Topic: Is greeting important in your culture? (Read 228 times)

Culture as per say, it is the way of life of the indigenous people of the land. And the followings are always part of human culture. Food, greeting, music, language, dancing steps, marital method, etc. And all these things are important in all cultures. So if someone is not doing any of the above cultural values which are practiced in the community has a disrespect spirit and lack home training and that is, she is not respectful so what the boys family did is good. Because if that girl is married to their son, her disrespectful nature will display fully in the family.

Greeting is a cultural Value that lead people to wealth, the way you greet people and show respect will make some reputable personnels to sponsor you to the highest social stratification of your life. What you wanted to achieve with your life hustles and struggles can be achieved with just a respectful greetings.

A house that you have been trying to open and enter but no way because you are not connected to the person you want to see. Because in most part of the world, connection is one the major thing we are facing in the labour market, if you don't know anyone in the organizations, the parastatals, and any institution, you can't be employed or admitted easily but you show of respect can make a free way for you to enter that place without stress. Greeting is one of the biggest key in your life to open the iron gate. And the most important part of it is that, the younger ones are to greet the elders first and the elders to respond accordingly. A respectful child greet elders three times a day. And there are in some cases the greeting has no limit, you greet the elders whenever you see them. And they might even dash you money and other gifts like clothes, foods etc. That can even make you to live a free apartment. Greeting is very important in the society. Always greet elders and be blessed in life.

I was going to keep my opinions to myself but I don't agree with you, Rachel. Seeing the comments I figured it was only Africans that replied, since it's only a white that'll say greetings aren't important.
You see I'm the kind of person who likes greeting people even down to my mates, but don't talk much and it makes me seem as though I am a proud and egoistic person. So, if a circumstance comes that I greet someone and the person doesn't reply ( especially when I know the person heard me ) it's like "Nah, I'm not ever going to greet you again". I once greeted a man in church twice and he didn't reply  me, only for him to say after the service that I hadn't greeted him throughout that day. With the anger in me, I said "Sir I've greeted you twice today and you didn't reply to me" Then he was like I didn't greet him well. I thought about it literally throughout that day "How did I not greet you well? Sure I don't have a loud voice but I tried to show you respect twice and you just behaved like it was trash, Now I'm going to show you how disrespectful I am" those were the exact words in my head.
Now my point is, that greetings have no other message than " I respect you "If I don't respect you, I won't greet you. Even if I do, grudgingly. It's very possible to greet someone I don't actually like or respect just for customary sake but at the end of the day, it doesn't change the message of the greeting.

That you greet someone does not mean that you respect them, or you are humble, It is just customary and what some people just do because it is what is expected of them. Even some people who are not concerned with greeting are more respectful and humble in their behavior than the people who are always quick to greet everyone. Greeting as a sign of respect to someone is sometimes very deceitful. I do not care about greetings because I know that it does not often come from the mind, some people just do it for doing sake and so I will not be angry or call any young person disrespectful or not humble because they refused to greet me.

Greeting is a part of showing good morals because it is good that we greet our elders. Through greeting,you can communicate with someone that you don't know for the first time and you will be given attention

In my place from I am from,when there is problem between two people those in concern wouldn't greet themselves because they are not in good terms. What I mean in essence is that greetings shows friendship and simplicity.

In Africa, greetings are seen as a sign of respect and humility to our elders. We Africans value it that much. A child or a youth who doesn't greet or doesn't know how to greet is taken as one who is not properly trained by his or her parents. Greeting is what every African citizen looks out for, to receive from their juniors. You are not supposed to walk up to your elders without first greeting them. If you find it hard to greet, be ready to take it that there is no way they will give you a listening ear or take you as a good being to deal with.

Greetings is what we Africans, whether young or old don't take for granted in our culture because we see it as a sign of respect and humility for our elders

In my culture yes it is but to me greetings are nothing because I don't take it as part of respect some people thinks that greetings are part of respect but I don't see it like that, a person can decide to greet the whole community and at last don't have a single respect for elders so I will conclude that greetings are part of appreciation, in some homes parents always warns their children no to talk to strangers and just imagine if a well disciplined child keep to that instructions and don't talk or even greet strangers will you say the child doesn't have a respect? Or have the thought that the child is trying to keep instructions.
Greetings are good but some culture doesn't take greeting serious but take respect serious while some does, if a person doesn't greet you I don't think you should take it personal because I know greetings are not in some country Constitutiona.

Greeting is a good sign of communication  and keeping good relationships.
In my Culture  Greeting is a medium in which  we express our loyalty to our superiors and the people we love.


Sometimes we might come across strangers and people we are not really connected to.
We find it so challenging to keep up that greeting habits.

But I believe when we greet we express our sign of respect and create a positive platform in grooming good relationships.
When we greet elders,we earn respect too and also give way for Good relationships with the people we greet.

In my culture when you don't greet, you show a sign of disrespect and dishonour,imagine waking up in the morning and not greeting your parents,the outcome won't be nice as I would say because it may seem like your disrespecting  them and have grown wings.

