Asian American XBy Arar Han and John Hsu

The Team

• Kevin O’Neil (Facilitator):

Japan and China = Chapters 18, 30 and 34 • Kruti Shah (Co-Facilitator):

India = Chapters 2, 4, 21 and 25• Ariana Perez:

Taiwan (one Korea and one China story) = Chapters 13, 20, 22 and 35• Laura Pierson:

China = Chapters 3, 7, 10 and 11• Maria Ramirez:

China = Chapters 14, 17, 31, and 33• Jason Weber:

China = Chapters 23, 24, 26 and 27• Mark Viguri:

Vietnam and Hmong = Chapters 5, 8, 9, and 29• Angela Lopez:

Philippines and Cambodia = Chapters 1, 19, 28, and 32• Heidi Lopez:

Korea = Chapters 6, 12, 15 and 16

To thank you for helping us out…Our notes are on a blog as well!

• You can find them here:• http://asianamericanx.wordpress.com/

Japan

Japan Brief Info and History

- Meiji Restoration (1868 – 1912)- Emperor Meiji was moved from -Kyoto to Tokyo. Tokyo became the capital- Japan was forced to sign unequal treaties with western nations- One-sided economical and legal advantages for Americans and Europeans in Japan- Japan tried to become an independent state and modeled their systems after Western nations-In 1889, Japan established its first ConstitutionSource: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2130.html

Lost and Found

• Was questioned as being a “full Japanese”.• Jessica did not feel like she fit in with the

Asian club.• Being a yonsei, she could only identify with

the American culture.• She cared more for the stories about Japanese

Americans in US history.• Did not feel attached to Japanese ceremonies,

songs, culture• Concludes by stating that Asian Americans will

become more diverse; need to share experiences

Language and Identity

• Jeffrey was called a “gaijin” in his home city, Kobe.• Father: American, Mother: Japanese• Went to American high school academy• Noticed cultural difference, not afraid to speak up;

individualistic• Became more accustomed to American culture• At first was afraid to speak, being seen as “different”• Met friends back in Kobe, did not feel like he fit in• Did not have a solid identity to subscribe himself to• Finally, he found that he could create his own identity;

was not afraid of what others thought of him

South Korea

Geographic location

• Korea is bordered by the People’s Republic of China and separated by the East China Sea. It is across from Japan and separated by the Korea Strait. Korea is separated into two sovereign states; North and South Korea. The population of South Korea in 2010 was 48,219,000 (Wikipedia).

History

• In 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan and

remained so until the end of World War II in

August 1945

• The US acted as an ally towards Korea during

the beginning of the war

History Cont.

• Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed

on July 27, 1953 it consisted of five articles

providing for a suspension of all open

hostilities, a system for the transfer of POW's

and a set demarcation line with a 2.4 Mile

"buffer" or demilitarization zone.

Additional Information

• South Korea has an open market economy

• South Korea also has a democratic form of

government

• Christianity is the most practiced religion at

29.2 % (U.S Department of State, 2011).

Seoul Searching Essay 6

Name: Rebecca J. KinneyEthnicity: Korean American Family Background: Grew up in Detroit - Parents (both descendants of poor sharecroppers)- Older sister also adopted- Rebecca adopted at six months old Likes: ‘Why Was I Adopted’ (Favorite childhood book)Dislikes: Being asked “Why can’t you speak Korean?” “Are you Korean?” Quote: “Han- guk mual mol-la-yo.” – “I don't speak Korean.”

Rebecca returns to South Korea to reconnect with her culture. As an “invisible native” she feels comfortable roaming around Seoul. Her need to fit in comes from feeling she doesnt completly fit in as a “White American.” She wonders if “Being Korean in Korea is the same experience as being white in the United States.” The only thing that gives her away is not really being able to communicate fluently in Korean and when that happens she feels ashamed to let others know that she doesn’t speak Korean. For a while Rebecca would have also been embarrased to talk about having been adopted. While in the beginning of college Rebecca desired to have a last name like Kim, or Lee or even Park and not have to talk about the complicated history of why it was Kinney instead. Since then she has changed her outlook on her circumstances and finds herself on the three month trip to her birthplace. “I am at a stage where I am challenging the rules society places upon us. I am a self identified woman of color who takes pride in her claim to Asian American identity.”- Rebecca J. Kinney

