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Nine brilliant student essays on honoring your roots.

Read winning essays from our fall 2019 student writing contest.

For the fall 2019 student writing contest, we invited students to read the YES! article “ Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself? ” by Kayla DeVault. Like the author, students reflected on their heritage and how connected they felt to different parts of their identities. Students then wrote about their heritage, family stories, how they honor their identities, and more.

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these nine were chosen as winners. Be sure to read the author’s response to the essay winners, literary gems and clever titles that caught our eye, and even more essays on identity in our Gallery of Voices.

Middle School Winner: Susanna Audi

High School Winner: Keon Tindle

High School Winner: Cherry Guo

University Winner: Madison Greene

Powerful Voice: Mariela Alschuler

Powerful Voice: Reese Martin

Powerful Voice: Mia De Haan

Powerful Voice: Laura Delgado

Powerful Voice: Rowan Burba

From the Author, Kayla DeVault: Response to All Student Writers and Essay Winners

Gallery of voices: more essays on identity, literary gems, titles we loved, middle school winner.

Susanna Audi

Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, N.Y.

BRAZIL: MY HEART’S HOME

Saudades. No word in the English language sums up the meaning of this Portuguese term: a deep feeling of longing that makes your heart ache and pound like a drum inside your chest. I feel saudades for Brazil, its unique culture, and my Brazilian family. When I’m in my second home, Bahia, Brazil, I’m a butterfly emerging from its cocoon—colorful, radiant, and ready to explore the world. I see coconut trees waving at the turquoise waves that are clear as glass. I smell the familiar scent of burning incense. I hear the rhythm of samba on hand-beaten drums, and I feel my grandma’s delicate fingers rub my back as I savor the mouth-watering taste of freshly made doce de leite .  Although I’m here for only two precious weeks a year, I feel a magnetic connection to my father’s homeland, my heart’s home.

My grandfather or vovô , Evandro, was born in Brazil to a family who had immigrated from Lebanon and was struggling to make ends meet. His parents couldn’t afford to send him to college, so he remained at home and sold encyclopedias door-to-door. My vovô eventually started a small motorcycle parts company that grew so much that he was able to send my father to the U.S. at age sixteen. My father worked hard in school, overcoming language barriers and homesickness. Even though he has lived in America for most of his life, he has always cherished his Brazilian roots. 

I’ve been raised with my father’s native language, foods, and customs. At home, I bake Brazilian snacks, such as the traditional cheese bread, pão de queijo , which is crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. My family indulges in the same sweet treats that my father would sneak from the cupboard as a child. Two relaxing customs we share are listening to Brazilian music while we eat breakfast on weekends and having conversations in Portuguese during meals. These parts of my upbringing bring diversity and flavor to my identity. 

Living in the U.S. makes me feel isolated from my Brazilian family and even more distant from Brazilian culture. It’s hard to maintain both American and Brazilian lifestyles since they are so different. In Brazil, there are no strangers; we treat everybody like family, regardless if that person works at the local shoe store or the diner. We embrace each other with loving hugs and exchange kisses on the cheeks whenever we meet. In the U.S., people prefer to shake hands. Another difference is that I never come out of Starbucks in New York with a new friend. How could I when most people sit with their eyes glued to their laptop screens? Life seems so rushed. To me, Brazilians are all about friendships, family, and enjoying life. They are much more relaxed, compared to the stressed and materialistic average American. 

As Kayla DeVault says in her YES! article “Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself,” “It doesn’t matter how many pieces make up my whole: rather, it’s my relationship with those pieces that matters—and that I must maintain.”  I often ask myself if I can be both American and Brazilian. Do I have to choose one culture over the other? I realize that I shouldn’t think of them as two different cultures; instead, I should think of them as two important, coexisting parts of my identity. Indeed, I feel very lucky for the full and flavorful life I have as a Brazilian American. 

Susanna Audi is an eighth-grader who lives in the suburbs of New York. Susanna loves painting with watercolors, cooking Brazilian snacks, and playing the cello. On weekends, she enjoys babysitting and plays several sports including lacrosse, soccer, and basketball. Susanna would love to start her own creative design business someday. 

High School Winner

Keon Tindle

Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo.

Walking Through the Forest of Culture

What are my roots? To most people, my roots only go as far as the eye can see. In a world where categorization and prejudice run rampant, the constant reminder is that I am Black. My past is a living juxtaposition: my father’s father is a descendant of the enslaved and oppressed and his wife’s forefathers held the whips and tightened the chains. Luckily for me, racial hatred turned to love. A passion that burned brighter than any cross, a love purer than any poison. This is the past I know so well. From the slave ship to the heart of Saint Louis, my roots aren’t very long, but they are deeply entrenched in Amerikkkan history.

This country was made off of the backs of my brothers and sisters, many of whom have gone unrecognized in the grand scheme of things. From a young age, White children are told stories of heroes—explorers, politicians, freedom fighters, and settlers whose sweat and determination tamed the animalistic lands of America. They’re given hope and power through their past because when they look in the mirror they see these heroes. But what about me? My stories are conveniently left out of the textbooks; I have never been the son of a king or a powerful African leader, just expensive cargo to be bought and sold to the highest bidder. It seems we, as a people, never truly left the ship.

Even now, we’re chained to the whitewashed image of Black history. I can never truly experience the Black tradition because there are multiple perspectives. The truth is clouded and lost due to the lack of documentation and pervasive amount of fabrication. How am I supposed to connect to my heritage? America tells me to celebrate the strength of my ancestors, the strength of the slaves, to praise something they helped create. The Afrocentrics tell me to become one with the motherland, celebrate the culture I was pulled away from. However, native Africans make it clear I’ll never truly belong.

Even the honorable Elijah Muhammad tells me to keep my chin pointed to the clouds, to distrust the creation of Yakub, and to take my place among the rest of Allah’s children. Most people don’t have the luxury of “identifying with all of the pieces of [themselves],” as Kayla DeVault says in the YES! article “Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself?” 

They’re forced to do research and to formulate their own ideas of who they are rather than follow the traditions of an elder. For some, their past works as a guide. A walk through life that has been refined over generations. Others, however, are forced to struggle through the dark maze of life. Hands dragging across the walls in an attempt to not lose their way. As a result, their minds create stories and artwork from every cut and scratch of the barriers’ surface. Gaining direction from the irrelevant, finding patterns in the illogical. 

So what are my roots? My roots are my branches, not where I come from but where this life will take me. The only constant is my outstretched arms pointed towards the light. A life based on the hope that my branches will sprout leaves that will fall and litter the path for the next generation.

Keon Tindle is unapologetically Black and embraces his African American background. Keon is an esports competitor, musician, and producer, and especially enjoys the craft of pairing history with hip-hop music. He is always ecstatic to dabble in new creative outlets and hopes to pursue a career in neuroscience research.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Va.

Tying the Knot

The kitchen smells like onions and raw meat, neither unpleasant nor pleasant. Nainai’s house slippers slap against our kitchen floor as she bustles around, preparing fillings for zongzi: red bean paste, cooked peanuts, and marinated pork. I clap my pudgy hands together, delighted by the festivities. 

Nainai methodically folds the bamboo leaves into cones, fills them up with rice, and binds the zongzi together with string that she breaks between her teeth. I try to follow suit, but when I try to tie the zongzi together, half the rice spills out. Tired from my lack of progress, I abandon Nainai for my parents, who are setting up the mahjong table. 

After raising me to the age of ten, my grandparents returned to China. They dropped back into their lives like they had never left, like they hadn’t shaped my entire upbringing. Under their influence, my first language was not English, but Chinese. 

At school, my friends cajoled me into saying Chinese words for them and I did so reluctantly, the out-of-place syllables tasting strange on my palate. At home, I slowly stopped speaking Chinese, embarrassed by the way my tongue mangled English words when I spoke to classmates. One particular memory continually plagues me. “It’s Civil War, silly. Why do you pronounce “L” with an ‘R’?” Civil. Civil. Civil.

At dinner, my dad asked us to speak Chinese. I refused, defiantly asking my brother in English to pass the green beans. I began constructing false narratives around my silence. Why would I use my speech to celebrate a culture of foot binding and feudalism? In truth, I was afraid. I was afraid that when I opened my mouth to ask for the potatoes, I wouldn’t be able to conjure up the right words. I was afraid I would sound like a foreigner in my own home. If I refused to speak, I could pretend that my silence was a choice.

In Kayla DeVault’s YES! article “Native and European – How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself?” she insists that “Simply saying “I am this” isn’t enough. To truly honor my heritage, I found I must understand and participate in it.” And for the first time, I wonder if my silence has stolen my cultural identity. 

I decide to take it back.

Unlike DeVault, I have no means of travel. Instead, my reclamation starts with collecting phrases: a string of words from my dad when he speaks to Nainai over the phone, seven characters from two Chinese classmates walking down the hall, another couple of words from my younger sister’s Chinese cartoons. 

The summer before my senior year marks the eighth year of my grandparents’ return to China. Once again, I am in the kitchen, this time surrounded by my parents and siblings. The bamboo leaves and pot of rice sit in front of me. We all stand, looking at each other expectantly. No one knows how to make zongzi. We crowd around the iPad, consulting Google. Together, we learn how to shape the leaves and pack the rice down. 

The gap in knowledge bothers me. Does it still count as honoring a family tradition when I follow the directions given by a nameless pair of hands on YouTube rather than hearing Nainai’s voice in my mind? 

Instead of breaking the string with my teeth like Nainai had shown me, I use scissors to cut the string—like I had done with my ties to Chinese language and culture all those years ago. And now, I’m left with the severed string that I must hurriedly tie around the bamboo leaf before the rice falls out of my zongzi.

Cherry Guo is a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. Cherry rows for her school’s crew team and plays the viola in her school orchestra. She spends what little free time she has eating pretzel crisps and listening to podcasts about philosophy.

University Winner

Madison Greene

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Carrying the Torch

I have been called a pizza bagel–the combination of a Catholic Italian and an Ashkenazi Jew. Over time, I have discovered the difficulty of discretely identifying the ratio of pizza to bagel. It is even more arduous when the pizza and the bagel have theologies that inherently contradict each other. Therefore, in a society that emphasizes fine lines and exact distinctions, my identity itself becomes a contradiction.  

In the winter, my family tops our Christmas tree with the Star of David. I’ve recited the Lord’s Prayer; I’ve prayed in Hebrew. I attended preschool at a church, and my brother was a preschooler in a synagogue. Every week at Sunday morning mass, my maternal family donates money to the collection basket during the offertory. My paternal family has donated authentic Holocaust photographs to a local Jewish heritage museum. Growing up, none of this was contradictory; in fact, it all seemed complementary. My Jewish and Catholic identities did not cancel each other out but rather merged together.

However, the compatibility of my Catholic-Jewish identities was in upheaval when I decided to become acquainted with the Jewish community on campus. While attending Hillel events, I felt insecure because I did not share many of the experiences and knowledge of other Jewish students. Despite this insecurity, I continued to participate — until a good friend of mine told me that I was not Jewish enough because of my Catholic mother. She also said that families like mine were responsible for the faltering of Jewish culture. I wanted my identity to be validated. Instead, it was rejected. I withdrew and avoided not only my Jewish identity but also my identity as a whole.

I soon realized that this friend and I look at my situation using different filters. My Catholic-Jewish identities have evolved into a codependent relationship, and I am entitled to unapologetically embrace and explore both aspects of my identity. I realized that even without my friend’s validation of my identity, I still exist just the same. Any discredit of my Catholic-Jewish identities does not eliminate my blended nature. So, after a few months of avoiding my Jewish identity, I chose to embrace my roots; I resumed participating in the Jewish community on campus, and I have not stopped since.

Kayla DeVault’s YES! article “Native and European – How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself?” describes the obligation to one’s ancestral chain. The best way to fulfill this duty is to fully dedicate oneself to understanding the traditions that accompany those cultural origins. In this generation, my mother’s Catholic-Italian maiden name has no men to carry it on to the next generation. It is difficult to trace my last name past the mid-1900s because my Jewish ancestors shortened our surname to make it sound less Semitic, to be less vulnerable to persecution. Given the progressive fading of my family’s surnames, how do I continue the legacies of both family lines?

On behalf of my ancestors and for the sake of the generations still to come, I feel obligated to blend and simultaneously honor my Jewish and Catholic heritage to ensure that both prevail. 

Now I know that whether I am sitting next to my Jewish father at my young cousin’s baptism, or whether I am sitting at the Passover Seder table with my mother’s Catholic parents, it is up to me to keep both flames of my ancestry burning bright. The least I can do is hold each family’s candle in my hands. Imagine the tremendous blaze I could create if I brought the flames of my two families together.

