henna, which in the past was used to
beautify brides during Indian weddings.

Cultures are not only assimilated and mixed in individuals, but
also in food, clothing and religion.

Some European restaurants have a touch of Asian in their
cooking, and "fusion cooking," which combines different styles of
cooking into one, seems to be gaining popularity.

Raku, a restaurant in Vancouver, mixes ingredients from Asia,
Europe and the Americas to form what critics have said "is a place
where flavors of the world unite."

Even Treiman, whose family is mixed, has experienced his own
kind of "fusion cooking."

"On Thanksgiving we would have sushi. And during the holidays we
would celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah," he said. "Maybe
that’s the wave of the future."

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