|
Post by davidbleo on May 10, 2006 20:35:35 GMT -5
Hi! (this is my first new topic =P) I want to ask to all of you, if you have a certain level of assimilation to the culture of the place where you live (I think almost all have at least some), and if you have, 'til which level goes that... I ask this 'cause the chinese side of my family was assimilated since its beginning in Mexico... my grandma didn't speak much cantonese, and all of her brothers/siters had/have spanish names... even my great-grand father change his name to Enrique and use the last name in the occidental way even adding the maternal last name that's used in latinamerica... so he was Enrique Leo Wang, then my grandma was Carmen Leo de Tejeda, my mother is Carmen Georgina Tejeda Leo and I'm David Botello Tejeda and so (at least on my family side) the chinese culture, language and name were dissolved... I'm just a mexican with some chinese ancestry and a big interest on that...
I want to know if some of your families have passed through this assimilation or if you think that your sons/grandsons will eventually be 100% assimilated ?
David
|
|
|
Post by DivaDancerLara on May 12, 2006 8:56:11 GMT -5
Well my mom and dad didn't teach my their languages but wanted me to learn french since it is the second language in Canada. But she still forced me to watch bollywood movies and get angry when I asked her "What are they saying"
They thought I should be a "Canadian" kid and thought this was one of the ways to do it. So they held back on teaching me alot of cultural things. however my mom still tries to get me to wear bhindi's and indian bangles and earrings.
Yeap...she's a working paradox.
|
|
|
Post by ali on May 12, 2006 18:58:56 GMT -5
Well my Father left before I was born and he wasn't Cantonese even though there are alot were I come from . Um growing up I was pretty American but as I started to get older I hung out with more Asians and African americans some. I was pretty lonely growing up because I was diffrent ,I don't really know for sure why . I tend to be more traditional and I walk softly and let the elder people go first and stuff . I was raised in america all my life but alot of times I feel foreign . White women tend to look at me funny and I don't really know why becuase on the Asian side I have been told that I look white and that I was not very pretty . But when I go out in public I tend to be more acepted with other Chinese and other Asians . SO I am kind of stuck if you know what I mean . I don't want to conform and be all americanized . But I don't want to be tooo traditional and far gone . My nabor down the street is cantones and he is so Americanized it an't even funny he listens to rap music and does dope . He is awful .His fatehr is nice and kind and more Chinese but this kid is so sad he has a Wong last name but is I think dishonoring his family because he does all this bad stuff and hangs out with more Qi lo . I am more Chinese then he is . I actually just wish he would get his head out of his *0**0. I understand this concept I think you can be both traditionally something that you are and you can savor another countrys culture .
|
|
|
Post by londongirl on May 13, 2006 1:07:29 GMT -5
Davidbleo, can I ask what your ethnic breakdown is? Is your mother a sephardic jew? I had no idea there were chinese people in mexico though I did know about there being a significant korean community.
|
|
|
Post by xriz on May 14, 2006 13:06:41 GMT -5
My Grandparents came from Canton in the 1920's to California. My Grandfather never really assimilated; I doubt he spoke more then a few dozens Words in English even though he lived in the US for 50 some years. My Grandmother assimilated much more, she left my GF in the late 30’s, spoke fluent English though with an accent. Though both G-parents stuck very close to LA’s Chinatown and shopped in Chinese oriented grocery stores.
My Father is totally Americanized, he must have know Cantonese growing up; I remember my GF and GM speaking to him in Cantonese but he only responded in English. He also served in the Korean war as an American solider, so I think their were some issues between him and his parents since the US was effectively fighting the Chinese.
|
|
|
Post by davidbleo on May 15, 2006 1:14:45 GMT -5
Davidbleo, can I ask what your ethnic breakdown is? Is your mother a sephardic jew? I had no idea there were chinese people in mexico though I did know about there being a significant korean community. I'm 1/8 cantonese and 7/8 a lot of other things... hehe, and the jew part came from my first lastname, Botello, they came from Portugal around 1590 and became "crypto-jews" their grandsons weren't jewish anymore (religion)... and my mother is 1/4 cantonese, 3/4 spanish and I think some amerindian as my dad too... 400 years in Mexico and is almost certain than the family has some native blood (even when isn't noticed)... and from my granmother on my father's side I've some irish too, but just 1/16.. one of my ancestors left the american army to fight for Mexico around 1847 (the St. Patrick battallion)... And the father of my granmother on my mother's side came from Guangzhou in around 1917, he came together with his brother but his brother was killed by some racist catholic extremists (a sad irony 'cause they were christian)... and then he moved to Veracruz and had 12 sons 6 women and 6 men, none of them really speak cantonese... so at that point the family was almost assimilated to the mexican culture... ...anyway I think here assimilation is a lot easier than in Europe, the US or Australia... 'cause here race is not such a "big deal" like in those places... we have racism, but for our disgrace it is against the native population... well, more or less that are some important points about my family... David
|
|
|
Post by davidbleo on May 15, 2006 1:30:16 GMT -5
That's really interesting, I cannot imagine what he thought, or his parents... ...my grandma's brother fought during the WWII with the americans in the pacific, but that's not as contrasting as your father's story...
|
|
|
Post by lcakdawg on May 17, 2006 6:45:52 GMT -5
I'm half Japanese, half Euro-American. My European side has been on this side of the Atlantic (American btw) since before the USA was founded. My mom came to America after she married my dad. I've grown up both in Japan and America.
