This is the course blog for ICS24/ELIT24, Asian American Literature, at De Anza College
Monday, January 23, 2012
Your People's Story
Do you believe that people know the story of your people or your peoples? What people know the story/stories? Who are your people? Who should write the story?
I think the majority of the people in the U.S really know the story of the Filipinos. The older generation of my people will most likely know the story but the younger generations that are born in the U.S will most likely not know. Very little is mentioned about Filipinos in classrooms across the U.S. My parents and grandparents who are immigrants knows a great deal about the history of the Philippines. My people are native of Ilocosur,Philippines. Before coming to the U.S my grandparents made a living off farming (rice,tobacco). A person that have a long generation of family members in the Philippines and have the experience of the lifestyle of my people.
HI! I am Manisha.I guess telling story about your life may fulfilling for story writer but as a reader, I want to ask question, why I want to read that story? Now when science already proved this fact, that we all once came from Africa and spread all around the world. I guess it's time for us think differently about our people. Who are we? Just because we all are Asian that make us different from Europeans? or We just eat differently or live differently or we pray different god that make us different? Who are our people?
As a filipina going to american schools, although we are mentioned here and there throughout history, I do not think that people really know the story of my people. I completely agreed with Yang when she said that my people are "a footnote in the history of the world" (Yang 4). Americans simply see us small gorilla fighters in the jungle but never really know the true struggle we went through during the Japanese invasion and such.
I think that many people know the basic facts and general story of the Vietnamese because of the American involvement during the Vietnam War. This is generally when people are taught about the history of the war and how many of the refugees ended up fleeing to Europe and America. However I feel like most people only understand the obvious and basic of the Vietnamese's story and their struggles as refugees. The fact that the history classes usually teach about the Vietnam war from an American perspective also contributes to that. My family was born and raised in south Vietnam before the war. Before fleeing the country my grandpa made money for the family from being in the military. My family lived through most of the war moving from base to base with my grandpa and eventually fled to America as refugees toward the end of the war. I think that people who experienced life in Vietnam during or before the war and life while fleeing to america should write our story. It's a story that not too many people think of beyond the surface facts they are taught in school. People who experienced this first hand would give the best story and description for the world to understand.
I believe most Japanese American people know the story of their families quite well. I know my family try to keep a lot of Japanese traditions alive at family get togethers. Though the traditions might be slowly dying I know a lot of my older relatives know many stories about how their parents immigrated to America from Japan. If anything, my aunts and uncles could tell the story of my ancestors.
I think people know little bit of what many Vietnamese people had to go through to come into the United States. Although my parents did not have to go through anything I would consider a harsh struggle, I know other family members and friends who had to go through hell to come to the United States for a better life. I do not think enough people know enough about those stories. I think these kind of stories can only come from the people who had first hand experience of it. That way, the stories would be that much more raw and intense.
Hey there this is John Brownfield. Well as far as my people go (the Japanese) I believe that here in America people know of Japan as those crazy kamikaze bombers rather than how we are culturally. So namely I feel that America only knows about Japan mostly related to WWII and that they "like anime and make video games." The people who actually know the stories and the lifestyles of the Japanese are also Japanese in origin. My "people" are Japanese and I feel that the person who should write their story is someone with a passion for writing who has experienced something having to do with the Japanese people that had nothing to do with WWII because America mostly knows all about how we treated Japanese people at that point in time.
From my point of view, majority of people should know about Koreans. Everyone has basic knowledge regarding the Korean war. There are times when I hear ignorant questions such as ,"are you from North or South Korea?" It's those kind of questions that makes me think, is that person ignorant? Or is Korea just a small Country that not many people know about. Someone who has encountered many obstacles in their lives while living in Korea should write a story about Korea.
