Comparing Asian Nationalities | Asian American Poll

COMPARING ASIAN NATIONALITIES
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:21:10 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

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WHAT YOU SAY

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Alittle sumthin,
Magdallen was killed in the Philipines. I studied that in secondary school. Yes, the Philipines claim Sabah, Malaysia as part of their land because Sabah was once under the King of Sulu. But afterall, Sabah chose to become part of Malaysia. You are right about Bahasa Malaysia (Malay language ) is somehow influenced by Portuguese. In some ways and some Malay words are actually Portguese words. For example "almari" ( cupboard ), is actually a Portuguese word.Infact, there are about 400 Portuguese words still being used in the Malay language today.
Malaysian-Eurasian Gal18 Sunday, May 05, 2002 at 00:28:05 (PDT)

Again, this topic is getting worn out.

But, the Chinese were not the only ones to suffer under Mongol invasions and rule. The Muslims did also. Even now, if you talk to educated folk from Afghanistan and Iran, the Mongol savagery is still very vivid in their imagination. In fact, the silk road cities of Herat, Baghdad, Merv, Khurasan were at one point just as rich as many Chinese cities. Now, they are reduced to deserts due to the Mongol invasions of Genghish Khan, Hulagu Khan and Tamerlane.

And, there were many Chinese foot soldiers and seige strategists who also served in the Hulagu Khan's invading forces in Iran and Arabia. One Chinese general (Kuo Kan) led the seige of Baghdad and Damascus. These Chinese mercenary troops too married Muslim Iranian women and later became Muslims themselves. I heard some Chinese also served in Batu Khan's armies in Russia and Hungary. They were the ones who introduced firearms to Europe. Of course, they also later settled in Novgorod, Skov and other Russian cities as merchants and mixing with the Russians. The Tatars of Russia (Muslim descendants of these Mongols, Turkic and Chinese soldiers of Batu Khan's Golden Horde) know quite a few Chinese dishes even to this day such as: "lagman" (la mien, or pulling noodles) and "fentior" (fen tiao, thin glass noodles).

So, the Chinese weren't the only ones to suffer at that time.

dunhuang Saturday, May 04, 2002 at 18:06:38 (PDT)

E
Look at any other south east asian ethnic group. Filipinos look no more mixed than they do.
chinatown Saturday, May 04, 2002 at 13:05:53 (PDT)

On the subject of Chinese/mestizos in the Philippines, the latest numbers I've come across are 1.5% ethnic Chinese (which would be about 1 million).

There is some debate about what this number means. On some websites, there was speculation that this number consisted of Chinese nationals (i.e. ethnic Chinese who are not Philippine citizens) and Philippine citizens of Chinese extraction that considered themselves more Chinese than Filipino. But some people believe it did NOT include ethnic Chinese who were Philippine citizens, or who identified more with the Philippines than China. If this is true, then that number of Chinese in the Philippines may be higher. But this is speculation, and I have not seen official details on how the latest poll was conducted, so I can't say for sure.

As far as Chinese mestizos, I have seen one website that claimed that 10% of the population were chinese mestizo (part chinese/part malay). But they did not define what a Chinese Mestizo is. When does a Chinese Mestizo become Malay? When he has less than 25% Chinese blood? Less than 12.5%? My great-grandfather is pure Chinese; the rest of my relations are Malay. What does that make me and my siblings?

I guess my point is, until someone comes up with a definition of Chinese Mestizo that can be used during the next census, we won't know for sure.

But if I can put in my 2 cents, and say (for example) that someone who is 1/8 Chinese and 7/8 Malay would still be considered Chinese Mestizo, I would believe the 10% figure. But if the cutoff were, say, 1/4 Chinese 3/4 Malay, then I think 10% would be too high.

MTSO Friday, May 03, 2002 at 23:57:09 (PDT)

***a little sumthin:

"i consider these three countrys to be the main malay countrys: Indonesia, Phillippines and Malaysia"

Out of the three Malay countries, its funny how the one called MALAYsia is the one where the Malays are declining in numbers. There has been too much immigrants from South East Asia (China, Thailand, Vietname etc). going into Malaysia and it threatens the dominance of the native Malays.

***give it a rest:

"I have never, even once heard any Filipino mention the word Spanish or Hispanic. When I do hear such a reference, you'll be the first to know, before you blow a gasket"

You must not go out much. I on the other hand have never met a Filipino who hasn't said he was spanish or hispanic. Do you live in the Philippines? I've been told that the spanish/latino-obsessed filipinos become spanish-obssessed after they leave the philippines and settle elsewhere because they don't want to be identified as Asians.

