Poverty Porn

South Africa Township Tours: An “Authentic” Experience of Cape Town

"The Cape Town area is famous for beaches, wine tours and Table Mountain, among other attractions. But on a recent morning, a group of tourists set out to experience something most visitors never see - the townships where black and mixed-race South Africans were warehoused under apartheid.

"We want to show them the other side of Cape Town with this township tour," said Samantha Mtinini from Camissa Travel & Marketing. The tours take visitors to homes, schools and markets in three townships where they meet children, vendors and other residents."

Branded as a bridge to cultural understanding and economic benefits to the residents, one tour company begins with a stop in “Langa, a black township where the visitors were greeted by preschool kids singing a welcome in Xhosa and English.”

Can these tours build capacity for tolerance? Or are they the latest form of poverty porn? This time riding on the waves of visitors in South Africa attending the World Cup. While an influx of tourists will bring a small economic boost to some, most residents will not benefit from the tours. Humans are used to serve as a background for the privilege seeking a sensual experience of the “real world,” while reinforcing the Western perceptions. The poor are being exploited again for the insatiable appetite of the rich in the latest manifestation of poverty porn. Human dignity is being traded in to tease the cravings of those in power, under the guise of education and humanitarianism.

For the already marginalize population, I can almost guarantee you there was little community decision making to bring groups of tourist who will come to buy trinkets, take pictures, and leaving feeling worldly by racking up some good street cred with friends back home. A few individuals are offering these seductive tours knowing full well the object of the tours will or can do little to fight the force insertion of outsiders.

Call it cultural immersion, but it’s another form of white privilege in arousing the senses of the powerful. Stop and think for a second. If the residents of the townships have any objections to tour groups, do you think they will speak up? And to whom, exactly? Who will listen? Who will enforce boundaries? I often hear reports from world travelers that “the locals are so friendly. They are such great people, we American have a lot to learn from them.” Do these locals (if they are locals, you will find many are migrant workers feeding off the job markets) have any choice other than be friendly and smile at visitors from the developed world? Tourist are their source of income and by extension, their employer. Of course the “locals” are friendly to outsiders. The welcoming expressions tourists see are a combination of genuine human kindness coaxed out and magnified by classism and oppression.

You’ve seen Slumdog Millionaire, now come see the real thing! These township tours are little more than the Forks, Washington pilgrimage of the Twilight saga fans. I don’t have a problem with tourism. A healthy tourism industry can create robust economic growth and larger job markets. My issue with township tours is usage of people, poor people without a political voice, as objects in tourism fantasy. Slum dwellers did not give consent to be participants of this fetish act. The perpetual reinforcement of placing the third world “others” as powerless displays is the latest manifestation of prejudice and power abuse. Safaris are out, slum tours are the in. Come gawk at the struggling exotic noble people who are connected to nature and have infinite knowledge of the universe. See Edward Said and Orientalism, nuf said.

Limited Household Members on Census 2010

Filling out Census 2010. Noticed that you get to check the race of up to 6 people in the household. Person 7 and + don't get to declare race. Let me jump into the stereotype that many Asian Americans have multi-generations living under the same roof. It's noted on the Census that they may call to get more info for the additional people. So I'm curious on the impact on APA households:

Will they actually call to collect the additional data?

1) If so, will language be a problem. Will they automatically use an English caller or assume a language based on person 1-6's race and use specific interpreters to call? I know if my parents get a call they'll panic if it's an English speaking call or assume it's a telemarketer. Even if it's a Chinese speaking caller, my parents will lie or hang up, because growing up in communist China made them paranoid like that. They assume everyone is "out to get us."

2) If they don't call, will APA get under counted?

Now I understand the form planners having to decide on some kind of cut off. They can't send forms with 20 spots, even 6 spots feels like overkill for a lot of families.

Asian Men

Saw this over at Post Secret this weekend. Good stuff.

