Cultures of Pakistanis and Native Americans Essay

Cultures of Pakistanis and Native Americans - Essay Example In fact, they are influential towards every key identifiable of a particular culture. Nevertheless, similarities are often observed among cultures situated in different geographical areas - especially in thoughts and rituals. Needless to say, differences do exist to make each culture distinct from every other. The two examples adopted in this paper are the cultures of Pakistanis and Native Americans. Pakistan is a South Asian country situated adjacent to India and China. Pakistani "culture" has been hugely impacted not just by weather and topography, but also by arrays of traditions and historical events (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan). Then again, "Native American culture" is the phrase used to designate the culture of the so-called "Indians" of America - indigenous inhabitants of the two Americas. This essay highlights some of the key themes including traditions, religious beliefs, arts, foods, family and entertainment in each of these cultures. The rich culture of Pakistan can be observed in the Western zone of the subcontinent of South Asia. Densely populated, this developing country happens to be an important agricultural center of the world. The culture exhibits evidences of historical and natural influences. (Malik; 2001) The European intrusio... The community being largely Muslim, mutton and beef are widely preferred as well, but fish and chicken are also consumed. In fact, meat is often an essential component of everyday meals in a Pakistani household. Typical Pakistani cuisine can be quite oily and substantial emphasis is laid on the richness of taste. Entertainment as an industry is yet to thrive in Pakistan, since performing arts face receive little praise as careers from the predominantly Muslim community. However, different kinds of sports including squash, wrestling, shooting and lawn tennis are quite popular, the country having national cricket and hockey teams as well. Singing and dancing are encountered, but not popular owing to the Islamic prohibitions. The impact of Hinduism and Hindu culture are negligible in the Pakistani community. (http://www.infopak.gov.pk/) Owing to recent political developments, many restrictive regulations have been relaxed - music, theater and movies becoming quite popular hence. However, conservative Pakistanis still refrain from pursuing them as career options. Painting is also strongly opposed by Islamic fundamentalists - painters being very few in number as a consequence. The prominent contrast is worth mentioning in this case, since Islamic thought is the sole influence for few fundamentalists. Then again, the history of the previous civilizations in the region has also resulted in some appreciation of entertainment and fine arts as industries. Joint families supporting numerous generations have long been prevalent in Pakistan. Most households still have grandfathers and grandsons living together. After all, the consideration of the family as the most significant unit