Chapter 1:

Goa trance is inspired by ignorant appropriation of Indian culture by hippie-tourists.

Chapter 2: The arrival and immigration of the Vietnamese to the US after the influence by exile and anticommunism has initiated the production of Viet Kieu, which has now formed and evolved in multiple ways. With the enthusiastic individuals of Vietnam and the advances in all different forms of technology the Vietnamese have formed a “special blend of nostalgia that appeals not only to the members of the diasporic communities but also to the residents of Vietnam, ultimately evolving Viet Kieu over time.

Chapter5 : Due to colonization, Languages have affected one anthers meaning and created new words and meanings for exsiting words. It has lead to a sense of privledge in some cases due to education and has influenced popular music by being able to have double meanings and be interchangeable in language.

Kato:

Hollywood has a desire for  the kine-aesthetic and performative narrative in the forms of Samurai and Kung Fu films, which is the art born of reclaimation of culture from post-colonialism.

FUSION CUISINE!! 

More thoughts on different chapters from Dave. “If fusion is heralded as the democratic melding of cuisines, it is largely because it is a type of culinary multiculturalism that seems to challenge the rigidity of national boundaries and fixity.” In Ashland, MA there is a restaurant based around the idea of fusion cuisine. On the website this is the entry of the restaurant and its basis for meals. “Welcome to Fusion Cuisine located in Ashland, MA. This stylish and modern restaurant blends a variety of different Asian cuisines into an extensive and delectable menu featuring Chinese, Thai, and Japanese tastes. Red, plush suede booths, private tatami rooms, an eye-catching marble top bar and an array of plasma televisions are just a few glimpses into this contemporary and relaxing dining experience. Large groups and private parties are easily accommodated in our spacious rooms by our knowledgeable and friendly staff. Come explore a feast for your senses as we prepare unforgettable Asian inspired tastes and drinks in a setting meant to inspire a most memorable experience.”( http://www.fusion-cuisine.com/d ) I’d absolutely love to visit a restaurant like this, they attack all your senses and let you experience the ‘asian’ culture and I believe that it would be fun to go somewhere like this, but I also feel that its not a true experience as its all combined together when all the cultures have different traditions. I’m sure the food has also been somewhat ‘americanized’ but thats sort of the idea of food fusion cuisine, right? “Fusion cuisine, defines it as “a harmonious combination of foods of various origins.” “The burgeoning popularity of fusion cuisine in  urban metropolises can be understood as part of the trend toward high income gentrification within certain sectors of the urban landscape in global cities such as New York, London and Tokyo.” Basically my thoughts on this chapter and the idea of Fusion makes me want to learn more and experience it, but it also confuses me as I don’t understand if they want people to get the ‘asian experience’ as its referred to on the restaurant description but I sort of hate the idea of it being called that as all cultures had traditional ways they go about things, cook things etc and truly experiencing those would be completely different, but than again thats the idea of this, not sure why I can’t wrap my head around the thought truly.

A mix of my notes & thoughts

Manong/manag – referring to a brother or older male figure typically (Filipino)

‘contentless’ –problems of keeping it real for the black eyed peas

hegemony or hegemonic-fighting the attempted dominance, any language music etc. that defies a mainstream group without shame

black eyed peas are creating music without shame

heavily modified multiculturalism – a tactic that is born of diasporic  experiences and rooted in the aesthetic language of Filipino strategies of colonial resistance

bebot, the APL song, where is the love = black eyed peas

Where is the love ended up becoming an overplayed song somewhat and sort of losing its power over time compared to when it first came out.

“As I get older, people get colder” – black eyed peas, where is the love

APL song (black eyed peas)

-remembering and alternate storytelling

bilingualism – song is half Filipino and have English ( back an fourth throughout)

“resistance vernaculars” (tony Mitchell)

-sampling and the dialogics of hip hop (Mikhail bakhtin

“Balita”

loss- the war war 2. When the war was over Filipino fighters had their benefits taken away after them being promised for fighting with the americans against Japan in the war

Bebot a dollar a day a dime a dance reference

Stockton California labor work

No flipinos allowed signed at beginning of video

Generation 1 & 2

Adobo

Definitely not all Filipino girls (I think?)

