It’s a beautiful movie about a Bengali couple who moved to the US, raised a family, and it morphs into a story of their son’s journey to reconciling with his Indian heritage. Mira Nair, who directed Monsoon Wedding, did a fabulous job of creating a story that is incredibly relevant to ABCD’s – American-Born Confused Desi’s (natives). I believe that term was actually coined from the novel that the movie was based on. Anyways, as an ABCD myself, I cried like three times.
And it got me thinking, will I be okay with wherever my kids call home, or whatever culture they become attached to? I’m sure it was difficult for my parents at times to realize that I did not feel attached to the US at all. I just know that my children’s culture will be radically different than mine – and will I be okay with it? Even as Ashima and Ashoke stayed in the US because they knew their children would have many more education and career opportunities than they would in India, it hurt when Gogol and Sonali rejected some aspects of Indian culture and heritage. Steve and I plan to live overseas eventually, because we want to follow God’s call to make disciples of all nations. But I know that it will mean that our children will be extremely influenced by whatever culture that is, and we will have to deal with the good with the maybe not-as-good.
What parts of my heritage are so important to me that I will feel the need to pass them on to my children? Will I want them to learn about Ghandi as well as Abraham Lincoln? Will I teach them how to get around an airport as well as how to cross the street? Will I want them to be equally adept at eating with chopsticks and fingers as well as silverware? How do I keep myself from passing on my own hang-ups and prejudices?
Oh, heaven help me if they’re picky eaters. It would serve me right, I guess.
2 comments:
Wow! Good thoughts on culture. I have 2 China born children and it can be applied there to. Thanks for the mental stimulation!
I'm glad my musings helped you! Wow, you do have a unique situation with your children. Culture and cultural adapting is absolutely fascinating - and I hope that when I have children, I'll be able to help them - and have the courage to accept it if they are connected to a different culture than me!
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