Kait Howell, 9/21/14

Who I Am, in My Own Culture

Ive answered the question Who Am I? in a handful of self-reflective school assignments
since the beginning of kindergarten. Ive written journals, created art projects, and presented
power points all demonstrating that I know the current version of myself. This year, the question
is different: Who Am I, in My Own Culture? To answer this question, I have to dissect my
culture. I think of culture as a dynamic system that provides the context in which I live. Who I
am in my own culture depends on how I fit into this context. I will illustrate my person in
relation to the locations, communities, values, and practices that shape me.
While culture is not limited to geography, I think that physical location is the broadest
example of culture. I spent the first eight years of my childhood in Washington state before
moving to Wisconsin in the third grade. Ive spent more time in the Midwest, but I align myself
more strongly with the Northwest. Its where my parents grew up and got married. Its where my
brother and I were born. Heck, its even where my cat was born. These important events
combined with my earliest memories have fostered a fondness in my heart. I will forever carry
that place as a part of my identity. These place-related memories serve a purpose other than
sentiment, though.
I use my place-related memories every day in order to understand my immediate
surroundings. I spent the second part of my childhood in Milwaukee. Pronounced Mi-waukee
by the residents, time in Milwaukee classrooms, pools, houses, parks, etc. Although these places
sound familiar to most people, they do not mean the same thing to all of us. For example, this
morning my friend described a dream he had about his high school teacher Mrs. Greenwood.
Imagining his dream, I didnt visualize his teacher, I visualized my high school teacher, Ms.

Ashlock. Although my friend comes from a different state and his high school was drastically
different from mine, I understood his story through the lens of my own experience, my own
culture. Even though we talked about the same exact thing, our lenses were unique. The places
where Ive stayed and the places that Ive visited impact how I perceive the world, and how I
relate to the world. Traveling to China and Japan this January is so exciting because I will
broaden my person in this way.
These geographic locations not only increase perspective, but they allow access into
certain communities. My most immediate communities are my family, my friends, and my
teachers/elders. Putting time and practice into these communities has shaped how I communicate
and what I value. In my family, I have Mom, Dad, Evan, three cats and a dog. We function as a
tight-knit unit. We communicate openly, but never fight. We go on insanely long bike rides, for
fun. The first time my dad told me about God, he explained him in the term of Santa Claus: If
you believe in him, then hes true to you. The bundling of these experiences and my times spent
with my family helps me when I feel overwhelmed or dont know what my course of action
should be. I often think back to what my parents would say--or what my brother would do--for
guidance. They will forever be the most important people in my life.
Friends, teachers, and elders have also shaped my person. As far as friends go, I have
best-of-friends, hang-out friends, and hi-in-the-hallway friends. Friendship growths and breakups
have greatly influenced how I talk to people and place trust in people. They help inform me on
current events and what I should be paying attention to. My teachers and elders have shared
different messages. Theyve all said that I am worth something, that I do good things, and that I
can become someone. Talk about encouragement! The reason I came to St. Olaf is because my

history teacher is an alumni and told me that I would be a great fit. Although they all serve
different purposes, my different communities have influenced how I think, act, and reflect.
These communities have given me my values, and these values impact my practices. I
will provide an example in order to illustrate. I dont shave my legs, or my armpits. This is a
practice that Ive been a part of for the past few months because my community--and value
surrounding hygiene--has changed. My friends back in Milwaukee thought it was gross not to
shave your body hair, they saw shaving as the most important way to express yourself as a
woman! When I moved to St. Olaf, I met a group of girls who did not shave their legs. A few of
them didnt even shave their armpits... Or groins. Coming from another place and another
community, I first understood the au-natural body hair practice as disowning a part of ones
womanhood. With time, I came to understand that they value their body hair as a representation
of their womanhood, and they view shaving as removing a literal part of who you are. Now that I
am a part of this new community and understand their values, I have changed my practice. Not
shaving now feels just the same as shaving previously; I am still staying true to my values, its
just that these values have changed. Other values that stem from different communities and
experiences impact how I dress, how I speak, how I sleep, how I eat how I do anything, really.
In effort to string together my ideas, let me explain the attached diagram placed below. I
perceive culture as the overall, constantly changing system that we participate in. This system
gives me context (such as location, community, values, and practices) in order to understand
myself. I am my culture in that I represent Wisconsin, my family/friends, my values, and my
practices. My culture is also me because I participate in the system. I view myself as an
individual who is a piece of, and envelops, this whole.