Mama Filipina

Take me to the phillippines

(in the own separate album unfound??^^ last two)

Blue scholars

HI 808 ( Hawaii. Area code)

Morning of America

Notion of morning and mourning America and the loses occurring through the 1980s

People power and political movement in the Philippines

Caught em shipping arms to Iran for Nicaraguan Contras – weren’t supposed to have contact w Iran but we were selling them arms….big embarrassment for the government (usa)

Asian American in Detroit in the 1980s –idea of all the jobs being taken from american car companies.

-The school of the Americas – help train a lot of future dictators in latin America                   -Just say NO – started in a classroom with majority African American children and she (teacher) whispered it and was completely obvious to her surroundings

MANEKI NEKO!

Otherwise known as a lucky cat. Which paw should be in the air, or both? What color should i get?

“What does it mean when a beckoning cat has its right paw or its left paw raised? What do the different cat colors mean? What about the coin the Lucky Cat holds, or the bib?  The meanings can vary from region to region within Japan, and some meanings have changed over time, but here is a general summary:

Tri-color Cat: (modeled after the Japanese bob-tail breed, this is a popular & traditional color for lucky cats, beckoning general good luck, wealth, prosperity)
White Cat: purity, happiness
Black Cat: safety, wards off evil and stalkers
Golden Cat: wealth and prosperity
Red Cat: protection from evil & illness (especially illness in children)
Pink Cat (a more modern color): love, relationships and romance
Green Cat (also a modern color): educations/studies

Right Paw raised: invites money and good fortune (usually to businesses)
Left Paw raised: invites customers or people
(Some suggest the right & left paws both invite business-related prosperity, but that the left paw is for businesses of the night, such as bars, geisha houses & restaurants. Use of lucky cats in homes is more recent)
Both Paws raised: invites protection of home or business
Coin: wealth and material abundance
Bib and Bell: may relate to protection, as well as wealth and material abundance”

Lucky Cats don’t have much of a specific story as to how they began, but they did start showing up in the ‘Edo period” in Japan

On wikipedia I was able to find this information about the Edo Period

“The Edo period (江戸時代 Edo jidai^?), or Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa jidai^?), is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country’s 300 regional Daimyo. The period was characterized by economic growth, strict social order, isolationistforeign policies, environmental protection policies,^[1][2][3][4] and popular enjoyment of arts and culture. The shogunate was officially established in Edo on March 24, 1603, by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration on May 3, 1868, after the fall of Edo.http://luckymanekineko.wordpress.com/”

Cat Island otherwise known as Tashiro Island is located in Japan and is located near Miyagi. This island is covered with cats! To access the island tourists take a ferry to the island and are able to pet cats, visit buildings shaped like cats etc. Theres about 100 peoples living on the island and a majority of the residents are over 70 years old. Apparently theres more cats than people.

“In the past, the islanders raised silkworms for silk, and cats were kept in order to keep the mouse population down (because mice are a natural predator of silkworms). Fixed-net fishing was popular on the island after the Edo Period and fishermen from other areas would come and stay on the island overnight. The cats would go to the inns where the fishermen were staying and beg for scraps. Over time, the fishermen developed a fondness for the cats and would observe the cats closely, interpreting their actions as predictions of the weather and fish patterns. One day, when the fishermen were collecting rocks to use with the fixed-nets, a stray rock fell and killed one of the cats. The fishermen, feeling sorry for the loss of the cat, buried it and enshrined it at this location on the island.”