So who are my "people"? I really have a hard time identifying that because I believe my people is more than ethnic background or "Americanize." I can tell you who my ancestors are and where they come from. I am Filipino and I am Mexicano. My Filipino side comes from the province of Guagua, Pampanga. Where my Grandfather was a well-known respected teacher/principle with a beautiful housewife who was my Grandmother. On the other side my Grandmother was from Mexico who moved to Phoenix, Arizona and met my Grandfather there. They moved to Southern California settle there for a good amount of their lifetime. If you ask my younger cousins about my ancestors I don't think they would know the stories because they're too young. My father side of the family is both Mexican and Filipino.. So growing up I had the best of both worlds, however majority of the time it was pretty Americanize. I believe my people are people that I share a good relationship/friendship type a deal. But that is the story of my Ancestors.
I do believe that people know the stories of my peoples. Since I am mostly of Irish decent, I consider Irish people my peoples. Anyone who has access to history books or to the internet can gain knowledge of the stories of Irish people. I am honestly not sure who tells the stories of my people. My guess is that my early ancestors passed their stories down and eventually they got recorded by hand and passed down more accurately. I am not in-tact or educated on my Irish heritage so I am extremely fortunate that my ancestor's stories are recorded and easily assessable, unlike Yang's in "The Latehomecomer".
Most of my peoples stories are taught in schools. I am of an Irish decent, so the stories of the potato famine and the migration of the Irish to America in search of work, I believe, are highly known. In telling of my people stories are that of my own people, as well as teachers and experts to the history of the Irish. I admit I am not highly educated with the roots of my people, yet I am fortunate enough to receive an education that teaches the major events of the Irish people.
I don't believe that people know the story of your people or your peoples because many people do not know about Korea. Since I have lived in the U.S for three year half, I have gotten the question many times "Are you from Chinese?" and I said I am from Korea, but they continued asking me "North or South?" It always makes me confused to answer the question. Also, Korea W ar, they do not know about that very much. While the people who live in Korea, they should write about the story of Korea.
I came from one of the world’s oldest and unique culture—Chinese culture. Chinese culture is well documented as it dominates a large geographical region on eastern Asia for the longest time. Today, Chinese culture becomes really common and acceptable in America, where has the largest amount of Chinese immigrants in the world. Not only the food is easy to find, more and more people are also interested in the language, mythology and literature. I believe everyone can somehow experience something relates to Chinese culture and has a perspective about it, does not necessary has to a Chinese.
I believe I have some insight to my peoples' story. Time, and time again, my father would enlighten me through countless stories of the past and present about the Vietnamese people, and the horrors and the journeys they had to endure during the Vietnam War. Many Vietnamese parents, especially grandparents, know of these stories. I would say a majority of Vietnamese parents living here in America would be able to write a good enough story about the Vietnamese people.
Samuel Young- I have not seen many books or literature based on Taiwanese Culture or life. If I looked harder I believe I would find more but none have caught my attention. I am definitely proud to be Taiwanese and believe that the story of my people need to be told. Not many people know what or where Taiwan is. When I say I am Taiwanese, people often reply, "OOHhhhh so you are from Thailand right?" It's nice when people actually know what and where Taiwan is. So yes, I believe the story of my poeple needs to be told, and I would love anyone to tell it. As long as they have a good understanding of the culture and the people that lived there. A tiny country that was oppressed for a long time, it has many stories to tell. Taiwan has had a long history of being owned by Japan or China, both battling for the island so often praised for its beauty and often called the island of paradise. Some even call it the Hawaii of Asia. A small Island with tropical temperature, they were also victims of oppression, abandonment, and foreign invasion. Many stories can be told, so I hope they will all be told one day, and gain some attention.
I feel the story of my ethnicity isn't really known. Generally, the country you are studying in is what you'll learn about - history wise. For example, being in America, I've learned about wars and history of America. Sure we've been briefly taught about the Vietnam war but it was mainly focused on America's aide of the war. Ultimately I don't think the story of my ethnicity, Filipino, is known. I can say I've yet to learn something informative or interesting about the Philippines from others other than my own family. My dad tells me stories of the Philippines and that's really all the knowledge I even have about my culture. I have yet to really see books based on Filipino authors and their stories and would actually like to see a few.
