why do immigrants want to follow their own culture more

billybudd

Alot of people are proud of their heritage and so on and its important they keep traditions alive whether that is in their own country or another, SOME Irish people have bizarre logic to their heritage to the point that they are only proud of it when locked in some new york bar.

Johnny Foreigner

ihsb wrote: »

I get the same whenever I say I am Irish or when I say I support Kilkenny in hurling. They think that I don't have a right to support the team I do. I say the same as you in response about them supporting English teams. It is great over here though!

Of course not in all countries but I think that a lot of cultures that miss their homeland are cultures that have experienced war and oppression. I don't have much to back this one up but just what I was thinking.

This quote sums us up:

“ I do not think this country will afford sufficient allurements to the citizens of other States ... The children of Irish parents born abroad are sometimes more Irish than the Irish themselves, and they would come with added experience and knowledge to our country.... ”
—Sen. Patrick Kenny, 1924

alandublin33

I think being proud of your heritage and culture it a great thing for everyone , but I dont think being proud of your culture should mean "sticking to your own" and isolating yourself and your family from society .

southsiderosie

alandublin33 wrote: »

I think being proud of your heritage and culture it a great thing for everyone , but I dont think being proud of your culture should mean "sticking to your own" and isolating yourself and your family from society .

Having lived as a foreigner in Ireland, it's not like natives are falling all over themselves to hang out with newcomers - they have their own sets of friends and networks already. This is perfectly normal - it's been the case in pretty much every country I've lived in. Most of my friends when I've lived abroad have been other foreigners (not from my home country necessarily), largely because we are the ones who are looking to make new friends and connections. When I lived in Dublin, the few Irish people I ended up hanging out were themselves recent arrivals there who didn't know anyone either.

I also have to wonder how many people who complain about migrants sticking to their own have lived in another country where you had to learn or use a language that wasn't your own all day. I'm a native English speaker, and when I lived in Spain, I would get home and be so drained from having to function in another language all day, that it was often a relief to socialize with other native English speakers in the evening. You may call that 'sticking to my own', but I call it sanity preservation.

Finally, I wish people would stop insisting that migrants incorporate, without being clearer about what they are supposed to do. Incorporate into what? As long as people speak the language, pay their taxes, and obey the law, who cares what language they speak at home or with friends, or who they choose to socialize with outside of work?

/rant

alandublin33

southsiderosie wrote: »

Having lived as a foreigner in Ireland, it's not like natives are falling all over themselves to hang out with newcomers - they have their own sets of friends and networks already. This is perfectly normal - it's been the case in pretty much every country I've lived in. Most of my friends when I've lived abroad have been other foreigners (not from my home country necessarily), largely because we are the ones who are looking to make new friends and connections. When I lived in Dublin, the few Irish people I ended up hanging out were themselves recent arrivals there who didn't know anyone either.

I also have to wonder how many people who complain about migrants sticking to their own have lived in another country where you had to learn or use a language that wasn't your own all day. I'm a native English speaker, and when I lived in Spain, I would get home and be so drained from having to function in another language all day, that it was often a relief to socialize with other native English speakers in the evening. You may call that 'sticking to my own', but I call it sanity preservation.

Finally, I wish people would stop insisting that migrants incorporate, without being clearer about what they are supposed to do. Incorporate into what? As long as people speak the language, pay their taxes, and obey the law, who cares what language they speak at home or with friends, or who they choose to socialize with outside of work?

/rant

ok first of all I wasnt making a hate speech , the inverted commas were to let you know thats what other people would say " stick to .... " and i wasnt sayin that immigrants have to totally adopt a new culture , but be opened minded when they interact with the locals , one more thing , who the fcuk pissed on your cornflakes today ?

southsiderosie

alandublin33 wrote: »

ok first of all I wasnt making a hate speech , the inverted commas were to let you know thats what other people would say " stick to .... " and i wasnt sayin that immigrants have to totally adopt a new culture , but be opened minded when they interact with the locals , one more thing , who the fcuk pissed on your cornflakes today ?