She Likes Chicken Feet

My two year old daughter gobbled up chicken feet (Phoenix Talons) at dim sum today. I’m so happy. Made it the best day of the week. I never explained what animal/body part/name of the dish it was. Wasn’t trying to hide the fact, I was busy making sure she wouldn’t choke on the little bones and just forgot. After she studied it for a minute she said she liked the “fingers.”

Oh, she also likes to lick her own feet when bored. Not sure what that's all about.

Stopping Injustice

Injustice is like an angry bull bison in mating season. You can try to take it out with BB guns, but why not find a way to buy a grenade?

We need a complete policy reform and a worldwide mindwipe to take out this muthafucka. Someone let me know when the United Federation of Planets is hiring a diversity director.

Superstitions

Iris started a great post on Asian superstitions over at You Offend Me You Offend My Family. I added to the comments and thought I'd cross post here. Should hop over to the post and check out some of my fellow brainwashed bloggers' memories.

Just a few things I thought of here:

1) Sharing a pear with someone means you'll stop being friends or family. Splitting a pear "fun lay" sounds like separation in Cantonese.

2) White clothes is clothing for mourning. My grandpa wore white tennis shoes to my brother's wedding (I think on purpose to piss my mom off) my parents nearly fainted. That was 12 yrs ago and they're still mad.

This is so ingrained in my mind, I had to fight the compulsion to hide under the table while wearing the white wedding gown during my own wedding.

3) Never get an used mirror, spirits travel with mirrors.

4) Open umbrellas are spirit mediums. Never leave one open indoors.

5) Don't touch or eat any ceremonial offering food before the ceremony is over. Don't diss the spirits.

6) OMG, I totally snatch the red crayon away if I catch my kids signing their names with it!

7) Pretend you don't notice a pregnancy, even if the mama is big as a whale. Talking about an unborn baby jinx the baby's survival rate. No acknowledgment until after the Full Month Ceremony.

8) Preggies also should not visit cemeteries as lost spirits may hitch a permanent ride with the new baby.

9) Don't try to call hiking "h-un san" walk mountain/ mountain walking. Walking a mountain is taking the journey to visit your ancestor's graves.

10) Always take a couple of kids to check out a house before you commit to buying it. If the kids seem uncomfortable there, there are probably lingering evil spirits.

Short Girls

I read Short Girls by Bich Minh Nguyen, and it’s like talking with a girlfriend who really “gets” me. Someone who understands where I’m coming from. She speaks the life of children of Asian immigrants. The burden and weight of filial piety. The perpetual translator syndrome. The pain of watching racial prejudice toward your own family members because they are more fresh off the boat. Self questioning and sense of betrayal in interracial dating in a white world. Subtle attitude differences between say, a third generation versus a first generation immigrant. The achievement trap when the track leads to an racially isolated middle class pond.

The novel is not just filled of angry vents like my blog. Nguyen is a crafty storyteller. Her voice filled with humor and story arc that wraps around her main characters’ last name “Luong.” The plotline rotate around Mr. Luong’s garage built grabber for short people “The Luong Arm.” The divided living experience of tall and short people is explored without shame. Finally, somebody takes battle with the insanely high vertical standard of kitchen counters at 36 inches and ceiling height cabinets at 7 feet.

At times she struggles to smoothly explain the angst of modern Asian American trials and over works with preachy immigration policy lectures. I can sympathize with her difficulties in delivering our complex grievances. Nguyen weaves racial injustice, immigration law cases, modern girl relationships, family obligations, generational and cultural gap, all within a storyline. That’s one big task.

If you want to give a shout out to modern Asian American women, it’s not Amy Tan’s bittersweet escape from communist regime and concubine stories. Read Short Girls.

Star Wars and Super Mario Brothers

Why have I not made this connection before?


But somebody else has.

Color Coding

Over at Angry Asian Man: Atlanta's MARTA is color coding their lines. The line going through the Asian chunk of town will be called.....wait for it.....the Yellow Line.