I feel like the many people in the U.S. (Korean americans included) know little about the story of Koreans. Besides the short lessons of the Korean War and the influence of modern day Korea, people appear very unaware of the Korean story. The people who truly know the stories are Koreans themselves. My people are Koreans and Korean Americans. I can relate to both despite the culture gap between them. I have relatives like my mother’s side of the family who have lived their entire lives in Korea. In contrast, I also have my entire dad’s side of the family who all immigrated to the United States a little after the end of the Korean war. If there were a story about Koreans, I believe my parents’ generations could tell it best because they have lived through a war and the modernization of Korea.
I believe that I have a good insight on my people's story. My parents and grandparents always tells me stories about their lifestyle in Vietnam and China. People around my community are also mostly Chinese or Vietnamese, so I think everyone has similar stories from political issues to the Vietnam war. I'd say a most of the stories can be told well by the older generations of immigrants.
I think the story of the German people is ignored. What I experienced in American schooling is that Germany = Nazis, and that's it. I understand that America's history has to do with it's involvement, but schools make it seem as if Germany wanted to be part of Nazism, which it didn't. The people who know the real stories aren't only those who experienced it, it's the sons and daughters who experience the backlash, who are educated by their mothers and fathers. I think there are several perspectives to this story. There's the obvious one of the actual history during WWII, but there is also the story of the kids who experienced the ignorance of their American peers, and the education of America which differs from the cultural German understanding.
I think the story of the German people is ignored. What I experienced in American schooling is that Germany = Nazis, and that's it. I understand that America's history has to do with it's involvement, but schools make it seem as if Germany wanted to be part of Nazism, which it didn't. The people who know the real stories aren't only those who experienced it, it's the sons and daughters who experience the backlash, who are educated by their mothers and fathers. I think there are several perspectives to this story. There's the obvious one of the actual history during WWII, but there is also the story of the kids who experienced the ignorance of their American peers, and the education of America which differs from the cultural German understanding.
I believe that not all people in the United States know about my people, Indonesian. It's really a far away country from here and i often got to see people putting weird face responding my answer "Indonesian". People from Asia might know the story of my people. But, who are my people? i'm an Indonesian. i think that all of the generations whether it's older or younger generations should tell the story of our people. :)
I believe that not many people know about the story of my people, about the story of Chinese Indonesians. Many people in the first place do not know where Indonesia is. When I say that I come from Indonesia, they will give weird faces and sometimes even ask back "where is Indonesia?" The funny thing is that when I mention Bali, then they go "Ahh, I know Bali!" However, the story of Indonesians, particularly Chinese Indonesians, is not just about Bali; there are many other places in Indonesia that has many different cultures that should, I think, be known to many people. Learning from each other's culture can help us be interculturally more competent and also gain new insights into the world. I believe that people who know of our story are mostly Indonesians themselves and Chinese. Within my family, the older generations know more about the story of our people, about how the Chinese moved to Indonesia because of post-war conditions. I think the people from the older generations should write our story as they know more about the story than the younger generations do.
Jon Garcia. I feel as though some people are aware or have herd stories of Hispanic people trying to get here to America to make for better living. My Parents who grew up with nothing but struggles that brought challenges. My father started working at the age of about 14 selling lottery tickets and polishing shoes. He tried to make money to help his mother and family since they didn’t come from very much. My mother who was a little more on the wealthy side didn’t have to work very much or at all for that matter in her younger years. When her and my father met, my father had to earn his position on my moms side of the family due to him coming from a poor family they questioned the support of his backbone when it back to supporting my mother and leaving her in his hands. They came to America and that’s where I was born. I feel as though those who can write the story of the Mexican people that are my people are the ones that have dealt with hard times or even been through things. I’m not saying someone who hasn’t experienced things cant tell a story, but I feel like it wouldn’t have much heart in it simply because how can someone who hasn’t gone through struggles really state or understanding what It feels like to go through things of that nature. Regardless I feel like everyone can write a story some with more stories to tell, some with less but either way it’s still a story and that can be carried with you no matter what.