Who said you were making a hate speech?

alandublin33

cool beans , lets split hairs. I wasnt trying to be down on foreigners at all ( oh , I hope I didnt offend anyone saying foreigners ), but coolio have fun, take care

ToddyDoody

Because we dont ridicule their ways and beliefs enough

The King of Moo

alandublin33 wrote: »

cool beans , lets split hairs. I wasnt trying to be down on foreigners at all ( oh , I hope I didnt offend anyone saying foreigners ), but coolio have fun, take care

I doubt you will.

cloptrop

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Because they are proud of their roots?

Because they want to hold onto their heritage?

Pretty stupid question tbh.

What I find crazy is why are there so many Irish people , living in Ireland that want us to be different, like giving us examples of what the finnish do , or hey you may think your right but in china they dont use chairs?
Is this people who just want you to know they have been to china or are they that ashamed of their Irish culture tht they want to be Finnish.


Paddy 1: hey Tom wanna play hurling
Paddy 2: In austrailia they play aussie rules , we as a culture should play this instead to show everyone we are civilised.

riseown

cloptrop wrote: »

What I find crazy is why are there so many Irish people , living in Ireland that want us to be different, like giving us examples of what the finnish do , or hey you may think your right but in china they dont use chairs?
Is this people who just want you to know they have been to china or are they that ashamed of their Irish culture tht they want to be Finnish.


Paddy 1: hey Tom wanna play hurling
Paddy 2: In austrailia they play aussie rules , we as a culture should play this instead to show everyone we are civilised.

Yup, that's the point exactly.

southsiderosie

cloptrop wrote: »

What I find crazy is why are there so many Irish people , living in Ireland that want us to be different, like giving us examples of what the finnish do , or hey you may think your right but in china they dont use chairs?
Is this people who just want you to know they have been to china or are they that ashamed of their Irish culture tht they want to be Finnish.


Paddy 1: hey Tom wanna play hurling
Paddy 2: In austrailia they play aussie rules , we as a culture should play this instead to show everyone we are civilised.

Other than copying their educational system (which is excellent), and Eurovision death metal, who wants to be like the Finns?

alandublin33

Im a really genuine person , hi 5 to me

Doc

I’m in Australia and I'm Irish I don’t know what I do that is particularly an exclusively Irish thing that no Australian would do. I don’t play Gaelic football or Hurling not because I want to fit in with the Australian or because I don’t want to hang out with Irish people but because I prefer to play other sports. I listen to Irish music occasionally but not very often which might be unusual for an Australian to do but I don’t listen to it enough really for that to be true. I like being Irish and wouldn’t want to be anything else but I can’t think of many things that we do that would be that alien over here as the cultures are quite similar really.

My brother on the other hand lives in China and there are quite striking cultural differences over there. The fact that things can be so different over there means that certain things we take for granted may seem odd. The food they eat is different to the typical Irish meal. Christmas isn’t really celebrated. There are lots of examples of how life is different there. Would I completely change my lifestyle to live just as the Chinese do? No. Would I adapt certain aspects of my life to make sure I didn’t offend people or make my own life easier? Naturally. There would be no reason for me to give up the parts of Irish culture that I enjoy just because I was in a place that didn’t necessarily know or enjoy these things.

People keep doing things from there homeland that they enjoyed doing in there homeland. If their are traditions that they had to do at home that they didn’t enjoy that are not a necessity in there new home then they won’t. I meet a woman once who had to carry water a long way from the pump to her home when she was a child in her home country. She now has a tap in the kitchen but you can be she doesn’t walk for miles to get water every day like she did in the country she was born.

sandmanporto

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Because they are proud of their roots?

Because they want to hold onto their heritage?

Pretty stupid question tbh.

Maybe so but consider isolating the culture of a nation you have moved into to prove an arrogant point of cultural importance. the op did not make a stupid point yet they made one you haven't even begun to understand. Go on holidays to Rotterdam and check it out

Gyalist

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

There was something on Nationwide a few days ago about an immigrant to Ireland. I didn't watch the whole segment but from what I saw he was from somewhere in Africa and was proud of his roots but also loved Ireland and had learned to speak Irish fluently. He was in a recording studio wearing a tribal headdress while singing an African song and suddenly decided to start singing in Irish. He seemed interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDieeh4E2w

Ellis Dee

cloptrop wrote: »

What I find crazy is why are there so many Irish people , living in Ireland that want us to be different, like giving us examples of what the finnish do , or hey you may think your right but in china they dont use chairs?

