I generated the picture using AI
When people say “culture is a people’s way of life,” I agree, but I also think it’s deeper than that. Culture is not just what we eat or how we greet others. The feeling of belonging somewhere is the real deal. our roots are connected by these little things, This also has its own way of changing and shaping our perspective especially when it comes to the way we see the world, and even how we see ourselves.
Nigeria, a country filled with many tribes and languages is where i come from and I am proudly Igbo, and in my culture, we greet elders with deep respect. When you enter a home, you don’t just walk in and sit. You greet everyone, starting with the oldest. Our food, like ofe nsala (white soup) and fufu, carries the taste of generations. During festivals like Iri Ji Ọkụkụ (rooster yam festival), people wear traditional clothes, dance to the sound of drums, and thank the gods for their blessings. These things are not just events.
We are constantly reminded about who we are and were we come from through this events
To me, culture is also a bridge. The past , present , and future are connected through culture. For example, when I watch traditional weddings in my village, I see how our ancestors celebrated love and unity. Even if times have changed, some things still remain.
But culture doesn’t have to stop at your tribe or country. I also admire other cultures. For instance, I love the way the Hausa people celebrate the Durbar Festival. The colorful attire , The decorated horse parade, the royal guards on display, and the sound of the trumpets makes the tradition such such a grand and powerful one. It shows pride, history, and unity in a unique way. That is something I would love to witness one day.
In the end, culture is not just about doing things the way your parents did. It’s about identity, history, values, and sometimes, beauty in differences. We tend to understand ourselves better when we learn about others.