DEFINITION OF TERMS History, Historical Consciousness, Identity History can be said to be the study of past events. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, history is a chronological record of significant events often including an explanation of their causes. R.G. Collingwood in The Idea of History says ‘History is a kind of research or inquiry… the form of thought whereby we ask questions and try to answer them (9). For him, history is important to man because it is for self-knowledge, and man is expected to know himself. He further says history finds out Actions of human beings that have been done in the past … proceeds by the interpretation of evidence is a collective name for things which are called documents, and a document is a thing existing here and now, of such a kind that the historian, by thinking about it can get answers to the questions he asks about past events(9-10). When one studies history, one looks …show more content…
Culture according to oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group. Culture refers to the customs, practices, languages, values and world views that define a social group. Cultural identity therefore is the identity or feeling of belonging to a group. It is a part of a person’s self-conception and self-perception and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture. According to Pratt, as a ‘historical reservoir’, culture is an important factor in shaping identity. Cultural identity is both characteristic of the individual but also of the culturally identical group of members who share the same cultural identity. Cultural identity is important for people’s sense of self and how they relate to others. A strong cultural identity can contribute to people’s overall