Many of us have struggled with keeping our culture in our children’s lives. Here are a few tips to help.
Living far away from the country that birthed both my parents and my husband can sometimes be hard when trying to pass on traditions, experiences and love towards it to your children.
How can I bring alive the colors, sounds, music, and warmth of the people while living so far removed from them. Mi linda Guatemala, known as the land of eternal spring. I wish we could travel back and forth more often but as a family of 8 that can be very costly.
What is a mom to do? How can she nourish love for her culture in her children? Here are some things my family does to keep our culture in our children’s lives, and you may be able to do too!
Libros That Nurture Our Culture in Our Children’s Lives
Finding books that are either bilingual or in your native language that talk about your country. We love books like Goodnight Guatemala, Vamonos a Antigua, and El Tapiz De Abuela. Books are a great way to continue the storytelling. They connect with beautiful color illustrations. These can evoke a wonder of emotions.
Comida That Tells Stories
We all have that favorite recipe that our abuelita has passed down to us. If you don’t, no need to worry. Nowadays, you can Google or YouTube your way to a family-friendly recipe. Bring the kids into the kitchen and cook together. My six children enjoy making homemade tortillas de maiz with me. We mix the maseca and roll it into small balls. Then we pat it into delicious tortillas. We eat them with anything and everything. While cooking, I enjoy telling them stories. I tell of hearing the “Molino” (mill) from my great-grandmother’s house as it turned corn into masa.
Tejidos/Ropa That Stir Physical Sensations
Textiles are a great way of connecting through touch and sensation. Guatemala is blessed to have a vibrancy of color in its handmade textiles. I was fortunate enough to grow up surrounded by them and continue that with my children. From a bedspread, apron, to a tablecloth. The feel of the textile can bring you a little closer to home on a quick trip through your imagination. My children have seen these woven in person, so we always rekindle that memory when we touch them.
Memorias That Last Forever
Pictures are the perfect way to evoke those memories. Even if your little ones traveled while they were way too little to remember, the more you bring out those photos and talk about those memories, it’s as though they have traveled over and over again. We, as a family, enjoy sitting and looking at pictures. We talk about the people in them who may have passed and the feelings we felt in that moment. All feelings! My children sometimes swear they remember the actual moment. Watching their little faces light up shows me that I am passing on the love for family and their culture. I hope they do even a little bit of this with their own children when that future day arrives.
Think about ways you currently share your history with your children. You may be doing it consistently and not even know it. Let’s continue to pass on the love of food, storytelling, and culture for many generations to come.
