Asian American X
By 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
Constitution
Source: http://www.japanguide.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
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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. Kinney
Ethnicity: 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 White
Essay 12
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Name: Matthew Noerper
Ethnicity: 100 % White
Family Background: White Jewish/Christian suburb in Chicago
- Mother and Father (German American)
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3 adopted sisters from Korea
2 adopted males (including himself) from Korea
1 adopted Caucasian brother
2 African American brothers
2 Caucasian brothers
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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”
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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: Korean
Family 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
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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
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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
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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
Another American Mutt
• Chinese Mother• Father is “white” from a family hailing from Ireland
• Mother is Taiwanese, not “Thai”
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You’re not really Asian, just Half
• “To refer to someone has “Half”
Something is to ignore the other
half.
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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”
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Chinese MotherCavan Reagan=
Father= White,
Mother=
from family who Taiwanese, not
hails from Ireland
“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
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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.
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Has approximately 1/5 of the worlds
population and growing at over 1
Billion
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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.
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1. to know your weakness and use it to your advantage
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2. to know your weakness and use it to your advantage
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3. To stay on guard and the match isn’t over yet until
opponent is dead
I?
• Gordon is Chinese Who
and is aam
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.)
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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
Philippines Brief Info
•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
Relationship with the U.S.
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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
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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
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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.)
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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
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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 upperclass
• Believed that there was a limited amount of wealth to be
distributed
• College prep classes housed a majority of whites and (nonSoutheast) 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
-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.
• 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 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
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 subcultures 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 Stories
1984- 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 (mispronounciation) 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
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.
Understanding Life, Ma, and Me
-Joyee Goswami
• 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.
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