Keeping Traditions Alive

Hour 4 Journalism | The Harbinger Online

Written by Molly Gasal

Family’s at East today think it is very important to keep their culture and tradition alive. By teaching their kids to speak their native language, students keep their true homes alive.

Here at East, students feel they need sustain the traditions from where they were born or where their ancestors were born. By speaking their native tongue and cooking traditional meals, they feel they will never forget where they came from.

Sophomore Leslie Flores is fluent in Spanish, English and is learning French at school. Her parents are originally from Mexico and taught all of their kids English and Spanish. At home, Flores and her family try and only speak Spanish at home so they won’t forget their language.

“I wish I spoke Spanish more,” Flores said. “Because Spanish is not spoken here very much.”

Although Flores’ parents are fluent in Spanish, they sometimes need help with the grammar part of English. They also keep their old traditions from Mexico, such as quinceanera’s and being a catholic family.

Today many family’s are forgetting where they truly came from, but not Sarah Smith, a junior, who is fluent in French and English. She and her parents moved to the US when she was younger and eventually ended up here in Kansas City.

“I miss my home so much,” Smith said. “I never want to forget my home, so I try to speak as much French as possible to keep my culture alive.”

She feels that without speaking French, she would eventually forget her language, inevitably forgetting who she really was.

At home Smith’s home they cook a lot traditional French dishes, such as Bouillabaisse which is a fish stew, and Gateau au noix which is a nut tart. Her parents try to get fresh ingredients like in France and visit the local farmers market here in Kansas City to buy most of their food.

Smith’s family also go to many French restaurants here in Kansas City including Le Fou Frog and Cafe Des Amis. Smith says the restaurants are not like any of the ones in France and longs to go back.

“Even though the restaurants here are not like the ones in France, they have some similar qualities and I really enjoy eating there,” Smith said. “My favorite is Le Fou Frog, I always get the French onion soup which brings me back to France.”

Smith can remember as a child cooking French onion soup and walking the streets. She says the U.S. is so different. Though she likes both countries equally, she says France will always be where she truly belongs.

Smith’s family gets to travel to France a lot and are planning to go on another trip to Lyon, which is where Smith was originally born.

Smith now takes Spanish class and says it is easier to learn than English, partly because French is sort of like Spanish.

Sophomore Jo Tsaur’s parents are originally from Taiwan and speak Mandarin, Taiwanese, English and Chinese. She learned Chinese when she was little and knows some Taiwanese.

“At home my mom usually speaks in Chinese, and I try and always reply in Chinese,” Tsaur said. “But the majority of the time I speak in English.”

Tsaur said she still had to work on the grammar part of Chinese. Though, she is in Chinese 2 which is helping her a lot with speaking and writing. She feels that speaking another language will help with her future and getting into colleges and it sets you apart.

“Jasmine and I speak Chinese sometimes when we don’t want other people to hear our conversations,” Tsaur said. “It’s mainly a joke but it’s fun to do.”

Tsaur, Flores and Smith feel that it is extremely important to keep speaking their native tongue and stay with their native traditions.

“I just don’t think people realize what it is like to be born somewhere other than the U.S.” Smith said. “And I think it’s my duty to speak my native language and never forget it.”