Describe an item in your home that is important to your family and captures your family’s culture/ history. Describe the item, explain why it is significant, and how it connects to your family’s culture/ history.
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20 thoughts on “Community Building Post #1 (Optional) : Family Heirloom”
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I have several things that are important heirlooms from my family. One is a prayer, done in needlepoint, that was given to my paternal great-grandmother for helping a person with a disability get to school each day. It means a lot knowing that my great-grandmother helped others during a time when many people were focused on their own survival. I also have a rocking chair that my maternal great-grandmother used. My mom remembers her grandmother (my great-grandmother) sitting in the chair and reading stories to my mom in it. That warms my heart. I didn’t know either of my great-grandmothers, but to have items that belonged to them is very important to me!
Jen, that is so very sweet. Things that our heritage owned do have a separate belonging in our heart!!!
I have a very special heirloom that belonged to my grandma on my mother’s side.It is a very special piece of jewelry that has made its way through generations. It belonged to my grandma’s mom and to the mom of her mom. It is a thin bracelet made out of gold with five little beads, made of gold as well. There’s an incredible value in the stories that come with it. I inherited it for my 15th birthday, since that is the costume. I don’t really wear it since I’m afraid it could break any second, or at leats, thats what I fear! I dream on giving the bracelet to my daughter (when I have one) so she can do the same, and keep passing it through generations!
Juli — thanks for sharing! The bracelet sounds beautiful & meaningful! What a special gift you have & will pass on to future generations!
Juli, the bracelet sounds beautiful. Such customs are an important part of our heritage. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Juliana, thank you for sharing something this meaningful to you. This is beautiful I love how you want to keep passing it on through generations :).
Back in India, there is a painting that is up on the wall that my grandfather really appreciates and admires. His very dear friend, the king of Udaipur (A city in the western Indian state of Rajasthan) had gifted him that. The painting is done by the king’s father back in his time. The painting symbolizes and pictures the city of Udaipur with castles and historic monuments. My grandfather is very much interested in history and in our culture. This is one reason why he admires and teaches all of us the same. That painting has its own beauty and personification. My grandfather gifted the same one to us, here in New York. He wants us to give the painting the same important as much as he does.
Hey Vaishnavi, it is really awesome to have something gifted from your grandfather :).
Vavi — Wow! That sounds like a special painting! So you have the painting here in NY? If you take a photo of it I can post it here — I would love to see it!
Back in Guyana, we have this butter knife that has been in my family for years. My grandmother got it from her mom and so it’s been passed down. The knife is a brown handle knife with rigid silver ends. The knife is also pretty long. This knife is significant because of all the stories my siblings have told me behind it. It is also one of the only items we have from out old house in Guyana and of our grandmother.
Aalyah, thanks for sharing. I wanted to also ask that you mentioned that the knife is passed down, so does that mean your mom owns it now or you?
My eldest sister has it now in Guyana
Aaalyah — That knife sounds so special! Hearing that the knife carries stories with it warms my heart! I can imagine all of the love that went into the food that was prepared with that knife. And to know that your family brought it from your homeland and it connects you to your grandmother makes it so much more meaningful! If you take a photo, I will post it so that everyone can see — I know I want to see your beloved knife!!!
In my family there isn’t a lot of boys.When my grandfather and grandmother had kids they had a lot of boys and girls, however when my father and my mother and their brother and sisters had their own kids there weren’t a lot of boys in my father’s side and so my grandfather in my dad side left behind something very meaningful. Something that is very meaningful to my family is a engraved pocket watch, no one wears it however the story of it is my grandfather left it behind and before he passed away he told my family who ever has a boy to pass it on. The watch has a lot of value to it in my country however to my family it is everything we will never sell. My youngest cousin has it right now, and when another boy is born in the family that watch will be passed on. For example my sister is pregnant right now and so if she has a boy that watch will be passed on, or in the future if I have any boys or any of my cousins do then it will be passed on to them. My grandfather wanted to leave this behind and told us to keep passing it generation after generation in remembrance of him.
Edisa — That is such a wonderful legacy your grandfather left your family with his pocket watch! I am sure the pocket watch is very cherished by whoever “holds” it until the next boy is born. How fun that there is a “competition” to see who has a boy to hold the pocket watch! I hope for your sake that your sister has a baby boy so you get turn with the pocket watch! Is this the sister who loves next to you? If so, that would be even more special because you can visit the pocket watch! What a wonderful way to remember and honor your grandfather!
I am so impressed with the responses to this post! Reading these stories have helped me to get to know you and your cultures more — thank you for that! I look forward to reading more stories & hope more people will post!
Jen — That is a great point!
Thanks for sharing! I so enjoyed the stories!
In my family, its a tradition for all the girl to wear two silver bracelets that was given to them by their father. The bracelet is supposed guide and protect you at all times. it supposed to bring you positivity. It is something that the daughter or wife should never take off. It connects to my families cultural because its something that ha been happening for years and hasn’t been broken.
In my family we usually keep palms and shape them into crosses. For me its just a symbol to represent that Christ is always welcomed in my home. We also always keep a bottle of rwel maskiti (Haitian oil) that we used for almost everything. It is said to be liquid gold and have healing powers lol. Very similar to black castor oil but the real deal is usually brought back from the islands.