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A melting pot or a salad bowl?

  • U.S. and Somali flags

    © The Washington Post/Getty Images

    Photo of U.S. and Somali flags

  • Members of a Somali community

    © Joe Amon/Getty Images

    Photo of Somali people in Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • A Somali immigrant

    © Joe Amon/Getty Images

    Photo of a Somali woman (wearing traditional clothing) walking

A melting pot or a salad bowl?

Before you read

What do you think of the pictures above? Write a couple of sentences about them. Then write down five words you think you will find in the article about different cultures in the USA today.

A melting pot or a salad bowl?

The USA is often called a melting pot. This means that different people and cultures gradually become one community. It is certainly true that many immigrants assimilate into American society and that their children and grandchildren become more and more American. Perhaps they visit their old country on holiday or eat some special food from there, but they think like Americans and live like Americans.

However, some people think that the USA is more like a salad bowl with separate ingredients. Each culture keeps its own special qualities and people live side-by-side, but do not really mix. They have their own neighbourhoods, shops and community centres. Many also have their own places of worship and some have their own TV or radio stations.

The Somali community is one of the newer communities in the USA. Thousands of Somali refugees have come to the US since the civil war broke out in Somalia in the 1990s. Many have gone to college or university or started their own business. Somalis in the USA are known for being hardworking, family-minded and responsible. However, in recent years, some young Somali-Americans have been radicalised, as elsewhere in the world.

The city of Minneapolis has one of the largest Somali populations outside the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Some people, like Somali-American filmmaker Fathia Absie, feel that Somalis live separate lives from other Minnesotans. Somalis come from a verbal culture, and they love talking about life over endless cups of tea. This is quite a contrast to mainstream Minneapolis. According to Absie, there is “a Norwegian culture” in the city, meaning people don’t talk much to strangers. Absie is trying to create a dialogue between communities through her filmmaking. So far she has made a documentary called “Broken Dreams” and “The Lobby”, a work of fiction.

DOCUMENT Getting the gist


DOCUMENT Digging deeper


DOCUMENT Your turn to talk


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