I think the majority of the people in the U.S really know the story of the Filipinos. The older generation of my people will most likely know the story but the younger generations that are born in the U.S will most likely not know. Very little is mentioned about Filipinos in classrooms across the U.S. My parents and grandparents who are immigrants knows a great deal about the history of the Philippines. My people are native of Ilocosur,Philippines. Before coming to the U.S my grandparents made a living off farming (rice,tobacco). A person that have a long generation of family members in the Philippines and have the experience of the lifestyle of my people.
ReplyDeleteHI! I am Manisha.I guess telling story about your life may fulfilling for story writer but as a reader, I want to ask question, why I want to read that story? Now when science already proved this fact, that we all once came from Africa and spread all around the world. I guess it's time for us think differently about our people. Who are we? Just because we all are Asian that make us different from Europeans? or We just eat differently or live differently or we pray different god that make us different? Who are our people?
ReplyDeleteAs a filipina going to american schools, although we are mentioned here and there throughout history, I do not think that people really know the story of my people. I completely agreed with Yang when she said that my people are "a footnote in the history of the world" (Yang 4). Americans simply see us small gorilla fighters in the jungle but never really know the true struggle we went through during the Japanese invasion and such.
ReplyDeleteI think that many people know the basic facts and general story of the Vietnamese because of the American involvement during the Vietnam War. This is generally when people are taught about the history of the war and how many of the refugees ended up fleeing to Europe and America. However I feel like most people only understand the obvious and basic of the Vietnamese's story and their struggles as refugees. The fact that the history classes usually teach about the Vietnam war from an American perspective also contributes to that. My family was born and raised in south Vietnam before the war. Before fleeing the country my grandpa made money for the family from being in the military. My family lived through most of the war moving from base to base with my grandpa and eventually fled to America as refugees toward the end of the war. I think that people who experienced life in Vietnam during or before the war and life while fleeing to america should write our story. It's a story that not too many people think of beyond the surface facts they are taught in school. People who experienced this first hand would give the best story and description for the world to understand.
ReplyDeleteI believe most Japanese American people know the story of their families quite well. I know my family try to keep a lot of Japanese traditions alive at family get togethers. Though the traditions might be slowly dying I know a lot of my older relatives know many stories about how their parents immigrated to America from Japan. If anything, my aunts and uncles could tell the story of my ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI think people know little bit of what many Vietnamese people had to go through to come into the United States. Although my parents did not have to go through anything I would consider a harsh struggle, I know other family members and friends who had to go through hell to come to the United States for a better life. I do not think enough people know enough about those stories. I think these kind of stories can only come from the people who had first hand experience of it. That way, the stories would be that much more raw and intense.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Thomas Le
DeleteHey there this is John Brownfield. Well as far as my people go (the Japanese) I believe that here in America people know of Japan as those crazy kamikaze bombers rather than how we are culturally. So namely I feel that America only knows about Japan mostly related to WWII and that they "like anime and make video games." The people who actually know the stories and the lifestyles of the Japanese are also Japanese in origin. My "people" are Japanese and I feel that the person who should write their story is someone with a passion for writing who has experienced something having to do with the Japanese people that had nothing to do with WWII because America mostly knows all about how we treated Japanese people at that point in time.
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, majority of people should know about Koreans. Everyone has basic knowledge regarding the Korean war. There are times when I hear ignorant questions such as ,"are you from North or South Korea?" It's those kind of questions that makes me think, is that person ignorant? Or is Korea just a small Country that not many people know about. Someone who has encountered many obstacles in their lives while living in Korea should write a story about Korea.
