Ethnic Vitality in New Jersey
Ethnic Vitality in New Jersey
Through these stories we learn about the various ways that culture can be shared. Whether it be through storytelling, cooking, or other modes of transmission, the melting pot of cultures found within the Garden State makes it what it is.
Two in One
By Zainab Adeniran-Obe
In this ethnographic essay, Zainab Adeniran-Obe interviews her “sister,” Shola, who moved from Nigeria to America in 1996 as a teenager. Zainab helps to shed light on the experiences of an immigrant who has spent half her life in each country and the way in which the cultures of each are intertwined in her life.
“Just a Taste of Greek Easter”
By Nikonia Fanourgakis
Easter is a very important holiday for the Greek Orthodox Church, and food is a huge component of the celebration. In this ethnographic essay, Nikonia Fanourgakis takes us through the process of cooking magiritsa for the Easter celebration. In doing so, she helps us understand the way in which traditional meals can bring families together.
Life in the Eyes of a Euro-American
Janielle Jensen
The purpose of the interview was to learn about the perceptions of my research participant had about her experience with both the American way of life and a Dutch way of life, or a European lifestyle. This recount of her life story reveals the values of family, a little about the differences in culture and climate between New Jersey and Holland, and some challenges in having family so far apart. The interview also gives insight into the transitions into adulthood and an individual finding footing within the transition.