Madison Greene is a Communication Studies major at Kent State University. Madison is also pursuing a minor in Digital Media Production. She is currently the president of her sorority.

Powerful Voice Winner

Mariela Alschuler

Behind My Skin

My roots go deeper than the ground I stand on. My family is from all over the world with extended branches that reach over whole countries and vast oceans.

Though I am from these branches, sometimes I never see them. My Dominican roots are obvious when I go to my abuela’s house for holidays. My family dances to Spanish music. I fill my plate with platanos fritos and my favorite rice and beans. I feel like a Dominican American girl. Maybe it’s the food. Maybe it’s the music. Or maybe it’s just the way that my whole family—aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins— laugh and talk and banter in my grandparents’ small, beautiful apartment.

Even though I am blood to this family, I stick out like a sore thumb. I stick out for my broken Spanish, my light skin, my soft, high-pitched voice and how I do my hair. I feel like I don’t belong to my beautiful, colorful family, a disordered array of painted jars on a shelf.

If my Dominican family is like a disorganized and vibrant shelf of colors, then my European family is a neat and sparse one with just a hint of color. For Christmas in New York, there are dozens of us crammed in the small apartment. For Thanksgiving in Massachusetts, there are rarely more than twelve people in the grandiose, pristine house that looks like something out of House Beautiful . I adore my grandparent’s house. It is expansive and neatly painted white. After growing up in a small house on a school campus and visiting my other grandparents’ small apartment in New York, I thought that their house was the greatest thing in the world. I would race up the stairs, then slide down the banister. I would sip Grandma’s “fancy” gingerbread tea, loving the feeling of sophistication. There, I could forget about the struggles of my Dominican family. I was the granddaughter of a wealthy, Jewish, Massachusetts couple rather than the granddaughter of a working-class second-generation Dominican abuela and abuelo from the Bronx.  

I don’t fit in with my European family either. My dark skin and my wild hair don’t belong in this tidy family. In Massachusetts, the branches of my Dominican family, no matter how strong and extensive, are invisible. The same way my European roots are lost when I am in New York.

So what am I? For years I have asked myself this question. Wondering why I couldn’t have a simple garden of a family rather than the jungle that I easily get lost in. As Kayla DeVault says in her YES! article “Native and European—How can I honor all parts of myself?,” “Simply saying ‘I am this’ isn’t enough.” And it isn’t. My race, color, and ethnicity do not make up who I am. I am still a daughter. A sister. A cousin. A friend. My mixed identity does not make me less whole, less human. I may have lightly tanned skin and my lips may not form Spanish words neatly, but behind my skin is bright color and music. There is warm gingerbread tea and golden platanos fritos. There is Spanish singing from my abuelo’s speaker and “young people” songs that play from my headphones. There is a little, cozy apartment and a large, exquisite house. Behind my skin is more than what you can see. Behind my skin is what makes me me. 

Mariela Alschuler is a seventh-grader at Ethical Culture Fieldston School and lives in the Bronx, New York. When she’s not in school, Mariela likes to read, write, do gymnastics, watch Netflix, and spend time with her friends and family. She hopes to be a doctor and writer when she grows up.

Reese Martin

University Liggett School, Grosse Point Woods, Mich.

A True Irishman?

Similar to Kayla Devault in her YES! article “Native and European-How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself,” I hold holistic pride in my cultural identity. As a descendant of Irish immigrants, my childhood was filled with Irish folk music, laughter, and all things green. I remember being a toddler, sitting on my Popo’s lap wearing a shiny green, slightly obnoxious, beaded shamrock necklace. There, in the living room, I was surrounded by shamrocks hanging on the walls and decorations spread throughout, courtesy of my grandmother who always went overboard. My father and his siblings were Irish fanatics, as well. My aunt, whom I loved spending time with as a child, was notorious for wild face painting, ear-splitting music, and crazy outfits on St. Patrick’s Day. The holiday typically started in Detroit’s historic Corktown for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade with the promise of authentic Irish corned beef and soda bread at the Baile Corcaigh Irish Restaurant following the festivities. Charlie Taylor, a local Irish musician, belted folk songs from Baile Corcaigh’s makeshift stage. It was one of the few days a year my father and his large family came together. Although my aunt and grandparents have passed, our family’s Irish pride is eternal.

There was, however, one peculiar thing about our Irish heritage— none of my family looked classic Irish. My father and his five siblings have nearly black eyes and fairly dark skin, not the typical Irish traits of blue eyes and light skin. DeVault wrote, “When I was older, the questions came, which made me question myself.” I fell into a similar predicament, questioning my heritage. It truly came as a shock when a couple of my paternal aunts and several cousins took DNA tests through 23andMe and AncestryDNA. The results revealed the largest percentage of our ethnicity was Lebanese and Middle Eastern, not Irish.

It felt like a punch to the gut. I was clueless on how to move forward. According to the numbers, we possessed an insignificant amount of Irish blood. How was it possible to be wrong about such a huge part of my identity? Not only was I confused about my culture and history, but I also experienced a great deal of shame—not of my newfound Middle Eastern heritage, but the lack of Irish DNA, which I had previously held so close and felt so proud of. It felt as though I was betraying the memory of my late grandparents and aunt.

Even amidst my confusion, I found this new heritage intriguing; I was excited to explore all that my newly found Lebanese culture had to offer: unique foods, unfamiliar traditions, and new geography. In addition to the familiar boiled and mashed potatoes, my family now eats hummus and shawarma. I also know more about the basic facts, history, and government of Lebanon. One thing dampens my enthusiasm, however. I wonder how I can fully develop a love for my newly discovered culture without being too deliberate and appearing to be insensitive to cultural appropriation.

It is here, in the depths of uncertainty and intrigue, I relate most to DeVault’s question, “How do I honor all parts of myself?” Although my Irish ancestry may not be as authentic as I once believed, I still feel a strong connection to the Irish culture. I’ve found that to truly honor all pieces of my identity, I must be willing to accept every aspect of my ancestry. I don’t need to reject Lebanese ethnicity, nor disregard the Irish memories of my childhood. I am allowed to be everything all at once. At the end of the day, with both Irish culture and Lebanese heritage, I am still simply and perfectly me.

Reese Martin is a junior at University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. Reese plays hockey and soccer, swims competitively and is a violinist in her school orchestra. She enjoys volunteering, especially peer tutoring and reading with young children.

Rowan Burba

Saluting Shadows

On the floor, a murdered woman lays bloody and dead. Two young boys stare in horror at their dead mother. At only 10 years old, my great-grandfather experienced unfathomable suffering. A generation later, my grandfather and two great-uncles grew up under an abusive roof. My great-uncle Joe, the youngest of three boys, endured the worst of the abuse. Joe’s scarred brain altered during the sexual and emotional abuse his father subjected him to. From the time he was 18 months old, trusted adults of Joe’s community violated him throughout his childhood. These traumas spiraled into a century of silence, the silence I am determined to break. 

My father’s lineage is littered with trauma. Our family doesn’t openly share its past. We constantly masquerade as “normal” so we can fit in, but the alienation we experience is understandable. In Kayla DeVault’s YES! article “Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself?” she explains her numerous identities, which include Shawnee, Anishinaabe, Eastern European, Scottish, and Irish. Although I don’t have her rich ethnic ancestry, I question my roots just as she does. I have limited photos of my deceased relatives. There are only two prominent ones: my paternal grandmother as a child with her siblings and my maternal grandmother’s obituary photo. These frosted images hide the truth of my family’s history. They’re not perfect 4″ x 6″ moments frozen in time. They’re shadowed memories of a deeply disturbed past.

For 17 years, my family was clueless about our past family trauma. Two months ago, my great-aunt explained Joe’s story to me. Joe developed Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) as a result of his abuse. By the age of 18, his brain contained 95 alters (fragments of his identity that broke off and developed into true individuals), causing Joe to appear as the “weird one,” the one who my family dismissed, the outcast of my dad’s childhood. My dad only learned one year ago, long after Joe died, about Joe’s DID. My family’s adamancy to hold secrets outweighed accepting and helping Joe. The shadows around these secrets quickly dispersed. 

The silence and shame from a mother’s death a century ago still have a chokehold on my family today. My family appears a disaster to outsiders.  My mom’s side is so religious they would never fathom a conversation about these harsh realities. In addition to Joe, my dad’s side has uncles who struggle with codependency and trauma from past abuses. Joe’s brother coped by latching onto another “normal” family, and my grandfather coped by never talking about issues. My parents married soon after my maternal grandmother and three of her four siblings died within a few weeks of each other. Despite years of therapy, my parents divorced when I was 11 years old. I grew up surrounded by dysfunction without recognizing it. 

How do I honor my roots? I work to break the silence and stigmas of abuse and mental health. I’ve participated in therapy for about five years and have been on medicine for about two. I must reprogram my brain’s attachment to codependent tendencies and eliminate the silence within me. I’m working through my intrusive thoughts and diving into my family’s past and disrupting harmful old patterns. I’m stepping away from the shadows of my ancestors and into the light, ensuring that future generations grow up with knowledge of our past history of abuse and mental illness. Knowledge that allows us to explore the shadows without living in them. Knowledge that there’s more in life outside of the frames.

Rowan Burba, a junior at Kirkwood High School in Missouri, loves to participate as a witness in Mock Trial competitions, build and paint sets for the KHS theatre department, play viola in her school orchestra, and do crafts with kids. She is involved in politics and wants to help change the world for the better.

Mia De Haan

Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, Ariz.

What Being a Part of the LGBTQ+ Community Means to Me

Being queer is that one thing about me I am most proud of, yet also most scared of. Knowing that I am putting my life at risk for the simplest thing, like being gay, is horrifying.

Let’s talk about my first crush. Her name was Laurel, and she was always in front of me when we lined up after recess in first grade. I remember wishing that girls could marry girls because she had the prettiest long, blonde hair. I left these thoughts in the back of my head until middle school. I couldn’t stop staring at a certain girl all day long. That one girl who I would have sleepovers with every weekend and slow dance with at school dances—but only as friends. She changed my life. She was the first person to tell me that I was accepted and had no reason to be afraid. 

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community isn’t all rainbows and Pride parades. It is watching your family turn away from you in disgust but never show it on their faces. It’s opening Twitter and learning that it’s still illegal to be gay in 71+ countries. It’s astonishing that we had to wait until 2015 for the U.S. Supreme Court to make it legal to marry in all 50 states.  

My identity is happiness yet pain, so much pain. I hated myself for years, shoved myself back into a closet and dated my best friend for two years because maybe if I brought a boy home my family would wish me “Happy Birthday” again or send me Christmas presents like they do for my brother and sister.

When I began to explore my identity again, I asked myself, “Am I safe?” “Will I still be loved?” I was horrified. I am horrified. Legally, I am safe, but I am not safe physically. I can still be beaten up on the streets for holding a girl’s hand. Protesters at Pride festivals are still allowed to shout profanities at us and tell us that we are going to burn in hell—and the cops protect them. I am not safe mentally because I still allow the words of people and homophobes in the media and on my street get inside of my head and convince me that I am a criminal. 

When I read Kayla DeVault’s YES! article “Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself?” I could feel how proud DeVault is to be Shawnee and Irish. While we do not share the same identity, I could tell that we are the same because we both would do anything for our cultures and want to show our pride to the rest of the world.

I honor my LGBTQ+ identity by going to Pride festivals and events. I also participate in an LGBTQ+ church and club, where, for years, was the only place I could be myself without the fear of being outed or harmed. Whenever I hear people being ignorant towards my community, I try to stay calm and have a conversation about why our community is great and valid and that we are not doing anything wrong. 

I don’t know if the world will ever change, but I do know that I will never change my identity just because the world is uncomfortable with who I am. I have never been one to take risks; the idea of making a fool of myself scares me. But I took one because I thought someone might listen to my gay sob story. I never expected it to be heard. If you have your own gay sob story, I will listen, and so will many others, even if you don’t realize it yet.  

Amelia (Mia) De Haan was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Mia has devoted her entire life to art, specifically theatre and dance. While she has struggled to figure out what she wants to do for the rest of her life, she does know that she wants to inspire people and be a voice for the people of the LGBTQ+ community who still feel that no one is listening. Mia dreams of moving to New York with her cat Loki and continuing to find a way to inspire people.

Laura Delgado

Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala.