I don't really know what to say about the assimilation of my family, since I'm 1st generation mixed with ties to both nations. My dad is 100% American, born midwest, fought in Nam. But he's not very typical, since he's extremely open to other cultures since he's worked in Japan, Korea, China, Isreal and Vietnam. He can speak Japanese, a little Korean, a little Spanish, and I think he can still speak a little Vietnamese. So he's kind of unusual for a typical white guy in America.
My mom's full Japanese. She can act American, has a very minor accent but I know deep down she's 100% Japanese.
As for me, I would say I'm fully integrated in American culture. Well, 90% anyway. Still a few things that I still don't get or agree with, a holdover from when I lived in Japan. I would rate my Japaneseness at a 50% though. It's fallen off alot since I moved to California.
I don't know how my dad got my mom's father's approval to marry though. He was a hardcore patriot who served in the Imperial Japanese Navy. The guy died before I was born, but it's always struck me as weird that someone with that background would be cool with his daughter marrying an American.... a former American soldier no less.
|
|
|
Post by داود on May 17, 2006 11:11:26 GMT -5
What is 100% assimilation? ;D Reiterating ancient stereotypes as an absolute truth and saying things that are long known by everybody around? Trained to respect and imbibe national propaganda? ;D How about obedient and hypnotized conformists who are always able to "learn" and die in the name of whatever?
|
|
|
Post by davidbleo on May 17, 2006 17:52:49 GMT -5
What is 100% assimilation? ;D Reiterating ancient stereotypes as an absolute truth and saying things that are long known by everybody around? Trained to respect and imbibe national propaganda? ;D How about obedient and hypnotized conformists who are always able to "learn" and die in the name of whatever? I was talking about culture... if culture to you means "ancient stereotypes" "respect national propaganda" and to be an "hypnotized conformist"... only if culture means that to you, then yes, that's assimilation
|
|
|
Post by داود on May 17, 2006 22:14:35 GMT -5
What is 100% assimilation? ;D Reiterating ancient stereotypes as an absolute truth and saying things that are long known by everybody around? Trained to respect and imbibe national propaganda? ;D How about obedient and hypnotized conformists who are always able to "learn" and die in the name of whatever? I was talking about culture... if culture to you means "ancient stereotypes" "respect national propaganda" and to be an "hypnotized conformist"... only if culture means that to you, then yes, that's assimilation What is culture? Isn't it society's norms, behavior patterns, beliefs, and traditions? Anyway, I was interested in % of assimilation. To assimilate into a foreign culture one should learn the language, arts, history, and classic literature of the country. What that stands for? It is interesting how people define 50%, 100% assimilation.
|
|
|
Post by davidbleo on May 18, 2006 7:56:51 GMT -5
Now... what's the percentage of classic literature knowledge in your country... or art knowledge... with this standards we can say that many nations have no culture. Traditions are quite important speaking of culture, beliefs more or less... but the most important thing when I was referring to cultural assimilation is how much contact do you have with people of the country you live in, and if you can be one of them... i.e. you don't alienate yourself... I cannot explain it the way I'd want to... ...anyway what I'm saying is more understandable here in Mexico where race isn't even important for the popular view, so assimilation is easier...
A big part of culture are even very simple things... do you let enter first to the bus/train/metro to a woman, how's your relationship with friends... how easy do you start conversation with "strangers"... etc... you can be the smartest, most aware of thing, nonconformist and still be a part of a cultur... unless your culture means being an hypnotyzed moron
100% assimilation not of an individual, but of a family (the main question)... families can be a part of that culture without being hypnotized conformist, right ?
It has f**kining nothing to do with PROPAGANDA or LEARN TO DIE in the name of "whatever"... that was my point in my previos post... now you changed your "idea" of culture from that to literature and art... you only wanted to be offensive or maybe funny with the first one...
And please explain me how being an hypnotized conformist able to learn to die is related to culture... maybe a redneck american moron member of the national guard able to die and kill mexicans in the border (stereotype is culture for you, for what you said) or how any other stereotype is culture...
Assimilation: you change your culture ('til certain poin in favor of another), 'cause you are in constant contact with it... IT IS NOT you believe blindly all what the national propaganda says or being able to die for your country for any reason...
|
|
|
Post by داود on May 18, 2006 12:47:43 GMT -5
when I was referring to cultural assimilation is how much contact do you have with people of the country you live in, and if you can be one of them... i.e. you don't alienate yourself OK. ;D That's what I wanted to learn. I did not want to assume automatically that I understand what you meant by 100% assimilation. I know couple of Latinos who are surprised that people around here don't know their own neighbors. I think that family is also important for them. On the other hand, family is considered to be important in many countries, yet I know many families that fell apart because of money. Priorities differ in different cultures. Propaganda instititions, ideologies are also important part of culture in many countries (maybe not in your country I don't know). A person can be inside the culture in certain things and outside the culture in other things. In some countries natives are outside the dominant culture.
|
|