Write a personal observation on your friend’s birthday party.
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On Friday, November 14, I observed a birthday party ritual for a one-year-old infant named Can (pronounced “John”). A Turkish family friend that we have known for a long time hosted the party. A ritual is culturally defined as a repeated event in which symbols are used to change or maintain social structures and individuals’ roles in society. Rituals are performed at special times and are separate from “everyday life.” Every time a person gets a year older, a birthday party is held in order to celebrate, making it a ritual. There are many different symbols that are present during a birthday party in the Turkish culture, a little different than those of an American birthday party.
On Friday, November 14, I observed a birthday party ritual for a one-year-old infant named Can (pronounced “John”). A Turkish family friend that we have known for a long time hosted the party. A ritual is culturally defined as a repeated event in which symbols are used to change or maintain social structures and individuals’ roles in society. Rituals are performed at special times and are separate from “everyday life.” Every time a person gets a year older, a birthday party is held in order to celebrate, making it a ritual. There are many different symbols that are present during a birthday party in the Turkish culture, a little different than those of an American birthday party.Rituals generally hold a fixed sequence of behavior and events. I arrived with both of my parents and two little brothers, holding a gift that we got for Can. When we first walked in, the female host greeted us. We said hello (in Turkish), and each gave her a kiss on the cheek on both sides. I gave her the gift and she thanked me. We did not say “happy birthday” at all, not yet at least. From the point that we entered the house, my family and I dispersed to our own separate ways. Inside, there were many different people, most of which were Turkish and very few Americans. I knew many of the people, and said hello and kissed them twice. Everyone was dressed very fancy, even the children.
On Friday, November 14, I observed a birthday party ritual for a one-year-old infant named Can (pronounced “John”). A Turkish family friend that we have known for a long time hosted the party. A ritual is culturally defined as a repeated event in which symbols are used to change or maintain social structures and individuals’ roles in society. Rituals are performed at special times and are separate from “everyday life.” Every time a person gets a year older, a birthday party is held in order to celebrate, making it a ritual. There are many different symbols that are present during a birthday party in the Turkish culture, a little different than those of an American birthday party.Rituals generally hold a fixed sequence of behavior and events. I arrived with both of my parents and two little brothers, holding a gift that we got for Can. When we first walked in, the female host greeted us. We said hello (in Turkish), and each gave her a kiss on the cheek on both sides. I gave her the gift and she thanked me. We did not say “happy birthday” at all, not yet at least. From the point that we entered the house, my family and I dispersed to our own separate ways. Inside, there were many different people, most of which were Turkish and very few Americans. I knew many of the people, and said hello and kissed them twice. Everyone was dressed very fancy, even the children.I took note of the different rooms there were, and the different types of people gathered in each room. In the living room where we first entered, it was mostly elderly women and men sitting and socializing on the couches. They were separated, however. The women were generally talking about their children, what they cooked, how fast their grandchildren were growing up, etc. The elderly men were talking about politics and sports, while drinking “Rakı,” a strong, white