ReplyDeleteSo who are my "people"? I really have a hard time identifying that because I believe my people is more than ethnic background or "Americanize." I can tell you who my ancestors are and where they come from. I am Filipino and I am Mexicano. My Filipino side comes from the province of Guagua, Pampanga. Where my Grandfather was a well-known respected teacher/principle with a beautiful housewife who was my Grandmother. On the other side my Grandmother was from Mexico who moved to Phoenix, Arizona and met my Grandfather there. They moved to Southern California settle there for a good amount of their lifetime. If you ask my younger cousins about my ancestors I don't think they would know the stories because they're too young. My father side of the family is both Mexican and Filipino.. So growing up I had the best of both worlds, however majority of the time it was pretty Americanize. I believe my people are people that I share a good relationship/friendship type a deal. But that is the story of my Ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that people know the stories of my peoples. Since I am mostly of Irish decent, I consider Irish people my peoples. Anyone who has access to history books or to the internet can gain knowledge of the stories of Irish people. I am honestly not sure who tells the stories of my people. My guess is that my early ancestors passed their stories down and eventually they got recorded by hand and passed down more accurately. I am not in-tact or educated on my Irish heritage so I am extremely fortunate that my ancestor's stories are recorded and easily assessable, unlike Yang's in "The Latehomecomer".
ReplyDeleteMost of my peoples stories are taught in schools. I am of an Irish decent, so the stories of the potato famine and the migration of the Irish to America in search of work, I believe, are highly known. In telling of my people stories are that of my own people, as well as teachers and experts to the history of the Irish. I admit I am not highly educated with the roots of my people, yet I am fortunate enough to receive an education that teaches the major events of the Irish people.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that people know the story of your people or your peoples because many people do not know about Korea. Since I have lived in the U.S for three year half, I have gotten the question many times "Are you from Chinese?" and I said I am from Korea, but they continued asking me "North or South?" It always makes me confused to answer the question. Also, Korea W
ReplyDeletear, they do not know about that very much. While the people who live in Korea, they should write about the story of Korea.
I came from one of the world’s oldest and unique culture—Chinese culture. Chinese culture is well documented as it dominates a large geographical region on eastern Asia for the longest time. Today, Chinese culture becomes really common and acceptable in America, where has the largest amount of Chinese immigrants in the world. Not only the food is easy to find, more and more people are also interested in the language, mythology and literature. I believe everyone can somehow experience something relates to Chinese culture and has a perspective about it, does not necessary has to a Chinese.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI believe I have some insight to my peoples' story. Time, and time again, my father would enlighten me through countless stories of the past and present about the Vietnamese people, and the horrors and the journeys they had to endure during the Vietnam War. Many Vietnamese parents, especially grandparents, know of these stories. I would say a majority of Vietnamese parents living here in America would be able to write a good enough story about the Vietnamese people.
ReplyDeleteSamuel Young- I have not seen many books or literature based on Taiwanese Culture or life. If I looked harder I believe I would find more but none have caught my attention. I am definitely proud to be Taiwanese and believe that the story of my people need to be told. Not many people know what or where Taiwan is. When I say I am Taiwanese, people often reply, "OOHhhhh so you are from Thailand right?" It's nice when people actually know what and where Taiwan is. So yes, I believe the story of my poeple needs to be told, and I would love anyone to tell it. As long as they have a good understanding of the culture and the people that lived there. A tiny country that was oppressed for a long time, it has many stories to tell. Taiwan has had a long history of being owned by Japan or China, both battling for the island so often praised for its beauty and often called the island of paradise. Some even call it the Hawaii of Asia. A small Island with tropical temperature, they were also victims of oppression, abandonment, and foreign invasion. Many stories can be told, so I hope they will all be told one day, and gain some attention.
ReplyDeleteI feel the story of my ethnicity isn't really known. Generally, the country you are studying in is what you'll learn about - history wise. For example, being in America, I've learned about wars and history of America. Sure we've been briefly taught about the Vietnam war but it was mainly focused on America's aide of the war. Ultimately I don't think the story of my ethnicity, Filipino, is known. I can say I've yet to learn something informative or interesting about the Philippines from others other than my own family. My dad tells me stories of the Philippines and that's really all the knowledge I even have about my culture. I have yet to really see books based on Filipino authors and their stories and would actually like to see a few.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the many people in the U.S. (Korean americans included) know little about the story of Koreans. Besides the short lessons of the Korean War and the influence of modern day Korea, people appear very unaware of the Korean story. The people who truly know the stories are Koreans themselves. My people are Koreans and Korean Americans. I can relate to both despite the culture gap between them. I have relatives like my mother’s side of the family who have lived their entire lives in Korea. In contrast, I also have my entire dad’s side of the family who all immigrated to the United States a little after the end of the Korean war. If there were a story about Koreans, I believe my parents’ generations could tell it best because they have lived through a war and the modernization of Korea.
