joey
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Hello.
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Post by joey on Feb 12, 2006 3:32:45 GMT -5
On my Black side. I am occassionally reminded that I am not "that white" or that I look more black than I look white. I am mixed 1/2 Polish, 1/4 Indian, 1/4 Black. I find that often these comments come from folks who have issues with their own racial identities, those with a need to bring me down a peg in order to "let me know".
My question is this. Do Eurasians encounter this within their cultures? Are you labeled by your non-white culture, or "reminded" by your European culture of what you are or how you should identify?
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╗
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Post by ╗ on Feb 12, 2006 3:35:55 GMT -5
For a 50/50 Eurasian, it's usually it's something like, their White/Euro side says they're too Asian, and their Asian side says they're too European. As a result, we have a EAN Do you mean Native American or the kind from India?
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Post by y2j on Feb 12, 2006 4:05:48 GMT -5
Do you mean Native American or the kind from India? If he were Native American, he'd have said Native American. This is EurASIAn Nation, and India is part of Asia.... so therefore.... In Burma there aren't a lot of mixed children or 'Kabyar' anymore, most of them have left the country and live overseas. But when I went there, I felt the people's perception of Kabyar was that of curiosity, I found my cousin was eager to show me off to her friends, no matter where we went in Burma, she made sure I was with her to visit her friends. I think mainly Burmese people either see you as either Burmese or White. They're not used to the shades of grey that are EAs.
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joey
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Post by joey on Feb 12, 2006 19:59:21 GMT -5
Actually, Native American. I say Indian, cause I have no problem with that term. I consider Indians, Asian in a way. Do you mean Native American or the kind from India? If he were Native American, he'd have said Native American. This is EurASIAn Nation, and India is part of Asia.... so therefore.... In Burma there aren't a lot of mixed children or 'Kabyar' anymore, most of them have left the country and live overseas. But when I went there, I felt the people's perception of Kabyar was that of curiosity, I found my cousin was eager to show me off to her friends, no matter where we went in Burma, she made sure I was with her to visit her friends. I think mainly Burmese people either see you as either Burmese or White. They're not used to the shades of grey that are EAs.
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joey
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Hello.
Posts: 19
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Post by joey on Feb 12, 2006 20:01:25 GMT -5
Good to take the wait and see approach, never thought of that. Usually, people insist I am Latino, which bugs me endlessly, they have a beautiful and rich culture, but it's frustrating to be mistaken for something you are not, especially when you don't speak any Spanish. My question is this. Do Eurasians encounter this within their cultures? Are you labeled by your non-white culture, or "reminded" by your European culture of what you are or how you should identify? What I encounter most is that most people don't realize I'm half asian. So sometimes caucasians let their guards down and say something about asians that I find offensive. Sometimes makes for some ugly situations. But that's why when I meet new people I don't mention my race until it comes up. That way the people are more honest and I can see if they have any racist tendencies towards asians. If they know early on, they tend to watch what they say even though they are thinking it.
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Post by ╗ on Feb 12, 2006 21:28:50 GMT -5
If he were Native American, he'd have said Native American. This is EurASIAn Nation, and India is part of Asia.... so therefore.... Actually, Native American. @y2j: OWNED!!!!!!* *Once again, this is only a playful way of saying "you were wrong". Not meant to be offensive. And whether you are, in fact, "owned" or not, is entirely up to you. lol.
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ohno
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Post by ohno on Feb 13, 2006 1:56:33 GMT -5
hehe
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Post by Sensei on Feb 13, 2006 3:40:13 GMT -5
My question is this. Do Eurasians encounter this within their cultures? Are you labeled by your non-white culture, or "reminded" by your European culture of what you are or how you should identify? Not really. For the most part, my Asian friends accept me more as an Asian, because of my personality/culture, rather than using the ambiguity of my features or racial background to question what group I should identify with. They accept me because we share the same culture--and of course, 'cause we just get along. Although, occasionally I'll get the joke, "you're only half chink" (from my Chinese friend), which I honestly don't mind being reminded of as much these days. I take my mixed heritage as a blessing, and I've become increasingly aware that most Asians see mixed heritage as being a blessing (for better or worse).
