The Comparison Of Two Culture: Punjabi Culture And Indigenous Culture
Child development is an interactive process. Every child behaves differently in this world. Children receive specific inputs from their environment because of different cultures during their growth. There is a great cultural difference in children thinking as well as in behavior. Parents in different cultures play an important role in molding children's behavior and thinking patterns. Typically, parents are the ones who prepare the children to interact with their cultural norms. Children and parent’s interaction often act as the archetype of how to behave around others. Cultural rules and practices differ from culture to culture. In the following paragraphs, I am comparing some cultural practices of Indigenous culture and my Punjabi culture.
The life cycle of each person is different respect to their culture. The life cycle of any person starts from the birth of that person. In indigenous culture, During the birth of the child, their parents celebrate without any discrimination of girl birth or boy birth. They welcome the new soul like the new days (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011.p14). In Punjabi culture, During the birth of the boy, people organized the party and invites all their relatives. Relatives when seeing the child they give money to the newborn child as a gift. During the birth of girl some families which are not educated not organized any party and becomes sad. In indigenous as well as Punjabi culture, women take care of their children and men to go out to do work because men are considered to be the head of the family.
Women continue to practice a wide range of traditional beliefs and practices during pregnancy and childbirth. In indigenous culture, “when a baby is conceived both the man and women are considered to be with child although the baby is developing in the mother's worm”(Best Start Resource Centre. 2011.p15). It is not necessary for man and women to be with child in Punjabi culture. Indigenous people speak quietly near the pregnant women where in Punjabi culture people speak normally and sometimes load because people think that if they speak load then the baby in womb give them the response. In both, the cultures teaching are given by the elders to how to take care of the newborn baby. Some common challenges faced by first nation people during pregnancy are abuse in the home with their partner, Lack of prenatal care, Substance use, Poverty and Lack of family support (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011.p18). In Punjabi culture, people are very helpful to pregnant females like providing food by the neighbor, helping them financially, and mentally support, etc
Indigenous culture grandparents mostly announcing the birth of their grandchild. (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011.p20) whereas in the Punjabi culture, mostly families live separately, and father is the head of the family and he announced the birth of their child. Babies are kept inside the moss bag when they born. In past, moss bag contains moss that's why it is called a moss bag but now babies are put with the dipper. They believe that wrapped the baby in a moss bag makes their child quiet (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011.p20-24). In Punjabi culture, a soft cloth was used at the place of dipper in the past and children are not placed in any bag because we believe that children can grow more in their early years and more they do physical activities more they developed. Indigenous believes that use of a cradleboard increases the bondage of mother and child. Usage of cradleboard increases the use of senses which allows baby to less dependent on their hands and develop their sense like sight and hearing (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011 .p20-24). By observing everywhere, the babies have to use their brain to get an idea of what is happening around them. In Punjabi culture, parents go on religious places with their babies so that their bond with their child become strong. Cedar bath is considered as the natural cure of all the disease to the babies in indigenous culture and parents give their child first bath with the cedar water because they believe that by taking bath with cedar water babies becomes clean from inside (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011. p20-24) whereas in Punjabi culture, Tulsi leaves are used to cure many diseases but the first bath is normal with some antiseptic like Dettol or Savlon in the water.
In indigenous culture “Toddlers wear moccasins when they take their first step”(Best Start Resource Centre. 2011. p20). “This significant time strengthens the bond between the child and Mother Earth as the child is beginning their journey with her and all that lives off of her” (Best Start Resource Centre. 2011. p20). In Punjabi culture, the mother starts making a woolen sweater for his baby which is considered as the giving warmth to their baby when the mother is not with the baby. In both the cultures indigenous as well as Punjabi, dance is very important to teach about their culture to the toddlers.
In conclusion, there are many differences as well as similarities between both the culture. Both the culture has its own beliefs and lifestyle to deal with society. We can't judge any culture about their beliefs of their elders. Both the cultures, different things are practice but the aim to do that is always the same. A strong community emphasis on the common, culture, and physical spaces in which children live absorb, and play (Rundle, A., & Shanski, D. 2015. p27).