I moved to the United States when I was eight years old because my father knew Venezuela was becoming more corrupt. He wanted to give his family a better life. My sense of self and belonging was wiped clean when I moved to the United States, a country that identified me and continues to label me as an “alien.” On U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documents, I am Alien Number xxx-xxx-xxx.  I will not let that alien number define who I am: a proud Venezuelan and American woman.

In her YES! article “Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself?” author Kayla DeVault says that “to truly honor [her] heritage, [she] found [she] must understand and participate in it.” This is why during Christmas I help my mom make hallacas (a traditional Venezuelan dish made out of cornmeal, stuffed with beef, pork, chicken, raisins, capers, and olives, wrapped in a banana leaf that is boiled to perfection), pan de jamón (a Christmas bread filled with ham, cheese, raisins, and olives—the perfect sweet and salty combination, if you ask me), and ensalada de gallina (a chicken, potatoes, and green apple salad seasoned with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper). While the gaitas (traditional Venezuelan folk music) is playing, we set up the Christmas tree and, under it, the nativity scene. The smell of Venezuelan food engulfs our small apartment. Every time I leave the house, the smell of food sticks to me like glue, and I love it.

We go to our fellow Venezuelan friend’s house to dance, eat, and laugh like we were back in Venezuela. We play bingo and gamble quarters as we talk over each other.  My favorite thing is how we poke fun at each other, our way of showing our love. There is nothing better than being surrounded by my Venezuelan family and friends and feeling like I belong.

My ancestors are Spanish settlers, West African slaves, and Indigenous Venezuelans. To my peers, I am a Latina woman who can speak Spanish and comes from a country they have never heard of. To my family, I am a strong and smart Venezuelan woman who is succeeding in this country she calls home. 

I was immediately an outcast as a young newcomer to this country. I was the new, exotic girl in class who did not speak a word of English; all of that led to bullying. Growing up in a country that did not want me was—and still is—hard. People often ask me why I would ever want to identify as American. My answer to their question is simple: This is my home. I knew that the chances of us going back to Venezuela were slim to none so I decided to make this country my home. At first, I fought it. My whole life was back in Venezuela. Eventually, I made lifelong friends, had my first kiss and my first heartbreak. I went to all of the homecoming and prom dances and made memories with my best friends to last me a lifetime. Yes, I was born in Venezuela and the pride of being a Venezuelan woman will never be replaced, but my whole life is in the United States and I would never trade that for the world. 

I am Venezuelan and I am American. I am an immigrant and I am Latina. The United States government will always know me as Alien Number xxx-xxx-xxx, but they will not know that my heritage is rich and beautiful and that I am a proud Venezuelan and a proud American woman.

Laura Delgado is a Junior at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Hispanic Studies. Laura and her family migrated to the United States from Venezuela in 2007 to escape the Chavez regime. She is a DACA recipient and a first-generation college student who has a passion for graphic design and hopes to one day open her own interior design company.

Dear every human who wrote in this contest or thought about writing,

I want to start by addressing all of you. 

I think stepping out of your comfort zone and writing your truth—even if you think you aren’t a writer— is a brave thing to do. 

I want you to understand that not being selected does not mean your story isn’t valid or that your identity wasn’t “enough.” Remember, you’re always enough. You’re enough to God, to Allah, to your Higher Power, to the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the sky, to your parents, and to your ancestors who endured long enough for you to come into existence. 

As I read through the various essays, I saw a common thread of food . Whether it’s the pierogi sales at churches in Pittsburgh, the neverias around Phoenix, or the soul food joints in Birmingham, the history of our ancestors’ movements have left their impressions in our cuisine. 

Another theme I found in several essays was a “uniformed diaspora.” Some of you talked about not being able to fully trace your lineage, having your history stolen by some method of political racism, and even grappling with finding that your genetics are not all you thought they were. As a Native person, I know all too well that we had much taken from us. I know that the conquerors wrote our history, so ours is recorded with bias, racism, and flippancy. 

And now to the essay winners:

To Susanna: Obrigada for your story. I encourage you to keep exploring your identity and how it informs your existence today on Lenape, Rockaway, and Canarsie traditional lands (New York City). Your imagery reflects saudades well. I think there is an intriguing and untapped story embedded in your father’s experience from Lebanon, and I encourage you to explore how that merges with your Brazilian identity.

When I read that passage about Starbucks, I thought about how the average young American seems to be private in public, but public in private—meaning this culture and its technology isolates us (private) when we are around other people (public), yet so many of us share most about ourselves on social media (public) where we can pick and choose if we want to engage with someone (private). By the way, I, too, played lacrosse… Did you know it has Indigenous roots?

To Cherry: 非常感谢你!  Don’t listen to the American stereotypes of who you are, as hard as that can be. You sadly may always hear them, but hearing is not the same as listening. People undermine the things they don’t understand because the things they don’t understand scare them. While it is not your job to feel you have to educate them, you do have the freedom to choose how you navigate those spaces.

I understand how it may feel inauthentic to learn how to make traditional foods like zongzi from a YouTube video. For me, I have had to learn beading and other crafts because I was too ashamed to learn them when I had the elders still in my life. I  tell young folk to know their elders now while they can. Furthermore, please speak every language no matter how imperfect because it’s a gift. Also, I’ll eat your zongzi any day, even if all the rice falls out!

To Keon: The imagery and symbols of slavery you use, powerfully describe a revisionist history that further blocks access to what would be a culturally-rich ancestry. 

I remember standing on the shores of Ouidah, Benin, from where the majority of slaves left, looking through La Porte du Non Retour (The Door of No Return) memorial, and hearing a local say, “Our relatives, they left these shores for the ships and then… we never heard from them again.” And so we come to realize our stories are known only so far as they have been carried. 

I see hope in the way you have embraced your roots as your branches to move forward. I believe that, in looking towards your branches, you have actually found your roots. You are a product of all the stories, told and untold, remembered and forgotten. I encourage you to keep writing and exploring how your seemingly contradicting and somewhat unknown roots shaped your ancestors and shape their product: you. Don’t hold back. 

To Madison: Grazie and תודה. First of all, pizza bagels are delicious… just saying… talk about the best of both worlds! You write about the challenge of fitting into your communities, and I can certainly see how religious differences can become contentious. 

I am sorry that you had a negative Hillel experience. In the end, we can’t let the persecutors steal our ancestral identities from us because that allows them to win. Cultures are fluid, not rigid and defined as peers might bully us into thinking. It’s rotten when people label us with things like “pizza bagel,” but if you boldly embrace it, you can turn it on its head. So I encourage you to be the smartest, wittiest, and most deliciously confident pizza bagel out there, writing your experience for all to read!

To Laura: Gracias , you write with a motif of sorts, one that conflates your identity to a number and the label of “alien.” For people in the United States to be dismissive of immigrants and judgmental of their cultures and languages is for the same people to forget their own origins, their own stories, and their own roles (as benefactors or as victims) in this age-old system of oppression for gain. It is also rather ironic that we call people “aliens;” unless they are from an Indigenous nation. Are not nearly all Americans “aliens” to some degree?

You write about being bullied as the new, exotic girl in school and I have also experienced that as my family moved around a bit growing up; however, I have also had the privilege to speak English.

It’s sad that these experiences are still so proliferate, and so I think it is vital that people like you share their experiences. Perhaps your background can inform how you think about spaces as an interior designer. 

To Mariela: Gracias and תודה for the story you shared. You write about a complex existence that is a mix of poor and wealthy, white and brown, warm and cool. Learning to navigate these contrasting sides of your family will help you work with different kinds of people in your future.

I can understand your point about feeling out of place by your skin color. Lighter skin is largely considered a privilege in society, yet for those of us with non-white heritages, it can make us feel like we don’t belong amongst our own family. We have to walk a fine line where we acknowledge we may be treated better than our relatives in some circumstances but we have to sit with the feeling of not being “brown enough” other times. I encourage you to keep exploring your branches and sharing your feelings with your relatives about these topics. Perhaps one day you can use your deep understanding of human relations to inform your bedside manner as a doctor!

To Mia: Thank you for your brave piece, despite your fears. Your emotional recollection about the first girl you loved is very touching and powerful. 

I am sorry that you don’t feel as though you are treated the same by your family on account of your identity and that you have to take extra steps to be accepted, but I believe your continuing to be your authentic self is the only way to prove you mean what you mean.

I hope the utmost safety and acceptance for you. I also thank you for seeing and relating to my pride that I have for myself, and I encourage you to consider creative outlets— maybe even podcast hosting—to uplift your story and the stories of others, spread awareness, and facilitate change.

To Reese: Go raibh maith agat . That’s how you thank a singular person in Irish, if you didn’t know already. I enjoyed your piece because, of course, we have an Irish connection that I understand.

I find it pretty interesting that you came back with a lot of Lebanese results in your family tests. Understand those tests only represent the inherited genes, so if both of your parents were a quarter Irish but three-quarters Lebanese, for example, you would get half of each of their genes. You might get half Lebanese from both and you would appear full Lebanese—or any other variation. My point is those tests aren’t exact reports.

I am excited you have found new aspects of your heritage and I hope you will continue to explore—as best you can—what your ancestral history is. And, by the way, I, too, play hockey and the violin—fine choices!

To Rowan: Many families put up a facade, and it’s only the brave ones, like you, addressing the trauma head-on who will be able to break the cycle that causes intergenerational trauma. 

When we explore the parts of our identity, many of us may find how much trauma —including historic policy, racism, and displacement—has impacted our ancestors, perhaps centuries upon centuries ago. Learning about my family history and about religious factors has revealed stories of abuse and secrets that have been hushed wildly, even within my immediate family. Photos can be sad when we know the stories behind them and even when we never knew the person; they’re still a part of us and we can honor them by remembering them. I think you choosing to write about your Uncle Joe and the effects of trauma in your family— especially as you process and heal yourself—will be a tremendous resource both internally and for others. Thank you for sharing and I hope you find happiness in those frames.

Again, thank you all for your essays. It is exciting to see the youth writing. I am grateful for my piece to have been chosen for this contest and, I hope I’ve encouraged readers to consider every part that makes up their whole and how it has informed their life experiences.

Kayla DeVault

“ In seventh grade, I went to an affinity group meeting. And all I remember was being called a bad Asian again and again. I was called a bad Asian because I couldn’t use chopsticks. I was called a bad Asian because I didn’t know what bubble tea or K-pop was. Time and again, I was called a bad Asian because I didn’t know the things I was expected to know, and I didn’t do the things that I was expected to do. That meeting made me truly question my identity. “ . —Sebastian Cynn, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y. Click here to read the entire essay.

“It’s difficult being Dominican but born and raised in New York. I’m supposed to speak fluent Spanish. I’m supposed to listen to their music 24/7, and I’m supposed to follow their traditions. I’m supposed to eat their main foods. I’m unique and it’s not only me. Yes, I may not speak Spanish. Yes, I may not listen to their kind of music, but I don’t think that defines who I am as a Dominican. I don’t think I should be discriminated for not being the same as most Dominicans. Nobody should be discriminated against for being different from the rest because sometimes different is good. “ —Mia Guerrero, KIPP Washington Heights Middle School, New York, N.Y. Click here to read the entire essay.

When I hang out with some of my older friend groups, which are mainly white, straight kids, I don’t mention that I’m Asian or Gay, but as soon as I’m with my friends, I talk about my identifiers a lot. A lot of them are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and 11 out of 14 of them are a person of color. With my grandparents, I am quieter, a good Asian grandchild who is smart, gets good grades, is respectful. And I don’t act “Gay.” … Why do I have to act differently with different people? Why do I only feel comfortable with all of my identities at school?

—Gillian Okimoto, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y. Click here to read the entire essay .

“ Torah, Shema, yarmulke, all important elements of Jewish identity—except for mine. All these symbols assume the existence of a single God, but that doesn’t resonate with me. Religion is a meaningful part of my family’s identity. After all, wanting to freely practice their religion was what brought my great-grandparents to America from Eastern Europe. Being very interested in science, I could never wrap my head around the concept of God. Can I be Jewish while not believing in God? “ —Joey Ravikoff, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y. Click here to read the entire essay.

“ Yes, I am transgender, but I am also a son, a friend, an aspiring writer, and a dog trainer. I love riding horses. I’ve had the same volunteer job since sixth grade. I love music and trips to the art museum. I know who I am and whether other people choose to see me for those things is out of my control.  Holidays with my family feels like I’m suffocating in a costume. I’ve come out twice in my life. First, as a lesbian in middle school. Second, as a transgender man freshman year. I’ve gotten good at the classic sit-down. With hands folded neatly in front of me, composure quiet and well-kept, although I’m always terrified. “ —Sebastian Davies-Sigmund, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo. Click here to read the entire essay.

