Identity — Who Am I? What Are You?

Introduction

A person’s identity, as it relates to ethnic or cultural background, is that part of who they are that comes from belonging — a connection to a particular group of people defined by shared ancestry, history, language, traditions, values, and experiences.

Understanding this isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s personal. Identity often explains the similarities that make us feel at home and the differences that make us pause. Missionaries, for example, spend time learning about a people’s customs and beliefs before building relationships — because identity shapes how we connect with one another. The same is true in everyday life.

So let’s dig deeper into what identity really means and how it shapes who we are.

🧬 Ethnic Identity

Ethnic identity ties us to our ancestry — the people and places we come from. It’s the family tree beneath our feet and the stories that rise from its roots.

It often includes:

• Shared ancestry or heritage (our genealogical roots)
  

• Common language or dialect
  

• Traditional foods, dress, or customs
  

• Collective memory (stories, migration history, struggles, or triumphs)
  

Someone might identify ethnically as African American, Irish, or Filipino — based on where their ancestors lived and the histories they carried. It’s the bloodline of identity.

🌍 Cultural Identity

Cultural identity, on the other hand, is about how we live — the learned behaviors, values, and customs that shape our everyday world.

It includes:

• Beliefs and values (religious, moral, and social)
  

• Customs and traditions (celebrations, rituals, art, and music)
  

• Language and mannerisms
  

• That sense of belonging to a particular community or way of life
  

A person might be ethnically Nigerian but culturally American — their ancestry connecting them to one place, but their lifestyle, worldview, and sense of “home” rooted in another.

⚖️ The Intersection of Both

Most of us live at the intersection of these two identities. We are the product of heritage and environment — of the family that raised us and the ancestors whose stories we’re still uncovering.

Identity evolves over time as people move, intermarry, and explore their roots. For example:

“I’m African American with roots in rural Virginia and an upbringing in Philadelphia. My cultural identity blends Southern warmth, Northern determination, and a dash of global curiosity.”

🧬 The Common Thread: DNA

If ethnicity and culture are the branches and leaves of our identity, DNA is the trunk that holds it all together.

Modern ancestry testing tells us what our family stories hinted at — that identity is layered, complex, and global. Our genetic makeup may show ties to Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, yet our lived culture might be deeply American, Caribbean, or Panamanian.

In my next blog, I’ll break down my personal DNA results from the top testing companies and share how science and storytelling meet in one family tree.

Understanding Identity: The Bridge Between Heritage and Culture

Our identity is more than a name on a birth certificate — it’s the bridge between where our ancestors came from and how we live today. Ethnic identity connects us to lineage — the people, places, and traditions that shaped our bloodline. Cultural identity reflects the values and customs we continue to practice and pass down.

Through genealogy, we begin to see how our ancestors’ migrations, marriages, and faith built the foundation of who we are. Every recipe, song, and family saying becomes a thread in the larger fabric of our shared identity — reminding us that understanding where we come from helps us stand stronger in who we are today.

Final Thought

Genealogy is more than names, dates, and locations — it’s a mirror reflecting the complexity and beauty of being human.

So, when someone asks, “What are you?” perhaps the better answer is,

“I am the sum of many stories — and I’m still discovering every one of them.”