Tornado Project

Items

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  Inter-generational Discussion on Cultural Evolution

  The portrait examines three generations of an Italian family and how the culture is passed on through these generations. We began by discussing the migration to Canada of my community partner’s father, how he felt in the first couple of days in Canada, and how he was able to maintain his cultural heritage while being in a foreign land. We discussed how Beverly’s father would cook Italian food, go to church and listen to Italian opera to immerse himself in his roots. Beverly then expressed the importance that her father placed on family, and how this is a core value that has been passed on to her children. She then told me a story about how every Sunday, her family still gets together in her house to have Sunday supper.
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  Raising Children in a German-Canadian Household: The Importance of Language and Culture

  This portrait follows the life of a German woman, Kordula, who immigrated to southwestern Ontario in 1999 in order to farm. The portrait specifically focuses on her journey in raising her children in a German-Canadian household. The portrait captures how she tried to preserve German traditions and the German language while raising her children amidst the backdrop of southwestern Ontario. It touches on why language is important to her and her children’s upbringing, indicating that it has allowed them to foster their German-Canadian identity. She also gives advice for families who have immigrated, and wish to continue teaching their children about their culture.