“ No longer do I wish to be stared at when civil rights and slavery are discussed. In every Socratic seminar, I shudder as expectant white faces turn to mine. My brown skin does not make me the ambassador for Black people everywhere. Please do not expect me to be the racism police anymore. Do not base the African American experience upon my few words. Do not try to be relatable when mentioning Hannukah is in a few days. Telling me you tell your White friends not to say the N-word doesn’t do anything for me. “ —Genevieve Francois, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo. Click here to read the entire essay.

“ I often walk into the kitchen greeted by my mother sitting on her usual stool and the rich smells of culture—the spicy smell of India, the hearty smell of cooked beans, or the sizzling of burgers on the grill. Despite these great smells, I find myself often yearning for something like my friends have; one distinct culture with its food, people, music, and traditions. I don’t have a one-click culture. That can be freeing, but also intimidating . People who know me see me as a fraction: ¼ black, ¾ white, but I am not a fraction. I am human, just human. “ —Amaela Bruce, New Tech Academy at Wayne High School, Fort Wayne, Ind. Click here to read the entire essay.

“‘We just don’t want you to go to hell. ‘ I am not an atheist. I am not agnostic. I have no religion nor do I stand strong in any one belief. My answer to the mystery of life is simple: I don’t know. But I live in a world full of people who think they do.  There will be a day when that capital G does not control my conversations. There will be a day when I can speak of my beliefs, or lack thereof, without judgment, without the odd stare, and without contempt. The day will come when a life without religion is just another life. That is the day I wait for. That day will be Good. “ —Amara Lueker, New Tech Academy at Wayne High School, Fort Wayne, Ind. Click here to read the entire essay.

“¡Correle!” yell the people around him. He runs to the grass, ducks down and starts to wait. He’s nervous. You can smell the saltiness of sweat. He looks up and hears the chopping of helicopter blades. You can see the beam of light falling and weaving through the grass field … out of a group of thirteen, only four were left hidden. He and the others crossed and met up with people they knew to take them from their own land down south to the opportunity within grasp up north. That was my father many years ago. I’ve only asked for that story once, and now it’s committed to memory. “ —Luz Zamora, Woodburn Academy of Art Science & Technology, Woodburn, Ore. Click here to read the entire essay.

“ How do I identify myself? What do I connect to? What’s important to you? Here’s the answer: I don’t. Don’t have a strong connection. Don’t know the traditions. Don’t even know the languages. I eat some of the food and kinda sorta hafta** the major holidays but thinking about it I don’t know anything important. I think that the strongest connection to my family is my name, Mei Li (Chinese for “beautiful” Ana (a variation on my mother’s very American middle name: Anne) Babuca (my father’s Mexican last name). “ —Mei Li Ana Babuca, Chief Sealth International High School, Seattle, Wash. Click here to read the entire essay.

“ My whole life I have felt like I don’t belong in the Mexican category. I mean yeah, I’m fully Mexican but, I’ve always felt like I wasn’t. Why is that you ask? Well, I feel that way because I don’t know Spanish. Yes, that’s the reason. It may not sound like a big deal, but, for me, I’ve always felt disconnected from my race. I felt shameful. I felt like it was an obligation to know what is supposed to be my mother tongue. My whole family doesn’t really know fluent Spanish and that has always bothered me growing up. “ —Yazmin Perez, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kan Click here to read the entire essay.

“ I believe differently from DeVault, who believes it’s important to connect and participate with your heritage. I believe that our personal pasts have more to do with who we are as people than any national identity ever could. Sure, our heritage is important, but it doesn’t do nearly as much to shape our character and perspective as our struggles and burdens do. Out of all my past experiences, illness—and especially mental illness—has shaped me. “ —Chase Deleon, Central York High School, York, Penn. Click here to read the entire essay.

“ … I can now run that whole grape leaf assembly line, along with other traditional plates, by myself. I have begun speaking out on current topics, such as Middle-Eastern representation in acting. I have become so much closer with my relatives and I don’t mind busting a move with them on the dance floor. Although a trip to Syria is not in my near future, DeVault made me realize that a connection to your geographical cultural roots is important. According to my aunt, I have become a carefree, happy, and more passionate person. I no longer feel stuck in the middle of ethnicity and society. Becoming one with and embracing my identity truly is ‘A Whole New World.’” —Christina Jarad, University Ligget School, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. Click here to read the entire essay.

“While my bow is not made of wood and my arrows lack a traditional stone tip, the connections are always present, whether I am stalking bull elk in the foothills of the Rockies or fly fishing in the mystical White River. The methods and the technologies may be different, but the motivations are the same. It is a need to be connected to where my food originates. It is a desire to live in harmony with untouched lands. It is a longing to live wild, in a time where the wild is disappearing before our eyes. “ —Anderson Burdette, Northern Oklahoma University, Stillwater, Okla. Click here to read the entire essay.

“Black people always say that White people don’t use seasoning. This saying is one of those sayings that I always heard, but never understood. I am Black, but I was adopted into a White household … Even though I identify as a Black woman, all my life I have struggled with breaking into the Black culture because other people around me consciously or unconsciously prevent me from doing so. “ —Brittany Hartung, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala. Click here to read the entire essay.

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2019 Student Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye:

How can other people say that I only have one identity before I can even do that for myself? —Arya Gupta, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y.

‘Middle Child’ by J. Cole blasts through the party. Everyone spits the words like they’re on stage with him. J. Cole says the N-Word, and I watch my Caucasian peers proudly sing along. Mixed Girl is perplexed. Black Girl is crestfallen that people she calls friends would say such a word. Each letter a gory battlefield; White Girls insists they mean no harm; it’s how the song’s written. Black Girl cries. —Liz Terry, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo.

To me, valuing my ancestors is a way for me to repay them for their sacrifices. —Jefferson Adams Lopez, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.

A one-hour drive with light traffic. That’s the distance between me and my cousins. Short compared to a 17-hour flight to the Philippines, yet 33 miles proved to create a distance just as extreme. Thirty-three miles separated our completely different cultures. —Grace Timan, Mount Madonna High School, Gilroy, Calif.

What does it mean to feel Korean? Does it mean I have to live as if I live in Korea? Does it mean I have to follow all the traditions that my grandparents followed? Or does it mean that I can make a decision about what I love? —Max Frei, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y.

Not knowing feels like a safe that you can’t open (speaking about her ancestry) . —Madison Nieves-Ryan, Rachel Carson High School, New York, N.Y.

As I walked down the halls from classroom to classroom in high school, I would see smiling faces that looked just like mine. At every school dance, in every school picture, and on every sports team, I was surrounded by people who looked, thought, and acted similar to me. My identity was never a subject that crossed my mind. When you aren’t exposed to diversity on a daily basis, you aren’t mindful of the things that make you who you are. —Jenna Robinson, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

When my Great-Great-Grandfather Bill was 12, he ran away to work with his uncles. And then when he was older and married, he called up his wife and said, “Honey, I’m heading off to college for a few years. Buh-Bye!” Because of his adventurous spirit, Bill Shea was the first Shea to go to college. Ever since my mom told me this story, I’ve always thought that we could all use a little Bill attitude in our lives.  —Jordan Fox, Pioneer Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.

I defy most of the stereotypes of the Indian community. I’m a gender-fluid, American, Belizean kid who isn’t very studious. I want to be a writer, not a doctor, and I would hang out with friends rather than prepare for the spelling bee. —Yadna Prasad, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y.

While my last name may be common, the history behind my family is not. A line of warriors, blacksmiths, intellectuals, and many more. I’m someone who is a story in progress. —Ha Tuan Nguyen, Chief Sealth International High School, Seattle, Wash.

My family is all heterosexual. I did not learn about my identity from them. LGBTQ+ identity is not from any part of the world. I cannot travel to where LGBTQ+people originate. It does not exist. That is the struggle when connecting with our identities. It is not passed on to us. We have to find it for ourselves. —Jacob Dudley, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

My race is DeVault’s childhood kitchen, so warm and embracing. Familiar. My sexuality is DeVault’s kitchen through adulthood: disconnected. —Maddie Friar, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo.

At school, I was Dar-SHAW-na and at home DAR-sha-na. There were two distinct versions, both were me, but neither were complete. \ —Darshana Subramaniam, University Liggett School, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

I do not think that heritage and ethnic roots are always about genetics. It is about the stories that come with it, and those stories are what shapes who you are. —Lily Cordon-Siskind, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y.

In my sixteen-year-old mind, the two ethnicities conflicted. I felt like I couldn’t be both. I couldn’t be in touch with Southern roots and Cuban ones at the same time. How could I, they contradict each other? The Cuban part of me ate all my food, was loud and blunt, an underdog and the Southerner was reserved, gentle, and polite. —Grace Crapps, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala.

I thought I was simply an American. However, I learned that I am not a jumbled mix of an untraceable past, but am an expertly woven brocade of stories, cultures, and hardships. My ancestors’ decisions crafted me…I am a story, and I am a mystery. —Hannah Goin, Pioneer Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2019 Student Writing Competition, and several students got clever and creative with their titles. Here are some titles that grabbed our attention:

“A Mixed Child in a Mixed-Up Family” Caitlin Neidow, Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School, Bronx, N.Y.

“Diggin’ in the DNA” Honnor Lawton, Chestnut Hill Middle School, Liverpool, N.Y.

“Hey! I’m Mexican (But I’ve Never Been There)” Alexis Gutierrez-Cornelio, Wellness, Business & Sports School, Woodburn, Ore.

“What It Takes to Be a Sinner” Amelia Hurley, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo.

“Mirish” Alyssa Rubi, Chief Sealth International High School, Seattle, Wash.

“Nunca Olvides de Donde Vienes ” ( Never forget where you came from ) Araceli Franco, Basis Goodyear High School, Goodyear, Ariz.

“American Tacos” Kenni Rayo-Catalan, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, Ariz.

“Corn-Filled Mornings and Spicy Afternoons” Yasmin Medina, Tarrant County Community College, Fort Worth, Tex.

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112 Heritage Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Heritage is an important aspect of our identity and plays a significant role in shaping who we are as individuals. It encompasses our cultural, familial, and historical backgrounds, and often influences our beliefs, values, and traditions. Writing about heritage can be a powerful way to explore and celebrate the richness of our backgrounds, and to reflect on the ways in which our heritage has shaped us.

If you're looking for inspiration for an essay on heritage, here are 112 topic ideas and examples to get you started:

• How your family's heritage has influenced your identity
• Exploring the traditions and customs of your cultural heritage
• The importance of preserving and celebrating your heritage
• How your heritage has shaped your worldview and beliefs
• Investigating the history of your ancestral homeland
• The role of language in preserving cultural heritage
• The significance of traditional foods in your heritage
• Exploring the music and dance of your cultural heritage
• The impact of immigration on your family's heritage
• The ways in which storytelling has preserved your heritage
• Exploring the religious beliefs and practices of your heritage
• The influence of art and literature on your cultural heritage
• The role of education in passing down cultural heritage
• Understanding the impact of colonization on your heritage
• The importance of cultural festivals in preserving heritage
• Investigating the role of women in preserving cultural heritage
• Exploring the impact of globalization on your heritage
• The significance of traditional clothing in your heritage
• The role of oral history in preserving family heritage
• The impact of war and conflict on your heritage
• How your heritage has influenced your career choices
• Exploring the role of technology in preserving cultural heritage
• The ways in which your heritage has influenced your relationships
• Investigating the role of architecture in preserving cultural heritage
• The importance of genealogy in understanding your heritage
• Exploring the impact of climate change on cultural heritage
• The significance of traditional crafts in your heritage
• The role of music and dance in preserving cultural heritage
• Understanding the impact of migration on your heritage
• The ways in which your heritage has influenced your sense of community
• Exploring the role of food and drink in preserving cultural heritage
• The importance of traditional medicine in your heritage
• Investigating the impact of urbanization on cultural heritage
• The significance of storytelling in preserving family heritage
• Exploring the impact of colonization on your heritage
• The ways in which your heritage has influenced your

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student opinion

How Do You Connect to Your Heritage?

Do you feel connected to your family and cultural roots? Or do you feel distant or cut off from them?

By Jeremy Engle

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

When you think of your family or cultural heritage, what comes to mind? Do you think of language? Of people and places? Stories, traditions and artifacts? Songs and dances? Meals and holidays?

How familiar are you with your family’s heritage? Do you feel connected to these roots? Or do you feel distant or cut off from them?

