WHY CALL
THEM
DIASPORA ?
By KARLA KALISA
Some people call them diaspora other don’t even
know how to call them
which seek to safeguard and consolidate
active links with their country of origin
their ‘home land’ whilst preserving their
status within their current country of
reception. This is a phenomenon that
involves European cultures, but also cutures
from across the globe.
C ountries like Rwanda, Uganda and T his is to say Does Culture Affect our
Kenya has a huge diaspora populations
in the United States and European coun-
tries are having a hard time digesting
their return. These nations and others
are facing the many challenges posed by
contemporary transnational
communities and cultural flows. Some
diaspora cultures, with clear origins
following enforced dispersions, are well
documented, for example the Rwandan,
Ugandan, Kenyan and the Burundian
Diasporas and, more recently, However,
the majority of countries throughout
the world, and therefore most Council of
Africa member states, in fact recognize
their own diaspora culture. In addition,
whilst some diaspora cultures are
relatively unknown, the majority of
member states play ‘”host” to a great
number of different diaspora cultures.
Diaspora cultures exist throughout the
world. The diffusion of cultures has
contributed to the existence of a number
of diaspora communities,
Personality? Loosely defined, culture refers
to the shared values, beliefs and norms of a
specific group of people. Culture, therefore,
influences the manner we learn, live and
behave. Because of this, many theorists
believe that culture is an important shaper
of our personality. The major elements of
culture are symbols, language, norms,
values, and artifacts. Language makes
effective social interaction possible and
influences how people conceive of concepts
and objects. Major values that distinguish
the United States include individualism,
competition, and a commitment to the
work ethic. Why is language one of the
most important aspects of culture? Unlike
other aspects of culture, language does not
change. When groups migrate, a shared
language helps prevent conflict. Language
allows people to communicate and provides
a sense of identity. Languages can be
classified into language families.