What Does Home Mean Across Different Cultures?

• Sep 12

• 5 min read

Written by Lindy Lelij, Founder of Mpowerme Coaching

Lindy Lelij is the founder of Mpowerme Coaching. With more than 30 years of leadership and international experience, she helps people navigate migration, cultural transitions, and identity to thrive personally and professionally.

The more important question is, what does it mean to you? “Home” seems like a simple word, but its meaning can change a lot depending on culture, background, and personal experience. Around the world, people have all kinds of ideas about what home really is, shaped by history, geography, family, and values.

The examples below, from Europe, Asia, and Aotearoa New Zealand, offer just a glimpse into how diverse the idea of home can be.

Northern and Mediterranean Europe: Privacy versus connection

Even within Europe, home can feel very different depending on where you are. In northern European countries like the Netherlands, Germany, or Scandinavia, home is often about privacy, order, and personal space. It’s a retreat from the outside world, a place to unwind, feel organized, and be yourself. Renting or owning your first flat is often seen as a key step toward adulthood, and people put a lot of thought into how their home reflects their personality.

By contrast, in Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain, or Greece, home extends far beyond the walls of the house. It’s less about separation and more about connection with family, neighbours, and the wider community. Multigenerational living is common, and homes are buzzing with shared meals, conversations, and laughter. Courtyards, balconies, and local squares often become part of daily life.

So, while northern Europe often sees home as a private sanctuary, Mediterranean Europe leans toward home as a social hub, full of family and community energy.

Asia: Continuity, duty, and togetherness

In many Asian cultures, home is tied closely to family, tradition, and responsibility rather than just personal independence.

In China, the word jiā isn’t just about the house, it’s about family lineage and respect for ancestors. Homes often house multiple generations, and caring for elders and maintaining family traditions are central to the idea of home.

In India, the home (ghar) is both practical and spiritual. It’s the centre of family life and a sacred space where daily prayers, rituals, and celebrations take place. Belonging here is about relationships, duties, and shared spiritual life, not just ownership or privacy.

Across Asia, home tends to be about connection, responsibilities, and continuity across generations.

Māori perspectives: Ancestry and land

For Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand, home is deeply tied to ancestry and land. Words like tūrangawaewae (“a place to stand”), whare (house), and kāinga (home) carry meaning, but the strongest sense of home comes from whakapapa (genealogy) and whenua (land).

The marae, a communal meeting place, is often seen as the heart of the tribe. It’s a living symbol of ancestry and identity. Stepping inside the ancestral home is stepping into shared history.

On 25 February 2024, I stood with my hapū (subtribe) at dawn, waiting for the blessing and opening of our new whare tūpuna (ancestral house), Te Tāou. The atmosphere was alive with anticipation, and as the ceremony unfolded, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and belonging. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a celebration of who we are, of our history, and our unity, that I will carry with me forever.

A whare tūpuna is not just a building, it embodies the spirit and stories of our ancestors, reminding us of where we come from and the strength we share as a people.

What all these perspectives share

No matter where you look, home is about belonging, but how that belonging is experienced varies:

• Northern Europe: a private sanctuary, your own space

• Mediterranean Europe: a social hub full of family and community

• Asia: continuity, interdependence, and shared responsibility

• Māori: ancestral connection and communal identity

Home isn’t just a building, it’s where we feel safe, accepted, and ourselves. It’s where our identity feels grounded and our heart can rest.

Finding home in times of transition

For anyone moving between cultures, whether for work, study, migration, or returning home, the meaning of home can feel uncertain. You may carry one idea of home from your upbringing, only to experience very different expectations in a new place. This can be both challenging and exciting. It’s a chance to redefine what home means to you, but also a moment when feeling “in between” is normal.

Take a moment to ask yourself, What is the essence of “home” to me? And what can I carry with me to create that sense of belonging, wherever I am?

Reflecting on these questions can help you build a sense of belonging that travels with you, no matter where in the world you are.

I once worked with a client who had returned to her home country after many years abroad. Instead of feeling comforted by the familiar, she felt out of place. Her friends had changed, daily life felt foreign, and she questioned whether she truly belonged anymore. In our sessions, we explored what “home” meant to her beyond location. She realised that, for her, home was deeply connected to community and contribution. While living overseas, she had felt grounded because she volunteered regularly and was part of a professional network that valued her input. Back in her home country, she had lost that sense of connection. By identifying this, she was able to take small but meaningful steps, joining a local community group, volunteering at a nearby charity, and reconnecting with people who shared her passions.

Within months, she began to feel more settled, not because her surroundings had changed, but because she had recreated the conditions that gave her a sense of belonging.

As a Personal Performance Coach, I encourage people to pause and explore their personal definition of home. Understanding what home means to you can become a guide during times of change.

Your “finding home” toolkit

Here are some ways to actively create a sense of home, no matter where you are. Here are three practical strategies I share with clients:

1. Anchor with rituals

Think about the small practices that make you feel grounded, whether it’s a morning coffee in your favourite mug, a weekly phone call with loved ones, or cooking a familiar meal. Repeating these rituals creates continuity and comfort, even in new surroundings.

2. Build your micro-community

Home often lives in relationships. Identify one or two ways you can connect with people where you are now, through a hobby group, volunteering, or simply chatting with neighbours. These small circles of connection can grow into a strong sense of belonging.

3. Redefine your space

Even if you’re living temporarily in a dorm, rental, or shared home, make your space reflect you. A photo, a candle, or a piece of art can shift a room from “just a place” to “my place.”

These personal touches help you carry your sense of home. Wherever life takes us, the meaning of home can shift, grow, and be redefined. If you are interested in my work, connect with me on my contact page.