The ways in which individuals from various ethnic backgrounds live, express themselves, and engage with one another are known as ethnic lifestyles.
An example of an ethnic lifestyle is the Cajuns. These are people of French ancestry who live in the area southwest of New Orleans and scattered in areas adjacent to the French Louisiana region. These are descendants of Acadian exiles from what is now the maritime provinces of Canada who migrated to southern Louisiana in the late 18th century. They have a distinct culture with its own language, music, cuisine, traditions, and religion.
Others include the Amish and the Hutterites, which are Anabaptist groups who immigrated to the United States, Canada, and other places from Europe in the 1700s to escape persecution. The Amish and the Hutterites are separate branches of Anabaptist Christians. The Amish originated in Switzerland and the Southern Rhine regions of Germany, while the Hutterites came from Moravia. There are clear distinctions between the groups, but characteristically, they both value pacifism and non-violence, tend to live in rural communities, wear modest clothing and head coverings, and encourage large families. Additionally, the Amish and the Hutterites speak distinct German dialects, although they also learn English.
When large groups of people immigrate from their native countries to another, many of them will continue to live in the same neighborhoods and may retain many of the characteristic lifestyles typical to their countries of origin or may adapt in similar ways, thus forming or retaining a unique lifestyle.
In contrast, others from the same countries might be assimilated into the culture of the country they moved to within a few generations. Thus, not everyone who comes to the United States from Vietnam will exhibit a distinct Vietnamese lifestyle. Similarly, not everyone born to an Amish household will continue to live an Amish lifestyle.
Interestingly, it is not uncommon for people to make a conscious effort to recover a lifestyle abandoned by their ancestors. A good example would be Native Americans or the First Nations people of Canada, whose ancestors were often forced to assimilate after Europeans became the dominant power in North America. In recent years, many of these people are reclaiming many aspects of the lifestyle their ancestors were compelled or coerced to surrender.
People who identify as members of the same ethnic group or ethnicity do this because they believe they have characteristics in common that set them apart from other groups. A shared country of origin, as well as shared ancestry, customs, language, history, society, religion, or social treatment, are examples of these characteristics.
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Recommended Resources
Compiled by Bert Payne, who was born in Calcutta, and Lynette Rebeiro, born in Gondia, India, the website is focused on Anglo-Indians, a term used to refer to people with mixed Indian and European ancestry, generally either British or Portuguese. The site includes a history of the Anglo-Indians and highlights famous Anglo-Indians, global events, schools, publications, research data, associations, charities, and contests. Archives of several Anglo-Indian publications are available on the site.
https://anglo-indians.com/
Asian information provides information on Asian American history, issues, and politics. The site combats stereotypes about Asian Americans and raises awareness about the contribution of Asian Americans to the United States. You can also find commentary on immigration issues on this website, several articles on Asian culture, and various Asian ethnic groups focusing on Asians in the Americas, including a special section on Vietnam, its history, colonialism, war, and a modern-day exodus.
https://www.asian-nation.org/
Based on a book by the same name by Hyde Flippo, this online guide is aimed at expatriates, travelers, business people, and students in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, giving an idea as to how people from the German-speaking world are likely to think, do business, and act in their daily lives. The site includes cultural guidebooks, informative articles, and an expatriate blog to familiarize readers with how these people celebrate holidays, interact with one another, eat, dress, and so on.
https://www.german-way.com/
Maintained by a team of volunteers, the database powering this website elevates the work of Indigenous visual storytellers and brings balance to the way in which stories are told about Indigenous people and spaces. The site is available to photo editors, creative directors, and those who routinely hire photographers, who may contact them for a complete electronic database of its members. Press information, contacts, and a membership application are featured.
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https://indiginews.com/
Created by the broadcaster and former DJ Lee Bailey, the site offers reports on urban entertainment, sports, politics, and opinion, with a concentration on blacks in music, television, and film. Its content includes entertainment news, gossip, radioscope, old-school entertainment, and featured articles. It also has a section called The Remote, a calendar of television, film, and streaming premieres, music releases, tour dates, and other events relevant to the culture.
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Melungeon Heritage Association
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The Canadian non-profit website and mobile application provide a searchable global map of Indigenous territories, languages, and treaties. Created as a website in 2015, it was incorporated as a non-profit in 2018. Through the site and application, visitors can browse the map, or search via city, state, or zip code, to see which indigenous communities originally resided in those areas. Each included Indigenous nation includes links to related readings.
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The website focuses on indigenous tribes and people groups and is organized into four main categories: Native American, Native Australian, Wealthiest Tribes, and Indigenous Tribe. The latter category appears to include articles that don't perfectly fit into one of the other categories. Using a blog format, the site consists of several articles on various topics relating to indigenous groups in North America, Australia, or elsewhere. The website states its terms and policies.
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https://nwasianweekly.com/
The website is devoted to tribal facts and traditional tribal arts, with an emphasis on tattoo arts. Readers can browse through thousands of contemporary tattoo designs based on original tribal patterns while reading about tribes worldwide. In its tribal tattoo pages, unique designs are featured, along with the significance of each pattern and information on who the designs might be suitable for. Sections are available for tribal tattoos and tribe facts.
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Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
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Formed in 2000, the Foundation promotes and preserves Turkish heritage and culture worldwide and stresses the importance of improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged students in Turkey. Seeking this, the Foundation coordinates a series of people-to-people cultural exchanges, educational programs, and websites designed to promote Turkish music, art, and cuisine. The tax-exempt charitable organization is supported entirely by private donations. Contacts are included.
http://www.turkishculturalfoundation.org/
A product of the Turkish Cultural Foundation, which was formed in 2000 to promote and preserve Turkish culture and heritage worldwide, emphasizing education for disadvantaged students in Turkey and abroad. Private donations support the Foundation entirely. Its Portal is Open Source, and articles may be created or edited. Informational content is sorted into several categories, and an image archive, slideshow, event calendar, library of information, and external links are included.
http://www.turkishculture.org/
The website connects expatriate Moroccans living in the United States. Information, news, videos, and announcements related to the Moroccan community are included, along with travel, insurance, and DNA testing data. Founded in 1999, the website's name is a Moroccan word with several meanings, including "What's up?," "Where have you been?." or "What's new?," depending on the situation. The site allows members to find one another, locate Moroccan businesses, and discuss pertinent topics.
https://www.wafin.com/