A Little Too Asian and Not Enough WhiteEssay 12

• Name: Matthew Noerper • Ethnicity: 100 % White • Family Background: White Jewish/Christian suburb in Chicago• - Mother and Father (German American)- 3 adopted sisters from Korea- 2 adopted males (including himself) from Korea - 1 adopted Caucasian brother- 2 African American brothers- 2 Caucasian brothers

• Likes: Becoming part of an organization in college as an Asian Merican mentor• Dislikes: Being called “Jackie Chan” by peers. • Quote: “It seems for the time being that I cannot afford to be either white or Asian”

• Matthew is open and honest he lets the reader know right away that he doesn’t consider himself

Asian. He makes the point that he has learned the concept of racism and discrimination differently

than a fellow white person just by the fact that he looks the “Asian part.” He grew up believing

stereotypes that were made as comments by his mother, brothers, and sisters. As he grew up he

realized that he resented his white culture for being unwilling learn about other cultures and the

Asian community for their unwillingness to acculturate. H e ends the essay with these words: “I

have developed extremely complex feelings towards Asian America . . . At the same time I

empathize with Asian Americans’ struggle to gain acceptance within American society and their

fight against malicious stereotypes”

Roots and Wings Essay 15

Name: Joann Yi Jung Huh Ethnicity: Korean American Family Background: Moved from Korea when Joann was seven to California- Mother and Father (Father born three years before the war) - Daughter ( Joann)

Likes: Learning about Korean History Dislikes: Having to fit a standard definition of what it is to be Korean American. Quote: “Heritage is a more serious reality than it is often viewed to be. It is not simply knowledge

of culture,custom, and history; it is how these aspects impact your heart and soul ”

Joann Yi Jung Huh recalls the civil war through her father’s eyes. He tells her stories some sad, others tragic and some even humorous. What she learns about her ancestors’ country during

Japanese colonialism as she puts it makes her “heart bleed.” She mentions the “comfort women,”

executions of independent fighters, and the murder of Yu Guan Soon. She describes the Korean War as

fratricidal, as a civil war within the country itself. Joann writes about struggling with what she describes are her

two halves “American” and “Korean” cultures as civil war within herself. She goes on to write “I am not being “Asian” when I choose to keep quiet in class , and I am not being “American” when I decide

to speak up.” Joann shares with the reader a life lesson she has learned which is that “We have a

right to formulate our identity, but with it comes the responsibility of being just to others.

Creating Myself Essay 16

Name: Curtis Steuber Ethnicity: KoreanFamily Background: Grew up in a White neighborhood in Holland, Michigan- 2 White Parents- 2 sisters ( biological children)-2 adopted children from Korea ( Curtis and his twin sister Christen) Likes: To be and feel independent Dislikes: Getting stares when traveling with his family (when younger)Quote: “I am a person, and that is the only thing people should see”

Curtis sees his Korean ethnicity very differently than his twin sister. She is proud and embracing. He

doesn’t feel any connection with that part of his background, they way he sees it is “Why should I feel or be

Asian when I don’t know what being Asian actually is? He wonders if his sisters consciousness stems from her

being genuinely proud of her heritage or from a need to belong and fit in what Curtis calls ‘white’ America. He

writes how he wishes he could visit the days of when he and other children were only interested in playing

and he was naïve about issues of race. Curtis is determined to not be identified with what he calls “outside

factors” which he feels could inhibit his evolvement to adapt and change . “My morals, thoughts , and ideology

form my identity. Thus, my identity is my own creation.”- Curtis Steuber

Taiwan

Half and Half• Considers herself to be half Taiwanese and half American • Lesbian• Ex-girlfriend described her as “flakey” she feels flakey about all aspects of her life

