Christmas baubles, Valentine cards, New Year's toasts, school breaks, what are the few things when you hear the word "holiday"? Cultural celebrations are a way of connecting to our heritage and understanding our identity as we progress in life.
Sparklers in the night. Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash.
Cultural celebrations bring family together. They reinforce our perspectives of religion, culture, personal goals, and other important values. Things brings back to one of our posts on "The Curious Insights of Diversity." Being culturally aware brings more creativity and inclusiveness in the room. Holidays welcome and provide a shared experience for everyone where people get the opportunity to learn about different cultures from the taste of the food, the sounds from people conversing and singing, and the vibrant dances.
As a student film director who received an opportunity to attend Stanford University's annual Powwow in 2018 and 2019. Unfortunately, their event cancelled this year to keep everyone safe during the pandemic, but the experience I received while going with my high school class was amazing.
Being born and raised in the States as part of the minority group, not all but there are many students who refuse to learn their mother tongue or learn about their heritage because they find it insignificant for survival and success in America. The Powwow I attended with my classmates was exciting, vibrant, and friendly. The people there were so kind and open to sharing their culture. It was unlike anything that my classmates and I originally knew about the Native American people. The extent of our knowledge in our younger years of the Native American community was the history of Christopher Columbus and a few topics of the journey towards the West Coast.
Attending the Powwow at Standford was an eye-opening experience for everyone who didn't know much about Native American culture and the many unique tribes that are represented in there. I had found a life-changing tide from my classmates who originally rejected their culture (including me) who decided to take some time in learning their mother tongue and became more involved with their family heritage.
Back in my Native American Literature class, I encountered a great novel There There by Tommy Orange. It shares multiple stories of Native Americans who reside in Oakland and struggle with depression, alcoholism, self-identity, and other challenges. They inevitably meet at a community Powwow.
My classmates and I have learned much about our culture and experiences due to attending the Stanford Powwow and we still engage with the community whenever we can. While it is a completely different environment we are used to seeing in our own cultures, I would encourage audiences of "Show and Tell" to engage more in their cultural activities. What activities does your family participate in? What is a new value you have gained from that cultural celebration? Share with us in the comments below!
SPECIAL NOTE: Our team has successfully fundraised 13 percent from our Indiegogo campaign. We only have about 20 days left to fundraise $4000.00 for our short film!
It would mean so much to us if you could provide feedback and contribute to our project. The donations go straight to the funds needed to make this film come to life. Please visit our campaign at
Thank you and stay safe everyone!
"Show and Tell” is fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media, a San Francisco nonprofit organization dedicated to building community through media and the arts.
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