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1			Although certain cultural universals exist in every society, they may be expressed quite differently from place to place. Visit BuddhaNet (www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/funeral1.htm) to find out how Buddhist funeral ceremonies differ from the Western traditions with which you are probably familiar. You read that among Theravada Buddhists, a person is cremated at death. Based on what you read about Buddhist beliefs on this page, can you think of any ways to connect this tradition to Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife? Is it traditional in your own religion for a person to be buried? If so, how is this tradition connected to your religious beliefs? You read that among Chinese Buddhists, funeral ceremonies depend in part upon the financial circumstances of the deceased's family, and that particular individuals in the family are expected to pay for the funeral ceremonies. Are these expectations similar to what one would find in the United States? The materials you read note that among South Asian Buddhists "[f]uneral rites are the most elaborate of all the life-cycle ceremonies." Would the same be true among American Christians, or would you expect a wedding, baptism, or graduation ceremony to be more elaborate than a funeral? How would you account for any differences across these two religious traditions? Among South Asian Buddhists, friends and relatives may take action just before a person's death in order to maximize his or her chances of having a good rebirth. Are there ways in which Americans with mainstream religious traditions may assist a dying person? Funeral ceremonies among some Buddhists may be drawn out for a year or more before the body is cremated. How would a typical American react to this practice? What objections might he or she have, and what does this tell you about American culture?




2			One of the more interesting examples of a subculture in the United States is the Gullah culture of South Carolina. Read about Gullah history, culture, and language at the Web site of the Beaufort County (S.C.) Public Library (www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/gullah.htm). Click on the "Background" link, and read through the information there. Why is the Gullah dialect so different from English dialects spoken by other African Americans? Do you think it is important that residents of the Sea Islands continue to speak Gullah? Would there be any cultural loss if residents began using mainland dialects of English exclusively? Why or why not? Continue to read "An Example of Gullah." Are you familiar with the terms goober, gumbo, and yam? If you heard someone reciting Bible text in the Gullah dialect, how difficult would it be to understand the words? Scroll back to the top of this page and click on "Recipes!" Click on "Recipes" again, and then read through the information on Frogmore Stew. Can you see any ways in which this dish may be related to Gullah culture or to socioeconomic or natural conditions on the Sea Islands? Thinking about your own ethnic culture, can you explain the origins of any traditional foods? Click your browser's Back button twice, and then link to "Religion." Although Baptist and Methodist congregations are prevalent among residents of the Sea Islands, some of their religious traditions and beliefs depart from mainstream Christianity. What are some of these departures, and how might you explain them?

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