In Asia, the U.S. city of Houston may be primarily associated with the Houston Rockets and the Johnson Space Center, but how many in Asia know that Houston’s Asian communities are celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in a big way this May?
This commemorative month originated in a U.S. congressional bill. In 1978, U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed a Joint Resolution designating the annual week-long celebration. Then in 1990, President George H.W. Bush made the week-long celebration into a month-long one. May was officially made Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by law in 1992.
May was chosen to commemorate the achievements of Asian Americans for two reasons: The first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, and the transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, in large part by Chinese immigrants. “Their story is the American story, and this month, we honor them all,” President Barack Obama said in a proclamation preceding this year’s commemorative month.
Different organizations throughout major U.S. cities such as Houston have put together events to showcase Asian cultures this month. On May 9 some Chinese youths from the Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy demonstrated basic Kung Fu stances at a local library. Two of them also performed a lion dance. The dance had a humorous touch as the four-legged “lion” wore sneakers. Shi Xing Hao, who has appeared in martial arts movies and was trained at China’s Shaolin Temple, masterminded this Kung Fu demonstration.
“Lion dance and Kung Fu demonstrations are an excellent way to share the Chinese heritage with local communities while having fun,” Shi Xing Hao said. He also said that the mission of his academy, which has produced world-class martial arts champions, is “the dissemination of Chinese traditional culture, and is an educational institution committed to the East-West cultural heritage and exchange.”
On May 15, Patty Yeu, a Chinese American watercolor artist from Houston’s Chinese Community Center, wowed groups of children at another local library by writing their names in Chinese characters in ink on colorful pieces of paper. On each piece of paper she stamped a red seal, which is typical of Chinese artists. If one of the participants got too close, the soft-spoken Yeu would gently ask to be given more elbow room to work.
When asked how Chinese calligraphy represents the Chinese spirit and culture, Yeu said, “Chinese calligraphy is a combination of the beauty of Chinese characters and the application of the writing art (brush, ink stick, paper and ink stone).” She cited the brush as one of ancient China’s greatest inventions.
Yeu also explained how she thinks this commemorative month helps Americans understand Asian cultures better. “The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a platform to introduce the region’s traditional cultures, food/cuisine and folklore to the American public in order to pique public curiosity about the region and enhance its recognition among ordinary Americans,” she said. “We hope to deepen mutual understanding and further the integration.”
Nine-Min Cheng, Community Outreach Director at the Chinese Community Center, said her center had played a key role in organizing the events featuring Chinese culture at Houston’s local libraries, such as Yeu’s calligraphy demonstration, story-telling, paper-cutting and the Shaolin Kung Fu demonstration. Yet she hoped for a greater turnout next year. “I am kind of disappointed in the turnout. However, this is the first year we have engaged with the public libraries,” she said.
Another organization also held several events to honor the cultural achievements of Asian Americans. The Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA), a non-profit formed in 1992 whose mission is to “promote the Asian/Pacific Americans’ contributions, culture and heritage through creating awareness, educational outreach and celebrating the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month of May,” held a Kick-Off event in a Houston mall on April 27. The event featured a fashion show with Asian models and designers, Hawaiian and Indian dances and a Vietnamese Elvis impersonator who brought down the house with songs such as “Heartbreak Hotel” and charmed elderly ladies by presenting them with scarves or a kiss on the cheek.
Among the Kick-Off’s highlights were Miss Chinatown 2012/13, who did a ribbon dance mimicking the movements of hummingbirds, and Chinese girls doing a handkerchief dance wearing red gold-embroidered vests and custard-colored pantaloons. Later, some Chinese girls also danced to the classic Chinese tune “Why are the flowers so red?” During the break, the DJ played a Teresa Teng song, which gave one the feeling that one was in an Asian karaoke bar, not a U.S. mall.
APAHA’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month festival on May 18 featured martial arts performances such as Tai Chi and Taekwondo, as well as Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Polynesian dances. Those performing the Polynesian dances appeared to have just stepped out of a Gauguin painting. Among the Japanese dances was the famous “Sakura Sakura” (“Cherry blossoms, Cherry blossoms”) dance with the performers swinging artificial cherry blossom twigs, and the Korean dances featured a “Farmers’ dance” with loud percussion instruments and a “Fan dance.”
The Chinese dances included a Taiwanese aboriginal dance, a bit of Beijing opera and a girl who did a handkerchief dance. When the girl dropped her handkerchief, her Chinese mother -- obviously not a Tiger Mom -- calmly reassured her daughter that she had performed well. There was also a mini-fashion show featuring famous figures from China’s 5,000-year-long history such as Qin Shi Huang, Cixi and Mulan, all dressed in flamboyant costumes. Some demure girls who were “American-born but Chinese-raised” performed on the traditional Chinese instruments guzheng and pipa. The Chinese performers especially radiated majesty tempered by modesty.
“I feel very proud and warm to see my homeland’s culture showcased in the USA, far away from my homeland. At the same time, this event also let me learn about the different cultures of other Asian countries,” Zhiyong Yang, a young man who had recently moved to the United States from China, said about the APAHA festival, adding that he was surprised that non-Asians were also actively involved in the martial arts performances.
Tim Tran, a Vietnamese American, said that although he hadn’t been aware of such a heritage month and the events associated with it in Houston, he wouldn’t mind going. “I think such events (done right) can raise awareness of Vietnamese/Asian culture among Americans because they offer a large community an outlet to learn about a different culture outside of school or work,” he said. “Presenting information about culture in this way can make it more interesting and engaging for those who want to learn.”
On May 19, the hip-hop quartet Far East Movement, whose band members are all Asian American, performed at a Houston Macy’s. The band’s claim to fame is being the first Asian American band to earn a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Band member Kevin Nishimura, of Chinese-Japanese descent, told his young audience how his band became successful by being persistent. He urged his listeners to “focus” and “follow your path.”
Houston’s Asians appeared to have done just that by remembering, celebrating and promoting their cultures this May.