In “ Connecting My Children to Their Heritage in Mandarin ,” Connie Chang writes about growing up as a child of first-generation Chinese immigrants and straddling two worlds:

On Sunday afternoons, my grandfather would sit by my elbow while I gripped his prized calligraphy brush, tracing inky lines on tissue-thin paper. “Many Chinese consider calligraphy a high form of art,” my grandfather reminded me whenever my attention flagged or arm drooped. I’d sigh in response — this weekly ritual just felt like more school. Growing up as a child of first-generation Chinese immigrants, I was used to straddling two worlds — that of my parents and the country they emigrated from, and America, where the pressure to assimilate buffeted us constantly. The message was clear in the media and popular culture of the 1980s: It was better to speak English, exclusively and without an accent; to replace thermoses of dumplings with hamburgers. My father’s college classmate, also a Chinese immigrant, proudly boasted that his kids knew no Mandarin, a claim confirmed when his son butchered the pronunciation of his own name while my parents looked on with unconcealed horror. My parents, instead, dug in their heels against this powerful wave that threatened to wash out the distinctive features of their past. I spoke no English until I started preschool, but in Mandarin — according to my grandmother — I was a sparkling conversationalist, a Dorothy Parker of the toddler set. The school administrators wrung their hands, worried that I’d fall behind, but my father shrugged, figuring (correctly) that I’d learn English quickly enough. But as I grew older, Chinese lost ground, inch by incremental inch. And while I happily accepted the bills tucked in crimson envelopes that adults bestow on children for Lunar New Year and consumed my weight in mooncakes during the Moon Festival in autumn, I didn’t feel connected to the culture.

Ms. Chang writes about teaching her own children Mandarin, despite her own limitations in a language that she had barely spoke in 15 years. She describes its challenges and rewards:

But it’s an uphill slog. According to the Foreign Service Institute, Mandarin, a Category Four language, takes four times as many hours to master as languages like Spanish or Italian. And, as I can personally attest to, maintaining fluency is a lifelong commitment. Still, when I see my youngest converse with his grandfather in rapid-fire Mandarin or when my daughter insists on fish for Lunar New Year (“fish” and “abundance” are homonyms in Mandarin — it’s somewhat of a sport among the Chinese to play with these happy coincidences), the time spent poring over books and taking them to activities feels well-spent. Although my parents’ English is serviceable, it is only in Mandarin that they’re at ease, that they can inhabit their own skins. In Mandarin, I can almost see the people they were before they uprooted their lives in search of better opportunities in a foreign land. I think about how frightening it must have been, what an act of bravery it was, to raise their children in a language whose rhythms and meanings will always remain cryptic to them, to know that those children will forever be wai guo ren — “foreigners.”

Students, read the entire article , then tell us:

How do you connect to your family’s heritage? Tell us about the values, culture and traditions that matter most to you and the ways you are able to maintain meaningful ties to them. Do you have a specific memory or story that best illustrates the role of your family roots in your life, such as the way the author remembers writing calligraphy with her grandfather each Sunday as a child?

How familiar are you with your family’s history and heritage? Do you ever feel disconnected from your roots? What aspects would you like to know more about?

Ms. Chang writes: “I was used to straddling two worlds — that of my parents and the country they emigrated from, and America, where the pressure to assimilate buffeted us constantly.” Do you ever feel as if you “straddle” two worlds, or even more? Have you tried to hide your heritage and cultural identity or felt pressure to assimilate?

Ms. Chang, recounting her son’s performance of a celebrated Chinese poem, writes: “Buried in Mandarin’s rounded vowels and tones, in the whimsical idioms that pepper our speech, in the Tang era poems every child knows, are irrevocable pieces of me, of my family.” Do you have anything — words, phrases, a language, artifacts, customs or traditions — that powerfully conjures pieces of you or your family?

What aspects of her essay resonate with you most? Does reading Ms. Chang’s piece make you want to connect more with your own heritage?

What part of your family heritage would you want to share with your own children one day? How will you, in the words of Ms. Chang, “connect future generations to past ones”?

About Student Opinion

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131 Heritage Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best heritage topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on heritage, ✅ simple & easy heritage essay titles, 💡 interesting topics to write about heritage.