http://blogs.evergreen.edu/beccalovescats/wp-admin/post-new.php

The wedding banquet was a great film, but my least favorite that we have watched so far. I did enjoy the fact that instead of a woman couple it was men and a majority of the movies i’ve seen starts a lesbian couple. My favorite role in the film was Simon who played Wei-Weis boyfriend. I loved being able to get more of a glimpse of the role as the ‘other’ significant other that doesn’t really have the viewers as focused on them. What I truly enjoyed about this part was seeing him do everything in his power to make sure he was pleasing Wei-Weis family and just presenting himself so well. Underneath I knew that it was him wishing he could’ve been in the place as the ‘bride’ but used it as a in to still present himself. In the end it sort of reminded me a lot of Saving Face with sort of the same ending and same scenario that the couples had to live through, so it was a bit obvious to what the ending would be. Overall, I love how traditional the wedding was once they decided to have a true traditional wedding as well as the banquet was fun and was truly showing the side of how the Chinese celebrate, not as quiet as most films and media portray

. 

I’d like to start off by saying that some of these chapters were harder of me to comprehend as the writing was a little weird or even just me having no previous knowledge of some of the things I will bring up and try to attend to. Within the reading for Friday we discussed the overall knowledges through the Jigsaw related chapters from Lee.

“They like you because you’re a potato queen

They like you because you’re one hell of a gardener.

They like you because you work three full-time jobs–scraping

greasy floors, scouring pots and pans, and scrubbing toilet bowls.

They like you because you’re a walking cholera, hepatitis, and TB.

They like you because your a minimum-wage.

They like you because you have maids back home.

They like you because you’re a doctor there and a nurses aid here.

They like you because you say you have a college degree but they say its only the equivalent of a ninth grade American Education. ” pg 126

What does this make you think or how does it make you feel, this poem is regarding  ideas for “the queering of cheap labor and the cheapening of Queen labor” Why should these individuals be degraded, or looked at differently because the jobs they choose, life they choose or beliefs their adopt. I look at it as unfair and disrespectful where its hard for me to truly comprehend that some of these thinkings are truly ways that people among us think and thats where some of my personal in-maturities take true affect on how I look at our world, at least for today. Chapter 10 than goes on to discuss Nisei week, Miss Cherry Blossom (Sakura) and how that meets the mainstream ideas of Miss America. Within the chapter it discusses Nisei week, Miss cherry blossom, the positives and negatives and the role that was portrayed as who’s ‘American’. At this time a lot of images were seen as blonde hair blues eyes and skinny as being the ultimate ‘American girl’ and these were the girls that were voted into the pageants where as now with the change of our country we have become a mixing pot of cultures that is more open to multiracial marriage, children etc. Also allowing the acceptance of all woman of different background to participate in Miss America as well as repressing America overall. Thats an extreme accomplishment considering during this time of age Nisei week and miss cherry blossom had to have their own sub pageant to win overall. To go onto Chapter 11 more related around Tiger woods, this chapter analyzes in depth the image Tiger Woods has allowed himself identify as “Cablinasian” which is black, white, asian and native. As someone who is playing in a sport that is predominately white, older rich men he sort of takes away that stereotypes and starts a new image sort of making history. “The Tiger Woods iconography shuttles seamlessly between race consciousness and racial elision.” pg 223 Within these chapters it discusses and allows us to see the many things that we have overcome since our country has received more and more immigrants predominately focused on Asian Americans but think of all the races combined and the mixing pot we’ve formed allowing individuals work together, become accepting of all sorts of scenarios within races and truly making history with indidvuals changes laws, changing the stereotype and overall image looked at by an audience and taking the lists of things our country has overcome to a new high.

Slaying the Dragon, Joy Luck Club and reading from Lee.

