did you ever reject your eurasian identity?

[Subuatai]

Bleh, racial identification, wonder when there'll be a day where people are actually simply identified by who they are as individuals alone.

[Paddy]

Jun 5, 2009 7:16:12 GMT -5 Subuatai said:

Bleh, racial identification, wonder when there'll be a day where people are actually simply identified by who they are as individuals alone.

Well like Jefe says, identities evolve and I think there is an evolution of realisation within us as we discover the significance and extent of our personal cultural and historical contexts (history in terms of family and 'text book' history). I think it enriches us as we make these realisations.

Or embarrassment or shame can drive us to question and explore aspect of who we are or who we can be. And Jefe is right, if we feel inadequate or under-educated (about our constituent parts), then learning a language, picking up some books, or positively engaging people can kick stat that process of realisation.

We shouldn't be afraid of challenging our notions of self-perception, otherwise our shame remains a chip on our shoulder. Learn and read!! And then we can see ourselves as individuals (without hang-ups).

[Subuatai]

Well, I never knew much about my Mongol side until I left my life on the streets behind and managed to reconcile with my family. I then learnt about my people's spirituality and history. Yet at the same time global stereotypes revolve around that we are violent barbaric drunkards who start fights where-ever we go.

It rang true in my case, but it was my upbringing, not my blood, being raised on the streets. Very few people understand what it's like growing up in such an environment. But people who know nothing of my past think I'm just your typical Mongol by my looks and attitude... pfft, considering I haven't met any other Mongol people until I came to Sydney, such thinking is rather pathetic. Blaming my people for traits that I adopted in which my own people had nothing to do with -> WTF?!

Not just that, but I'm just tired of fighting for my wife and daughter to be accepted socially as individual human beings both in the Aussie community and Mongol community. There's no where my daughter will fit in, so I'm supporting individualism ALL THE WAY.

[rob]

Jun 6, 2009 9:18:09 GMT -5 Subuatai said:

Well, I never knew much about my Mongol side until I left my life on the streets behind and managed to reconcile with my family. I then learnt about my people's spirituality and history. Yet at the same time global stereotypes revolve around that we are violent barbaric drunkards who start fights where-ever we go.

Do you really know ur mongol side?

You strike as a smart/sincere guy but to me (as a resident and student of mongolia for the past few years) a lot of the mongol identity you cling to (and parade so proudly in posts on relationships and china for instance) strike me as v stereotyped, caricature and factually incorrect. I can indulge you here or offline if you like

[rob]

May 26, 2009 10:29:28 GMT -5 Kalvien said:

though I'm mixed chinese-dutch, I dont speak mandarin or dutch at all

Didn't u introduce urself as indo-dutch? No bigs, I'm just a bit confused and prob have a faulty memory

Either way curious to know if ur family has a chinese, dutch or royal indo (ending w "jono" or "jaya") sounding last name?

[fei]

rob only in recently year that Indonesia government allow the Chinese Indonesia to learn and speak Mandarin. before that that are not allow to use Chinese name and even write Chinese, speaking Chinese can get you beat up. During the Independence time Indonesia have ship those alot of of dutch parentage or anyone who is loyal to the dutch and nationalism cause alot of dutch and Chinese Indonesia to leave.

[jaz]

I think when I was a little kid I just thought I was white because everyone around me was. Later when I got called names all the time I realised I looked different. My family moved around a lot and every time I started at a new school I was the new kid and got called names again. My father often made racist and negative remarks about Asians as well, which didn't help (I might talk about this later in another thread). Because of this, when I was a kid and teenager, I wanted to reject the Chinese side. It seemed all it did was bring me trouble (or rather, other people's reaction to it brought me trouble).

Later, when I was at uni and beyond, I started learning about Asian and other cultures. I felt like I was in a bit of a cultural wilderness, not really belonging to any group, but free to explore.

A lot has happened since then, but I think I am now fairly comfortable with being EA, maybe partially because I'm older and more confident, and partially because society's attitudes seem to have evolved since I was a kid. Also I work in a place where there are a lot of international people around. Sometimes I think I have actually started feeling like a regular person, not some freak walking around. When I walk around the city there are so many people around from different countries, so much more so no than when I was younger, that I don't feel like I am anything unusual anymore.

Jun 6, 2009 8:57:15 GMT -5 Paddy said:

Well like Jefe says, identities evolve and I think there is an evolution of realisation within us as we discover the significance and extent of our personal cultural and historical contexts (history in terms of family and 'text book' history). I think it enriches us as we make these realisations.

I have read a few books about the early Chinese in Australia and the contributions they made. For example in one book about the Chinese in Cairns I read that they were responsible for establishing some argicultural industries in North Queensland, such as bananas, sugar cane and other crops. My grandfathers' family were mentioned in the book and from some info I've found I think that my great-grandfather might have been one of those cane farmers before becoming a storekeeper.
The last year or so I have been exploring my family history and I think it is helping me build more of an identity and appreciate both sides of the family more. I wish I'd talked more to the grandparents while they were still around because I could have found out more.