• Heritage Tourism and Cultural Tourism In the preservation of the sites for tourism purposes, it is clear that what is termed as the “culture of today” becomes the heritage of the future. There is a need to unveil the complexity […]
• Cultural Identity and Heritage in the “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker In the broad context, Walker designs the story to underscore the conflict that African Americans faced concerning their cultural identity and heritage after the abolition of slavery.
• The Preservation of Our Cultural Heritage: Music for Entertainment and Communication Similar to how music plays a significant role in the lives of many people, it is an important aspect of history and culture.
• Cultural Competence: Jamaican Heritage Self-reflection as a way to improve one’s cultural competence Jamaican cultural ancestry Addressing social norms, cultural beliefs, behaviors, and the impact on health care Self-reflection has been regarded as an effective way to self-develop […]
• The Mughal Empire: Culture and Heritage The combination of the regions’ economic independence, the tensions between Hindus and Muslims, and the penetration of the subcontinent by the European economic powers led to the decline of the Mughal Empire.
• Heritage Tourism vs. Cultural Tourism Definition In contrast, cultural tourism fails to consider the experience of the past and is more concerned with the meeting the needs of the visitors.
• Family’s Heritage of Liberian Family There is the Mela group which is compromised of the Kissi and Gola and they are considered the oldest in the region.
• The Life and Legacy of John Wesley Wesley was not like any other minister of the gospel but he was a courageous and spirit-filled minister of the gospel who preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, impacting millions of people.
• Sappho of Creative Heritage: Fragment 31 The Fragment 31 by Sappho is a masterpiece that celebrates being in love and demonstrates the pain of inner feelings because of unrequited love.
• Cultural Heritage of Oyo Empire in Africa The brightest period of this ethnic group’s development is the time of the Oyo Empire which impacted the Nigerian culture and today remains the largest and most influential state.
• Umm Al-Nar: Geoarchaeology and Cultural Heritage This report aims at revealing the essentials of the Umm al-Nar site along with its significance in the framework of cultural heritage and tourism to understand the role of this geoarchaeological complex in nowadays national […]
• Local Museums and Their Cultural Heritage Perhaps, lack of this information is to hide the miseries of the past and assist the Asian-Americans to concentrate in the positive part of history.
• Duke Ellington Life and Legacy Duke Ellington was known widely to be one of the greatest composer and musician of jazz music in the 20th century.
• Heritage and Cultural Tourism Those in support of the claim that the two types of tourism meaning the same continue to say that the features that can be used to differentiate between the two types of tourism are the […]
• African Art and Cultural Heritage An example of expressive individualism is the artistic creation of the Dan people. Unlike the static form of traditional Western sculpture, African art depicts dynamics and readiness for movement.
• The Legacy and Impact of Abraham Lincoln He spoke against the war and stated that God had forgotten to defend the weak and the innocent and permitted the strong band of murderers and demons from hell to kill men, women and children […]
• Leadership Legacy Issues The ability of leadership to attain results is dependent on many factors such the followers, the environment, resources, and activities that go towards the achievement of the goals that the leadership is established to attain.
• The Heritage Assessment Tool: Overview Cultural awareness refers to the level of a person’s comprehension of the practices and traditions that guide him in relation to other backgrounds, particular cultural values, and health attitudes.
• The Blackfoot Indians Culture and Historical Heritage The Reservation of the Blackfoot Indians is the place of residence to over 17 thousand members of the given nation and spans 1,5 million acres.
• The Legacy of the Arabic Female Poetry: Al-Khansa Al-Khansa is considered one of the greatest Arabic poetesses of the classical period. To a large extent, the death of her most beloved brother Sakhr defined Al-Khansa’s poetic style known as ritha, or mourning elegy.
• Emily Carr’s Legacy in Canadian Art History Her remembrance was greatly attributed to the paintings she made, with the main highlights being her pursuit of Canadian spirit in a modern way as was represented in several of her paintings.
• Heritage – A Sense of Belongingness Global movements like the entry of the heritage monuments in the tourism sector, and along with that interest of private companies have raised many complex issues on the ownership rights of the heritage sites, which […]
• Architecture and Cultural Heritage: Pride and National Identity In it, one will find a lot of information about the history of Dubai and the manner in which its people lived in the past.
• The History of Women’s Heritage Month WHM is a result of countless women’s hardships and devotion from the beginning of the 20th century they steadily fought for the right to be acknowledged and rightfully deserved it.
• Why Shakespearean Legacy Still Matters First, Shakespeare’s work is universal and timeless. Relatable characters and themes weave the stories in Shakespeare’s plays.
• African American Heritage and Culture After the abolishment of slave trade, and the subsequent abolishment of segregation laws, African Americans attained full citizenship in America.
• YeKooche First Nation Aboriginal: The Cultural Heritage They give a reflection of the life of the Aboriginal groups The cultural heritage consists of items or places that are of significance to the Aboriginal people on their traditions, customs and history.
• Japanese Kimono: A Part of Cultural Heritage The other reason behind the waning popularity of the kimono is the intricate design used in its knitting. In the beginning of the 18th century, the name of this garment was changed to kimono.
• Historical Legacy of the Twentieth Century The end of the century was marked by more positive happenings, such as the collapse of the communist regime and gaining of independence by many countries.
• Italian Heritage and Its Impact on Life in the US The low rate of career penetration for Italian-Americans in the field of medicine is in part due to a combination of false stereotyping, belief that other ethnicities are simply better in the field of medicine, […]
• India’s Cultural Heritage: Individuality and Behavior The younger the generation, the easier it becomes to get used to the world that is around and so, the transition into the new population and culture is almost unnoticeable.
• Abraham Lincoln’s Cultural and Political Legacy on Central America 3 However, the eruption of the American Civil War resulted to the consecutive banning of slavery in all the States in U.S.
• The Way Bilingual People Perceive Their Cultural Heritage Amy Tan writes in her essay “Mother’s tong” about the memories of her childhood, the inability of her mother to speak English as if it was her native language, and the ways it influenced the […]
• Journey Through Time and Culture: Exploring China’s Rich Heritage and Festivals At the same time, China is in “relative isolation from the outside world,” which allows the country to preserve its traditional cultural heritage. In conclusion, China is one of the most amazing and unusual countries […]
• Modern Turkey, Ottoman Legacy and Westernization Many of the country’s customs and practices, such as the traditional Turkish greeting and the importance of hospitality, have their roots in the Ottoman period.
• The Pulley System: History and Heritage The pulley system is a set of wheels and a rope, one end of which is attached to fixed object, while the other one is fixed on an object that has to be lifted.
• Gwendolyn Brooks’ Poetical Legacy Here, like in “We Real Cool” the use of consonance and assonance is more visible. Gwendolyn Brooks uses dactyl, like in “Sadie and Maud” to deliver the confident, purposeful mood of the poem.
• The Significance and Legacy of Altar Q in Copan The Maya site of Copan is one of the most important monuments of civilization. Moreover, the monument is of historical importance and allows one to trace the royal dynasty of the Maya civilization.
• Brazilian Quilombos’ Heritage, Memory and Identity From the perspective of the indigenous population, the mechanization of the process because it diminishes the role of people in the creation itself.
• Christian Heritage of North Carolina It is required to establish the background of the Christian Church organization in order to offer a brief history of the North Carolina Christian Conference.
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy and Modern-Day Criticism King was linked to the development of the civil rights movement as it was considered to cause a lot of revolution in the country through the use of peaceful demonstrations, which succeeded in the attainment […]
• Architectural Heritage: Digital Preservation The main aims of digital preservations are; to enable the supply of heritage through digital outlets to large audiences, to guarantee that initial measurements and forms of natural heritage are not lost in case of […]
• The Prince Edward Theatre as English Heritage The auditorium is in a prime position in the heart of the West End, making it easy for theatre-goers to access.
• Third World Liberation: Legacy of the TWLF at UC Berkeley Although the goal of the Third World Liberation Front to establish an independent third world college on campus was not realized at the height of this activist movement in 1969, the movement strongly influenced future […]
• Cultural Heritage and Human Rights in France For example, the imagination of the inhabitants of this region manifested itself vividly in many ways during the development and construction of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.
• The Colonial Legacy on Education and Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa The necessity to study the history of Cameroon and its effect on the current state of the country calls for a deep investigation of existing literature and modern views of the national issues in education […]
• The Methodist Doctrinal Heritage Methodism is one of the currents of Protestantism that originated in the 18th century within the Anglican Church, the founder of which is John Wesley.
• African Heritage in the Caribbean It is reasonable to conclude that most individuals in the Caribbean associate with Africa and its cultures since they cherish and acknowledge their forefathers, shipped from the continent to the Caribbean by Europeans as slaves.
• Thomas Jefferson’s Legacy in American Memory The text is valuable as it validates my other sources and provides detailed accounts of Jefferson’s position on the issue of slavery.
• Slave Heritage in “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou When read in this light, “Still I Rise” becomes more than a call to perseverance in the face of adversity: it becomes a modern-day homage to the power and beauty of blackness.
• Preserving the Great Wall Heritage Site: Business Proposal The purpose of this proposal is to generally preserve the Great Wall as a cultural heritage through tourism activities and sales of other merchandise.
• “The Marketing of Heritage” Article by Cameron The article The Marketing of Heritage largely compares the approach of different parts of the world, including the West and North, to each other in the use of historical heritage and the creation of traditions.
• Analysis of Contrasting Views on Heritage The author wants to show that Wangero’s desire to reunite with her original roots leads to the alienation from the cultural background of her ancestors in the United States. It was found that Wangero tried […]
• European American Heritage The history of European Americans roots back to time when first immigrants came to the American continent. Initially, the new land was expected to give profit.
• African American, African, Haitian Group and Heritage This presentation focuses on the African and African American cultural groups. It also addresses the African American and Haitian heritages.
• The National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum People’s culture is formed in the course of the historical development of the society, and arts are a reflection of the transformations that take place along the road.
• Cultural Heritage and Its Impact on Health Care Delivery Healthcare providers must be sensitive to ways in which cultures and beliefs influence healthcare provisions to patients.
• Socio-Cultural Group: Chinese Heritage However, the common ideology among the dynasties is the application of Confucius ideals that has embedded the Chinese society into socialism.
• Heritage Assessment as a Healthcare Tool The fact that the public have become conscious towards encouraging sound health and prevention of various diseases have led to creation of methods and techniques that ease the work of health care professionals towards understanding […]
• Is Sushi a Symbol of Cultural Heritage? The art of sushi making was borrowed from Southeast Asia and China in the 7th century AD, but it is the Japanese who were instrumental in its development. The Japanese are convinced that the best […]
• Is Sushi a Symbol of Cultural Heritage The Japanese art of sushi is conservative and defines the feeding habits of the ancient Japanese. In addition, a large section of the Vietnamese diet consists of fat and carbohydrates as opposed to the American […]
• People of Jewish and Korean Heritage: Nursing Implications It is therefore very important that all health caregivers understand the culture of each client to enhance good and sensitive care.
• Cultural Heritage and Health On the issue of the development of the right frame of mind, there is a strong belief that trying to convince oneself that there is nothing wrong with the body even in the presence of […]
• The Life, Achievement, and Legacy to Computer Systems of Bill Gates As the president and the CEO of Microsoft Corporation, the market leader in supplying software for personal computers, he became the youngest billionaire in the computer industry.
• Life, Achievement, and Legacy to Computer Systems of Alan Turing Turing was quite influential in computer science development, in addition to setting the framework for the formalization of the algorithm concept, in addition to the use of the Turing machine that he developed, for computation.
• The Colonial Legacy of the Offenses Against the Person Act in Jamaica, West Indies This paper will examine the impact of the legislation on Jamaica, West Indies in the social context of abortion by tracing the colonial history and outlining both past and present abortion laws on the island […]
• The Artistic Legacy of Maya Lin: A Cultural Response to the Vietnam War Major confrontations as the signs of a shift in cultural perspectives and attitudes have always defined the development of art, the Vietnam War being one of the infamous examples of the phenomenon.
• Jazz Heritage Overview and Analysis Named after the town of Orleans in France, New Orleans lived through the rule of the French and the Spaniards before becoming a rightful subject of the United States.
• 14th Century Legacy in the Sonnets of Garcilaso Eliot’s theory of the impersonality of poetry: “The only way of expressing emotion in the form of art is by finding an “objective correlative”; in other words, a set of objects, a situation, a chain […]
• Art, Literature, and Culture: Heritage of the XX Century To portray the events of the twentieth and the twenty-first century I want to create a virtual time capsule that will be buried at this point and opened many years later.
• Leadership Legacy: Definition and Goals Whatever they impact on these people will be forwarded to the future of the organization and thus the leaders should see to it that they impact a positive legacy to the people.
• “Riot and Remembrance: America’s Worst Riot and Its Legacy”: Segregation and Riots The list of contents of the book makes it clear from the very beginning that the structure of the book depends is based on the chronological description of the events that were the preconditions and […]
• Howard Pyle, His Students, and His Legacy In addition, by means of illustration Pyle intended to shape the content of his books for him to convey the instance of conflict of triumph and surrender contributing to the enlivenment of the social conditions […]
• The Changing Legacy of Christopher Columbus The current legacy of Columbus states that he was the first person to discover America and that he had set sail to prove that the Earth was round and hence an oceanic voyage westward would […]
• The Legacy of the Sixties This led to the formation of a loose coalition grouped under the term the New Left which was united in the struggle against racism and the Vietnam War, as well as the hippie movement which […]
• Ottoman Empire’s Legacy to Modern Turkey At the same time, the conservative administrative structure of the Ottoman Empire and the way of ruling the country, which was the authoritative monarchy, allowed only for the development of the already existing branches of […]
• Chinese Politics: The Maoist Era and Its Legacy There is a need to increase the wealth of China in order for it to achieve a more elevated status in the eyes of the world.
• Haiti: The Duvaliers and Their Legacy This paper seeks to understand the impact of the media on the public having a close look at Haiti and Francois Duvalier’s government.
• The Socratic Legacy or the Cynic Legacy The Socratic legacy understand that the moral life is the best life for the agent thus has the central role of linking Socrates’ intuitions of the pre-eminence of morality with the theory of uniform self-interested […]
• The Intergenerational Legacy of Trauma Generated in War-Zone Children Despite how the children are recruited into the armed force, child soldiers are victims, and their taking part in conflicts brings serious implications to their physical as well as emotional welfare. The signatories thus have […]
• British Administration’s Legacy in Hong Kong When analyzing the British legacy in Hong Kong, it will be prudent to appreciate the past British deeds in their contribution to the current state of Hong Kong, it will be equally vital to pinpoint […]
• Tourism Management of the National Parks and Heritage The National parks are credited for being major tourist attraction sites as compared to national heritage and promotion of the tourism industry as they have what the tourist wants to see, that is, the beauty […]
• John Milton Cage: Life and Creative Heritage Due to the fact that the music was supposed to create the atmosphere of a Bacchanalia, Cage attempted to adjust percussion and other music instruments to the dance and began to put metal objects on […]
• The Spanish Frontier Legacy in Southwest America The lands of the Aztecs were extremely rich in terms of gold and silver, while the Southwest failed to live up to the expectations of the Spanish.
• American History: The Legacy of the 1960s The focus on liberation and the reinforcement of the traditionally democratic values resonated with a range of American citizens, causing American society to experience a gradual change in values.
• The Second World War and Its Legacy While being spatially distanced from the military conflict that grasped the entirety of Europe at the time, the United States also experienced the drastic effects of WWII, including the tremendous number of human lives devoured […]
• Indian vs. American Cultural Heritage and Traditions Usually, the representatives of different races and nationalities enter countries that are not their native, adding diversity to the homogeneous people of that state.
• Theater Exam: American Dream and Family Legacy To start the discussion on the concept of American Dream, I would like to focus on Willy, the main character of the Death of a Salesman.
• Gaelic Folklore as Cape Breton’s Cultural Heritage In the article, The Effect of Christianity upon the British Celts, Grunke discusses the Celtic culture and the impacts of Christianity on the people from this community.
• Greek Legacy in a Contemporary Democratic State This may be one of the reasons that the application of ethics bestowed upon citizens in Ancient Greece led to its success, and to be referred to as one of the best democracies of its […]
• Tourists’ Attitude to Technology in China’s Heritage Tourism This Dissertation critically illustrates the perceptions and attitudes of tourists to the ICT implication in the practice of heritage tourism in China, the response of the tourism industry, and the factors affecting the motivation and […]
• Animation: Walt Disney’s Legacy and Characters The assumption that children are incapable of appreciating the artistry of a specific work is, however, erroneous; instead, they are often unable to express their ideas and fascination with the animation.
• Identification and Legacy of the US History This land almost doubled the area of the USA and made it one of the widest countries around the globe. This was a mission directed by President Jefferson in the year 1804 to facilitate the […]
• Cultural Heritage and the Challenge of Sustainability On the contrary, Maggie and Mama are the ones who realize that heritage is not in the price of artifacts but in the attitude to one’s present-day life.
• Clothing and Accessories’ Heritage in Saudi Arabia The aba or abaya is a piece of outer clothing that has gained the most of its popularity among the Bedouin tribes.
• Cape Breton’s Cultural Heritage: Traditions of Mi’kmaq People One of the major disadvantages of this strategy is that the fine details of the history may be altered by the narrator. The text by Caplan provides a narrative of the Mi’kmaq way of life […]
• Traditional Bedouin Aba as Saudi Arabian Heritage However, with the course of time, instead of the definition of a lifestyle, the term “Bedouin” became the determinant of an identity.
• Valletta as a Heritage Tourism Destination It is necessary to note that the city is multinational and this also contributes to a potential interest of tourists coming from different European countries.
• Museum of Jewish Heritage and Learning Experience It is also a somber realization since the hate and bigotry that caused the suffering of the Jewish people continues to exist in the world today, albeit in a different form.
• Hashima Islands as a World Heritage Site This paper includes insights into the history of the island and provides a brief analysis of the significance of the site as well as the debate on the development of the human society in general […]
• Traditions and Heritage Revival in the UAE Within the discursive context of Sakr’s article, the term ‘invention of tradition’ is best discussed as Arabic oil-states’ tendency to invest in exploring the cultural roots of its populations by the mean of encouraging architects […]
• Greek Heritage in Modern Literature and Society However, the Greeks are the people behind civilization and should be credited for the development of the art of communication, literature, and poetry.
• African Art and Lega’s People Legacy As Bravmann explains, the culture of the Lega society blends the elements of the colonial Bwamis and the elements of other African cultures: “it is through initiation into Bwami, and through the gradual movement through […]
• Jainism: The Legacy of Lord Mahavira All the same, he was a great leader who is still respected by the followers of this religion up to date.
• Counterculture Legacy on People’s Lifestyle The 1960’s are characterized by the a social movement which was called Counterculture and had a great influence on the historical, political and social events in the USA, as well as in the whole world, […]
• Management: Integrating Legacy Manufacturing Software The focus of modern manufactures on the integration of the legacy manufacturing software with the ERP system is explained with references to the fact that the result of the integration is the effective management and […]
• Christianity in the UAE: Culture and Heritage Regardless of the given fact, Thompson’s book still provides a very detailed evaluation of the relationships between the Muslims and the Christians in Dubai, as well as in the UAE in general.
• Heritage Healthcare Agency: Medical Services to Patients in Their Homes In this regard, the organization intends to improve the productivity of its employees and to reduce the cost of its services in order to make them affordable to the majority of the citizens.
• How Confucianism as the Asian American Heritage Has Been Maintained in Asian American Families The Confucian philosophy uses the concepts of training and control and love in the Chinese parenting practices, such that they are deeply involved in the lives of their children.
• World Heritage Sites: Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens Currently, the building is in the process of being restored to the theme that was there in the 20th century. The Royal Exhibition Building is the building and the Carlton garden is the site in […]
• Sustainability of Heritage Tourism in Australia The purpose of the plan is to involve the government and other stakeholders, including the corporate organizations to better understand and contribute in protection and conservation of the cultural and heritage assets within the country.
• Online Marketing of Heritage Visitor Attractions in Malta Therefore, the specific objectives of this research will be: To conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature in relation to the online marketing of heritage visitor attractions To identify the current supply and demand for […]
• The Cultural Heritage of Canada: Values of Each Generation In addition, the percentage of the common law marriages is on the rise. In addition, the law favors women about the custody of children in divorce cases.
• World Heritage: The Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens Some of the objectives that were set are to conserve and protect the world heritage value of the sites, to incorporate the protection of the site into a complete planning program and to ensure that […]
• The Heritage of the Soviet Union Thus, to understand the future of these countries, it is important to consider political systems within the countries and define factors which resulted in the development of such regimes.
• Heritage Tourism and Its Peculiarities To this end, it assesses the strategic locations of the site and the importance of achieving the intended goal, which aims towards the revenue generation and culture preservation.
• Heritage Tourism: Megalithic Temples One of the major stakeholders to this tourist destination is the Heritage Malta that is greatly involved in managing the museums and sites.
• Maoist Legacy in Contemporary China Over the subsequent years, after the demise of Mao as a social legend, questions have prevailed whether the idea of social equality is practicable in the contemporary China, with evidence pointing out the reemergence of […]
• Prospect Reservoir and Surrounding Areas: An Australian National Heritage Site The History of the Aborigines and European Settlers According to the Office of Environment and Heritage [herein referred to as OEH], the area on which Prospect Reservoir sits was formerly under the control of the […]
• Cultural Tourism: Best Tourism Practices and Cultural Heritage Resources Exploitation of tourism assets for short term gains should be discouraged and all local policies should favor and benefit the local people. Government policies should therefore be formulated to conserve and protect heritage resources for […]
• The Lascaux Caves as World Heritage Sites There are seven sections of the Lascaux caves namely: “the Great Hall of the Bulls, the Painted Gallery, the Lateral Passage, the Chamber of Engravings, the Main Gallery, the Chamber of Felines, and the Shaft […]
• The Burden of Hitler’s Legacy In his opinion, the Jews were to be blamed for Germany’s downfall in World War 1 and the subsequent peace treaty that was a source of embarrassment to the nation.
• An Economic Approach to World Heritage The culture of a given community would determine the history of such a community in terms of architectural designs of the past such as the Great Wall of China and so on.
• Our Latin Heritage Concert It is hypnotic and sensuous, with what seems like an unvarying single beat, surrounded by the swirl of a melody that stays largely in major key.
• The Experienced Touch at Heritage Christian Home The care and support for the developmentally disabled residents at Heritage Christian Home on Yorktown Road in Penfield, New York, is proving to be a jigsaw puzzle with regard to hiring of the staff to […]
• African-American Heritage in the “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker Dee and Maggie do not interact, it is only as the story ends that Dee speaks to her angrily as she is leaving; this ending portrays the relationship of the African and American heritages.
• Maintaining a Diverse Heritage in America In order for a nation to remain one, the people have to accept the diversity of cultures in the nation and appreciate each other’s culture.
• History and Heritage in Determining Present and Future History is also a tool used to establish the validity of the current beliefs or ideas held by an individual, society or section of a society and the invalidity of the ideas and beliefs held […]
• Nixon’s Legacy, Reaganomics The media was influenced by the aftermath of the Watergate scandal as it gained confidence and a more aggressive approach to investigating and unraveling of scandals in the government in an attempt to facilitate transparency […]
• Mid-City at the Crossroads: Shaw Heritage Trail Washington, DC is the place where it is always interesting to be, to listen to other people conversions, and to enjoy the sights offered to the tourists, and Neighborhood Heritage Trails provides people with a […]
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Wonder of the Day #2806