(race, musical • Preference, language, sexual orientation)• Raised in Taiwan until age 11• Never thought to define herself racially because everyone around had black hair/eyes

and yellow skin• Parents wanted her and siblings to become doctors and return to Taiwan• Shocked at how their children turned out • Mother asked her if she was possessed by the devil • Parents taught “money buys everything, even happiness”• A new identity that is neither Asian or American • Living half of her life in Taiwan and half in the states has made her home sick in the

sense that she • Doesn’t really have a home• “If you cannot decide whether you are a bird or a mammal, then you are neither

What parents taught

• Work hard and you will succeed• Respect elders and any form of authority• Respect societal norms• Family comes first• Be realistic• Money buys everything, even happiness• Be humble• Be disciplined• Education is important• Persistence goes a long way

What they didn’t teach

• Working hard isn’t enough- Networking• Respect doesn’t mean following blindly• Societal norms aren’t always “right”• Family comes first, but friends are especially

important when family isn’t there• Be idealistic• Money buys as much as we think it buys• Being humble is not equivalent to to being

bashful• Play• Education is not limited to textbooks• There is a fine line between being persistent

and stubborn

Asian F

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUOwn0Cl8ZM

22

Another American Mutt

• Chinese Mother-• Father is “white” from a family hailing from

Ireland• Mother is Taiwanese, not “Thai”

23

You’re not really Asian, just Half

• “To refer to someone has “Half” Something is to ignore the other half.

24

Not a “what”

• “This colorful breed of human is the result of an experiment conducted on an air force base in California. He is not good at math but loves to read and enjoys odd foods that you do not”

Chinese Mother-

Cavan Reagan=

Father= White, from family

who hails from Ireland

Mother= Taiwanese, not

“Thai”

“You’re not really Asian, Just half”

To refer to someone as “Half” something is to ignore the other half

Not a “What”

“This colorful breed of human is the result of an experiment conducted on an air force base in California. He is not good at math but loves to read and enjoys odd foods that you do not”

Minority Based Scholarships• Achievements and background are not linked• Scholarships to suit everyone• What is enough?

Shen ai shi ren

• Being Chinese not a huge value• From Taiwan and spoke Mandarin Chinese• Tried to abandon culture at young age• Avoided Asian groups in school and joined

itervarsity christian fellowship. Ironically the largest percentage Asian group on campus

• Tried to avoid everything Chinese but went to Berkley which has the highest rate of Chinese students in the U.S.

• Went to a seminar at Berkley where she began to embrace her heritage rather than avoid it.

Reminiscings

• 3 main memories before age 6: father always beating her and her brother, being robbed while living in Taipei and her mother divorcing her father because he would beat all of them and chase mother around with butcher knife

• Mom remarries and new dad legally adopts her and her brother

• Divorce not culturally accepted by Chinese• Moved back to China during middle school• Joins many Asian American social groups in

high school

China

U.S Relationship with China- The Treaty of Wanghia (1844) is what started the relationship between these two countries. - Among many other issues, the treaty fixed trade tariffs, which granted U.S. nationals the right to build churches and hospitals in specific Chinese cities. - After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S was forced into

the war to take the side of China.- U.S helped the Chinese with a great deal amount of aid.- Both the U.S and China got involved in the Korean War

out of support for both the north and south.- At the height of the Cold War, China got into a closer

relationship with the U.S due to the border clashes with the Soviet Union.

- The more recent opening of the Chinese economy has meant a closer and increased trade relationship between both countries.

Brief CulturalChinese Info.

- Has approximately 1/5 of the worlds

population and growing at over 1 Billion

- There are between 7 and 13 main regional groups of Chinese Languages.

- Main languages consist of the following: most spoken, by far, is Mandarin (about 850 million years old), followed by Wu (90 million years old), Cantonese/Yue (70 million years old) and Min (50 million years old).

- The most recent Dynasty has been the Qing Dynasty which started rule in 1644 all the way up to 1911

- Literacy rate for the overall adult was 97%, but split between women and men, Men held the advantage of 99% to 95% for women.

- Core Values for the Chinese Culture lie in the harmonious convergence between humans and nature, harmonious inter-relationships between individuals, as well as peaceful co-existence between states.

