Courses

Cultural Assimilation

Cultural Assimilation

Cultures involve more than just identifying specific groups of people. They actually involve deeply rooted psychological elements which tend to govern the behaviour of the members. The folkways of a family, such as traditions, foods, music, stories, etc., can be an asset when assimilating into another culture that is very similar to their own; however, it can also be a hinderance in adapting to a new environment that is glaringly different. Exploring some of the more subtle aspects of Cultural Assimilation reveals how they impacted not only the interactions of our ancestors in their new environments, but how they may have been aided, or hampered, by the folkways of their cultural group. As you research this aspect, you will need to investigate whether our ancestors fit in easily, or if they struggled to relate. This could be especially revealing when you study the challenges they may have faced in their places of employment. Every day would have exposed new situations with so many norms for them to learn that were not “normal” to them at all. In some cultures, adapting would naturally have been easy; however, other cultural differences would emerge in stark contrast to the expected social interactions, creating uncomfortable or embarrassing situations. By breaking down these elements and analyzing cultural identities, you can begin to piece together a picture of what our ancestors faced in their acculturation process. This could very well reveal the origins of family traits that seemed out of character, but seem to persist in…

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Our Immigrant Ancestors’ Culture

Our Immigrant Ancestors faced many challenges as they embarked on the journey of resettling in a new and foreign land. Their original root cultures traveled with them, embedded in their very being and preserved within the traditions they practiced. As we Demystifying Culture and Folklore of those bravely making these life-changing decisions, we may also discover the encounters and trials they faced. How they responded often reflects their culture’s beliefs. When we look at How Culture Affected Our Immigrant Ancestors’ Lives, many aspects become clear. We are all familiar with the term “Culture Shock,” but have you personally experienced it? Shock says, “This is not the same as what I have been used to!” Many major changes are to be expected in our new circumstances, but there are always surprise encounters that catch us off guard with stumbling blocks and obstacles to deal with that we didn’t see coming. Misunderstandings are sure to occur as cultural differences emerge and an alternate perspective is revealed. How did our ancestors adapt to their new environments? What did they keep “from the old country” and what was exchanged for their new experiences? Their struggles were real and their stories may be revealed as you carefully explore this time period in their lives. Everyone’s story will be different, but with familiar similarities as they found their place in their new communities. Whether it was in the work place, or interacting with new neighbours, our ancestors made adjustments to fit in. It is interesting to…

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Religious Records

The Religious beliefs of our ancestors influenced, not only their daily lives, it often impacted the direction of their life journey. It caused some to pull up roots and leave friends and family members behind in their country of origin in order to pursue emigration, and perhaps religious freedom as well. Many relocated their own families to new areas with others of similar beliefs. Wherever they were, they have left records behind that tell that part of their stories. Every country-specific certificate program includes research into this vital part of their family story. In addition to Birth, Marriage and Death records, we need to look for Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, along with other religious ceremonies, according to their beliefs and customs. Here are many of the religious records courses: American: Religious Records – Part 1 American: Religious Records – Part 2 Australian: Church Records  Canadian: Religious Records  Eastern European: Church Records English: Parish Records  English: Poor Law & Parish Chest Records  English: Non-Anglican Church Records  German: Church Records  Irish: Conformist and Non-Conformist Church Records Italian: Catholic Church Records – Part 1  Italian: Catholic Church Records – Part 2  Research: Jewish Records  Scottish: Old Parish Records  Scottish: Beyond the OPRs  Religious Records provide an intimate glimpse into the personal lives of its members. Three additional courses that will assist you in expanding this aspect of your ancestors’ research are listed below. Each will inspire you to dig deeper and learn what motivated the decisions they made – sometimes altering the futures…

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Our Primary Cultures

When Demystifying Culture and Folklore, we see that who we are is a compilation of many influences. Some of these can be traced to ancestral traditions, behavior, historical events, etc. and lead to insights about our progenitors as well as ourselves. In Module 1, we look at The Value of Folklore within a Culture. This involves identifying and understanding our root cultures and the various factors contributing to its structure. Time is spent exploring several aspects, which is a good exercise to recognize the origins of our family traditions and beliefs. Within this analysis are the three primary cultures of race, ethnicity, and nationality. These are the core elements of who we are that we inherited directly from our ancestors. There will likely be overlaps as very few of us can claim a single origin. Sub-cultures are where we personally connect and are revealed by our involvement and degree of participation. Folkways bring these elements together and keep the folklore of the group alive into future generations. As you uncover the surviving fragments, many will experience “aha” moments and declare “That’s why they do what they do!” As you work through the course material, you will discover which cultures have influenced your family and identify the elements that have survived and are being perpetuated to the next generations. You may be surprised by what is revealed. Demystifying Culture and Folklore takes you on a journey, one that you didn’t realize you were already on. Pieces begin to fit together to reveal…

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Demystifying Culture and Folklore: Intro

Every family historian begins their search with a few simple questions: Who were my ancestors? and… Where did they come from? Most of our first and second-generation answers are easily obtained from close family members – usually. However, our true story is far deeper than the basic facts of names, dates and locations. The complexity of our families cannot be defined in simple terms; we need to explore the inner dynamics and subtleties in the undercurrents of the inter-woven fabric of our family. Culture and its accompanying behaviours, traditions, stories, etc. (Folklore) are an interesting and integral part of who we are as human beings. As we explore our roots, we are encouraged to begin to determine: how has our primary cultures (race, ethnicity, nationality) influenced our ancestors over the generations; and, how has our subcultures (religion, family, occupations, etc.) been formed and influenced by the intergenerational folklore passed down from our ancestors. Looking more intently into our own lives and the lives of our forebears, we will discover unique family experiences, and uncover what has been hidden in plain sight. Unlike other research projects where official documents are accessed, and the basic facts are extracted and analyzed, examining the inner workings of our families – the things that have not been written down and perhaps never previously investigated, will stimulate the “why” questions for further study. These cause us to dig deeper in order to gain an understanding of the origins of our own folkways. In the course Demystifying…

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