What Is Heritage and Why Is It Important?

SOCIAL STUDIES — Cultures of the World

Have You Ever Wondered...

• What is heritage?
• Why is heritage important?
• How can you celebrate your heritage?
• Social Studies ,
• Cultures Of The World ,
• Hispanic Heritage Month ,

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Stephanie. Stephanie Wonders , “ What is heritage and why is it important? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Stephanie!

Who are you? You might start to answer that question with your name. But, of course, you’re much more than a name. What are your talents? How about your dreams or your values ? All of these things (and many others) come together to make up your identity . 

Today’s Wonder of the Day is about something else that shapes your identity —your heritage. What is heritage? The word can be difficult to define! Heritage is always something that’s or passed down by families or other groups for many years.

However, heritage isn’t limited to concrete objects. It’s also the customs, traditions, and values shared by groups of people. One way to think about heritage is to break it down into three groups. These are the tangible , the natural, and the intangible . 

What tangible items can be part of a person or group’s heritage? It can include many human-made objects that hold cultural value. Some examples are national monuments and works of art. Many ancient sites are also part of this group. On a smaller scale, a family home can be part of an individual’s heritage.

Many parts of the natural world are also important to cultural heritage. This can include bodies of water, plant life, landforms , and more. One example is the Nile River . It has been part of cultural heritage in many African nations for centuries. Efforts to protect natural heritage are key in many cultures.

The intangible group includes any part of cultural heritage that you can’t feel through touch. Maybe you’ve read about forms of dance, like flamenco dancing . You might know about the music of mariachi bands or holidays like Eid . These are all examples of intangible heritage. Languages, holidays, and customs also make the list.

Exploring your own heritage can be fun. It can help you learn about yourself, your family, and your ancestors . But it’s also important to learn about the heritage of others. Doing so can help you build a stronger understanding of other cultures. It can also lead you to find things you may have in common with others!

You may already know that certain months of the year honor specific cultures. For example, September is Hispanic Heritage Month. Are you of Hispanic heritage? If so, it’s a great time to be with family and celebrate your culture. 

If you’re not part of a Hispanic culture, then September is a time to learn. Try reading about the Grito de Dolores or the tradition of the quinceañera . Learn about famous people of Hispanic heritage, like Frida Kahlo . You could also attend public Hispanic heritage celebrations as a learner. Always remember to show respect for the cultural heritage of others. After all, you’d want the same from them.

Of course, there are several other heritage months. American Indian Heritage Month is in November, and Black History Month is in February. May is both Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. Of course, you don’t have to wait for these times of year. It’s always a great time to celebrate your heritage and learn about those of others. 

How would you describe your heritage? If you’re interested in digging deeper, invite a family member to join you. It can be a great learning and bonding experience.

Common Core , Next Generation Science Standards , and National Council for the Social Studies ."> Standards : CCRA.R.4, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.2, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.L.1 , NCAS.A.1, NCAS.A.2, NCAS.A.3, CCRA.SL.4

Wonder What's Next?

Feel FRIDA share tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day with a friend!

Now that you’ve learned about different types of heritage and ways that it’s celebrated, try out the following activities with a friend or family member.

• Do you know much about your own heritage? What are some important parts of your culture? What foods are traditionally prepared? Are there dances or art that are significant? What about a mountain, lake, or river that has special meaning? Talk to a family member about your heritage and ask them some of these questions. Write an essay about what you learn and discuss it with a friend.
• This Wonder mentions that certain months are dedicated to honoring certain cultures and gives some examples, do you have a specific month that celebrates your heritage or just one that you identify with? Get a friend or family member to help you create a poster with colorful drawings and interesting facts about that month.
• You may not know much about your own heritage or have just started thinking about it. How do you get started learning about your own heritage? Check out this article about ways to get started exploring your own heritage and share what you learned with a friend or family member.

Wonder Sources

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/special-topics-art-history/arches-at-risk-cultural-heritage-education-series/arches-beginners-guide/a/what-is-cultural-heritage (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/what-heritage (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/what-is-heritage/ (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://college.lclark.edu/student_life/multicultural_affairs/programs/heritage_months.php (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/ (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/what-is-heritage (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)
• https://learnersdictionary.com/ (accessed 05 Aug. 2021)

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Question 1 of 3

Which of the following is NOT a form of intangible heritage, according to this Wonder?

• a a river Correct!
• b a dance Not Quite!
• c customs Not Quite!
• d a language Not Quite!

Question 2 of 3

This Wonder is mainly about. . .

• a which months of the year honor certain groups or cultures Not Quite!
• b the variety of dances important to Hispanic tradition Not Quite!
• c the different types heritage and the importance of learning about your own and others’ heritage Correct!
• d specific human-made objects that are recognized as culturally valuable to African American culture Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

Hispanic American Heritage month, which is a celebration of culture and origin of Latinx and Hispanic Americans in the United States, occurs during which month?

• a February Not Quite!
• b September Correct!
• c November Not Quite!
• d May Not Quite!

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Essay on Cultural Heritage

Students are often asked to write an essay on Cultural Heritage in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Cultural Heritage

Understanding cultural heritage.

Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes inherited from past generations. It includes traditions, languages, and monuments that are important to our identity.

Types of Cultural Heritage

There are two types: tangible and intangible. Tangible heritage includes buildings and historical places, while intangible heritage includes folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge.

Why is it Important?

Cultural heritage helps us understand our past and shapes our future. It gives us a sense of belonging and understanding of our community and others.

Preserving Cultural Heritage

We must respect and preserve cultural heritage, as it’s a bridge between the past, present, and future. It’s our responsibility to pass it on to future generations.

250 Words Essay on Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes inherited from past generations. It encompasses a broad spectrum, from monuments, artworks, literature to practices, traditional knowledge, and expressions of human creativity.

Significance of Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage provides a sense of identity and continuity, offering a link from the past to the present and paving the way to the future. It is a mirror that reflects societal values, beliefs, and customs, serving as a valuable educational tool. It also contributes to social cohesion, fostering a sense of belonging and promoting mutual respect among different cultural communities.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage

The preservation of cultural heritage is crucial for maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. It involves safeguarding significant cultural items and intangible aspects from threats such as natural disasters, conflict, and neglect. This task necessitates the collaboration of local communities, governments, and international organizations.

Cultural Heritage in the Digital Era

The digital era has brought new opportunities and challenges for cultural heritage. Digitization can help preserve and disseminate cultural heritage, making it accessible to a wider audience. However, it also raises issues related to copyright, authenticity, and the potential loss of context.

In conclusion, cultural heritage is an essential part of our shared human experience. It holds significant value for both individuals and societies, and its preservation is vital for our collective future.

500 Words Essay on Cultural Heritage

Introduction.

Cultural heritage, a term that signifies the wealth of physical artifacts and intangible attributes inherited from past generations, plays a crucial role in shaping societal identity. This heritage, passed from one generation to the next, encompasses practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, and values. It is a mirror reflecting the historical journey of a civilization, offering insights into its evolution, achievements, and challenges.

The Tangibility and Intangibility of Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage bifurcates into tangible and intangible forms. Tangible cultural heritage includes buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts, which are significant milestones in a community’s history. For instance, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, and the Taj Mahal of India are emblematic of their respective civilizations’ architectural prowess and aesthetic sensibilities.

Intangible cultural heritage, on the other hand, refers to traditions or living expressions passed down over generations. This includes oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature, and traditional craftsmanship. The Flamenco dance of Spain, the tea ceremony of Japan, and the storytelling tradition of West Africa are examples of intangible heritage that shape the cultural identities of these regions.

The Importance of Preserving Cultural Heritage

Preserving cultural heritage is of paramount importance for several reasons. Firstly, it promotes a sense of identity and continuity in a fast-changing world, offering a source of pride and belonging for communities. Secondly, cultural heritage serves as a bridge between the past and the present, providing valuable lessons and guiding societal progress. Lastly, cultural heritage is an important driver of tourism, contributing to economic growth and sustainable development.

Challenges in Cultural Heritage Preservation

Despite its importance, cultural heritage faces numerous threats. Uncontrolled urbanization, environmental degradation, armed conflicts, and even tourism can lead to the deterioration or destruction of both tangible and intangible heritage. Moreover, the rapid pace of modernization and globalization can lead to the erosion of traditional practices and knowledge systems.

In conclusion, cultural heritage is an invaluable asset that offers a window into the past, shapes present identities, and guides future progress. It is a testament to human creativity, resilience, and diversity. As such, it is incumbent upon us, as custodians of the past for future generations, to safeguard and preserve our cultural heritage. This requires concerted efforts at local, national, and international levels, as well as the integration of heritage conservation into broader socioeconomic development strategies.

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• Essay on Indian Heritage

English Essay on Indian Heritage

An introduction.

This article helps you in getting a gist of how to go about writing an essay on Indian heritage. So, continue reading to have a gist of various points on writing an essay on Indian Heritage.

The Indian Heritage

Indian heritage dates back several centuries. It is vast and vibrant. Flora and fauna, music, architecture, classical dance, and the innate secular philosophy of its people are the highlights of India's treasure. Ever since the beginning, we have preserved culture and tradition beautifully for our upcoming generations. We can never forget our tradition and culture as they are embedded in us and are an inseparable part of our lives no matter how far we plan to reach and how much we have progressed in all these years.

In India, people from numerous religious castes and creeds reside in the same country and so it is the land of diversified cultures and traditions. Each religion and caste has its own traditions and Customs. Each religious group follows the culture and has a deep unwavering faith and underlying roots.

Every religion has its own set of music, dance forms, festivals, and several other forms of art that have their own charming essence. Our respect towards our culture is equally divided in the culture and tradition of other religions as well, which is the reason for the survival of the vivid Indian heritage for centuries.

We take pride in our heritage and we also have a magnification of monumental Heritage. Most of the beautiful edifices exhibit a royal past that was built by the rulers and still stands tall.