There is nothing crazy about Irish people who have seen things that don't work well in Ireland, but have been well taken care of elsewhere, inviting their fellow countrymen to look at how it is done abroad and, perhaps, learn from it. Every culture is eclectic, and one that is not open to new ideas and influences will only stagnate and become degraded.:)

cloptrop wrote: »

Is this people who just want you to know they have been to china or are they that ashamed of their Irish culture tht they want to be Finnish.

There has been a St. Patrick's Day parade in Helsinki for several years now. The Irish people who take part are, obviously, not a bit ashamed of their Irish culture. Many of them are also respected by their Finnish acquaintances and friends for bothering to learn the local language and customs. And lots of Finnish people march in the Paddy's Day parade as well and have a great time.:)

cloptrop wrote: »

Paddy 1: hey Tom wanna play hurling
Paddy 2: In austrailia they play aussie rules , we as a culture should play this instead to show everyone we are civilised.

ROFLMAO:rolleyes:

travelledpengy

Sure you see the Irish in Oz do they practice the culture and traditions there?
The majority stick to themselves and drink in Irish bars there

stovelid

I think that's it's good that people hold on to their cultural heritage when they move to other countries and indeed, that heritage can greatly enrich the culture of the country they end up in.

That said, they do live in another country and should integrate in standard ways: I would greatly oppose immigrants insisting on practices or "rights" that contravene the democratic norms or spirit of their adopted country

OneArt

Terry wrote: »

People keep their own cultures going in foreign countries for the same reason people delude themselves into believing that saying a prayer will cure HIV or cancer or the common cold.
Comfort.

You can buy Kerrygold butter in China, just like Polish people can buy Pork based products that should taste nice, but really taste like crap here in Ireland.

It works out well until foreign people insulate themselves from the natives. Then you get ghetto culture and it all goes to hell due to innate fear of the unknown.

There's no harm in assimilating and keeping part of your own cultural identity. Most people won't do that though.


On a side note, someone mentioned Irish bars and Australia.
I can understand that if you're there long term, but why go to Lanzarote (or similar) for two weeks and spend all your time in Irish bars?
Just book a holiday in the farthest Irish city from your home and do the same ****ing thing.

People suck.

I bought Kerry gold in Germany because I thought it was the only salted butter you could get here.

Then I found a cheaper salted one so bye bye Kerry gold... Mm.. Salted butter. You don't realise how important it is until it's not the norm.

jester77

I notice this phenomenon is stronger with 2nd generation immigrants. I've a few aunts who emigrated in the 70's and 80's. They didn't really do the whole Irish thing with their children but my cousins are going overboard with their kids. They take them to irish dancing, irish music classes and teach them Irish, even though they themselves have only seen Ireland while on hols.

Nothingbetter2d

i find out of all the immigrants in ireland the chinese tend to be a very closed group of people.... the polish, indian/pakistani and africans are alot more open to integrating into irish society but i only ever see chinese people talking to us irish when they are serving us in a shop or restaurant. ya never really see them out socialising with irish people.

not that there is anything wrong with what they do and to be fair you rarely get any trouble from them, but i find it a little weird that they don't try to socialise with us.

pickarooney

Gyalist wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDieeh4E2w

****in' hell, he almost makes Irish dancing look sexy!

wilkie2006

Pacifist Pigeon wrote: »

I think pride in something one did not create is a highly fallacious sentiment. If people had less of these sentiments, there would be less ethnic conflicts and wars.

I think that's kind of a half-baked argument, to be honest. You're right, we didn't have a hand in being born Irish etc but, in the words of John Donne, "No man is an island". That is, we contribute to and reflect the society and culture in which we are brought up in. Being proud of your Irish roots is not pride in Ireland, per se; it's pride in the culture that's a part of you and which you have contributed to (however negligibly).

cmos_ajay

There is no need to bash immigrants.

aaronjumper

cmos_ajay wrote: »

There is no need to bash immigrants.

Who's bashing immigrants?

Nodin

...been a sane thread that way, oddly enough.

