Culture Table

Instructions: Complete the following table for your chosen culture. Be sure to cite and reference necessary sources according to APA format, using the last page for your reference list.

Name: ______________________________________________________________________

Chosen Culture: _______________________________________________________________

General Overview of Chosen Culture

The history of Indian culture dates back at least 4,500 years, making it one of the globe’s oldest civilizations. In the seven-nation South Asian Subcontinent, India occupies the greatest portion. The total population of this culture is about 1.3 billion (Zimmermann & Gordon, 2022). Approximately 80% of Indian culture is Hindu, with the remaining percentage comprising various religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Parsis. Different sects of Hinduism hold varying philosophical views and worship different deities. Karma, the rule of conduct and repercussions according to which one’s deeds in their past life(s) influence the situations in which they are born and live, is a common element of the Indian culture that influences health choices and communications between the patients, their relatives, and their providers. Consequently, the patient may attribute their condition to karma.

There are two significant groups of Indian culture languages, the Indo-Aryan dialects spoken in the north and the Dravidian dialects in the south. Although Hindi is the most common language among Indo-Aryans, there are many more languages spoken by this group. Approximately a third of the population speaks it as their native tongue; English is widely taught as a second dialect and is the de facto international business-standard.

Within the Indian culture, membership in a particular group is more important than their individuality when determining who they are. Families are strongly influenced by patriarchal ideologies (fathers as leaders of the families), the patrilineal law of succession, and conventional gender role preferences. There is a clear divide between male and female responsibilities within the families in the Indian culture. Women run the household and handle all the money, familial, and social matters. Most of the time, men are the primary breadwinners and in charge of community-based endeavors like health care, which necessitate engagement with public members.

Institutions like tribes, caste, religions, and marriages are part of India’s complex social system. It is estimated that 70% of Indians are of Indo-Aryan ancestry, 26% are Dravidian, 4% are Mongoloid, and 2% are of other ancestries (Shekhar Singh, 2019). There are four tiers of society according to The Caste. The Brahmans, or priests, make up the uppermost caste. Sudras, the working class, are the lowest social stratum. Before visiting a temple, it is customary in Indian culture to purify oneself by bathing or at the very least washing one’s hands and feet. This is done to rid oneself of any evil ideas or forces affecting them. Dressing appropriately, specifically in a manner that shows respect by displaying modesty, is of the utmost significance.