My Heritage
Quinton
Cultural Identity
To me, being French is very interesting. France has a lot of history and has had a lot of
impact on events in the past such as being a part of colonizing Canada. France has
spectacular feats in architecture. A great example of that is the Eiffel Tower in Paris. To
me being French and having family from France gives me a sense of pride. They
accomplished quite a lot in a time when living was very difficult. Being French allows
me to understand my family's heritage and how they kept the family’s name alive.
Language is also a very important part, the language everyone who speaks that lives
there is French, there are not many other languages that are in that country other than
the languages immigrants bring with them or the ones people learn.
My Identity
My identity is very much influenced by my father’s side of the family. They all speak
French and are immersed in the French culture. Sadly, I have never been taught how to
speak French and that impacts how I speak to my family. They all speak english but
quite often they speak French. Being French has impacted me because my ancestors
went through very difficult times to set up my family to be successful later in life. Such
an example is, they started a farm in southern Saskatchewan that my father has now
taken over to be the third generation. This has all impacted me greatly because my
farm and home has impacted my values and has contributed in making me who I am.
Food also plays a role in my family, my grandparents don’t have a signature dish from
France, but my father makes Crepes which is a delicious breakfast. Food does not play
a big part in my family's culture but it brings us together during the holidays.
My Ethnicities Role
I don’t believe it plays a large factor in my day to day life. Being French has neither
allowed me or prevented me from doing things in life. The farm and french culture and
values have just impacted who my family is and how they speak and act. It has
impacted my values of a deeper appreciation for the land, enjoying working outside, a
better sense of how hard people have to work to make a living, and a greater
understanding of how our food is grown. My culture allows me to understand how my
family members have grown up and the struggles they have been through when first
homesteading on the land.
Traditions
My family does not have many traditions. Being French has not played a huge role in
the way my family celebrates holidays or how we live our lives. We all connect on
Christmas at my grandparents house for a meal, other than that, French culture does
not impact or give us a lot of traditions.
Religion
France is a very religious country that is majority Catholic. The same with my family,
we are all catholic. My grandparents are quite religious and that plays a part in my
families heritage. They always believed in paying it forward and helping others before
helping yourself. God played a large part in guiding them and helping them be better
versions of themselves. It has also allowed me to be more religious and have more faith
in god.
Can I Express My Heritage
Living in Canada brings lots of opportunities, especially with heritage and culture.
Living here many people across the country represent and express their cultures in
their own way. I don’t really show my heritage but my family does. They speak French,
eat French food and immerse themselves in French culture. Living in Canada allows
me to express my heritage freely with no implications. My family lives in a few
communities in southern Saskatchewan that have mostly French speaking community
members, such as Gravelbourg. Other family members still live in Quebec and New
Brunswick. My uncle is a news reporter for French CBC in Moncton who shares his
knowledge with me.
How My Heritage Relates To Me
My family struggled living in France. They were poor farmers who rented land and
worked to harvest their crops and pay their landlord. They were basically peasants.
Once they heard about Canada and land being given to new immigrants, they decided
to pack up their things and scrape together a few dollars and start a farm in western
Canada. Once they made the long trip from Quebec, they settled on a little plot of land
untouched in southern saskatchewan. That land today is my fathers farm. It has been
in the family for over 100 years. Having the farm in my family allows me to have a
career path and carry on the family name and farm, it is very important to me and to
see how much it has grown and the advances in technology is remarkable to me.
Conclusion
Being French has allowed me to create a better understanding for the cultures around
the world and the variety and difference between each culture. It has allowed me to
understand what my ancestors went through and how tough times were. It also played
a role in who I am today. Language, traditions, food, and religion have all impacted my
life.
