There’s a common saying that America is a “melting pot.” It’s a metaphor meant to capture the blending of cultures, suggesting that different backgrounds meld into something new. But a while ago, I heard an alternative metaphor that stuck with me. A Hawaiian Native suggested that America isn’t so much a melting pot as it is a chopped salad—a bowl of unique ingredients that, when brought together, create something richer without losing individual flavor.

Think of a salad. You’ve got lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, maybe a bit of onion or a sprinkle of cheese. Every bite is different, depending on what you grab with your fork. Sometimes, it’s just a bit of lettuce and a tomato; other times, you get a burst of cucumber with a dash of dressing. Each bite keeps you guessing. This diversity of flavors makes the whole experience interesting. That, they argued, is what America is: a blend of different cultures and traditions, each retaining its essence but contributing to something bigger. It’s a perspective that resonates deeply with me, particularly as I’ve explored my own heritage over the years.

Sure, you can toss a salad in the blender and end up with a green power drink, but in doing so, you lose something essential. The vibrant flavors of the tomato, the crispness of the cucumber, and the bite of the onion are all flattened into a single, uniform smoothie. Each individual part that made the salad dynamic and varied is lost, sacrificed to create something homogeneous. In that green blend, no single flavor stands out; instead, it becomes one indistinguishable taste—a far cry from the richness and uniqueness you get in each bite of a salad.

• Do you think America is more of a “melting pot” or a “chopped salad”? How does this metaphor resonate (or not) with your experiences?

I’ve written before on cultural hegemony and how it’s not something we should be aiming for. Cultural hegemony, where one dominant culture overshadows or even erases others, leads to a loss of the rich diversity that makes societies vibrant. It flattens out the unique characteristics of each subculture, forcing them into a uniform mold rather than allowing them to thrive individually. I believe it’s far better to preserve and celebrate the uniqueness of the various subcultures here in the United States. Each one brings distinct perspectives, traditions, and stories that contribute to the bigger picture. By valuing and preserving this diversity, we can build a society that honors its many influences, creating a tapestry that’s dynamic and inclusive rather than homogenous.

Rediscovering Cherokee Roots

Growing up, I’d heard that our family had Cherokee blood. It was one of those family legends that gets passed down, a hazy claim of Native American ancestry. I didn’t think too much of it at the time. But several years back, my family got serious about tracing our genealogy, and sure enough, we discovered roots in the Eastern Band of the Cherokee from the Tennessee Valley. Later, I confirmed it with DNA testing, which backed up the genealogy records. Knowing this brought a new level of curiosity and appreciation.

Today, I follow some Cherokee social media accounts, trying to stay connected. One account posts the Cherokee language every week, which led me to add the Cherokee character set to my computer. Learning the language itself has been a challenge—I’ll admit, it’s hard to learn a language without anyone to practice with—but even these small steps keep me connected. It’s a reminder that my family’s story is part of a larger story, one that deserves preserving.

https://www.youtube.com/@VisitCherokeeNation/videos

I believe it’s important to preserve my heritage, especially as our family’s Cherokee ancestry was nearly lost, lingering only as a vague specter in our history. For years, it was simply a family legend, something we’d heard but couldn’t confirm. Through genealogy and DNA testing, we’ve since been able to trace and revive this part of our identity, discovering roots in the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. Now, I want to make sure this history doesn’t fade away again. Preserving it gives our family a deeper sense of connection to those who came before us, honoring their stories, struggles, and traditions. It’s about reviving something vital, making sure future generations know where they come from and can take pride in it.

• How do you see your own cultural heritage shaping your identity today? Are there traditions or stories you feel compelled to preserve?

The Urgency of Language Preservation

This all got me thinking about how languages and cultures are in danger. I recently watched a video on endangered languages and many of them discuses were related directly to my heritage, such as, Cherokee, Irish, Welsh, the dialects of the Isle of Man. These languages are teetering on the edge of extinction because fewer and fewer people speak them. Losing them means losing not just words but perspectives, ways of understanding the world that are unique to each culture.

