Cultural Traditions

The Nenets culture is one rich in tradition and family units. The photographs appearing both here on this Web site and in the March 1998 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC article reveal a stunning amount of information about the Nenets culture. What if your family were to be depicted in such an article? What pictures would reveal the most about your family’s way of life? In what family traditions and ways of living does your family take the most pride? What gives your family a sense of identity?

Pull out the family photograph albums or videotapes and review them together as a family to pinpoint traditions and cultural aspects valued by your family. For example, holiday and birthday rituals and coming of age ceremonies (high school graduation) may be captured on film. Discuss how and why various traditions began. Have traditions changed from generation to generation? Who in the family is most responsible for keeping traditions alive? How are new traditions brought into the family? Vacation photos may also be revealing about the culture of your particular family. Does the family travel to faraway places on vacations or prefer hideaways closer to home? What does the family do while on vacation: hike, boat, ski, tour museums, attend plays? To what kind of destinations does the family travel: the city, the wilderness, the beach, the mountains? Don’t forget to make a list of the everyday cultural aspects that may or may not be depicted in family photos! What are the careers of the adult family members? What are some of the hobbies of family members? What does the house or apartment look like both inside and out? How does the family spend a typical evening or weekend? Who does the cooking? Who are the family pets?

Choose a dozen family photos that the family agrees would be good to take along to explain the family culture should they have a chance to share such photos when visiting another international family.

Jody Smothers Marcello of Blatchley Middle School in Sitka, Alaska, contributed family activities for this Geoguide.