In the Philippines it's useless for one Malay telling another Malay he is Hispanic or Spanish, because back in the Philippines they all know that only a very few actually have Spanish blood despite most of them having Spanish surnames. That;s why in the actual Philippines this spanish obsession doesn't exit because they all know they are Asians, and they have no one to impress. But in the US they try their best to convince everyone that they are Spanish or Hispanics.
Tears of Joy Friday, May 03, 2002 at 22:07:22 (PDT)

The influence of Iranian genes on Mongolid peoples is lower than some people who would like to be mixed-bred claim.The Russians have absorbed much more Iranian heritage than every Mongolid people. Even their language shows remarkable traits of Iranian. If they were Chinese with Iranian genes they would have longer noses.
rare stuff Friday, May 03, 2002 at 19:25:33 (PDT)

It is good to see that so many Asian Americans find interest in their Asian heritage even if some comments seem at times to smell of jingoism and excessive self praise.
I do however find it a bit sad that more often than not people seem to imply a method of self praise that involves insulting the culture, physical appearance and even the humanity of ones Asian neighbors. Such destructive and mean spirited opinions only help create gulfs and wedges between peoples who should otherwise be as close as brothers and sisters of the great extended family of Asia.
This brings me to a larger point. We have spent a considerable amount of time rehashing old stereotypes, singing the ballads of past glories and slowly drummed the durges of our past and present defeats. But what about Asian America's future? Is it impossible to concieve of a pan-Asian identity with room for all of Asia's cultures under the banner of American cultural pluralism? And shouldn't our differences be minimized by our common struggles in America. Shouldn't our feuds be abolished in light of the fact that we as Asians share the same trials and difficulties as the invisible American minority. Are the pains of being Chinese American so different from the pains of being Fillipino American? Haven't we all at one time or another been told to go back where we came from even though where we came from is often right around the block? Do we not experience similar bigotry and marginalization merely for the accidental fact that our famlies come from an enormous land mass east of the Caucus Mountains? Isn't our perpetual stigma of foriegness our bond of brotherhood and sisterhood. When we make criticisms of our great nation, haven't we been told to just be grateful thus undermining our ability to share an equality of voice. Isn't such an opinion merely code for "we do not welcome you, but tolerate you."
So many questions, which lead to more questions, which end in multiple truths and paradoxes. When I see Asian splintering in America I see wasted potential. I see parts completely unaware of the whole. Do not let the ancient bigotry and divisive thinking of your parents and grandparents dictate the course of your future action. Remember that America is a land with no ghosts so there is no need to let old demons ride our backs from one generation to the next.
If we are to survive complete cultural dillution and if we are going to innoculate ourselves against the disease of self hatred we must first come to accept that our respective Asian cultures possess great beauty. Not just the beauty in Asian clothing, food and trappings, but the beauty of our own Asian poetry, our own Asian philosophies, our Asian narrative voice. To find no beauty in Asian ideas is to reject the essence of who we are. To find only contempt in our cultures is to find contempt in our history. If it is true that history lives and breathes through all of us, do we find contempt in ourselves?
Once we have found our center and know who we are, by which I mean the mixture of two cultures that is the Asian American; the next logical step is to recognize a bond with our Asian American brothers and sister of ethnic backgrounds different from your own. It is easy to do if you always rememeber that there is a little something of you in them as well. The bond of a common experience can be as strong a force as any relationship in life.
So my brothers and sisters please rememeber that that is exactly what we are ...brothers and sisters. I am China, India, Japan, Korea, Veitnam, Phillipines, Pakistan, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand....on and on..... Rememeber that as we march through life to listen for the common rhythm in our footfall that is America and Asia
Seaman Friday, May 03, 2002 at 17:10:57 (PDT)

im south korean and I think you other asians are just being cruel to filipinos. I myself havent heard any filipinos claim to be hispanic. Filipinos only mention hispanic or latino in a conversation because its only natural for them. Theyve been associated with them for a very long time. So all you other asians are just being cruel, filipinos have their morale very low already. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
enough already Friday, May 03, 2002 at 16:48:01 (PDT)

Is Madagascar considered a Malay country? Is the Malagasy ethnic of Madagascar considered African or Malay? It blew my mind away, when I learned there were indigenous malay people on that African island. I think native Indonesians sailed to Madagascar 2000 years ago. I saw a program on tv about the Malagasy. Most of these people look black, but their language is related to the Malayo-Polyneasian language family.
Does anyone know? Friday, May 03, 2002 at 14:56:38 (PDT)

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