My Family Culture

If I had to choose three items that represent my family culture I would take a wedding album, a cookbook, and a piece of Puerto Rican Taino art.  My wedding album is very important because it represents the family, and how it celebrates a family wedding.  The wedding album is representative of several generations of family.  The cookbook has been handed down from my mother to myself.  She received Cocina Criolla from her stepmother who had given it to my mother.  This cookbook was later translated into English and my mother gave me this new version.  My mother matched the English version with the Spanish version she had and wrote notes for me to follow.  This was given to me as a wedding gift.  The Taino art was a piece of art that my husband and I purchased on a trip to PR.  It was the first real piece of art we purchased and we treasure it.  If I was told that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two items I brought with me I would be devastated.  How can I choose which is more valuable when I value all of them in different ways?  As  a result of this exercise I realize how important family is. I think it is true for all cultures though.