Brown Skin

• Half Chinese and half Thai• Called many names including Chai American like

the Thai tea• Darker skin then all other Chinese girls. Being dark

is considered ugly in Chinese culture • Migrated towards Chinese people in high school not

Thai people• Dated two people in high school and when they

broke up she believed it was because of her dark skin

• Began wearing sun block two months straight to try to become lighter skinned

• Went to Stanford and became immursed in Asian studies and joined Asian groups

The Jazzian Singer• First started singing when she was 7• Became scared to pursue singing because their were no

Asians on mtv or any American music show• Joined performing and visual arts group in high school and

began playing the piano• Listened to many iconic pop and divas like Maria Carey and

Celine Dion• Ella Fitzgerald inspired her to want to sing Jazz• Believes that the public would not support an Asian

American singer• Applied to colleges with the intention of majoring in piano

performance• Finally while attending Rice University she got a vocal coach

and joined the band• Now as a senior in college she still sings and resents not

singing and joining choir at younger age

China Pearl

• With relatives that haven't seen for decades and they speak Cantonese.

• She’s Chinese however does look like one and describes her self has bumbling foreign since her father is white.

• Gets memories when she was and got made fun of by her class mates

• Is in Hong Kong and thinks if she would of stay there how would her life be different.

Drawing the Boundaries

• A student is talking to a teacher about Latinos and blacks and explains that they are saying mean things to.

• She explains that in the world my issues with the race and blended with my issues with the economic and it was discomfort that came from being Asian but by being from that being poor.

• Uses three tips: • 1. to know your weakness and use it to your advantage • 2. to know your weakness and use it to your advantage

• 3. To stay on guard and the match isn’t over yet until

opponent is dead

Who am I?• Gordon is Chinese and is a neuroscience graduate student at UC Berkeley by this piece of information he asks if you can identify him just by knowing this.

• He asks the reader that because you can give a physical description you should be able to give a personal one.

• He is worried about what most people should be worried about, the government and the people who are behind them and who contribute to this place without consequence

Caught between Cultures

• Margot is Chinese American second generation and can speak Cantonese like a 4 yrs. Old.

• Her mother has a Boston accent and she thinks that Asian Americans lack to see the importance of Asian American issues.

• In 6th grade she was offended by all the writing in the girls bathroom stall saying racial things towards African Americans, Asians or Chinese and that they don’t belong.

• She can be the troll under a bridge angry who’s she people passing by and realizing that they might act the same way and instead they should educated instead of berate.

Death of a Butterfly

• Felix Poon- “try and pick a word that is unique to you”

• Felix would rather write a paper than pick ONE word

• His neighbor chooses “pretty” for her word• Felix chooses “differ”• His teacher decides to have everyone describe

each other, “Nobody has black hair”

Chinese Again

• Yijing Yang resented being Chinese• Because other people treated her differently

she treated herself differently• Her parents did not want her to engage in

popular American culture• When visiting China she felt more at home

than she ever did in America

ABC for Life

• Katie Leung feels as though she does not belong in either America or China

• When she became a teenager, Katie decided she wanted to live a more traditional American life style

• She started to rebel against her parents• She began to drink and engage with the

opposite sex

How Not to Eat Pho: Me and Asia America

• Michael Sue was taught to embrace his Chinese culture but in private.

• His father’s side of the family taught him to be as “American” as possible and his mother’s side of the family taught him the opposite

• He felt as though he has to choose between being Asian and being American

• Once he went to college he learned he could be the perfect balance of Asian American

Paradox: Too Chinese or Not Enough

• Bryant lived in Monterey Park• Mostly Asian-American residents, less racism;

however, discrimination still existed.• Vietnamese and Filipino stereotyped: poor,

dangerous, no values• He tried to avoid being stereotyped, but angry

when he was• Wanted to be seen as Chinese; no negative

stereotypes• He also wanted to be seen as Asian-American,

because being “too Chinese” was looked down upon

• Segregation existed between the two groups

Paradox (cont.)

