This document defines culture and its key elements. Culture includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behaviors and systems of belief that comprise the way of life of a society. It discusses the core components of culture such as values, religion, norms, institutions, myths, legends, folktales, food, holidays, celebrations, art, music, literature, clothing, and sub-cultures. Culture is expressed and transmitted through these various elements.

1. What is culture?

2. What is culture?
 Culture - has been called "the way of life
for an entire society." As such, it includes
codes of manners, dress, language,
religion, rituals, norms of behaviors and
systems of belief.

3. Values/Beliefs
 Values
comprise ideas about what in life
seems important.
What are the values in the United States
and why?

4. Religion
 Collection of narratives,
symbols, traditions and sacred
histories intended to give
meaning to life, to explain the
origin of life and the universe
 Morality, ethics, religious laws
and lifestyle derived from
ideas about human nature
 Around 4,200 religions in the
world

5. Norms
 Norms consist of expectations of how
people will behave in various situations.
 Appropriate social behavior and
expectations in politeness
What are the norms in the United States?

6. Institutions
 Institutions are the
structures of a
society within which
values and norms
are transmitted.
 Schools, churches,
legal buildings
(police, court)

7. Myths, Legends and Folktales
 Short, traditional, historicized
narrative performed in a
conversational mode, reflecting
folk belief and collective
experiences and serving as a
reaffirmation of commonly held
values of the group to whose
tradition it belongs.
 Teach lessons important for
community.
 Not entirely realistic.

8. Food
 Cooked for certain
celebrations and holidays;
sacred
 Basic (meat, fish, dairy,
eggs, veg, grain, nuts,
spices)
 Foods that grow
abundant in a region.
 Sometimes only for
certain groups of people.

9. Holidays and Celebrations
A day designated as having
special significance
 Often accompanied by
celebrations or festivities –
special costumes, behavior,
food
 Sometimes mark important
changes in life – birth,
death, marriage, New Year,
coming of age

10. Art, Music, Literature
 Art is the expression of human
emotion and creativity, generally
through a visual medium –
painting, sculpture, photo,
theater, dance, etc.
 Explain what is beautiful in a
culture
 Music is an art form whose
medium is sound and silence
 Literature is the art of the written
word and the beauty of language

11. Clothing
 the amount and type of
clothing worn depends on
physical, social and
geographic considerations.
 Clothing can show
occupation, gender and
social status.
 Norms about clothing reflect
standards of modesty/religion
 adornment and an expression
of personal taste or style.

12. Clothing cont.
 protection from
the elements
 enhance safety during
hazardous activities such
as hunting and cooking
 protects the wearer from
rough surfaces, plants,
insects,
 Clothes can insulate
against cold or hot
conditions.
 hygienic barrier

13. Sub-cultures
a subculture is a group
of people within
a culture (distinct or
hidden) which
differentiates them from
the larger culture to
which they belong.
 Stand out through
clothing, music, art, and
other of the above
elements