When Culture Becomes Language (part 2): Color

Color is one of the first languages we learn, long before we ever speak. It signals emotion, belonging, warning, celebration, and belief. Across cultures, color carries meaning shaped by history, environment, and shared memory.

In many Western cultures, black is associated with mourning and formality, while white represents purity and new beginnings. In parts of East Asia, those meanings are often reversed, with white symbolizing grief and remembrance. Red tells yet another story. In China and many other cultures, it represents luck, prosperity, and joy. In other places, it may signal danger, urgency, or power. The color itself does not change. The meaning does.

Color is deeply woven into rituals and traditions. Weddings, funerals, religious ceremonies, and national symbols all rely on color to communicate without words. Flags use color to tell stories of struggle, unity, and identity. Clothing choices reflect status, spirituality, or resistance. Even everyday color choices can signal emotion, mood, or intent. Wearing bright colored clothing within the workplace can be a positive for some cultures as it shows and allows for a person’s individuality and personality. However, for other cultures it may have the opposite effect leading to loss of sales, clients, and even jobs because of their held value on confirmity.

What makes color powerful as a language is that it operates quietly. It shapes perception before conversation begins. When we ignore the cultural meaning behind color, misunderstandings happen. When we take time to understand it, respect is communicated instantly.

Across cultures, the similarity is clear. Color matters everywhere. It is never random. It is memory made visible.

Jordan Wells & Traver Butcher

All Shores Consulting

Staff Writer & CEO