• First was not accepted, later on was• Later, he reclaimed his Burmese and Chinese • Identified himself as API• Became ashamed of what he did• Realized there was still racism against Asian

Americans• Became politically active; fights against

racism

An Asian American Experience

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RneDgicNR6s

The Republic of the Philippines

•Part of Southeast Asia•Related to Micronesian and Malaysian cultures•Many Filipinos are mixed ancestry

•~Asian mainland•~Spanish•~American•~Arab•~Indian

•Primary language Tagalog•Secondary language English•93% literacy rate•2/5 live in urban areas, where 3/5 are in rural areas•Core value is to uphold the solidarity of the family unit•Lighter skin color is “desirable” trait

Philippines Brief Info

Relationship with the U.S.

• Philippines was under Spanish Colonization until 1898• U.S. territory 1898 until 1946• 1898 U.S. defeated Spain for control• Filipino general, Emilio Aguinaldo resisted U.S. occupation • Resulting in Philippine-American War 1899• 1899 U.S. senate votes to annex the Philippines• 1901 President McKinley set up democratic gov. and create

public education system• Independent in 1946 after WWII

Label Us Angry• Jeremiah Torres• From Palo Alto, CA -described as a quiet, prosperous, sophisticated college town• As a child, he and his classmates were oblivious to race/culture• Pogressed through school, learning of diversity, he then saw he was different• First experience with overt racism in their hometown -while out celebrating friend,• Carlos’ 17th birthday• altercation with another driver, sped up to them, words were exchanged along with• derogatory racial slurs/labels, “low-life”, “chink”, “gangster”• Jeremiah and Carlos were sprayed with mace, suspect drove off• No one willing to help them at first, until one lady called the police• upon their arrival, the police helped to diffuse the mace situation, but then quickly• turned and asked if the boys were of any gang affiliation• Jeremiah wondered if he and Carlos were in a nicer car and dressed in Polo shirts,• would they have been called racial slurs or would the police have questioned if they were• in a gang?• Those “labels” made them angry, hesitated to share their story at first, but realized that• “trouble” found them so they needed to uncover the racism in their town• Jeremiah wrote an anonymous article in the school paper• He made a decision to live his life as usual and not allow that incident of racism change• his view of people/society• Carlos stayed angry making himself an outcast, eventually causing another incident• landing him in court as a convicted felon• You can not win against labels if you decide to act on them and feed into it

Brown in Faded Blue Jeans• Janet Minano• Search of Asian Identity through; books, tapes to speak Tagalog, movies to

observe• customs and formal wear• Felt a void in who she was• College speech class assignment to explain how ethnic background affected

her• Admitted she did not know much about Filipino culture, as she grew up in a• Multicultural neighborhood of Chicago; friends of all backgrounds• Color was not an issue until she moved in grade school to an all-white

neighborhood• Did not see herself as different until kids started pointing out her skin color,

eye shape• Another move in high school where she was the only minority; students

nicknamed her• “Hawaiian Beauty” “Caramel Princess”• Became popular because her differences set her apart as exotic

Brown in Faded Blue Jeans (cont.)• Would correct them, that she was Filipino not Hawaiian; respond with

“Orientals are• Oriental”• Soon she saw herself shrugging-off the differences as well• Move to Georgia, where she dated a Southern Caucasian• His family not open-minded, mother hated people of other races, Blacks and

Hispanics• Boyfriend said she was “ok” because she “didn’t fit into their category”• Mother said by dating him, she was “trying to escape her race, and be with a

white• Person to move up the social ladder”• Described her as “overly tanned” for an Asian, called her “black”• Only until did she think about skin color and was ashamed• Due to Spain’s occupation of the Philippines, racial preference based on skin

color was created

Brown in Faded Blue Jeans (cont.)

• Visiting relatives in the Philippines divided among them through her inability to speak

• Tagalog and skin color• Comment “She’s beautiful even though she is dark”• Her parents desire for the American dream, she felt

“cultureless”• Shared physical commonalities with the relatives, was still

considered “white-washed”,• “You sound white”• “Instead of embracing the fact that I was surrounded by

people that I could relate to, I felt uncomfortable.”