Unity in Diversity

‘Unity in diversity’ - this depicts India very well. Thus the range of Indian heritage is also quite vast. As the number of religions is quite innumerable in India so does the diversity and so does the heritage sites. One will find various historical heritage sites in every corner of India (basically every state). These heritage sites are built decades ago and still stand alive with all the significance. These historical monuments and sites are proof of how India witnessed the footsteps of various religions, various dynasties, and traditions.

Below is a long and short essay on Indian culture and heritage that covers the richness of Indian traditions and the significance of the heritage sites.

Long and Short Essay on Indian Heritage

Sometimes we often stumble around to write an essay on any topic no irrespective of its difficulty level. Keeping that in mind, we have provided a few sample essays of Indian Heritage. These will help you to understand the structure of an essay and how to write it well during the exam.

Long Essay on Indian Culture and Heritage

If you get a question that reads ‘write an essay on Indian Heritage and Culture’, you must not be worried because you can now prepare yourself for the examination.

India is renowned for its rich history. From north to south, from east to west, every corner of India has its own story. Almost every state of India has one or more special Indian heritage sites which have now become the attractions of tourists. Some of the sites are so significant and ancient in world history that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recognized them as world heritage sites. These sites have immense historical and cultural significance in today’s date.

Various Architectural Sites

Among all the Indian heritage, architectural sites are the treat to the eyes of travelers from all over the world. Besides, Indians’ love for its rich history keeps these heritage sites alive. It is the duty of the older generations to invoke the same love and respect for these sites. They shall learn the significance and keep their willingness to preserve the heritage for future generations.

There are so many architectural gems lying around surrounding us.

Starting from Ajanta Ellora caves to Khajuraho to Hampi, all these sites are really marvellous. These hold immense value to the Indian tourism industry. Many people’s lives revolve around these. Some other names which deserve to be mentioned are Taj Mahal, Lal Kila, Qutub Minar, Fatehpur Sikri, Bhulbhulaiya, etc.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Heritage sites don’t necessarily mean only historical monuments or sites, it also includes various forests, temples, churches, etc. India has a total of 38 total UNESCO world heritage sites i.e. 30 sites are cultural sites, 7 are natural sites and 1 is from mixed-criteria sites. Below are some of the world heritage sites in India recognized by UNESCO.

Ajanta Caves in India (Maharashtra)

Ellora Caves in India (Maharashtra)

Agra Fort in India (Uttar Pradesh)

Taj Mahal in India (Uttar Pradesh)

Sun Temple in India (Orissa)

Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram in India

Kaziranga National Park in India

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in India

Churches and convents in Goa

Khajuraho in India

Hampi in India

Bodh Gaya in India

Red Fort in India

Sanchi in India

Chola Temples in India

Short Essay on Indian Heritage

It might not be easy to write a 100 words essay on Indian heritage, which is why we have provided a sample essay for the same below. Give it a read.

Indian history is as rich as its culture. If we look at the architectural marvels of the heritage sites such as Hampi, Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, Lal Kila, Qutub Minar, Fatehpur Sikri, Bhulbhulaiya, these still hold immense significance in terms of their marvelous art, engineering, construction, and labor behind each site. There are many ancient and historical monuments that stand alive. Some of them took literally one decade to hundred years to be built properly. Such beautiful heritage sites are very rarely seen these days if we talk about modern-day architecture.

Hence, as responsible citizens, it is our duty to take care of these Indian heritage sites and monuments so that these could be preserved and witnessed by our future generations as well.

India is one of the world’s oldest countries which is deeply rooted in the ancient history of human civilization. Hence these heritage sites still remain perfectly preserved to date. Hence it is our responsibility as a citizen of India to preserve these beautiful monuments for our future generations.

Our various art forms, literature monuments, tradition, and culture forms a part of our heritage. These works have been appreciated worldwide. We should be proud of such a vivacious culture that prevails in our country. India's natural heritage invokes a sense of pride in each and every citizen of this country. The diversity adds beauty and richness to this country.

FAQs on Essay on Indian Heritage

1. Name a Few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

There are 38 total UNESCO world heritage sites in India i.e. 30 sites are cultural sites, seven are natural sites and one is mixed-criteria sites. A few names are - Ajanta Caves in India (Maharashtra), Ellora Caves in India (Maharashtra), Agra Fort in India (Uttar Pradesh), Taj Mahal in India (Uttar Pradesh), Sun Temple in India (Orissa), Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram in India, Kaziranga National Park in India, Khajuraho in India, Hampi in India, Chola Temples in India.

2. How to Write an Essay on Indian Heritage and Culture Easily?

With the help of the internet, it is very easy to write essays these days. Here are many sample essays on Indian heritage and culture easily available online. You can visit any renowned ed-tech portal to get access to such samples.

3. What is the Indian heritage?

It is an all-embracing confluence of traditions, customs, and religions. It is one of the world's oldest civilizations. Indian cotton textiles, the ethnicity of jewellery, the richness of silk, handiwork, and everything from ancient times still prevail and is kept alive generation after generation. Indian food is a part of Indian Heritage and is a legacy differing in taste and look in every state of the country.

4. What is the importance of our Indian heritage?

The heritage of our country provides evidence of evolution and our past. It helps us to develop an awareness of ourselves and examine our traditions and history. It helps us to explain and understand the reason for the way we are. Our heritage plays an important role in our business, society, worldview, and politics and is a keystone of our culture. It inspires, influences, and informs policy and public debate directly and indirectly.

5. Why is preserving our heritage important?

Heritage is fragile, it delivers so much in terms of enjoyment and important human experience. It allows us to define ourselves and enriches our lives but also needs consistent development and protection. The acknowledgment of the significance of our heritage is essential to be recognized by the government and reflected in inappropriate and reformed structures and increased funding. This ensures that the most suitable elements are passed on to our children and eventually to their future generations as well.

6. What is UNESCO?

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization encourages the preservation, protection, and identification of the natural heritage around the world and is considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. The international treaty called the Convention is concerned with the protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage which was adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

Essay on Indian Heritage for Students and Children

500+ words essay on indian heritage.

Heritage means what we inherit from our ancestors and from our past. India is a land of varied cultures and traditions. People from numerous castes, religions, and creeds reside in our country. Each ethnic group in our country has its own tale of origin and its set of unique traditions and culture. They have all contributed to the making of Indian history and culture. Nature has made India into a distinct geographical entity.

Indian Heritage: A Gift from the Older Generations

Indian heritage and culture are vast and vivid because of the large number of religious groups residing in our country. Every community has its own set of customs and traditions which it passes on to its younger generation.

However, some of our customs and traditions remain the same throughout IndiaOur traditions teach us to inculcate good habits and make us a good human being. Our cultural heritage is thus a beautiful gift from our older generation that will help us become a better human being and build a harmonious society.

Respect for our Indian Heritage

The elders should take responsibility to invoke love for the Indian heritage in the younger generations. This must be done from the very beginning only then we can preserve our rich heritage. It is the duty of the elders to invoke love for the Indian heritage in the younger generations.

This must be done from the very beginning only then we can preserve our rich heritage. Schools must teach students about Indian heritage and how it has survived for centuries. They must also share the importance of preserving it. This would help in invoking a feeling of pride in them and they would be inspired to continue the tradition and also pass it on to the new generation. This needs a collective effort by the teachers as well as parents.

Our Literature

Indian literature is as rich as its culture. We have various books written on many topics since ancient times. We have the Vedic literature, epic Sanskrit literature, Classic Sanskrit literature and Pali literature among other kinds of Indian literature. Many of our books are being translated to other languages to provide access to a greater number of readers so that more and people can benefit from the knowledge. Such a wonderful and rich literature must be preserved at any cost.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Beautiful Geological Structures

Numerous beautiful geological structures found in different parts of India. Best of the splendid geological structures that form a part of our country include Lonar Crater Lake, Siachen Glacier, Jammu and Kashmir, Pillar Rocks, Kodaikanal, Barren Island, Andamans, Magnetic Hill, Leh, Columnar Basaltic Lava, Udupi, and Toad Rock. All these structures are true wonders of nature. A lot of tourists every year from around the world especially visit these places just to catch a glimpse of these marvelous creations of God.

UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites in India

The below geological places have been enlisted in UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites. These sites include:

1. Home for the rare one-horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga National Park, in 1985.

2. Home for numerous species of beautiful birds, Keoladeo National Park, in 1985.

3. A beautiful wildlife sanctuary, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, in 1985.

4. The biggest mangrove forest, Sundarbans, in the year 1987.

5. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, in 2004.

6. The Western Ghats, in 2012.

7. The Great Himalayan National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2014.

India is an ancient country. We are blessed with a beautiful heritage. We are solely responsible to preserve the same so that our future generations also get to see and experience the same.

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The Rich Cultural Heritage and Spiritual Practices of Voodoo

This essay about the Voodoo religion provides a comprehensive overview of its cultural and spiritual aspects. Voodoo, originating from West Africa and notably practiced in Haiti and Louisiana, is a community-centered religion that connects its adherents through ceremonies involving music, dance, and spiritual possession. Central to the practice are the Loas, deities acting as intermediaries between the divine and the human. The essay describes the ceremonial practices, including offerings and the creation of Vèvè, intricate symbols that invoke these spirits. It challenges common misconceptions perpetuated by media portrayals that focus on hexes and zombies, highlighting instead Voodoo’s roles in healing, protection, and community support. The resilience and adaptability of Voodoo are emphasized, showcasing how it has thrived despite historical oppression and misrepresentation. The essay portrays Voodoo as a misunderstood religion that is fundamentally about community bonding, spiritual communion, and empowerment.

How it works

Voodoo is a rich spiritual discipline that originated in Africa but is frequently shrouded in mystery and sensationalized by the media. This religion, which has its roots in nature, community, and spirit, has spread across seas and developed in a number of places, most notably Haiti and sections of Louisiana in the United States. This article explores the fundamental ideas, customs, and frequently misinterpreted facets of voodoo to illuminate its actual nature and cultural importance.

Voodoo, or Vodou as it is known in Haiti, involves more than only the use of magic and spells, as is commonly seen in literature and movies.

This complex religion blends elements of the indigenous Taino people of the Caribbean, the Christianity brought by European settlers, and the customs of West African culture. Voodoo is essentially the practice of communicating with the supernatural world through various deities known as Loas or Lwas. Voodoo devotion is reliant on these spirits, who are revered as mediators between the celestial and the earthly realms.

One of the main components of voodoo is the Vodou ceremony. A priest (Houngan) or priestess (Mambo) leads these colorful rites, which are replete with singing, dancing, and music. Apart from serving as spiritual gatherings, the rituals also serve as social events that strengthen bonds throughout the community. All participants have a deep sense of belonging and connection, not only to themselves but also to their spiritual guides and ancestors.

Offerings, such as food, wine, and other things that the spirits find appetizing, are made to the Loas at these rites. Another important feature of these festivities is the rite of possession, in which people call the Loas into their bodies through song and dancing. This is viewed as a profound spiritual guidance and communion experience rather than something to be afraid of. Through possession, the Loas are able to speak with the people directly and provide blessings, counsel, and healing.

The usage of Vèvè, elaborate symbols formed from powdered materials and used to conjure the Loas, is another essential component of Voodoo. During rituals, these symbols—which each Loa has its own distinct Vèvè—are drawn on the ground in order to respect and invoke the spirits. The precision and craftsmanship required to create Vèvè show how deeply practitioners appreciate and are committed to their beliefs.

Despite having a long and illustrious cultural and spiritual past, voodoo has also been misunderstood and vilified, particularly in Hollywood representations that typically focus on curses and zombies. Voodoo’s true essence as a religion of healing, protection, and communal solidarity is overlooked by this perversion. In places like Haiti where misery is a way of life, voodoo plays a vital role in giving people the resilience and feeling of community they need to bear and overcome their hardships.

Furthermore, voodoo’s adaptability and persistence are demonstrated by the fact that, in spite of past attempts to suppress it, it has continued to exist and flourish. African slaves were compelled to become Christians during the time of slavery, yet many of them managed to keep their cultural values by assimilating with Christian customs. Voodoo was able to endure under harsh circumstances and remain a source of spiritual comfort because of this syncretism.

To sum up, voodoo is a vibrant and intricate religion that merits knowledge and respect. It is essential to both personal empowerment and societal harmony, and it provides a deep window into the spiritual life of its adherents. Voodoo has made major cultural and spiritual contributions to societies where it is practiced, and these contributions can be appreciated by seeing past preconceptions and engaging with the genuine rituals and beliefs of the religion.

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