What Culture Means to Me

This was a presentation for Assembly today.   Due to social distancing, the text was read out to Home Room groups instead.  Elena visited Ms Dichiara's Home Room - P7 - where she answered many questions about the differences between Italian and Australian cultures.

For me, culture is nothing more than a set of ideals and principles that unite a population.  A kind of trademark that allows you to recognise a fellow countryman even miles from home.

I am Italian, I have been here for two months now, and I decided to reflect upon a part of our culture that kept me very busy these days - the family.

Italian culture comes from other cultures.  We definitely have a strong influence of the ancient Greeks and Latins then surely a strong Christian heritage.  This is not much but is the only explanation I’ve found for our strong family culture.

Most of the time family is one of our greatest strengths.  Sometimes it seems they’re trying to ruin your life, but that’s just because it’s your family.

To be Italian means to venerate grandparents and periodically visit them - doesn’t matter if you don’t want to or if you had other plans - and every time having to deal with questions like, "So, when are you getting married?"  (The first time they asked me I was fourteen I think), or with those pinches on the cheeks that are a very painful show of affection.

Growing up in an Italian family means sitting on your mother’s lap until you get too big, then she starts sitting on yours.

Being Italian means sharing and being together.  Do you know why we have this strong food culture?

The reason is that when you eat you’re all sitting around the same table.  We don’t start eating until we’re all seated; it doesn’t matter if I finish work at 8:30pm or if my brother finishes training at 9:00pm, we just wait to be all there and then you don’t get up from the table until everyone’s finished.  Another rule is that you have to eat everything that’s on the table ‘cause, if it’s there, that means someone made it with love for you.  (We are not fat, it’s just our culture.)

Being Italian means forgetting what privacy is, because Mom needs to share her concerns with the lady queuing at the supermarket, so one day while walking in the city with your friends someone you don’t know stops you to  ask how’s university going or again when you plan to get married.

I think the most important value you learn in an Italian family is solidarity and this now more than ever is demonstrating the beauty of a nation ready to stand up to help each other.

I think you all know how difficult the situation is in Italy now, since Wednesday all Italians are locked in their houses, you can’t go out for a walk or to see your friends . In the street there is the police who check that no one leaves; but the solidarity that our parents - and before them our grandparents - taught us, gave birth to a wonderful thing: on Saturday everybody looked out of their windows and started singing and playing to show that, no matter how difficult the situation, it won’t be enough to bring us down and make us sad.

Those who joined the window concert, either with an instrument or only with their voice, did not do so just for themselves but for all those who could hear and find comfort in one another’s voice. I think this is our culture: the sense of belonging, sharing, and solidarity.

Elena Tricceri

Italian Teaching Aide on Exchange - Term 1