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Do you ever feel "not enough" of a nationality, specifically people of multiple cultural influences? (thelemmy.club)

submitted 16 hours ago by may_be@thelemmy.club to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

11 comments fedilink hide all child comments

So I don't know my exact PERCENTAGE of Norwegian in me, but I consider myself to be Norwegian-American due to a bit of my upbringing. I feel connected to Norway and the language, I wanna learn more about it, and my dad raised me to think of not only Old Norse and the mythology, which is old stuff because he's kind of nerdy with the ancient Viking stuff, but also wanted me to learn the Norwegian language and go to Norway some day with me.

I don't know why, I can't really explain it, but I do feel Norwegian and it's not like I'm "trans-identifying" as a certain nationality like some people do, I have a reason for it.

However, I wasn't born in Norway. I wasn't raised in Norway. I was raised with pride of being American with Norwegian ancestors, that was it, but whatever. I took more of an interest in the language when I was about 9. I can sort of understand Norwegian and read it sometimes, maybe it's because it's kinda close to English though, mainly. I don't particularly look "purely" Norwegian or Scandinavian either, I mostly look English due to being mixed with English and German.

I consider myself a bit German-American due to being raised by a German grandfather, even if he's not blood related to me. But my mom had recent relatives who came from Germany and recent relatives spoke the language and all that, she just didn't grow up with it nor did my Grandpa.

Well, that's why I get highly happy when I think about how I was raised to be proud of and respect mostly Norwegian culture, but I don't feel Norwegian enough due to not natively speaking it [though I did grow up with Norwegian YouTube learning videos :,)] and not looking or growing up with pure Norwegian genes.

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[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 7 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I grew up in Australia. My cultural heritage (3 to 4 generations back) is mostly Irish and English. It's safe to say I don't particularly relate to either of then, until I did my family tree, I couldn't have told you which sides of my family come from which part of the UK.

And that leaves Australia. But I don't particularly feel drawn to an Australian identity either, because mainstream Australian culture mostly feels like a generic "Western" culture, with the edges rubbed off. I'm also well aware that the country as it stands today was founded on invasion and genocide, and to this day, is unable to let go of the racism that lead to those events.

So yeah, I'm Australian, but I don't feel emotionally attached to that identity.

[–] may_be@thelemmy.club 1 points 16 hours ago

That makes sense :)