ReplyDeleteI believe that I have a good insight on my people's story. My parents and grandparents always tells me stories about their lifestyle in Vietnam and China. People around my community are also mostly Chinese or Vietnamese, so I think everyone has similar stories from political issues to the Vietnam war. I'd say a most of the stories can be told well by the older generations of immigrants.
ReplyDeleteI think the story of the German people is ignored. What I experienced in American schooling is that Germany = Nazis, and that's it. I understand that America's history has to do with it's involvement, but schools make it seem as if Germany wanted to be part of Nazism, which it didn't. The people who know the real stories aren't only those who experienced it, it's the
ReplyDeletesons and daughters who experience the backlash, who are educated by their mothers and fathers. I think there are several perspectives to this story. There's the obvious one of the actual history during WWII, but there is also the story of the kids who experienced the ignorance of their American peers, and the education of America which differs from the cultural German understanding.
-Christian Back
I think the story of the German people is ignored. What I experienced in American schooling is that Germany = Nazis, and that's it. I understand that America's history has to do with it's involvement, but schools make it seem as if Germany wanted to be part of Nazism, which it didn't. The people who know the real stories aren't only those who experienced it, it's the
ReplyDeletesons and daughters who experience the backlash, who are educated by their mothers and fathers. I think there are several perspectives to this story. There's the obvious one of the actual history during WWII, but there is also the story of the kids who experienced the ignorance of their American peers, and the education of America which differs from the cultural German understanding.
-Christian Back
I believe that not all people in the United States know about my people, Indonesian. It's really a far away country from here and i often got to see people putting weird face responding my answer "Indonesian". People from Asia might know the story of my people. But, who are my people? i'm an Indonesian. i think that all of the generations whether it's older or younger generations should tell the story of our people. :)
ReplyDeleteI believe that not many people know about the story of my people, about the story of Chinese Indonesians. Many people in the first place do not know where Indonesia is. When I say that I come from Indonesia, they will give weird faces and sometimes even ask back "where is Indonesia?" The funny thing is that when I mention Bali, then they go "Ahh, I know Bali!" However, the story of Indonesians, particularly Chinese Indonesians, is not just about Bali; there are many other places in Indonesia that has many different cultures that should, I think, be known to many people. Learning from each other's culture can help us be interculturally more competent and also gain new insights into the world. I believe that people who know of our story are mostly Indonesians themselves and Chinese. Within my family, the older generations know more about the story of our people, about how the Chinese moved to Indonesia because of post-war conditions. I think the people from the older generations should write our story as they know more about the story than the younger generations do.
ReplyDeleteJon Garcia. I feel as though some people are aware or have herd stories of Hispanic people trying to get here to America to make for better living. My Parents who grew up with nothing but struggles that brought challenges. My father started working at the age of about 14 selling lottery tickets and polishing shoes. He tried to make money to help his mother and family since they didn’t come from very much. My mother who was a little more on the wealthy side didn’t have to work very much or at all for that matter in her younger years. When her and my father met, my father had to earn his position on my moms side of the family due to him coming from a poor family they questioned the support of his backbone when it back to supporting my mother and leaving her in his hands. They came to America and that’s where I was born. I feel as though those who can write the story of the Mexican people that are my people are the ones that have dealt with hard times or even been through things. I’m not saying someone who hasn’t experienced things cant tell a story, but I feel like it wouldn’t have much heart in it simply because how can someone who hasn’t gone through struggles really state or understanding what It feels like to go through things of that nature. Regardless I feel like everyone can write a story some with more stories to tell, some with less but either way it’s still a story and that can be carried with you no matter what.
ReplyDelete