Transcript for: Growing up with a mix of cultures
Interviewee: Jazz Kaur
Subject: Culture
What was it like for you because you were born here in Huddersfield, but your parents were from India? What was it like with the mix of cultures?To be honest, because my dad spoke English pretty well, so I could speak in English to him, but they always grilled it into us that when it was that time, when your nineteen or twenty, that you're going to have to go back to India and get married. I was always dreading that, but I thought that it was part of my culture, so if thats it then so be it. So I was quite proud, quite proud to be Indian.
Do you think it was nice to have that mix of cultures?
Yeah. Because you've got your background and your religion, and then on top of that you've got your Punjabi and then your English tradition. Sometimes, though, it was hard, because if some of my friends wanted me to go into town with them, that weren't Indian, it was a case of no, you can't go into town. I was quite a bit of rebel, though, I got in quite a lot of trouble for it because I couldn't understand why they were holding me back from doing certain things.
Do you think you now understand why your dad did that?
Yeah, now. Because thats the only way they knew how. Because in our tradition, you can't bring shame on the family, you've got to wear an Asian suit and you've got top keep up with the other Indians down the road, you had to do it for the respect of your parents.