For me, this is like archaeology. When we look at ancient artifacts or cave art, there’s so much we don’t understand, so much that’s been lost over centuries. Some meanings are simply gone forever. It would be a real tragedy to let that happen to languages today, especially when we have the technology to prevent it.

https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/

Technology: An Unexpected Ally in Cultural Preservation

We’re living in an era where artificial intelligence can play a surprising role in preserving languages. Imagine AI learning endangered languages—whether they have a written form or not—and cataloging them for future generations. This way, even if there aren’t many native speakers left, the language and its nuances can still survive. AI could teach future generations how to pronounce words correctly, understand phrases in context, and even generate new uses for these languages. It’s a futuristic but entirely possible way to keep cultural heritage alive, and I think it’s something worth investing in.

• In what ways do you think technology could help in preserving endangered languages or cultural traditions? Are there any you’d like to see preserved?

Language is Dynamic Not Static

Language is dynamic, not static—it constantly evolves with time, culture, and the needs of its speakers. Take, for instance, the 1611 version of the King James Bible or the works of Shakespeare. Though these texts are foundational in English literature, their language is hardly what we’d call contemporary. The vocabulary, grammar, and phrasing differ so much from modern English that many people today would struggle to understand them without guidance. Words have shifted in meaning, expressions have fallen out of use, and even the basic structure of sentences has transformed. This evolution is natural and reflects how languages adapt to stay relevant. Just as English has evolved over the centuries, so will it continue to change, responding to new ideas, technologies, and cultural shifts.

One of the great things about language is that it often borrows and adapts. English, in particular, is something of a “mutt language.” It pulls in vocabulary from all over—hand, for example, is the same word in German and English. American English also has phrases and sayings with roots in Native American languages and customs. Every language and dialect is like a unique spice in the salad, making things more vibrant and flavorful. To lose that would be like taking the seasoning out of a dish—it just wouldn’t be as good.

Cultural Diversity as Part of Our Human Story

Language and culture are deeply interconnected, each shaping and reflecting the other in ways that make them inseparable. Language carries the values, humor, history, and worldview of a culture; it’s how people express their identities, tell their stories, and pass down traditions. A language without its cultural context can feel hollow, stripped of the nuances that give words deeper meaning. Similarly, a culture without its native language loses much of its richness, as unique ideas, idioms, and expressions may not translate fully into other languages. Language gives us the tools to capture a culture’s unique way of seeing the world, and culture, in turn, provides the shared experiences and values that give language its shape. Together, they offer a complete picture of a community’s identity, perspective, and heritage.

At the end of the day, this is about more than just keeping languages and cultures alive. It’s about holding on to a collective human story. Each culture, each language, and each tradition contributes a chapter to humanity’s shared narrative. Sure, not every culture has a spotless history—no one does. But even the less savory parts are valuable; they remind us of where we’ve been and where we might be heading if we aren’t careful.

This is why it’s essential to preserve cultural and linguistic diversity. If we let languages die, if we let cultures fade away, we lose parts of ourselves. And yes, while there are painful parts of history, it’s all part of a larger story that deserves to be remembered.

A Future Built on Diversity

As we move forward, we have to think about how we want to shape our collective future. Cultures can live side by side, like the ingredients in a salad—distinct but harmonious. And I think that’s the beauty of it. By preserving our individual stories, languages, and traditions, we enrich the world around us. It’s like making a great salad, where each flavor complements the other, creating something greater than the sum of its parts. That, to me, is the real beauty of diversity.

So here’s to living in a chopped salad of cultures, a world where we celebrate our differences rather than melting them away. If we’re lucky, that’s the kind of world we’ll hand down to the next generation—one that’s rich, flavorful, and unmistakably human.

Reminder

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time set aside to honor the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Native peoples across the United States. For me, this month holds particular significance as I reflect on my own family’s Cherokee ancestry—a heritage that was nearly lost to history but now stands as an important part of who we are. Celebrating Native American Heritage Month is about more than simply looking back; it’s about reconnecting with traditions, reviving languages, and honoring the resilience of Native communities. This month reminds us of the importance of preserving these cultural legacies, ensuring that they remain vibrant and accessible for future generations. For my family, it’s a time to actively remember and revive our own unique story within this broader heritage.

Excerpt

America isn’t a melting pot—it’s more like a chopped salad, where diverse cultures retain their unique flavors while contributing to something richer as a whole. By preserving our heritage and embracing our individual identities, we create a dynamic society that celebrates, rather than dilutes, the depth of our shared human story.