Cultural Diversity in African and Asian Culture Essay Example
What is your spoken language? What is your religious belief? What holidays do you observe? What is your racial and ethnic background? What embodies your culture?
At some point in our lives, we have been posed with these inquiries. Cultural diversity naturally exists in life, whether it is recognized or not. Our identity is greatly influenced by culture and impacts our behavior.
Culture refers to the shared language, beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and material objects that are passed down through generations. It is a collective expression of our way of being. Cultural diversity includes individuals from various cultural backgrounds, racial and ethnic origins, religions, languages, physical sizes, genders, sexual orientations, ages, disabilities,socioeconomic and occupational statuses,and geographic locations (Taylor 2014). This paper will concentrate on two distinct cultures: the African culture with its matriarchal structure and the Asian
...culture.
Family unity, loyalty, and cooperation are important in African culture. Strong kinship ties are valued, both with blood relatives and non-blood relatives from church or organizational social groups. Extended-family relationships are also close and supportive. African folk and traditional health care practices vary widely and may include spiritualists, herb doctors, root doctors, conjurers, skilled elder family members, voodoo, and faith healing. Members of the African American clergy are highly respected and highly religious, with a focus on being present oriented. When providing nursing care to individuals from the African culture, it is important to be aware that families may still utilize folk healing practices and home remedies for specific illnesses. Special care may also be necessary for hair and skin, and consideration should be given to the extensive and often informal support networks of patients (Taylor, 2014). Conversely, the Asian
culture places a stronger emphasis on the welfare of the family over the individual.
In Asian culture, extended families are prevalent and highly valued, placing a strong emphasis on lineage and familial sharing. Unlike African traditions, their folk and traditional healthcare practices originate from Taoism, which aims to achieve harmony in every aspect of life. The state of good health is achieved by balancing yin (representing femininity, negativity, darkness, and coldness) and yang (representing masculinity, positivity, lightness, and warmth). Energy imbalances usually arise from improper dietary habits or intense emotions. In this framework, diseases and foods are classified as hot or cold; maintaining the appropriate equilibrium is vital for overall well-being (e.g., using warm foods to treat cold ailments). Additionally, many Asian healthcare systems utilize herbal remedies, carefully curated diets, as well as hot or cold therapy for various treatments.
Moreover, many Asians have faith in the presence of particular points situated on meridians or energy pathways within the body. In case there is an imbalance in the flow of energy, it may be essential to address these pathways to regain balance. Their principles and convictions revolve around upholding a strong sense of self-esteem and discipline, as well as displaying reverence towards elders and individuals in positions of authority, while also valuing diligent efforts. Expressing admiration for oneself or others is considered impolite. They place significant emphasis on upholding harmony and avoiding disagreements.
When caring for Asians, there are several nursing considerations. Firstly, Asians believe that blood is the body's life force. Some also believe that it cannot be replenished. Additionally, some Asians prefer to die with their bodies intact and may only consent to surgery under extreme
circumstances. Moreover, Asians tend to refrain from expressing their discomfort or pain verbally. Therefore, nurses must attentively assess nonverbal signs of discomfort like facial grimacing or wincing and the patient's tendency to hold the painful area. Furthermore, it is customary for Asians to provide the responses that are expected of them, even if this means transmitting incorrect information. This is done out of respect. Consequently, when seeking medical help, some Asians may switch physicians without informing their current one to avoid causing offense. Unfortunately, this can lead to confusion, inaccuracies, and unnecessary medication. In addition, some Asians may reject diagnostic procedures since they believe that a competent doctor can diagnose an illness through a physical examination alone. Lastly, understanding the importance of a medication regimen may be challenging for some Asian patients due to their tendency to rely on single doses of herbal mixtures in traditional treatments.
Having numerous children was considered a means of social security and economic prosperity in African culture. The expectation for women to bear many children for their husbands was so ingrained that failing to do so could result in the husband seeking additional wives. As men accumulated wealth in the form of land and cattle, their offspring became valuable assets as a labor force. Consequently, it was advantageous for women to keep having children as long as they were physically capable. This demand for children often led first wives to encourage their husbands to take on more spouses who could assist with the workload and childbearing responsibilities. In the past, African women would continue having children until nature potentially prevented further pregnancies.
Encouraging her husband to take another wife might be
seen as selfishness and a lack of willingness to share in his wealth. Therefore, she advises him to do so in order to avoid criticism. It is customary for Asian children to face great expectations. Adolescents are frequently responsible for numerous family duties like caring for siblings and other relatives, maintaining cleanliness at home, and preparing meals. Meeting one's obligations towards the family is widely acknowledged as the standard in Asian households.
The parenting approach of Asian parents differs from that of Western parents, as they prioritize teaching their children how to maintain harmony with others rather than trying to control them. This approach includes discouraging emotional expression due to beliefs about its negative effects on health and relationships. The emphasis on harmony also leads to the concept of "saving face," which rewards conformity to societal expectations.
In terms of language, many Asian countries continue to use their traditional languages for communication and official purposes. On the other hand, Africa primarily adopts the languages of its former colonizers as official languages, promoting communication among people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Despite being colonized, various regions in Asia have successfully preserved their own languages.
The two regions have few similarities. Both regions were economically similar when they gained independence. However, Asia effectively used its large population to become a competitive market for cheap labor, attracting investment and outpacing Africa. Although there are some developed areas in Africa and underdeveloped areas in Asia, overall, Asia is more developed than Africa. In conclusion, every country has its unique culture that can greatly differ from our own or sometimes be barely noticeable.
When comparing Africa and Asia, the main cultural difference to consider is
their languages. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize and value these distinctions because they enhance the distinctiveness and thrill we encounter when encountering fresh viewpoints.
