Have You Ever Been Denied Your Language/Culture?

[MiasmaMoon]

Hiya guys! It's me, MiasmaMoon, here! biggrin

Well you guys... I need to ask you a question...

When you guys were growing up, were you guys ever denied your language/culture?

I know that some children don't want to learn their culture and language when they grow up, that it was forced on by their parents, but I was quite the opposite.

I grew up, wanting to learn about my Chinese language and culture, and was denied it. My mom tried teaching me when I was little, but due to my dad being xenophobic, my mom just decided to quit altogether.

Sometimes I envy you guys...the people whose parents make you learn Chinese. I would trade anything to get that.

Oh yeah, I also wanted to learn piano when I was little. Yah yah, most Chinese kids are forced to play piano, but I was one of those rare kids that wanted to learn piano but never did!

So you guys...discuss!

Did you want to learn something when you were little, but denied it?
Were you ever denied of your culture/language/religion?
Were you forced to learn anything when you were little?  

[Niphz]

..why was your dad xenophobic? I don't understand.. as in, is he not Chinese? Or are you mixed?

I can't say that I have ever been not allowed to learn sth I wanted to learn. My parents tend to take the view that all learning is helpful, really.

Sort of was forced to learn violin, because my mother used to play it, but I really love it now so it's okay.. (:

 

[` T a p i o c a `]

What's xenophobic? ^^;;

Er well..I'm currently being forced to speak more cantonese at home cos I'm starting to lose my grip on it ^^;;
I wanted to learn how to write chinese, my mum gladly helped me with it, but I then lost interest, I only learned how to write a few characters and probably forget how to write em all by now, but I might be able to recognize them ^^;;

My parents don't play musical instruments, they're not the average chinese person since they were born and raised in Vietnam xp So they don't really care if I play piano or not. I chose to play the flute in year 4, they agreed =]
They know I'm getting lazy at practicing the flute now, but they still plan to let me continue the flute.
My brother on the other hand well...since we hardly hear him play or practice on his guitar my parents are starting to regret letting him take guitar lessons. They only let him have guitar lessons cos they were thinking that he would be like one of my uncles who can play some classic chinese music, such as music from Sam Hui.

 

[kt_jingle]

the ministry of education forces chinese on us.
so yeah.
but i <3 chinese!
(yet there are some ungrateful chinese students out there hating it)

i was forced to learn ballet at 7.
((: then i quit at 12 because the teacher was leaving.
heh.
but i grew to love dance.

 

[MiasmaMoon]

Niphz

..why was your dad xenophobic? I don't understand.. as in, is he not Chinese? Or are you mixed?

I can't say that I have ever been not allowed to learn sth I wanted to learn. My parents tend to take the view that all learning is helpful, really.

Sort of was forced to learn violin, because my mother used to play it, but I really love it now so it's okay.. (:

Yup, I'm mixed. Vietnamese/Chinese. 3nodding My dad married my mom without knowing she was Chinese...so yah. sweatdrop  

[MiasmaMoon]

` T a p i o c a `

What's xenophobic? ^^;;

Er well..I'm currently being forced to speak more cantonese at home cos I'm starting to lose my grip on it ^^;;
I wanted to learn how to write chinese, my mum gladly helped me with it, but I then lost interest, I only learned how to write a few characters and probably forget how to write em all by now, but I might be able to recognize them ^^;;

My parents don't play musical instruments, they're not the average chinese person since they were born and raised in Vietnam xp So they don't really care if I play piano or not. I chose to play the flute in year 4, they agreed =]
They know I'm getting lazy at practicing the flute now, but they still plan to let me continue the flute.
My brother on the other hand well...since we hardly hear him play or practice on his guitar my parents are starting to regret letting him take guitar lessons. They only let him have guitar lessons cos they were thinking that he would be like one of my uncles who can play some classic chinese music, such as music from Sam Hui.

Xenophobic means you're afriad of foreigners or a foreign culture. I wish I used a different word...prejudice might be better, I think. rolleyes

My mom was a Chinese person that grew up in Vietnam, and my dad married her, thinking she was Vietnamese. sweatdrop

I learned how to play guitar, but I haven't been practicing. There are some chords that I just can't get down, but I should practice more... emo  

[chink-e]

MiasmaMoon

Niphz

..why was your dad xenophobic? I don't understand.. as in, is he not Chinese? Or are you mixed?

I can't say that I have ever been not allowed to learn sth I wanted to learn. My parents tend to take the view that all learning is helpful, really.

Sort of was forced to learn violin, because my mother used to play it, but I really love it now so it's okay.. (:

Yup, I'm mixed. Vietnamese/Chinese. 3nodding My dad married my mom without knowing she was Chinese...so yah. sweatdrop

LOL xd .....ur dads a joka xd  

[Loveless Lee]

well i was forced to learn to speak mandarin....but i gave up and ignored whatever my family has to say to it lol. i went to chinese school (cantonese) just cos my cousins were going lol....im not doing it for A-level though. i dont know any of the history that im supposed to know and stuff like that....just cant do it and i again ignored what my family has to say about that. lol
well i quite liked playing the piano at the beginning but after i got to grade 4, i just lost my interest but i was forced to carry on. i dropped it when i was at grade 6 though. just couldnt put up with it.

 

[[.Mihiko-chan.]]

i am sorta feeling a little sorry for you.
my parents dont really care that much but
they're forcing me to play piano..
i wanna learn how to read and write more Chinese
and learn more Mandarin and Cantonese. =]  

[[J.C.]]

well, if your dad's vietnamese, then i guess it's understandable
but then again, if you wanted to learn it, i guess he should've supported you
either that or he could've had you learn viet as well

if anyone has parents taht are both chinese, i can't see why they would deny their children that culture or language  

[Tohru and Yuki]

well~ i get forced to learn piano, voilin, drawing, dance, and mandaran, swim. But now I loed them all!!!!!!!
PS I lived in Macau so I already know Cantonese  

[lollerskater123321]

Well I wanted to learn piano because my friends played it. ( I didnt know they were forced untill after I started) I hate piano. I am/was forced to learn mandarin but now that I know how much my Chinese sucks I want to learn more. Violin I wanted to learn cuz my friends played it as well but I love it to this day. I did to Chinese art for like.... 2 months.  

[DanhTu]

I never got to play the piano, go to Chinese school, prep classes or anything the other Chinese kids here do, I guess that most of those privileged kids are luckier and more obedient to their parents...but most of them turn out to be nerds =P ninja ...I'm not making fun of anyone, it's what I observe where I am from, so don't flame me >.<  

[mymiridon]

there were alot of things I wanted to do but never got the chance. It wasn't like I was openly denied, it's just the tension in the air made me want to ... not ask basically.  

[Purin9191]

o_o;;
No, that hasn't happened to me and I actually wish I had payed attention and learned more Chinese when I was younger 'cause now that I'm older it's harder for me to retain these characters. I can speak and understand pretty well it's just that I can't read and write. I actually wanted to learn piano but I don't know what happened there.

You could always tell your dad that learning another language is very beneficial:
- Resumes
- Getting a job
- Going to a good school
- Traveling
- Knowledge = Power
- etc etc...

I envy my half Vietnamese/Chinese friend. She can speak and understand Cantonese, Vietnamese, Hokkien and on top of that she is learning French and Mandarin.