Comments on: Tristn – Hey hey, it’s the JA http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:54:49 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: ncikatie http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-91 ncikatie Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:12:24 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-91 I hope that you don't always feel "conscious of being an outsider" within the larger JA community! After starting college and leaving my hometown, I struggled with that idea as well, questioning if I was fit to be included in the community. After a certain point, I stopped trying to put myself into the mold of the "typical" JA (and if this year's NCI interns is any indication, that "typical" isn't so typical) and embraced all of my unique experiences. I finally came to the conclusion that within the JA community, there is room for me to define my own place in the community. I hope that your NCI experience helps you to feel more comfortable in the larger community!! I hope that you don’t always feel “conscious of being an outsider” within the larger JA community! After starting college and leaving my hometown, I struggled with that idea as well, questioning if I was fit to be included in the community. After a certain point, I stopped trying to put myself into the mold of the “typical” JA (and if this year’s NCI interns is any indication, that “typical” isn’t so typical) and embraced all of my unique experiences. I finally came to the conclusion that within the JA community, there is room for me to define my own place in the community. I hope that your NCI experience helps you to feel more comfortable in the larger community!!

]]> By: anniechutoo http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-72 anniechutoo Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:14:31 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-72 I enjoyed reading your post, mainly because of your first sentence: "I do not have an ethnic identity." I personally struggle with my own ethnic identity, and so the fact that you say you do not have one, but are still able to identify with the community and the values is intriguing to me. It makes me think that perhaps I'm thinking too hard, and that perhaps ethnic identity and community are two separate things...?? I tend to think that ethnic identity = community = ethnic identity. Hmm, thanks Tristan! I enjoyed reading your post, mainly because of your first sentence: “I do not have an ethnic identity.” I personally struggle with my own ethnic identity, and so the fact that you say you do not have one, but are still able to identify with the community and the values is intriguing to me. It makes me think that perhaps I’m thinking too hard, and that perhaps ethnic identity and community are two separate things…?? I tend to think that ethnic identity = community = ethnic identity. Hmm, thanks Tristan!

]]> By: kfukushima http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-55 kfukushima Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:31:28 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-55 while i dont now if this necessarily applies to you, as a hapa myself and someone who discusses this with other hapas pretty often, it is really hard to cultivate any kind of ethnic idea when you are mixed. the fact is, you DONT share your parents ethnic identity, which is usually the foundation for the child's identity. and family parties? i mean, hanging out with my mom's family is okay, but it's pretty weird when they're all white and gingers (you know, red haired), and then my siblings and i definitely are not. i think you're incredibly lucky to have found a community regardless in hs, because not everyone has the opportunity to accidentally fall into that kind of support structure that happens to correlate with their heritage. just remember that identity is fluid, and you can identify however you want, regardless of what other people expect from you. while i dont now if this necessarily applies to you, as a hapa myself and someone who discusses this with other hapas pretty often, it is really hard to cultivate any kind of ethnic idea when you are mixed. the fact is, you DONT share your parents ethnic identity, which is usually the foundation for the child’s identity. and family parties? i mean, hanging out with my mom’s family is okay, but it’s pretty weird when they’re all white and gingers (you know, red haired), and then my siblings and i definitely are not. i think you’re incredibly lucky to have found a community regardless in hs, because not everyone has the opportunity to accidentally fall into that kind of support structure that happens to correlate with their heritage. just remember that identity is fluid, and you can identify however you want, regardless of what other people expect from you.

]]> By: jmh12219 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-45 jmh12219 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:58:55 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-45 As it's been mentioned, I think that it's great that you have been able to identify with the JA community. I don't think you necessarily have to make a claim on a particular past or being able to speak an ethnic language from your back ground, but you have your own values and experiences that help to make you who you are. Especially with your music as an artist, it's another part of who you are and another broader community you can identify with. I think it's also awesome that you are so open minded to new knowledge to be able to give back to a community that has been important in your life. As it’s been mentioned, I think that it’s great that you have been able to identify with the JA community. I don’t think you necessarily have to make a claim on a particular past or being able to speak an ethnic language from your back ground, but you have your own values and experiences that help to make you who you are. Especially with your music as an artist, it’s another part of who you are and another broader community you can identify with. I think it’s also awesome that you are so open minded to new knowledge to be able to give back to a community that has been important in your life.

]]> By: fmpotter http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-42 fmpotter Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:58:42 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-42 wow, you are a much braver obon-goer than me. i'm always too scared to do the bon odori dancing! it sounds like you've had a really meaningful experience with the JA community, perhaps even more meaningful than any "grandiose" ideas of heirtage of legacy because you've taken all the pieces and put them together yourself. wow, you are a much braver obon-goer than me. i’m always too scared to do the bon odori dancing!

it sounds like you’ve had a really meaningful experience with the JA community, perhaps even more meaningful than any “grandiose” ideas of heirtage of legacy because you’ve taken all the pieces and put them together yourself.

]]> By: was21 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-18 was21 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:05:52 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-18 Do you ever feel like people want to place you into a certain culture or community- for instance, I always feel like it's hard for me to be anything other than at least Asian American just because that's what they see on the outside. I wonder how our identities would evolve if we all had the same physical appearance- but expressed out different cultural upbringings or unique identities only through our personalities and actions...or something like that. just a strange musing. Do you ever feel like people want to place you into a certain culture or community- for instance, I always feel like it’s hard for me to be anything other than at least Asian American just because that’s what they see on the outside. I wonder how our identities would evolve if we all had the same physical appearance- but expressed out different cultural upbringings or unique identities only through our personalities and actions…or something like that. just a strange musing.

]]> By: kame123 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tristan-hey-hey-its-the-ja/#comment-15 kame123 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:10:11 +0000 http://nciprogram.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-15 That's really great that you have found not only a niche in the JA commuity, but that you identify yourself with it. Although you mentioned that you don't have a specific past, there is definitely a rich history in your grandfather's life and his experiences. I think it's also a part of this globalizing world that these exchanges of culture and identity are constant. Its also interesting to understand how our life history is where we draw a large part of our ethnic and personal identities from. That’s really great that you have found not only a niche in the JA commuity, but that you identify yourself with it. Although you mentioned that you don’t have a specific past, there is definitely a rich history in your grandfather’s life and his experiences. I think it’s also a part of this globalizing world that these exchanges of culture and identity are constant. Its also interesting to understand how our life history is where we draw a large part of our ethnic and personal identities from.

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