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Post by jefe on Feb 13, 2006 8:35:54 GMT -5
Within your culture . . . .
Even that can be a loaded question. . . .
If the area I grew up in an area that started out segregated (99% white, mostly redneck) that had been transformed to over 75% African American for the past two decades (around Washington, DC). . .
If my Chinese-born non-English speaking grandparents provided childcare in my early childhood while my parents worked, . . .
If I used to be an officer in the Asian Students Club (majority Asian American) at a university that was 1/3 Jewish (living in a dormitory almost 1/2 Jewish) in Massachusetts ¡V, . .
If I lived for a few years in a majority LATINO neighborhood, mostly of Central American origin, . . .
If I LIVED every weekend for 2 years with FOB refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia while working at a Chinese restaurant in Virginia, while at the same time hanging out in my free time with Taiwanese at their churches, bible study, outings, parties, . .
If I used to participate actively with a Filipino Cultural Ensemble in New York City, had Filipino roommates, lived in a neighborhood that was 30% Filipino and have a Filipino-American godmother (ninang) . . .
If I spent my childhood summers every year in small town Alabama (southern USA), in a white area segregated from nearby black sections, . .
If I lived on a majority ethnic Chinese street in Malaysia, . . .
IF I was in the Japan Society in New York, and later went on study tour and worked in Japan, . . . .
If I now live in HK in a building that is 95% local HK Chinese and work in a multi-national environment with little or no contact with native born Americans, white, black, Asian, EA or otherwise, . . .
I have participated directly on a regular basis with at least a dozen different groups, none of which treat me as exactly part of THEIR culture. . . WHAT IS MY CULTURE, pray tell?
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reasonist
Full Member
Empower your reason.
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Post by reasonist on Feb 13, 2006 11:16:05 GMT -5
^mixed culture ofcourse.
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Post by miaim on Feb 13, 2006 17:55:06 GMT -5
Do Eurasians encounter this within their cultures? Are you labeled by your non-white culture, or "reminded" by your European culture of what you are or how you should identify? i broadly agree with you... wat people think of you says a lot more about their views on race than anything else.... my non-white culture (jap) but more broadly east asians like to remind me i'm half white.... when i went to vietnam, they kept on asking me if i "had american in me".... by which they meant "white".... most white people operate on the "one drop rule".... so personally, i've never been under any delusion that i'm white....just the daughter, niece, granddaughter, cousin of whites....it's part of my cultural influences but i don't identify with it either... everyone else thinks i'm a generic "asian" tho i can pass for latina &, sometimes, arab..... i find the longer i'm away from asia, the more i find myself identifying "yellow" or just east asian - ihst, i don't mind being labeled chinese - ....even tho the only asian culture i really know well is japanese....but hell, we all eat rice out of bowls, don't we? i think it all depends on where you live(ed) & the experiences you've had.... peace
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Post by muzo on Feb 13, 2006 18:01:24 GMT -5
Do Eurasians encounter this within their cultures? Are you labeled by your non-white culture, or "reminded" by your European culture of what you are or how you should identify? but hell, we all eat rice out of bowls, don't we? nope. not all asians do.
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Post by muzo on Feb 13, 2006 18:03:34 GMT -5
^ok
i take it back then
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Post by y2j on Feb 18, 2006 18:42:08 GMT -5
Actually, Native American. I say Indian, cause I have no problem with that term. I consider Indians, Asian in a way. Help me out here....how? I fail to see the logic...
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Post by ╗ on Feb 18, 2006 19:57:58 GMT -5
^"Native American" technically should refer to any native of what is now the US, including Hawaiians and Alaskans (Eskimos, etc), but the term is generally used for American Indians (Navajos, Cherokees, for example), and the only reason these natives are called "Indian" is because Columbus (aka Cristóbal Colón ;D ) thought he was in India when he "discovered" America.
Interestingly, these native American Indians actually have Asian blood, because they descend from people who crossed the Bering Strait from Asia into what is now Canada/Alaska. You might've noticed that native American Indians look quite Asian.
All of this is EXACTLY the reason why so many half-White/half-Asian people look Mexican/Latino. I could explain that, but it would make this post longer.
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