So I think greeting in my culture and the nation entirely paves way for more we could tell later.

The same goes with mine. It feels like that you're connected to the person that you greet whether they're strangers or by standers that you're passing by.

It also shows that you're an approachable person if you're the one who's greeting.

Honestly, I am the type of person that don't really greet at all but it seems that this action is contagious and it's like that you have to pass it on whenever it does and do it.

talking your wife to be with your parents, in my area they do it very well. this will enable your parents mostly your mother to watch her closely to ensure if she can be a good wife to her son. all this we're cultures we grow up to meet. but now, civilization have make it not to be active anymore.
but this days we now meet city girls and marry them, without showing them to our parents to watch first. and this is contributing to the high rate of divorce in our societys today, compares then.

greeting is very important in my area. in my area if you don't greet in the morning our elders see you as disrespect child and they will believe, you are not properly raised. those days community join hand to rise a child not only the child parents. in those days when you pass your elder without greetings him or her, the elder will correct you either by shutting or flogg you. so greeting in my area is very very important.

Greeting is part of culture, is also exchanging pleasantry, it also channel communication, greetings is sign of honor, value, respect among peers, neighbor, families, brother and sister. It makes me remember how some came into our compound asking for one of the tenants, we both challenge the person with annoying mind that we are not animals he met and couldn't say a word of greeting at first to any one of us when coming in.we made a serious challenge to that person and all spoke of bad attitude on his action.

It happen again when a lady came in the house and asking for someone without greeting first, we are all looking at the person as if we are not the one she is talking to, before someone among us spoke to her that greeting should come first before asking anything. Greeting can make people to know that you respect and value them.

Almost all culture will support greetings as a means of showing pleasantries and respect from the young ones, however we cannot force people to engage in greeting others especially when they are not willing to, but on a general approach, greetings is very important as the preceeding act over any occasion of people gather to be as a formal way of addressing others, it also shows the way our feelings is being reflected on other's actions or things happening around us.

Some of the more controlling parents would like to have a say who their kids are marrying, but in reality they don't have any say in it. I married my wife without meeting her parents or she mine. I didn't see any reason for it. Familiy ties are different in where i live, people don't need to be biological relatives to be my family, they are just loyal friends/companions for each other.

I personally don't value marriage as institution very high either. It's more who you decide to keep loving, and working on that relationship that counts. Sure, there are some legal benefits on getting married but i don't see that state approved monogamistic marriage should be a reason to have those benefits.

We need to exercise caution in recognizing situations where culture takes precedence over the law. In certain cultures, the dominant religion itself becomes the core of their culture and holds more influence than the legal system. Across many cultures and even in the context of marriage, parental approval is necessary for matrimony. Hence, it's crucial to have a deep comprehension of your partner's cultural background before encountering their parents.

Greeting is as important as the water you drink every day where I come from infact you can be denied of your intitlement simply because you have been seen as someone who does not greet other people especially your elders. In my culture you will be regarded as a disobedient child if you fail to greet your your father or mother everyday when you wake up in the morning likewise whenever you see them especially if you're coming from outside. my culture sees someone who is fond of greeting people as obedient, respectful  humble,loyal as well as righteous but once you have been tagged as someone who doesn't have respect for elders just know that it is because you don't greet them the way they want to.

My personal experience growing up as a child I was always reminded by my parents to be greeting any one I encounter on my way I never knew why till I became an adult I then realised that my culture values greetings more than food hahaha but I think this cultural practices is mostly found in the rural areas because if you stay in the city you won't be mandated to greet everyone because they may not practice the same culture like you.

Greeting is very important in my country because we believe that whoever greets who have favour form people. It is also a sign of respect that is been showed to elders. If you don't greet your elders it will show that your parents didn't bring you up in the right way. People wouldn't like that person and they will hardly talk good about you.

From the western part of Nigeria that I grew up,the females are to kneel down and greet their parents,while the male postrate. Greeting constantly has set one of my friend free when he had issues with some community boys in a strange land. Greeting is valued in our society.

Greetings from the young to the elder in my country is of Paramount importance cus the four major ethnic groups and other thousands of ethnic groups around my country are founded on respect from the younger ones to the elderly ones.
This was made so compulsory that in the 80s,if a child walked pass an elder without greeting him, that child can be summon during elders meetings and strokes of Cain's will be served to correction.
Some ethic group around my country, the child on seeing his elder, will prostrate on the floor still the elder touches his or her back or better still ask him to stand.

In the country or more precisely in the area where I live, the culture of greeting each other between residents, especially between neighbors is really required. Because doing this action, it is included in an etiquette or courtesy in the area where I live. Because if for example there is someone in my area, passing through someone else's (neighbor's) yard and the owner of the house is in front of his house, then that person will be considered polite if he greets or says excuse me to the owner of the house. But on the other hand, if someone does not greet or greet the owner of the house they pass, then surely that person will be labeled as having no manners.

