Who: Jimi Hendrix

What: “The Star-Spangled Banner”

When: Vietnam War

Where: Woodstock

Why: In 1969, Jimi Hendrix song “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock. Usually, people say the singers who sing the national anthem are very patriotic. In this book, the author also said “With the use of pure sound as a sole medium of expression, Hendrix is able to represent the testimonial voice of the historical contradiction in their rawest form as the “other” of patriotism.” (Kato, p84) However, in my opinion, we can take two reasons why he song this in Woodstock. I mean the truth might be mystery because we don’t know this action was only from his patriotism or not.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Through the cracks opened up in the sonic statue of liberty, we hear the wail, cry, and scream of those souls that have been killed, raped, exploited, and bombed by “America,” interspersed between the shrieking sounds medium of expression and violence.” (Kato, p84)

So, it was easy that people in Woodstock must have associated his national anthem with Vietnam War. It was sure that he song against the war. However, is it sure that he song this only because he wanted to be peace in America? I wonder whether we can also think about this was because he might mad at America having the war or not.

Through the movie“The Black Kungfu Experience,” I was impressed because I didn’t know that some black people are interested in Kung Fu and that they not only have interests, but also excellent skills. At the same time, I learned one of the reasons why they started to have interests in Kung Fu was caused by their negative experiences of discrimination. I suggested this because they tried to have something fun in their life. They found Kung Fu and they were drawn into it. A reason this might be because Kung Fu was from a different culture, so they found common ground between kung Fu and themselves. There might be some connection between them.

I especially like Oso Tayari Casel. He mixed Kung Fu and African culture, creating a new culture in America. I think his thought of Kung Fu is more creative than that just only Kung Fu being Americanized. Through the discussion about “Pop-ositions” on Tuesday, I found popular culture was caused by globalization. By Oso Tayari Casel, African culture and Asian culture were brought to America, and then they became a new culture in America.

I assumed that new culture gave better understanding around the world because they put two different things together and they became familiar around all around.

In my group, we concluded the pop-osition from Kato that “the Kung Fu cultural revolution ignited transnational resistance against Japanese cultural imperialism.”

Before I read this book, I didn’t care the difference between Kung Fu and karate. However, reading this passage; “The base of tou-di was formed through the cultural exchange between China and Okinawa, since they entered a tributary relationship in the fourteenth century” (Kato, p20), I knew that karate was from Kung Fu originally. Although now they are recognized as different kinds, they used to be from the same. I suppose that because of globalization, Kung Fu became to know as karate in Japan and then they became one of popular cultures in the world. So, in my opinion, the relationship between globalization and popular culture is ordinary relationship. In this book, the author said that there was resistance between Japan and China as karate became popular in China. Because of globalization, popular culture would exist all over the world. It’s sad that popular cultures from globalization like Kung Fu and karate won’t always bring happiness, but I’m sure that these popular cultures’ problem are be able to resolve with researching their connections and backgrounds.

Reading this chapter and watching the music videos, I was surprised because they sang about themselves. As an example, in “Sci-Fi Wasabi,” she sang “I’m Miho Hatori….” I don’t know about Hip Pop well, but I don’t think they’re made only for money. Listening to their songs, I deeply understood what they wanted to tell us. I suppose the reason why, even when they are singing about themselves directly, they can became popular is that they are in America. In Japan, most of them are the same race and they don’t like to be highlighted. Japanese don’t often tell their opinions in front of people. So, I really like this American culture which people can say anything without caring, and I am glad that Asians also can tell their feelings through this culture.

In addition, I was actually excited to discuss about the meaning of “kawaii.” I couldn’t say anything in the class, but since I came here, I found that “kawaii” became like one of English words. This is because “kawaii” in English doesn’t have the meaning “kawaii” in Japanese. I felt the same strangeness as in this chapter, “the Japanese term kawaii translates as “cute” and is used to describe a gendered aesthetic style that melds the image of the underaged, sometimes coyly innocent nymphet with the pleasures of consumer capitalism.” (Dave, p295) Sometimes I heard “kawaii” from some people, but I couldn’t agree with them because the meaning of “kawaii” is changed from Japanese language. So, I considered about what “kawaii” means exactly. Then, I found that Japanese “kawaii” has many meanings. For example, in Japanese fashion on clothes, there are plenty of kinds. So, depending on the fashions, it is different that people say “kawaii.” In my opinion, “kawaii” in English is only used in anime, so people misunderstand the word is only for them. I want people who don’t know the meaning exactly to know that “kawaii” is not only for anime, and also it depends on the tastes.

I researched “kawaii” on Google image.

And also I did “可愛い(kawaii in Japanese) ” on the same way.

Which one is your image closer against “kawaii?” For me, the image of Japanese kawaii is similar of my image. There are people, babies, animals, and no characters. I hope my posts will make more clear what “kawaii” means.

This chapter made me complicated, because I could not say I knew about Asians really well, after I checked “alllooksome” and watch this movie.

Click here to view the embedded video.

How do you think about this movie? Do you already know where they are from? I could say correct answers for all of them. So, after I watched it, this movie made me angry. This is because people mixed about Asians completely. In my opinion, these people were famous all over the world because I heard their name in news, on TV, and so on in Japan. I noticed there were some people who knew well only by Asian areas. However after that, I took the test which I had to answer where people were for the pictures, and I was surprised how difficult to know their roots even I’m an Asian. I just figured 8 people out of 18 people. So, until now, I’ve got angry when somebody talked to me in some Asian languages except Japanese, but I won’t be able to do because I also can’t distinguish Asians exactly. In addition, before I watched this film; “The Wedding Banquet,” I had never known how wonderful the Chinese wedding was. Every time when I got new knowledge about Asian culture, I was glad to know it. But, at the same time, I was embarrassed because I also noticed that I just know about very few Asian culture. This chapter and today’s movie reminded me that I needed to know more about Asian culture.

In chapter 10 in Dave’s book, I had the question how to choose the queens. And, I checked the Nisei Week web site, and found this movie which was the last year’s festival.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As we could know from this movie, they had to introduce themselves as one of the basis for the judgment. I noticed all of candidates in this festival must have had great courage, because to introduce themselves would mean that they became to know their backgrounds. As this book told us, “They were a perfect form of popular culture through which to see larger struggles over race, gender, and nation.” (Dave, p205) I suppose that they accepted this fact already before running for the queen. And, this festival would be great opportunity for them to know about themselves.

Reference material: http://www.niseiweek.org/lauren-naomi-iwata-crowned-73rd-nisei-week-queen/