Regardless of how an individual feels about their native culture, the fact remains that members of a group share a single culture – but the question becomes: to what extent? Part of the answer to that question rests in the definition of culture, which is “people’s learned and shared behaviours and beliefs” (Miller, Van Esterik, and Van Esterik 2009: 4). The emphasis in the definition in answering this question is on learned and shared. There are several aspects of human experience which reflect these elements and demonstrate the extent to which members of a group share a single culture: the bearing and raising of children which in turn involves the learning of language, socialization, and kinship. While there other elements which could arguable answer the extent question, these elements seem to create the strongest ties.

The bearing and raising of children – in short, reproduction – has at all times been “cultural constructed” in order to “promote or limit population growth” (Miller, Van Estrik, and Van Esterik 2009: 122). Therefore, the conception and birth of a child is necessarily defined by the culture in which the parents live. This sets something of a tone for the child’s life. Once the child is born, the teaching of the child about the practices and beliefs of the parents’ culture begins, usually with language (but more on that in a minute). The parents dress (or don’t dress) the child in the manner which is deemed appropriate for that culture; the child may be named in a special ceremony, at a certain age. The parents’ observance of these practices necessarily identifies the child as a member of their culture, making decisions about the child’s cultural alignment and identification. This process is called enculturalization (Miller, Van Estrik, and Van Esterik 2009). This is also related to kinship, since in many cultures the raising of the child is not limited to the parents only. Furthermore, the early social circle of a child will be the child’s family, making kinship crucial in the teaching and reinforcement of culture.

Part of enculturalization is the teaching of language, formally and informally. Franz Boas was interested in culture and personality, which began with his interest in the individual (Miller, Van Estrik, and Van Esterik 2009). His student Edward Sapir, like Boas, looked to the relationship between language and culture (Miller, Van Estrik, and Van Esterik 2009). Not only does a child learn the language of the people that make up the family, the child learns the language which will enable him to interact with others of his tribe or social group. Language is also the means by which many cultural artifacts and concepts are communicated. Language can be expressed verbally, but it can also be expressed through “body movements, body markings and modifications, hairstyle, dress, and accessories” (Miller, Van Esterik, and Van Esterik 2009: 316). These non-word expressions of language are often identified as cultural markers, therefore making language expression a part of language, and language a part of culture.

Language also enables socialization, which is also enculturalization (Miller, Van Esterik, and Van Esterik 2009). As a child interacts with other children, he observes how they express and participate in culture. They reinforce (or challenge) what the child knows of culture as learned from their parents and kinsmen. Socialization with other children enables informal learning as well (Miller, Van Esterik, and Van Esterik 2009).

In short, the formative years of a child and their contact with their parents and their parents’ role in enculturalization, as well as the child’s kinsmen and other children, represent early and influential exposures to culture. These initial exposures indelibly imprint the child culturally. So, to what extent do members of a group share a single culture? Very deeply, it turns out. These initial experiences, formed by family and other members of the culture, represent the transmission of cultural elements and traditions which are often perpetuated and reinforced by other members of that cultural group.