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00:00Cultures of the World for Kids
00:09Hey kids!
00:12When you look around at the people in your neighborhood or town, who do you see?
00:17How would you describe the people that live nearby?
00:19Are they friends? Part of your family? Strangers?
00:23Some of them might be boys or girls, some adults, and some kids.
00:28Some people might be tall, others short.
00:32Some might go to your school, while others might go to a different school.
00:35Some may have brown or black hair, the same skin color as you, or maybe a different skin color.
00:42Perhaps they wear formal clothing, or t-shirts and jeans, or maybe even something more unusual.
00:47Depending on where you live, the people in your neighborhood or town might look a lot like you, or they might look different.
00:54Maybe you live somewhere where there is a mix of people, of all colors, shapes, sizes, and behaviors.
01:02The bottom line is that everyone is different.
01:05We are all unique individuals.
01:07And just as there are things that you enjoy doing, foods you and your family like to eat,
01:12holidays that you celebrate, and a religion that you may be part of,
01:16people all around you have their own set of things that they like to do as well.
01:20All of those things, the way people live their lives and the things that they enjoy doing,
01:26are part of their culture.
01:28A culture is a special and unique way of living.
01:32All the things that people do and believe, and the activities that are important to them,
01:36make up the culture that they belong to.
01:39Many people build their life and their identity around their culture.
01:42Can you think of a friend or someone you know that belongs to a different culture than you?
01:48What do they do with their family that's different from what you do?
01:52There are many, many cultures in the world, and no culture is better than any other.
01:58While many of your neighbors might belong to a different culture than you or your friends,
02:02all of us can live side by side and respect each other.
02:07Different cultures make up communities, and communities make up society.
02:12Society is a collection of different people from different cultures,
02:16all living together and following the same rules.
02:19Different societies make up different countries,
02:23and ultimately those countries make up the entire world.
02:26So now, you know that there are different cultures all around you,
02:31even in your own school or community.
02:33For example, in December, some people you know might celebrate Christmas,
02:38others Hanukkah.
02:40Still others might take part in Kwanzaa, St. Nicholas Day, or St. Lucia Day.
02:45Again, others might celebrate holidays you've never even heard of, or none at all.
02:50All year round, there are holidays, parades, shows,
02:54and events that different cultures celebrate or attend that others do not.
02:59Every culture has its own unique manners, styles of dress, language, religions, celebrations, ethics,
03:06and other things that are special to them.
03:09So how can you tell what culture someone belongs to?
03:12Well, it's important to remember that the color of their skin or the way they look
03:17does not define their culture.
03:19The best way to find out what culture someone belongs to is simply to ask them.
03:23Have a conversation.
03:25Find out more about them.
03:27Maybe you have some things in common.
03:29Perhaps their culture, and yours, have some of the same likes and dislikes,
03:34or hobbies, or foods.
03:36Maybe not.
03:37Either way, it's good to share these things so you can learn more about the people around you.
03:42So what are some of the cultures of the world like?
03:45Let's start with America.
03:48Some of the foods that are part of the American culture include pie, banana splits, hamburgers,
03:55hot dogs, and fried chicken.
03:58Other American populations have different preferences.
04:01For example, in the Southwest, there is a mixture of Spanish and Mexican foods.
04:06Religions in American culture include Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and others.
04:18Americans celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, and others.
04:27American sports include football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and hockey.
04:36We have lots of different ways of dressing, but American culture is most known for our jeans,
04:42t-shirts, shorts, and sweats.
04:46All of those things help define American culture.
04:49Here are some other cultures and things that help define them.
04:53This is Africa.
04:56The food across Africa is usually spicy with intense flavors, and the food can be very exotic as well.
05:03They eat many different things that Americans don't.
05:07Religions in Africa include Christianity and Islam.
05:11But many of the people in more remote parts of Africa practice their own local religions.
05:16Celebrations include Kwanzaa, Yama de Kese, Sed, and Osiris.
05:22There's music like Samba and Reggae.
05:26Believe it or not, there are 11 official languages in South Africa, which is a real rainbow nation
05:32where many cultures all coexist.
05:36In fact, one-third of the world's languages are spoken in Africa.
05:40Their art consists of colorful paintings and beautiful ceramics.
05:45And the main themes are marriage, mother, and child.
05:49Unlike American culture, 41% of children aged 5 to 14 work in Africa.
05:57What about the French culture?
05:59Maybe you know someone French.
06:01Some of the elements of their culture include complex foods with heavy sauces,
06:07elegant and professional clothing, like scarves and long coats and dresses.
06:11In French culture, religions include Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hindu.
06:20Art and history can be seen in many churches and public buildings.
06:24The Chinese culture has its own unique characteristics, one of the most prominent being its exceptional food,
06:33which includes lots of sauces, unique spices, rice, fish, red meat, and even scorpions and snakes.
06:42The established religion of Chinese culture is Buddhism, and there is a lot of Buddhist art there.
06:49They drink a lot of tea, which is often used as medicine.
06:53The Chinese New Year happens every spring and is marked by a bright and colorful 15-day festival
06:59with a dancing dragon and fireworks, parades, and more.
07:03However, the Chinese culture has six different languages, but Mandarin is the most widely spoken.
07:09You can thank Chinese culture for martial arts like Kung Fu, Silk, the animals of the Zodiac,
07:16philosophers like Confucius, and other things that have spread around the world.
07:22Finally, let's talk about the Spanish culture.
07:26Their food often includes olive oil, garlic, and onions.
07:30They usually serve wine during dinner and bread with nearly every meal.
07:35Fruit is the main dessert.
07:37About 80% of the Spanish are Roman Catholic, which is a form of Christianity.
07:42An important week in the Spanish culture is Holy Week,
07:46which comes before Easter, in which there are large parades and religious events.
07:51Spanish culture has colorful architecture, grand churches, and even the running of the bowls.
07:58Now that you know some of the elements of various cultures,
08:03it's important to note that cultures are complex and that no single aspect of a culture defines it.
08:10They can be so local that different people in different parts of a country
08:13can have vastly different things that they cherish and celebrate.
08:17In America, you have Native American culture, African American culture, Cajun, Creole, and others.
08:27In Greece, a child throws a lost tooth onto a roof for good luck.
08:32Japanese children cover their belly buttons when they hear thunder.
08:36In Indonesia, people point with their thumbs.
08:39In Russia, Father Frost brings children presents on New Year's Day.
08:43In the Brazilian culture, New Year's Day is usually celebrated with a bowl of lentil soup.
08:49Now that's a tasty New Year!
08:51During the Italian carnival, people throw oranges.
08:55All of those things are unique to the cultures that do them
08:58and are a part of what makes those cultures special.
09:02Respecting other people's cultures, trying to learn about them,
09:05never stereotyping or mocking them, and living in harmony with them
09:09is the first step in becoming friends, having greater humanity,
09:14and creating a peaceful world for us all to share.
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