Slaying the Dragon is a name in itself. In a lot of films based around the Asian culture there is some form of reference to the idea of the Dragon like it represents Asian culture and something that has to be slated so it isn’t representing the stereotype formed by films. In the reading from Lee on page 119. “The cracks of old, laboring hands are the cracks that tell stories. Yet they can also be understood as the cracks through which we can recognize alternative social practices, alternative modes of pleasure and community that emerged out of the material conditions of the manongs.” Where a crack can tell a story where it be a crack in a door, a crack in the ‘laboring hands’ a crack in a cell phone or a crack anywhere theres normally always a story behind that crack evolving and well where does the crack begin that evolved the idea of Dragons relating to the Asian culture, in my opinion more specifically Chinese but whose to say someone else wouldn’t list something different. Within the movie Slaying the Dragon it shows the ideal image that directors wanted from roles for Asian/Woman characters. A lot of time it was the woman that fell in love with a white man, normally a G.I and the struggles of having a child together that would face the informality of being half/half. Or the sexual image as a exotic looking female who is rumored to cater to their men and care for them so much. From my opinion not many individual, strong woman roles have been see as female in movies in the past, but today Asian-American woman are seen everywhere. When I think of the evening news, I think of one of the casters who is Asian, but as I think on that more in dept I look at other Big name media roles who are also Asian and they all sort of portray the same image physically with the short curled out hair, bright lipstick (usually red) and very accentuated check bones with make up. As they overcome taking big roles today, there is still a stereotype that bosses, directors etc. look for when picking someone for a part that is Asian-American. I can only hope that this will change in time and we will gradually overcome the stereotype, crisis and image we see in all different ways.

Crisis: A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. A time when a difficult or important decision must be made. “a crisis point of history”. The turning point of a disease when an important change takes place, indicating either recovery or death. http://www.google.com/#q=define+crisis