This reminds me of the time I was a camp counselor and we color coded the teams. Camper were little kids so using primary colors made sense. 'cause you know they're innocent little kids. Red, Blue, and Yellow. Me, the only person of color in the ENTIRE department, was Yellow Team Leader. My timid barely out of teenage self decided to keep quiet. I can tell none of the other staff made the yellow connection. During the first week, one of my eight years-old campers said to his friends "We're the Yellow Team because our counselor is yellow."

Okay. We're changing to Gold Team next week.

Who Is Considered More “Native”? Me vs. Reindeer

During Week One of my Midwest vacation-adventure, we visited a local reindeer ranch. My kids got to pet Blitzen as well as ride on a real horse (As did I, too.) The rancher told us that reindeer were imported from Siberia to Alaska as livestock in 1892.

Wait, what? Haha, Chinese have been in US territory decades before reindeer.

ROFLMAO!

Avatar: The White Savior Story

I saw Avatar on the opening midnight showing. I know….hard core, right? I’m visiting family in the Midwest and honestly…..I don’t know what else to do out here but watch every movie out this season.

(Spoilers warning. Not like it was a surprising plot, but don’t day I didn’t warn you!)

SciFi-wise, Avatar is freaking unbelievable! CG quality was amazing. The humanoid aliens were so realistic that sometimes I forgot they’re not real. The landscaping was magnificent. The animals were fakey and less lifelike in comparison. Reminded me of old school Jurassic Park dinos. Other pluses: OMG wicked awesome aircrafts; alien nookie; a few minority minor characters (with speaking roles even – gasp!); and characters falling in love while swooping through aerial stunts on pterosaurs thingies. Hawt.

Here comes my view: Countless John Smith - Pocahontas, noble savage, colonial cliché view crammed enough up your ass that you'll never have a bowel movement again. It was Dances With Wolves/The Last Samurai/Planet of the Apes/Power of One on scifi steroids. There’s no end to the stereotypes, graceful indigenous people freeballing in war paint, bow and arrows, “tribal” music full of chants, drums, and flutes, spiritually connect to Mother nature, large group hypnotic ceremonies, the works. I half expected to see an Ewok to jump out on screen. Or straight at my being a 3d movie.

Story is from the corrupted, emotionally broken man, Jake Scully, as he learns the ways of the noble people, falls in love with the hottie native, rallies the people and defeats the powerful money hungry invaders (aka corporate.) Going native and saving the savages…. a white man’s wet dream. I mean the new girlfriend’s betroth, the alpha warrior, even end up forgiving our dear Jake and the two totally become BFF. That is until Alpha dies honorable death.

I enjoyed Avatar and wouldn’t mind seeing it again. And you should go see it, too. It’s a visual feast. But acknowledge it as the white savior story that it is. They just replaced brown/yellow/ black with blue ten foot tall, four fingered aliens. What's White Savior? See here.

Also, what’s up with the ending song “I See You”? Was that Celine singing?

"I'm Chinese American" says my seven year old daughter.

My first grade daughter's class is doing a whole "cultural sharing" unit this month. It's like "ethnic" show-and-tell. Kids bring something from home to share about their culture. My overachieving self made a lantern using the skin of a pomelo for her to bring to class. Old school.

This week, our dinner guest asked my girl "Which culture did you pick to share with your class?" As in: "Did you bring a white folk thing or some mythical Chinese item?" My daughter matter-of-factly said "I didn't pick one. I shared about me. I'm Chinese American."

I just about fell out of my chair from sheer joy. She didn't feeling like she had to pick sides! She understood what it means to be Chinese American, (at a 7 year old level) she really got it. I can tell from the look on her face she was not just repeating my words. She really felt it.

It's not a pass-fail. Her search for identity is not "over." Hapa questions and loyalty feelings will continue to be in our daily lives. But for a moment that night, just a brief moment I heard angels singing hallelujah.

T-Mobile Butt Dialing Commercial

You guys remember T-Mobile's wicked awesome commercial for their flip Blackberry?

Coolness Factor Number One: features a South Asian couple who's "normal" and don't end up as the butt of the joke. (Pun intended)

Coolness Factor Number Two: It's totally tight.


I used #1 and #2 in a butt related post. Yeah, I went there.