Doppelganger• Frederick Macapinlac• Born in Norfolk, Virginia. Resides in San Diego, attends Scripps Ranch High

School• Father was in U.S. Military, very common with Filipino-Americans• Very strict parents• Mira Mesa versus Scripps Ranch little to or no need to bond or appreciate

culture in• either area• Mira Mesa High - minorities are the majority, Asian do not bond with their

culture• Scripps Ranch - few minorities, Caucasians are the majority, Asians

assimilating to majority• Problem in Asian communities, specifically the youth not identifying

themselves with their cultures• “How are you supposed to know who you are or where you are going if you

don’t know where you came from?”• Suggests talking to elders to bridge cultural gap• Why is there tension between Asian communities when they all came from

the East?• Immigrants are the backbone of this Nation• “Its okay to borrow ideas from other places, but when we try to imitate

completely, we lose ourselves”

Cambodia

Cambodia Brief Info

•Located on mainland Southeast Asia•Influenced by India•Khmer; people and language•5% Vietnamese, 1%Chinese, 4%other•French still spoken•Independence from France in 1953•Multiparty democracy / Monarchy•Literacy; 48% men 22%women•80% of population live in countryside/farmers•Larger family sizes•Hierarchal society•Mostly darker complected

Relationship with the U.S.

• U.S. provides military assistance and economic aid ~ 1955-1963 to repair damage caused from war with

France~with the fall of the Khmer Rouge Regime

• Relations tense in early 1960’s ; re-established by 1969• 1992 U.S. lifted its embargo against Cambodia• 1993 established full diplomatic relations• 70million from USAID in 2010• Pryor to 1975 almost no people of Cambodian ancestry in U.S.• Youngest ethnic group • Assimilation to American society difficult

There’s No Place Like Home

• Phillina Sun• From San Diego, daughter of Cambodian Refugees• Stuck between her current reality of a struggling college

student and her parents dream of her obtaining the “American Dream”

• Not convinced the “American Dream” was obtainable for the daughter of refugees and was maybe fitted for only white upper-class

• Believed that there was a limited amount of wealth to be distributed

• College prep classes housed a majority of whites and (non-Southeast) Asian faces

• Mainstream classes housed brown faces, kids bussed in from poorer neighborhoods

• The future her parents mapped out for her was different than the future the education system was mapping out for kids like her.

Vietnam

Vietnam• 1946-1955: French-Viet Minh war, China and USSR

support Ho Chi Minh; US supports France as a way to contain communism

• 1964: North Vietnam patrol boat attacks US destroyer in Gulf of Tokin

• 1965: US troops land in Vietnam; beginning of US Vietnam War

• 1969: Beginning of “Vietnamization” policy; removal of Us Troops in exchange for an increase of South Vietnam funding

• 1973: Pairs Peace Agreements negotiated by Nixon and Kissinger; US withdraws troops

• 1975: Communists take Saigon; last remaining US citizens are evacuated

• 1995: Diplomatic relations normalized between the US and Vietnam

Culture• Daily actions and perceptions are mostly influenced by

Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism

• Profoundly influenced by ancestor worship; honor ones family name and ones parents by doing will academically and working hard

Respect for parents and ancestors is extended to all elders, whose life experiences are valued

Before the 1980’s, nearly all Vietnamese people lived in villages, and the cultivation of wet rice was the principle economic activity

18 different ethnic groups including the Nung, Se Dang, Viet and Hmong

Double-A By: Mai Anh Huynh

• Been asked if she’s Chinese or Japanese her whole life• Born in America, begins to wonder what it means to be

an American• Has to be a “juggler” of different identities• Maintaining the values and beliefs that she grew up

embracing and adapting them to an environment in which cultural differences were not exactly celebrated

• Wished she had replied “No, I am American, but my parents are from Vietnam.”

• Doesn't want to be considered to be just an Asian and will never be considered an American.

• Chooses to live the way she chooses to, to be herself which is an Asian American

Comings and Goings by: Vinh Nguyen

• Born in Vietnam, but fled the country with his parents before he was one

• Had to learn English along with his parents, went to the library with his father often to check out English learning books

• Father made him to read an hour everyday, which he later appreciated in high school when he saw he had a richer vocabulary then his friends.

