What is culture?
Culture is the way of life of a group of people. It includes:
- language: the words people speak and write
- food: what people eat and how they cook it
- clothing: everyday and special outfits
- beliefs and religion: what people value and believe
- arts: music, dance, stories and crafts
- celebrations: holidays and special days
- customs: ways of greeting, eating and behaving
Culture is learned from family and community and passed down from generation to generation.
Cultural diversity
Cultural diversity means many different cultures living together in one place. Canada and the United States are among the most diverse countries in the world.
- In Canada, about one in four people was born in another country.
- Toronto and Vancouver are among the most diverse cities on Earth; in Toronto, around half of residents were born outside Canada.
- Hundreds of languages are spoken in homes across both countries.
- First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Native American peoples have cultures that began on this land thousands of years ago.
What is migration?
Migration means moving from one place to another to live. People have always migrated: early humans spread across the world thousands of years ago.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Immigrant | a person who moves into a new country to live |
| Emigrant | a person who moves out of their country |
| Refugee | a person forced to flee their country because of war, danger or persecution |
| Internal migration | moving within the same country, such as from a farm to a city |
Why do people move?
Push factors make people want to leave. Pull factors attract them to a new place.
| Push factors | Pull factors |
|---|---|
| war or violence | safety and peace |
| few jobs, poverty | jobs and opportunities |
| natural disasters, drought | a better environment |
| unfair treatment or persecution | freedom and human rights |
| poor schools or health care | good schools and health care |
| family members already living there |
Migration stories in history
- Loyalists moved north to British North America after the American Revolution.
- Black Canadians and Americans escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad.
- Millions of Europeans came to North America in the 1800s and 1900s, including Irish families fleeing famine and Ukrainians settling the Prairies.
- Chinese workers helped build railways.
- In recent decades, many people have come from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East.
- Canada has welcomed refugees from Vietnam, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine and many other places.
How diversity enriches communities
Cultural diversity brings:
- new foods, from sushi to samosas to tacos to perogies
- music, art, dance and festivals
- many languages and ideas
- new businesses and skills
- friendships and understanding between people
Cultures also change when they meet. Many families mix traditions from more than one culture.
Challenges
Moving to a new country can be hard. Newcomers may face:
- learning a new language
- finding a home and a job
- missing family and friends
- cold weather!
- unfair treatment or discrimination
Communities can help by welcoming newcomers, being patient, and learning about each other.
Try it yourself
- Interview a family member: Where did your family come from? When and why did they move?
- Make a map showing where your classmates’ families have roots.
- Sort these into push or pull factors: war, good schools, drought, jobs, family already there.
- Plan a class "culture fair" where students share a food, game, song or tradition.
Quick recap
- Culture is a group’s way of life.
- Cultural diversity means many cultures living together.
- Migration is moving to a new place to live; immigrants and refugees move to new countries.
- Push factors make people leave; pull factors attract them.
- Diversity enriches communities, and newcomers need welcome and support.