Subject: RE: lessons - in mothering, in highschool historical perspectives, in..
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 08:46:07 -0400


An article that was reprinted in The Nepal Digest, an electronic
journal, speaks of this very confusion "about loyalties and betrayals. .
.re 'nation-homes'" felt among Nepali professionals in Britain.  I hear
this lament among all levels of Nepalis in the community here where I
live.  I, too, though raised in Japan, sometimes have conflicted
feelings about Japan, about Korea(my birth country and ethnic origin),
and then being torn towards "western" perspectives born in ancient
Greece and transplanted to the Catholic schools I went to in Japan!
Confusing, eh!  Aiko

>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Cyberdiva [SMTP:radhik-AT-bgnet.bgsu.edu]
>Sent:	Monday, April 27, 1998 8:16 AM
>To:	sa-cyborgs-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU
>Subject:	Re: lessons - in mothering, in highschool historical perspectives,
>in..
>
>
>
>Anne Joshi-Atlanta wrote:
>
>> But should he necessarily be "ignorant" of his parents' culture?
>> Doesn't it behoove the parents to implant the seed of knowledge about
>> their "home" culture so that while he learns what it means to be
>> "American", he also understands what it means to be "Indian"!
>
>I agree. And of course his "Indian" will be as much in flux as any of our
>notions of
>"self".
>
>>  I know
>> many children, products of immigrant parents, growing up in a world
>> different from that of their parents, yet they know and speak and
>> understand the language of their parents and grandparents; they
>> participate in the traditions/customs/festivals of "back home"; they
>> appreciate the efforts -- great efforts, at great cost -- of their
>> parents to instill knowledge of not just a little bit of the first
>> generation's lives before their emigration, but of a great deal!
>
>
>
>yes and I admire the parents who have the dedication and energy to do this.
>
>> Sometimes, circumstances arise in which the immigrant parent is unable
>> to teach their native language, or to tell them much about their country
>> of birth and childhood.  But for those who are able to, often do not or
>> give up.  Why shouldn't we encourage our children to look back at OUR
>> native lands?  Why should we think this "new land" is better for/instead
>> of/superior replacement for/ our lands we left behind?
>
>Ah - but i think it is *our* confusion about loyalties and betrayals re.
>"home-nations"
>that encourages them to think one way or the other.
>
>
>>  for questioning and searching and wanting to better your
>> perspectives And from what I have seen of you on various lists,
>
>>
>>
>
>from what i have seen of you on various lysts, you do a lot of this yourself.
>
>
>
>> Aiko Joshi
>> gs07aaj-AT-panther.gsu.edu
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From:  Cyberdiva [SMTP:radhik-AT-bgnet.bgsu.edu]
>> >Sent:  Friday, April 24, 1998 10:10 AM
>> >To:    sa-cyborgs-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>> >Subject:       lessons - in mothering, in highschool historical
>>perspectives, in..
>> >
>> >
>> >knowing he is learning
>> >about his birth-nation
>> >
>> >       in a History class
>> >       in a UnitedStatesian High School
>> >
>> >from his accounts,
>> >the teacher making efforts to
>> >conscientiously negotiate
>> >
>> >difference
>> >
>> >opinions, cultures, biases
>> >
>> >giving due credit to the struggles faced by the teacher
>> >
>> >teaching perspectives on History
>> >
>> >                               histories around the world
>> >
>> >within a "multicultural" class context
>> >
>> >with these Indian teenagers watching
>> >with eager eyes
>> >
>> >
>> >asking to be proud of their
>> >
>> >roots
>> >
>> >perhaps
>> >
>> >ignorant of their parents' culture
>> >
>> >"backhome"
>> >
>> >perhaps...
>> >
>> >               i struggle
>> >               the child struggles with my struggle
>> >
>> >what is my role as mother?
>> >
>> >to feed , clean and clothe?
>> >
>> >
>> >               i wish i could cop out and say this was
>> >
>> >so
>> >
>> >               he knows my dissertation
>> >
>> >               is about issues he is discussing/learning
>> >
>> >in class
>> >
>> >(but can i translate - can i be less theoretical?
>> >can i be accountable to him and his struggles wihtout
>> >imposing mine on him?)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >he assumes my view is biased
>> >
>> >
>> >               he struggles
>> >
>> >               with my struggle over his struggle
>> >
>> >
>> >i wish it were a simple matter of how to earn your livelihood
>> >several years from now
>> >
>> >the amount of money you can
>> >accumulate
>> >in your bank account
>> >
>> >by being a doctor, a programmer, an engineer or a ...
>> >
>> >
>> >i wish that's all i cared about
>> >                               (I *don't* wish that's all you
>> >cared about.)
>> >
>> >
>> >       i am glad to see you struggle.
>> >
>> >               my identity as your mother does not
>> >not
>> >               rest on how clean your bathroom is
>> >               how clean your room is, or if you are getiing
>> >"home-cooked" food or if you dress impeccably or whether
>> >this month you've had that haircut yet.
>> >
>> >
>> >my identity as your mother
>> >for
>> >me
>> >
>> >de-
>> >
>> >pends
>> >
>> >on planting this seed of intellectual/emotional
>> >
>> >struggle
>> >(doubt, growth - whatever)
>> >               i am your mother
>> >               this is your curse
>> >
>> >i am your mother
>> >
>> >this is my blessing.
>> >
>> >               think hard, think fair
>> >
>> >               think complex - feel, feel feel
>> >your thought
>> >till you hurt all over....
>> >
>> >(to be contd)
>> >
>> >
>> >_____________________________________
>> >
>> >Radhika Gajjala
>> >
>> >http://ernie.bgsu.edu/~radhik
>> >
>> >
>> >_______________________________________
>> >
>
>
>