This is partly inspired by SomekindaAsian's thread. I often hear about a Pan-Asian American identity, but doesn't identity mean having a specific culture. What is Asian-American culture? What do you consider it to be?

I look at the African-American community and I see a culture. Music, from slave songs to jazz to hip-hop and rap, food, and common history, though that is changing with many more new black immigrants, are part of what defines and makes African-American culture. What do we have? Is the only commonality we have our race?

Are Boba tea, street racing, and a common English language all that AA culture has to offer? I don't know. I hope not.

Note: I'm not talking specifically about X-American culture, but rather the Pan-Asian culture.

"Asian culture"??? hmmm.... its a difficult thing to put into words. I think that definitions for what is "Asian" are as numerous as the stars in the sky..... This is because everyone has different experiences, so everyone has slightly different definitions.... In my experience, pan-Asian culture is a very general idea that includes images and visions of the cultures that make up Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. I think this is based somewhat on physical "East Asian looking" appearances. For example, South Asia is not as often thought about when we think of "Asian". This probably reflects our biases and superficial views about people... Anyways, I think the best definition of Asian culture is not as a set of cultural things like customs, religions, history, blah blah blah... That is the old fashioned thinking that gets us into conflicts... Instead I think Asian culture is more about a state of mind, a positive attitude to build a new culture together in peace and respect and yeah..even joy!! Its a culture that has no clear definition and I think it should never be defined, which is in fact the best thing about it. Do you know what I mean?? Sorry if it looks like Im babbling, Im not, I am just talking from the heart ...

Chuchu, I understand where you're coming from with your question and the answer is no, Asian Americans do not have a distinct pan-Asian American identity as say, African Americans. Asian immigrants outnumber Asian Americans greatly, the Asian population is only 4%, and in general historical and sociological forces haven't allowed Asian Americans to develop and flourish a distinct American culture. There has never been a "Chinatown Renaissance" so to say. While Asian Americans have contributed much to America's economic status they have contributed little to America's culture. Blacks have contributed Jazz, Hip Hop, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X. Asian American's cultural contributions are not at all as visible. Many will simply equate Asian American culture with Asian culture. Asian culture is not and cannot be Asian American culture. In the eyes of the general world, white Americans and Europeans are different, black Americans and Africans are different but Asian Americans and Asians are still the same. The very fact that Asians are referred to as Asians or Oriental and not yellow denotes an inherent foriegn status. A white man could either be from Europe or America, a black man could either be from Africa or America, but an Asian will always be from Asia. It's possible to say that a yellow man could either be from Asia or America...but as I said, Asians aren't seen in the same spectrum as blacks and whites. The society of the United States only recognizes two races and that is either Black or White. Hispanics can be either and since Spanish and Catholicism are European they will be more readily accepted into the White mainstream. Native Americans (the red man) are neither Black nor White, nor Anglo or Hispanic but due to the fact that they are indigineously American and have mostly been assimilated they can function in the White mainstream as well. So unfortunately in view of the American racial-cultural spectrum, Asians are not American. I do not think all is lost, years from now when Asians comprise more of the population, and native-born Asians outnumber immigrants there could be a social revolution.

As an aside, in order to be accepted as American all of the major American minorities have had to become whitenized to a degree. European Jews can function readily in the White mainstream. 90% of African Americans are mixed white. (Take Malcolm X, or even Halle Berry, they're not purely black) but yet in the American racial spectrum a black person who is mixed white is still fully black -- this is merely a cultural bias. Asians who are mixed with white can either be white or Asian depending on the surname...(for example, Michelle Branch is white. Russell Wong on the other hand is Asian) -- again cultural bias. As I said before, Native Americans have been racially assimilated as Whites and most Hispanics have some white blood and a European heritage. On the other the majority of Asian Americans either native born or naturalized are purely of the yellow race and those that are part white will be totally assimilated into the White mainstream. However I reiterate what I said before that I don't think Asians can never be accepted as Americans, I just think that for Asians (or yellows) to become fully integrated into America, it must be through some great social revolution.

why do Asian girls dye their hair blonde/brown and buy blue/green/hazel contact lenses? wear fake eye lashes? curl their hair?

Hi chu.

Culture is a very shakey thing because we also have to take in generation conditions. For instance how long has everyones family been in this country?
What area did they (or do they) live in?

As a black person I can say that not every black person who came to this country came as a slave. i can speak a little about educational history.

Education in this country was banned to certain groups because the power structure wanted to remain in power. In some places it was banned on pain of death. So, people who were underpriveledged used the simple technique of passing on valuabel lessons through song.

Songs have been used to teach people things from spelling to algebra equations.
Think back to your highschool experience. I'm sure at some point someone told you a rhyme or abbreviated word to help you remember such an equation. these are alternative techniques to standard education which have been in existence for thousands of years even as far back as the beginning of the spoken word.

Keep in mind that all cultures, black culture, asian culture, italian culture, irish culture, etc is in a constant state of flux because all of our peoples have moved all around the world. We all come from a nomadic people who roamed the lands loking for food, clean water, warmth, shelter.

Of course, certain areas became popular for these things and so we have the formations of countries. Countries which rose and fell throughout history. Yes, one day america will fall. i am not syaing this like i want it to happen, but lets face it, nothing last forever. "Rome didn't fall in one day," remember that quote. it took about 200 years for it to fall into complete chaos.

Since all of oru cultures ran into each other as we crossed frozen thundras and vast deserts we took certain ideas frrom each other. ideas pertaining first and foremost to how to obtain food and build a better shelter to war strategies and religion.

That would explain why almost very culture on the planet veiws the bird as a sign of freedom and strength and revitalization.

but back to your original topic, how to identify culture. As with all things culture has largely to do with what country you are living in, what your living conditions are,
your particular mindset (are you open minded or close minded), who you hang around with (do you hang around a diverse group of different types of people or do you hang around people who only think as you do).

America has identified me as black even though i am part french, part irish, part native american, and who knows what else. i have only been able to find out a little about my background as i am adopted and it was part of this countries conspiracy to destroy hospital records of non claimed babies after a certain point so it would be easier to sever ties and rich families who are linked to racism in the past dont want any black children showing up and saying that their great great great grandfather slept with a black woman. and every now and then , hospitals loose records.

in china i saw a report that many babies whoa re unclaimed go into thier foster care system and most of the time , are not even placed. Same as in this country. once a kid in this country is over the age of five , and is in the foster care system, he or she can basically forget about ever having any parents. especially since most couples in this country only want to adopt white kids. Black couples do adopt black, but they want babies, not kids who are already constructing their own identity.


Tom Cruise and Nicole kidman have two black children which they raise as loving parents.

I consider myself black, but i dont let that isolate me from any form os music (I love 80's heavy metal), or the crowd i hang around with (which is mostly conservative suit tie wearing people and bodybuilders and fitness). i like comic books. i will listen to any for of music i want to. i dont care what people think of me.

I'm already considered odd by many people because i dont do the stereotypical things which some think should identify me as black. i dont wear baggy pants. I prefer to use proper english as opposed to slang (although i know slang. i'm a teach so i have to keep up on the current slang terms the students are using. Thats my shizzle on the dillyhizzle).

So, as you can see i dont use any one particular thing define my blackness. And at the same time i consider myself a black man. When i go looking for a job or when I walk down a street i face the possibility of being judged on the color of my skin by that business owner or the police.

identity is what you will make of it. you will make that decision either way. Just make it one you are proud of. Be free my asian brothers and sisters. Thats all I want. i want ,you to be free.