culture assignment? :S?

C

C.K

New member
i have to write a ethnographic report on a "cultural event" which i participated recently. it could be a birthday part so i want to write about my friend's sweet sixteen but there are 2 question on here that i honestly don't know how to answer

- were there any significant actions or rituals performed amongst the group? describe them
- what sorts of values or beliefs were demonstrated amongst the group? how were these values or beliefs demonstrated?
 
Easy. Gift giving at a birthday is a ritual. Singing the 'Happy Birthday' song is also a ritual (and one that, interestingly, has spread all over the world in English).
The primary value expressed is friendship, and to a certain extent, loyalty. The demonstration of this value is the party and the gifts, and whatever games were played (if there were any; when I was 16 a birthday party almost always involved 'spin the bottle'. One person spun the bottle. The person at whom the neck pointed was chosen to be kissed. Ah, the good old days.)
In America one of the values that is expressed in gift giving is consumerism. People used to be happy to get a box of candy. Now it's an I Pod.
 
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