Ethnic church:
- challenges for the younger generation
- parents history
- ethnic culture and values
- links to culture and religion
- evangelism and discipleship approach – believe need to be saved rather than a gracious understanding of faith and relationship with God
- parents acculturation response
- younger generation’s experiences with culture, identity and belonging
What was/is your experience of ethnic church or the first time you experienced being it as ‘different’?
~ Confucius quotes ~ learning memory verses ~ emphasis on listening to your elders (honour your mother and father) ~ formal dress = not refugees, we will dress well to reflect our new status ~ a successful look synonymous with a Western look ~ In India we would dress nicely for church but here in Australia no, I’m daggy when I go back! ~
Berry’s Acculturation Model
In transition between old culture to new people will typically have one of 4 main responses:
Marginalisation {not identifying with the host culture}
Assimilation {absorbed into the new culture}
Integration {previous culture maintained and participate in the new culture}
Separation {previous culture maintained and new culture rejected}
This is frequently a zero-sum game – how do we forge new opportunities?
When did you first experience race?
~ moving from one country to another: Philippines to India, then to Oz ~ excursion protocol – don’t know what’s happening (have to learn) ~ sports team – they wouldn’t pass the ball to me ~ not around coloured people until Uni, grew up in a white neighbourhood ~ First day of Year 1, got asked: “Where are you from?” …I was born in this town, I’d never had a sense of being from somewhere else! ~ Broke up with my boyfriend and got called “Ching chong” and told to “go back to where you came from” ~
What is race?
- Arbitrary system of classification
- Hierarchal system (superior and inferior)
- Naturalise and make the system the norm, make invisible the effects e.g. denial of rights, wealth and resource distribution
Transmission of these ideas about race occur in representation and are reiterated until ‘race’ becomes realities. eg. if pen (object) and writing (concept) communicated through language – the pen (signifier) therefore the meaning becomes attached to the object.
Media perpetuates these myths/representations e.g Vietnamese community treating international students badly that work in their restaurants, Vietnamese community wasn’t consulted or invited to speak to the issue > don’t get to choose the story that gets told about our community.
Who do you identify as?
~ I call myself second generation Korean but I don’t like it when others do it (bring what they think that means) ~ pass… Australian… Child of God ~ Child of God first, Vietnamese and Australian ~ NZ European/Pakeha and Maori (Ngai Tahu) claim this when it feels like it’s a benefit eg. Maori electoral roll >representation in NZ Parliament but not to claim/take anything ~ Indian-Australian (rejection of Indian culture, don’t know enough about culture & history) ~ Australian/Filipino – never one or the other ~
Ref: The Whiteness Project (youtube)
Ref: Race the Power of an Illusion (documentary)
Johann Blumenbach came up with the categories:
Caucasian – white
Mongolian – yellow
Malayan – brown
Ethiopian – black
Rev James Black Roland: “Let us keep before us the noble ideal of white Australia, a snow white if you will. Let us be pure and spotless.”
How does ‘whiteness’ function in your life? (personally, professionally, at church…?)
~ my workplace, need representation of other people of colour on the Council ~ white, straight hair, feminine = beautiful. Tried to be something I’m not eg. Jonah from Tonga show ~ Safest I’ve ever been. Can figure out what “Indian” means for me ~feel the poverty of being ‘stuck’ with white people – established systems and processes both at work and in community ~ Party culture – don’t fit in. Assimilated Asians treat me badly. Need to be funny, out-spoken, tell stories… church is accommodating > understand each others brokenness. Asian guy – Maths or The Hangover archetypes ~ “If you want to be competitive with white people you need to overachieve” (YES from the group) became my coping mechanism. Colonised at home/church, assume you’re assimilated and it’s used against you. Have learnt now to feel more comfortable there (white space than I do within my own cultural community). Jarring moments of being brought to awareness of your non-whiteness eg. insult calling based on colour (school had felt like safe space until then) ~
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