Can You Find 7 Differences Between These Two Pictures?

Above: US poster Below: UK poster

Promo posters for Couples Retreat. People got pissed. Universal issued an apology and promised not to use that set of promo material. I'm not even sure what else I need to say about this.

Except maybe they should make a giant 20 foot banner of Ken Jeong playing the therapist for the Asia circuits?

American Man Seeks Chinese Woman

Not too surprised to see this ad this week. Crap like this show up all the damn time. This one is tame in comparison. Just search "Asian dolls" and you'll see. (Like I did when I was looking for an Asian doll for my daughter's birthday.

I was a bit disappointed to find the above add in the Northwest Asian Weekly. Not to dig at NWAW, because I love their paper. Just you know...vexed that they allow this ad to run. I seem to remember seeing similar personals in their classifies before, but this time it really ticked me off. Maybe I'm just having a bad day.

Come people, chime in. Leave a comment for me. What should I do? Call this fine specimen of American pride and give him a piece of my mind? Write NWAW and remind them this guy is preying on our community? What about free speech? This ad is not illegal. Is it so different than looking for a multilingual nanny?

Talk to me friends. I'm not sure what action to take.

Does Work Place Suicide Warrant Investigation?

Last November, an University of Washington custodian committed suicide by setting himself on fire amist the heavily traveled Red Square on campus. In Soo Chun was a 61 yr old Korean American citizen. Co-workers speculates hostile work environment as the cause of Chun's distress.

Several students risked their lives to intervene Chun. One stood in the puddle of gasoline, unsuccesfully trying to take the matches from him, then more students rush to beat the flames out. In Soo Chun had no immediate family. Students held a small memorial for Chun last week in the Red Square a year after his death.

Let me say up front that I don't know the situation beyond the few local articles. UW official cited no clear need for further inquiries. There was not , nor will be, any formal investigation of the suicide. Here is what's bothering me. UW press release said they offered him counseling through the university employee program, Carelink, which he declined. I went thought their website, and I have a feeling that services were only offered in English. Chun spoke English, but not having services in his first language is a factor to consider. I'm just guessing here.

I also have to ask, if the man had surviving family would UW be able to get by without an investigation? I mean....people, a man doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire during the middle of the day at his former work place. People tried to stop him. He made eye contact with more than one student before lighting the match. This isn't enough cause for some kind of investigation? I don't know the proper procudure to these things. Shouldn't it be required?

Usually I'm very proud of how UW supports and stands by their staff and students. However, I feel like in this case, they are taking advantage of a man with little connection and no one left to fight for his rights.

Amelia, Hazel, and Katherine.

Hazel Ying Lee

I had the chance to see Amelia this week. Let me just say that any screen presentation of an admired and sensationalized pioneering women aviator, such as Amelia Earhart, is tricky business. You can’t please everyone. I personally loved it. I’ll watch it again. I do wish there was more about the intricacy of a pilot’s life and less on the painful romance with Richard Gere. Their kisses were as awkward as Luke and Leia’s smooches. But those strained moments may have been director Mira Nair’s way to communicate Earhart’s reluctance toward marriage.

I was expecting, or at least faithfully hoping, to see POCs in the movie. None. Maybe I missed it, but didn’t see one yellow or brown face in the movie. I knew they would not splurge for a supporting character of color. I would have settled for a background pilot.

I wanted to bring up some early Chinese American aviation accomplishments during Earhart’s era. My knowledge is limited to Chinese American contributions:

Anna Low: In 1918, became the first Chinese American women aviator.

Hazel Ying Lee: The first Chinese American women in Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP.)

Katherine Cheung: First Chinese American women licensed pilot in 1931. One of the original member of Ninety-Nines. You know the women pilot organization Earhart served as the first president. There's a short video of Katherine's granddaughter talking about her inspirations.

Leah Hing: Joined the Civil Air Patrol during WWII.

Wong Tsu: The Boeing Company’s first engineer in 1916.

Thanks for opening the sky. Hats (or headsets) off to you!