• Grew up completely embracing American culture, in the way he dressed, spoke, acted and he went by Vinny

• Started to feel that he was losing his culture, cousin accused him of being whitewashed

• At 14 visited his family in Vietnam, a little apprehensive about going back, but ended up loving it

• Came back with the motivation to embrace both his Vietnamese heritage and the American culture

Hmong

Hmong

• 1961: US builds covert op and CIA recruitment of Hmong soldiers as a secret US baked army in Laos; Laos was thought to be the “domino” that could lead to the loss of Communism in South Asia

• 1961-1973: Secret War part of Vietnam war in Laos; Hmong soldiers were recruited to fight the communist party. More bombs dropped in Laos than in World War II

• 1975: Fall of Saigon to North Vietnam followed by the fall of Laos.

• 1975: Arrival of first Hmong refugees in Thailand to escaped communist oppression. Thousands of Hmong are murdered by the communist party when trying to flee to Thailand

• 1975-1980: Beginning departure of Hmong refugees in Thailand to the US, first settling in Hawaii, Oregon, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and California. 150,000 refugees flee to France the US and various other countries

Hmong Culture

• Oral Traditions, history passed down through legends and ritual ceremonies

• Organized by Clans, there are 18 recorded Hmong Clans (Cha, Chang, Fang, Kong, Lee)

• Hmong do not marry within their own clan group; a marriage partner must be found from another clan.

-Hmong people generally come from the hill and mountain area just south of China. According to genetic evidence, Hmong people lived in China for 2000 years before generally migrating south in the 1700s. They moved to escape the oppressive Qing Dynasty.

-Hmong groups are often named after the dominant colors, patterns of their traditional clothing, head-dress, and the provinces they came from. Black Hmong (Hmoog Dub/Moob Dlub), Striped Hmong (Hmoob Txaij/Moob Txaij), White Hmong (Hmoob Dawb/Moob Dlawb), Green Hmong (Hmoob Ntsuab/Moob Leej).

Being Oil by: May Chang

• Remembers a science experiment where she added cooking oil, colored water and rubbing alcohol together

• Feels she is the oil in the middle, while her parents and the colored water at the bottom and the American society is the rubbing alcohol on top

• Parents deeply involved in their conservative Green Hmong culture.

• Born in America, never really understood the Hmong culture and the American culture wouldn’t let her fit in

• Harassed in public, told to go home• She tries to explain how Hmong people were forced to come

here after helping the US • Feels the Hmong people are only here physically and that their

true selves are still in Laos • Has trouble identifying with her people because she never knew

life in Laos• Decides to her best to be the middle or “oil”, taking in the best

of both cultures

Indian Identity

• A look at the culture and experiences of being Indian

India Map

India and the U.S.• Historically, the relationship between India and the United States

has been very strong. • But after Indian Independence from Britain and until the end of

the cold war, the relationship was a bit thorny.• Dwight Eisenhower was the first U.S. President to visit India in

1959.• U.S. helped India resist Chinese communist aggression• John F. Kennedy also supported India and vowed to make sure

that India succeeds in keeping free from China• From 1965 to 1997 Indian-American relations were often rough

due to India-Pakistan wars and the refusal of India to support anti-soviet operations in Afghanistan.

• India’s nuclear tests put the U.S. at unease, but eventually they agreed to have it be monitored internationally

• Clinton helped to build relations and improve economic ties• After 9/11 attacks, Bush worked with India to police the Ocean

areas, and over the course of the Bush administration India sent aid to disaster areas including help after Hurricane Katrina. India and U.S. relations are currently good.

Indian Culture and Traditions

• India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country, but are all similar.

• India is the only country in the world to have so many religions and beliefs.

• The culture of India is a blend of these diverse sub-cultures spread all over the Indian subcontinent and traditions that are several millennia old. Regarded by many historians as the "oldest living civilization of Earth", the Indian tradition dates back to 8000 BC

Culture & tradition• One of the most important

aspect is the respect of elders• Arranged marriages from

families of the same caste• Traditional clothing, very

conservative in comparison to American style

• Education is instilled as being a vital way to grow and prosper

• Hard working people, peaceful, and put family above all else

• Various religions throughout the country, however most common are Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism

• Practice diversity and religious tolerance, meaning they do not impose their views on anyone, and choose to be accepting

Asian American X- Indian Stories1984- Sunita Puri

• Family from Punjab, India and describes herself in various forms of this: Punjabi girl in Guajarati colors.