When it comes to the Asian-Amerian culture weather it be within a movie, book or stereotype the common image portray into our heads is not true and unfair to the individuals whom want to overcome that specifically. On thursday we watched  2 films, Slanted Screen which pulls a part and goes in depth on male asian actors and the model of the type of individual that is usually looked for to play these roles. Secondly, we watch Saving face…which i thoroughly enjoyed. Saving face is a movie based around Wil a Chinese girl who is trying to overcome the stereotype of the expectation as a child of a Chinese family and sort of going out of the box of the ordinary traditions. As the movie goes on you learn that Wil is lesbian and is slowly forming feelings for one of the other main characters known as Vivian. Vivian is someone from her past which she learns about during the movie and they are able to begin a relationship and form a romance that I believe most who watched the movie would feel they want to succeed and workout. For Vivian her mother already knows of her preference of woman and from what I got is accepting of the situation. Whereas on the other side Wil is keeping it a secret from who mother who has become pregnant out of wedlock. Throughout the movie you see what I would call crisis. As Wil and Vivians relationship progresses, the big question of Wil opening up to her mom and coming out of the closet is a huge factor in their relationship. With the way she acts your can see her scared of showing her emotions in public, showing affection in public and well telling her mother. Her mother knowns deep down that she’s lesbian,  but it becomes one of those topics that nobody really wants to bring up as they have completely opposite views. As the movie continues Wil is faced with letting her mother know the situation, trying to keep Vivian in her life while  trying to deal with being scared of opening up to the world and dealing with her mothers pregnancy. In the end Vivian’s mother and Wil’s mother see the love between their daughters and make it a point to bring the two girls together for the sake of their happiness as Wil does the same for her mother is helping marry the love of her life instead of a marriage based around money and just someone that will support her the rest of there life. This movie really shows how is can be scary to overcome something like this, especially with a cultural background that doesn’t see change, and with something like this very easily. It tradition to marry a man but overcoming this crisis is just the true moral of the story. In my own opinion I believe this is one of the stereotypes that younger generation Asian-American children face growing up. I’ve seen it myself, with friends, movies, and just a common factor. So many Asian families are based around following tradition, marrying a man whom your set up with, not really accepting of tattoos and piercings, the want of ‘top dollar’ jobs such as a doctor, or lawyer and really just getting to be ‘bragged’ about by your family members. As the older generation sees it as customs changing the younger generation sees it as crisis and something they all want to gain the strength to open up to their families about. In a majority of the films we’ve watched this quarter the films have something based around the idea that shows a younger actor who is scared of falling in love with the wrong person in the case of the family not approving, or obtaining the wrong job, not satisfying a mother, father, family or following tradition. You can see this in the movie Slanted Screen which is about the image that directors and viewers usually look for when an Asian actor is broadcasted with a leading role, or really any role at all. Theres a couple different ways in which this is gone about and some of those are seen as a crisis from a couple different views. As an Asian-American I believe its a little easier for me to point out these stereotypes, but than again I could be wrong. The reason I feel this way is because I can personally relate and have gone through similar situations. Sessue Hayakawa was one of the first top actors that began a kind of image that is looked for in films. A lot of these roles are a actor of Asian heritage who falls for someone of another race which is not accepted by his or her family, someone who wants to pursue a job or image that isn’t accepted by family and traditions or playing the bad guy who takes over and is considered evil and you form a hate for that person in the movie. All these stereotypes that I see can also relate back to the idea of crisis which I have pointed in the movie Saving Face as well. In Slanted Screen it interviews multiple male roles who a lot of us have seen in big name movies, shows etc. and their take on the typical ideal Asian requested role. The real question is how much have we truly been able to overcome this, have we overcome this and will anything change in the future. I think that no matter what there will truly always be a subconscious stereotype in a majority of roles of Asians, but don’t take my word for it as I obviously cannot read the future. The true struggle an crisis for these individuals that just want individuality, acceptance as a true American and the freedom of acceptance and respect of their individuals families is key that you can see in both films I have described. As I continue on with my connections on Thursdays reading and films I would like to start connecting the chapter that I personally loved and decided to speak about in class Thursday. In Lees chapter which talks about the Miss America pageant, Nisei week and happenings upon these two things, I really see the topics of crisis and stereotype within. When I think of Miss America pageants I think of the diversity you see in all the girls up on that stage, the people it brings together and the individuality you see from each and every girl picked by their home state. On the other side I still see the common thought of blonde hair, clue eyes, big hair, skinny and tall. What has allowed us to overcome that standard and become open to girls who have asian heritage, spanish heritage etc. being voted in as Miss America each and every year. One monumental past that has played a role into getting where we are today is Nisei week. Nisei week was sort of a sub topic to Miss America which allowed woman of Asian American decent participate in a pageant for that category only allowing to win the title of Nisei queen. With this is wasn’t necessarily always negative as the Nihonmachi part of town used this to attract business allowing a vote to the woman representing their store who usually stood outside greeting customers. With the purchase of merchandise you were allowed a vote toward the girl. This allowed to bring in more business, the participant of the Nisei woman in the pageants, a feeling of significance in communities with a vote that all of America could see and a representation of the culture. With the positives there was of course the negatives, because who was to say that beautiful had to be blue eyes, blonde hair and ‘American’. What the hell is American and who are we to define that when since that time period this country has become a mixing pot of cultures ultimately allowing the us to somewhat overcome the crisis of a typical Miss American winner and now allowing woman of all heritages to participate. As we have somehow overcome this from a great standpoint, up close I personally feel that we haven’t completely as its still pointed out by some when winner is not the full white representation of ‘American’. But, do we truly know if we will ever overcome this or will we always have to put up with the people who feel this way. Which i’m sure we will. In lees book it allows you to see the stereotypes, thoughts, positions and opinions of people who are becoming great roles in media today who aren’t ‘American’ but are doing ‘American’ things such a Tiger Woods. Crisis is something that can be seen all over the place, in the news, on the streets and within households but as i’ve pointed out in the films and reading crisis is in our past present and future and as we slowly overcome these ‘crisis’ we also open up doors to new topics being brought to the table. You can see crisis within the chapters which discuss who’s paradise? “The faces represented the various ethnic groups found in Hawai’i and were play by “local” actors, not imported ethnics perfuming “Hawaiian face”. The names were “authentic” rather than invented pseudo Polynesian or Asian.” I think this is one topic that i’ll never truly get over, I personally really hate when thing are referred to as “Hawaiian face’ ‘yellow face’ etc. where is it fair and where does it describe the person, where sadly I automatically catch on to what is talking about or representing, but I’ve never heard anyone being referred to a white face, when I know the stereotypes are out theres, its so much more apparent with other ethnic groups as they are considered “un American”.