So that's what the culture is like in the area where I live. Maybe in the majority of places or areas in the country where I live, they also have the same culture as in my area. So the point is to give greetings where I live, it has become a culture that must be done. And in my opinion, even in other countries, the majority of cultures say greetings or greetings, it seems that it is always there and is applied to aspects of life. Because in my opinion, it has become a habit, manners/ethics and culture throughout the world. But the difference may only lie in the movement, tone of voice, or spoken vocabulary.

I am a Nigerian and I can tell you that I have been in the shoes of what you have discussed or maybe I am a victim of this greeting topic. Nigeria has many states and different cultures. I am from the south. But when I traveled to the western part of Nigeria, I understood that they value greeting very well and when they greet, rlthe prostate until the Elder reciprocated by accepting the greeting before they will stand up. When I was in the West, I started greeting as often as they do, but I do not bow. After some years I came back to the Southern part of Nigeria Where I belong. I started greeting everyone, but they could not respond and they saw it as an unnecessary act. I was sometimes an embarrassment to me. But within few months, I understood that I have travelled to another part of life. I stopped greeting unnecessarily

So, some cultures attach much importance to greeting while others do not.

In this regard and in my country it is not a requirement or practiced that young people
seek the approval of their parents or elders for a partner or wife/husband. Young people,
actually any people are free to meet and marry whoever they want regardless of what
anyone else thinks or wishes.

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Greeting in a business or formal setting (like a wedding) is very important and there are
rules, protocols and good practice which are generally adhered to.

In general settings like friends, relations, neighbours it is common to be mannerly, polite
and respectful but in a lot of cases it doesnt work like that, people fall out and have bad
relations with one another - even families.

That's very interesting. I didn't know Ethiopians are so nice.

I've always found it fascinating how the Japanese greet. I was once traveling by train and and a Japanese woman sat in my compartment. After a while she stood up and started bowing, so I stood up and asked if she needs help with her luggage, thinking that she wanted to leave, but she was just going to the toilet. Every time she wanted to leave the compartment she'd bow to each of us and we didn't know if she'd be back from that journey or not.

In my country it's customary to greet people who you know and the one's you're about to interact with. We usually don't greet strangers, unless we want to ask them something.

IMO everywhere greeting is important. Whether you've got an affair or you've got friends or even at work. But let's stick to the greetings with your parents of your partner. It's true that it's a gesture of respect and a sign that you're comfortable with them or even not, you're trying to get along with them. But the generation is changing and there could be some couples that treats this as nothing like there are no more greetings but that doesn't mean you're disrespectful to them, but because you're comfortable already with them so you don't greet them anymore.

I have a friend who is a minister in Ethiopia. Greeting in Ethiopia amounts to this.

If you are walking down the path in Ethiopia, and you meet a stranger going the opposite direction, you spend at least 15 to 20 minutes in a friendly chat about anything and everything that comes to mind.

If you and your family are putting on a family luncheon, and you have a few friends and relatives over as guests, any stranger who happens to be walking by and sees your get-together, is traditionally automatically welcome to join your festivities and share in your meal.

If all the peoples of the world had this kind of friendly 'greeting' among themselves, the whole world would be a much better place to live in.

Greeting is very important in every society but the difference is the way it is done. Like in the European culture, they acknowledge greeting but not the way it is done in Africa, they could greet hello or how are you to their parents but you don't dare that kind of greeting in Africa. Moreover, the European don't pay heed to bringing intending spouse for approval from the parents but this is done in Africa as you pointed out. However this same practice is beginning to reduce in Africa because of urbanization, modernity and distance.

Here in my country greeting is important, but not as important as it is there and in those contexts you offer. For example, here parents do not need to evaluate their children's partners or stay with them, here we are more flexible on it.

When comes to greeting, I recall I was taught in school and by my parents that greeting and giving the "good morning" was important and was supposed to be a signal of respect towards others, since it looks bad when you greet someone and you do not get greeted back.

My parents typically mention and point out how some neighbors do not take the time to greet them in the morning, even if they greeted them first. So yes, it is important here, but there are some who may not pay attention to it or get out their way to greet everyone they encounter.

In some cultures, the parents must approve your partner before marriage. So you have to take your girlfriend or boyfriend to your parents for them to know your fiancee and sometimes stay with them for a few days. After this meeting, they might approve or disapprove the marriage. A young man brought his girlfriend to his parents and they disapproved of the marriage because they observed that she always failed to greet elderly family members and neighbors while she stayed with them.

In some cultures greeting or exchanging pleasantries with family members and neighbors is very important. Children are raised to say good morning, afternoon, and good evening to mainly their elders. Greeting your elders is a sign of a good home upbringing and people that exchange pleasantries are loved in society. In some cases, mostly in rural areas, an elder asked why you refused to greet him. This might sound strange in some areas but this is an important part of people's lifestyle.

In my culture greeting is important, it is a sign of respect and humility. What about in your culture?