[mingzayni88]

well, when i was younger i felt i had no choice but to reject any mixed ancestry because of the ODR (one drop rule), I even feel like that a bit today. Can someone tell me why that rule is still around in the 21st century? -_-'

[Subuatai]

I have read a few books about the early Chinese in Australia and the contributions they made. For example in one book about the Chinese in Cairns I read that they were responsible for establishing some argicultural industries in North Queensland, such as bananas, sugar cane and other crops. My grandfathers' family were mentioned in the book and from some info I've found I think that my great-grandfather might have been one of those cane farmers before becoming a storekeeper.
The last year or so I have been exploring my family history and I think it is helping me build more of an identity and appreciate both sides of the family more. I wish I'd talked more to the grandparents while they were still around because I could have found out more.

It's always nice to read history, I never even knew of my own people's contributions to Australia until this:

In multicultural pioneering history of Australia we also do have many Mongolian/Turanian people to honour; - the cameleers, who in the 1800's were invited to come from Afghanistan and Pakistan to run camel-trains that carried supplies in the outback.
Some descendants claim their ancestry back to Chingghis Khaan or the Turk nomads and the culture is still upheld by a few communities.
Especially in the desert areas cameleers history is respected and celebrated to this day as it is still vividly remembered.

These Cameleers who came:

... were adventurous, young, unmarried men, mainly from nomad background

... were from various backgrounds and countries near Afghanistan, but they were all called "Afghans".

... Europeans became dependent on, they were very reliable

... built Ghantowns, and different ethnic groups became to regard them as friends and neighbours, close-knit communities formed, (no religious intolerance, because this was seen as something everybody personally needs to decide for themselves)

... employed Aboriginal men and women, thus exchange of skills, knowledge and goods developed, resulting in enduring partnerships and several marriages. (Cameleers didn't like the harsh treatment of indigenous peoples by the by the "fringi" (white Australians), this kind of disrespect to natives the cameleers could not accept)

... lived to great old ages over 90, even though their work was very hard.


Later when motorised transport took over the camel-trains, cameleers were asked to shoot their camels. This they could not do, but instead let them go free. Hence we now have a million wild camels in the desert.

[Paddy]

What a great story.

Jun 7, 2009 9:10:49 GMT -5 mingzayni88 said:

well, when i was younger i felt i had no choice but to reject any mixed ancestry because of the ODR (one drop rule), I even feel like that a bit today. Can someone tell me why that rule is still around in the 21st century? -_-'

Isn't the ODR more of an unspoken convention these days upheld by racists?

[jenbrook]

Jun 8, 2009 6:47:12 GMT -5 Paddy said:

What a great story.

Isn't the ODR more of an unspoken convention these days upheld by racists?

Not just by racists, but also by most mixed african americans.. usually they consider themselves black. Every single mixed black/white celebrity is known to the media as black, as well as identifying themselves openly as black. Halle berry.. first black femal oscar winner.. barrack obama.. first black president..

[mingzayni88]

Jun 8, 2009 6:47:12 GMT -5 Paddy said:

What a great story.

Jun 7, 2009 9:10:49 GMT -5 mingzayni88 said:

well, when i was younger i felt i had no choice but to reject any mixed ancestry because of the ODR (one drop rule), I even feel like that a bit today. Can someone tell me why that rule is still around in the 21st century? -_-'

Isn't the ODR more of an unspoken convention these days upheld by racists?

Haha, pelle answered before i did, but i'll still answer anyway...yup! yes it is!

[mingzayni88]

Jun 8, 2009 14:19:43 GMT -5 pelle said:

Jun 8, 2009 14:05:26 GMT -5 jenbrook said:

Not just by racists, but also by most mixed african americans.. usually they consider themselves black. Every single mixed black/white celebrity is known to the media as black, as well as identifying themselves openly as black. Halle berry.. first black femal oscar winner.. barrack obama.. first black president..

Perhaps this is just a career move though. A century ago they would have identified as white, if they could. It was just more marketable. I think I read once that Halle Berry did not have much contact or a good relationship with her black father and was raised almost exclusively by her white mother. Similar story with Barack Obama. Therefore I have a hard time believing they identify only with their black heritage, no matter what their public personas might be.

I have a hard time believing they identify w/ only their black heritage aswell...espacially Obama. I mean Halle Berry could probably say that she hung out w/ the black kids at school or w/e...but Obama was raised in Hawaii...don't think too many black ppl go school there.

also,he was basically the only person w/ any African heitage in his household (i believe his father wasn't around), so i don't get how he would identify only w/ being black.

[thesa]

Not really on topic, but this song catches many emotions that some of us have had when growing up.


Yoon Mi-Rae Black Happiness
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD3r5C1h0gw

[nakanaka]

Jun 9, 2009 6:51:36 GMT -5 @thesa said:

Not really on topic, but this song catches many emotions that some of us have had when growing up.


Yoon Mi-Rae Black Happiness
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD3r5C1h0gw

that's such a pretty song~~

it kind of reminds me of this japanese song that really reminds me of growing up eurasian

Angela Aki tegami~haikei juugo no kimi he~ (letter, dear 15 year old you)