Eve_Dublin

The only thing I really keep up with by way of Irish culture is Gaelic football. I stick on my Dublin jersey and head to the bars (usually alone, unfortunately...have no Irish GAA supporting friends from Dublin here) and watch the games. Why? Because I love gaelic football. That hasn't changed just because I moved country. I also listen to Irish music just because I like it and always have. I think a lot has to do with simply liking aspects of your own culture that you're not just going to give up simply because you've moved country.

Also, I'd be homesick on occasion and it gives me a sense of belonging in a big city to sit and watch the games with a randomer from home drinking Guinness. I don't see any harm in it.

ebixa82

Why do immigrants want to follow their own culture?

What a ridiculous question.

Why would they not?

Robdude

simply simple wrote: »

I always wonder why do immigrants want to keep their culture alive when they are not in their mother country. they tend to be more strict in following it then the one who lives back there in thier country

i m not trying to criticize any body,just curious what will be the reason..okay they might be missing their hometown but why are they strict towards their kids as well to make them follow that culture more then the culture of the country they are now living?
i myself am an immigrant here in ireland and also do so,just dont know why i m doing so :rolleyes:
immigrants can be from any country to any other country,not just immigrants to ireland

Most people immigrate for economic reasons; not cultural ones.

Ferncat

IMHO it's bc ppl are proud of their differentness?

simply simple

Ferncat wrote: »

IMHO it's bc ppl are proud of their differentness?

can you just define your 'bc ppl' ?

Hayte

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Because they are proud of their roots?

Because they want to hold onto their heritage?

Pretty stupid question tbh.

Its not even necessarily about heritage and pride. You grow up living, talking and thinking a certain way and its hard to change that over night because you've been doing it for so long, its just normal.

Long time immigrants and second generation immigrants are sometimes treated as foreigners in their own country of origin because they have been away for so long or they have never been to the place of their birth. You pick up some of the mannerisms, the accent or you never learn them in the first place etc.

For some people, its a difficult question to ask this: what country do you come from? Do you say your country of birth? The country you have lived most of your life? The country you live in now?

I'm half Irish, half Malaysian but born in Hong Kong (hell I don't even know the story behind that one). The whole family moved to England when I was two. I speak English with a Kent accent (and now a slight Dublin twang, which I'm not even aware of). I have light skin and freckles which marks me as a tourist in Malaysia from 20 miles away.

I have 3 or 4 countries of origin. I support both England and Ireland in all sporting events which 100% of the time elicits this question: "what if it was England vs Ireland?", which I can never answer.

I guess its nice to be certain of where you come from and where you are going, but you really need to emigrate to feel what its like to be between cultures. You don't really fit in anywhere, and sometimes, its not for lack of trying.

cmos_ajay

Irish themselves are close minded and conservative people. How many Irish women would date a foreign national ? Very rare in numbers. Their parents tell them strictly not to mix with foreigners as though its a social stigma. How many Irish neighbors socialize with foreign nationals even if they have lived beside each other for a year ? Truth is that Irish do not mix. Its a country living in a time warp and needs to learn integration from advanced countries like USA and UK.

The Scientician

cmos_ajay wrote: »

Irish themselves are close minded and conservative people. How many Irish women would date a foreign national ? Very rare in numbers. Their parents tell them strictly not to mix with foreigners as though its a social stigma. How many Irish neighbors socialize with foreign nationals even if they have lived beside each other for a year ? Truth is that Irish do not mix. Its a country living in a time warp and needs to learn integration from advanced countries like USA and UK.

Me bollix. Half of my friends in the circa 30 age group have non-Irish boyfriends/girlfriends or husbands/wives. And let's not follow the USA/UK path to integration that condemns the grandchildren of migrants to the ghettos, sink estates and barrios.

christmas2012

I think if you come here integrate thats how it should be,if were over in some countries were expected to wear scarves,not have sexual relations,and not look at other men/women depending on who you are(the opposite sex),its ridiculous then when they come here they dont have to follow any set rules then we wonder why there is no repsect in our culture,and then the view of we drink and curse and are lazier workers,it is a joke
But in fairness i think a lot of them do integrate i dont see any wearing very different head gear or act out or anything like that,so i dont see that it is a problem..I do know there are opinions on irish people of those who arent fully irish yet that though there is a problem in our drinking culture,they think were as bad as the uk.