I think that's very good advice. You can only do the best you can do. You can spend a lot of time second-guessing yourself. Basically, as it comes down to people are people. We all have feelings, we all have hopes and dreams, we all have bodies that grow and change and feel pain. The only time I was so offended by cultural elitism that I put a book down and did not pick it up again was when the author said (I'm paraphrasing here) something to the effect of, "she didn't cry at the death of her father, because among her people, family ties were not important." *Excuse me?!* In fact, the character (a twelve-year old girl, yet) doesn't pause or grieve at all.

The culture in question was Roman-era Britain. Aside from the fact that I do not believe there has been any culture throughout human history in which people feel nothing at the death of a close family member. And since we are talking here about a people who lived in close quarters with relatives, extended family, etc...

It's true, there are going to be people who will be upset if characters are wearing the wrong clothing, or performing the wrong ritual, but as long as you don't have your characters acting inhuman, it's stuff you can fix. For instance, you could say, "Well, yes, Basawra don't do that, but she has a Motswana mother, and learned it from her."

I doubt most of us need to worry about sinking so low that as dad dies, we shrug and walk on.