• At 5 years old, she is many Indias all at once, because there is often a mixture of the various cultures throughout India. While she was many Indias all at once, she had no concept of the “different India” which is the India her parents know and call home.

• Television showed violence toward Sikhs as the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Indhira Gandhi, who was killed by Sikhs.

• Her uncle has upset and breaks out angrily claiming that “they have taken my home, our home” As a young Punjabi girl raised in America, she did not understand that he meant India as his home.

• Tells the teacher about people taking her uncle’s home. Teacher asks if she means India, and Suh-nee-dah (mis-pronounciation) says she isn’t sure. The teacher then says that that is an entirely different problem. She goes on to say that “people in India are wild, and kill each other all the time.” Ridiculous stereotype.

• Feels anger, vulnerability, and confusion at what the teacher says, and feels different from her American classmates. She begins to understand the differences between being from India and being American.

• This shows a clear ignorance. She feels an anger she cannot describe.

A Place Where I want to be- Nupur Chaudhury

• As a young boy, he would often forget he was Indian.• He was confused, because he went to a Jewish elementary

school. He never understood why he wasn’t Jewish, and never got to know what his “Indian-ness” meant.

• His parents only said “focus on your studies” and so he did, study and study, but never learned about what it meant to be Indian. He never felt he could relate to the stories he read in his American literature classes.

• Suddenly in high school he realized his growing frustration of being taught about everything and everyone, but not his own culture. He asked “when would it be my turn?” and “When would we talk about me?”

• He finally found an outlet where he could freely study and write about being Indian and found his “Indian-ness” connection by ignoring his American studies.

• He lost his culture growing up in America, and he had to force his way into getting it back.

• Family moved from India to America just after their arranged marriage.

• Her Ma constantly reminded her of the rebellious things she has done, like when she was 3years old and she slapped her Ma in front of friends and family

• Arguments with her mom began when she went to high school, with the need to change her wardrobe. Mother made her wear sweats in gym class because she was not allowed to wear shorts.

• Her true identity crisis came in college. Asking herself “Who Am I?” and she began to question her religion and values that her mother had painfully instilled in her.

• Relationships were the cause of big arguments, as her parents wanted to arrange her marriage, and she did not want to keep that tradition.

• Over time they accepted each other and their different world views. She realized that everything that she was, her identity, all came from the things her Ma taught her.

Understanding Life, Ma, and Me -Joyee Goswami

The Confession: Part Two - Shiv Desai

• Indian, but did not really look like he was. People didn’t believe that he was Indian, even when he told them. He grew up in an area where new immigrants were tolerated when he was young. Learned about racism but did not believe it was possible

• Family moved when he was in 8th grade. A girl asked him if he was Puerto Rican, he told her he was Indian, and then the girl started spewing insults at him.

• Confusion arose. All the knowledge people had of Indians came from The Simpsons, or Indian Jones. Insults came from everywhere. Went to the Indian market, and was attacked by boys on the way home for being Indian. His parents just said that is what happens when people do not get a good education.

• Decided in high school he would be Egyptian, but then got called an Arab, he was Tanzanian, but that did not work. He got kicked out of his school and at the new school he was Puerto Rican. But teachers had lower expectations of him as a Puerto Rican, and he got into more trouble

• Went to college, and decided to finally be Indian, but wasn’t accepted by Indians either. He was an American-Born-Confused-Desi-Especially-From Gujarat (ABCDEFG). Finally he wrote a paper in college that was his “Confession” and asked God to forgive him, and then he finally found himself…as an Indian.

H

• Identifies herself as Japanese• Found friendships are just not as lasting as in

Japan• Americans value true and honest feelings

regardless of what others think; more individualistic

• Had some trouble explaining different culture with parents in Japan; for example, getting a college education

• Lived in Ohio, only Asian student, was mocked by some, asked strange questions by others; approached differently