Cultural Heritage

I come from an Irish and Norwegian background and because of that, have some unique culinary tastes and interests.  I had the privilege of knowing the grandparents on my Norwegian side, and through them, the enjoyment of things like pickled herring and Lutefisk.  We even have a book of our family members and the family tree, in Norway.  Looking at some of these pictures and seeing the uncanny resemblance between various family members, is very cool.  My Irish side is very much less informed about our culture.  We make attempts to get to know more, but this is limited, as neither my Dad nor I were able to meet my Granddad before he died (he was killed working for the CPR).  We had this dish the other day that I really enjoyed; it consisted of lots of potatoes, cabbage and bacon, all cooked together.  As unhealthy as this seems, it gave me a connection to a man, and a culture I haven’t had much of a chance to get to know.  My grandpa came to Canada from Ireland before WW2, and fought in the Princess Patricia regiment.  My Grandma and him married while they were both enlisted.  That is all I know about him, and about my Irish heritage.  Like I said, I make an effort, doing a bit of research here and there, and drinking my fair share of Guinness (me and my brother love it, but dad has always hated it).  My brother and I have never been close, with our relationship being very strained for some time now.  However, it’s been our mutual interest in both our Grandpa, as well as our heritage, that has provided us with some common ground to start mending the damage.  

My interest in my heritage has also led me to begin learning to play the Irish Whistle (listen to any traditional Celtic tune and you’re sure to hear it’s distinctive tone).  Music has been a part of my life since I was very young, and it stands to reason that this will also serve as a means of further connecting me to that part of my family.  Through the little bit of research I have been able to do up to this point, it’s very clear that this instrument is closely tied to traditional music often played and heard in the traditional Irish pub/home.  So, I have found a way to connect some very intimate passions together, in an effort to connect to both a man and a culture that I have never met.

What have you done to connect to your own heritage?