Mother 's Day in Vietnam
APP 311 Contemporary Issues in Asian American Communities Upper Division GE Area F3 and G Integrative Studies in Social Science and Upper Division Cultural Pluralism Dr. Lacanlale Ethnography Research Paper Upcoming Events: See our FB or Instagram for flyers! @appcsudh asianpacificstudies https://www.instagram.com/asianpacificstudies/ https://www.facebook.com/APPCSUDH/ Description Ethnographic research project requires first person observation by the researcher (you). You may observe Asian Americans in a variety of settings including restaurants, shops, ethnic enclaves, museums, events and festivals, etc. Then, write an ethnographic paper that connects your observations to our academic study of Asian American communities. You will write about this event through your personal experience and analyze how the event connects to issues of cultural pluralism and Asian Americans as discussed in class. Objectives ● Purpose: ○ To conduct original research and write an ethnography of a local community event or institution to understand specific issues connected to an Asian American community and its relationship to the wider society. ● Connection to Course Objectives: ○ to understand the diverse contemporary issues concerning Asian American communities and the historical, social, economic, political and cultural factors underlying those issues. Format ● 4-5 pages, 12 point font, 1” margins, References Cited page, MLA preferred ● Due date, see BB; No late papers unless you take an incomplete or have an emergency. ● Upload to Turnitin Link on the contents page “Final Paper” ● The paper for 20% of your final grade. Places to conduct research: ● Do a longer interview with one or more Asian immigrants. Compare their stories. ● Churches with a sizeable Asian American presence ● Businesses such as restaurants, nail salons, and groceries (ask permission please) ● Cultural organizations and events (several coming up!!) ● Various “towns” in the L.A. area: Little Tokyo, Little Saigon, Chinatown, Thai Town, Historic Filipinotown, Little India... ● Non-profit organizations (get permission!) ● Cultural Shows on college campuses (Filipino Cultural Night for example) Research Questions before you go: ● Why did you choose this place or event? ● What were your assumptions before you did your project? ● What did you discover from your actual experience? --How did your experiences compare to the usual stereotypes about Asian Americans? ● Focus your questions on something specific! How did this event provide an answer to one of your questions? What to observe: ● Observe what is going on around you: ○ Where is your research site? ○ Why is it taking place? ○ Who is the audience? Who are the organizers or leader? ○ What is the purpose of the event? ○ What importance do you think this place or event has on the local community? ○ What is your personal experience? ○ WHAT DID YOU LEARN? ○ Support your thesis with your observations. Introduction Your first paragraph introduces your essay to the reader. ● Briefly describe the event/place you researched, and its importance in relation to issues examined in this course. State your argument about the importance of this event. ● When you are finished writing your essay, go back and rewrite your thesis to reflect your findings. Don’t wait to present your argument at the end! You want to put this in the beginning. “I argue that Carson’s Philippine Independence Day event is important for Filipino Americans because it acknowledges their contributions to U.S. history and allows them to share pride in their identity with others. I observed many Filipino Americans expressing pride by speaking Tagalog, etc…” Final Projects Body of Paper: ● Each paragraph should go towards supporting your thesis, and last sentence in paragraph should connect the information to your thesis. ● Describe your experience but also analyze this experience commenting on it. ● You must demonstrate knowledge of the course material and course objectives. Find 1-3 direct quotes from the reading to incorporate into your paper. Final Projects Conclusion: Summarize your paper. Reiterate your research question and how your supported your thesis. State how the experience added to your knowledge of Asian American lives, Los Angeles’ diversity, and U.S. history (i.e. the course material from this class). Proper Citation of Sources ● Use 1-3 relevant quotes from the readings to support your points. ● If you are citing demographics, make sure it is from an up-to-date and reputable source. ● Any dates or statistics need to be cited. Anything that you did not personally research or witness should be cited. ● When you quote someone during an interview, this should be cited as well: (Interview with Mr. Allen Lee, 2015). ● If a source is just throwing numbers out there, how can the reader verify that this information is true or that the person using these statistics is accurate? Always question where someone or an organization gets their information. You have to be able to make up your own mind about their interpretation of the information. Writing Rubric “VU LAN” FESTIVAL: THE MOTHER’S DAY IN VIETNAM Western have Mother’s Day to be proud of, the Vietnamese treasure their Seventh full moon of Lunar calendar, as a time to express filial piety to their parents, especially their gratefulness and appreciation to their mothers. Annually, Vietnamese children honor their parents and try to help the lost souls of their ancestors find their way back to earth. WHAT DOES THE LEGEND REALLY MEAN? The Vu Lan tradition began with the legend of Maudgalyayana, known as “Muc Kieu Lien” in Viet Nam. After his mother died, Maudgalyayana, one of the Buddha’s disciple, by means of his supernatural power, saw that his mother had been reborn as a Hungry Ghost in the Hell, as a result of her evil actions in her past life. He saw that his mother was starving , she had nothing to eat but fire. Maudgalyayana (Muc Kieu Lien) pleaded with the Buddha to save his mother. The Buddha instructed his student that only a combined effort of all Buddhist monks could save her soul. The combined prayers proved to be powerful that they achieved the release not only his mother, but also for countless other souls. Ever since, on the festival of “ Vu Lan” – Wandering Soul’s Day- the gates of Hell are believed to be open to give the tormented souls 24 hours holiday,. ( like Halloween Day in U.S) “ Vu Lan “ Festival is believed to be the Spirit month in Vietnamese culture as a way of honoring the dead. On this day , souls are believed to return to their former homes. Many Buddhist countries develop hungry spirit in the month when the Heaven, Hell and living are open. Vu Lan” festival is celebrated by Buddhist all over the world on the 15th day of the Seventh month the custom of offering food, clothing and other items to of the Lunar calendar Hungry Ghost Festival It is said that on the 15th night of Ghost Month the gates to heaven and hell are left open, allowing ghosts and dead people into the world to seek out delicious meals. The Ghost Month is also usually associated with bad luck. Not only in Vietnam but also in other Asian countries and territories like China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Philippines, people will rarely start a new business during this period and a great many do not dare swim fearing they will be drowned by ghosts living in the water. In the countryside, where life after dark is much quieter, to this day many stay at home at night and also avoid other taboos during the seventh lunar month. However, those who believe there is an underworld also accept that during the month ghosts are all around and not just in the countryside or quiet places. In that case, be careful about what you do, say and eat during the Ghost Month, especially on the Ghost Festival on the night of the 15th -- which falls on August 28 this year -- when the King of the Underworld allows all spirits to eat, drink and play to their fill, which could cause some disruption to humans’ lives. From this assembly, many Buddhist countries developed the custom of offering food, clothing and other items to hungry spirits in the month when the realms of Heaven, Hell and the living are open. The object of this ceremony is to feed the hungry ghosts and to pray for their salvation. This ceremony is a way for people to meet their compassionate filial duty. During the ceremony, offerings are made to rescue up to seven generations of ancestors from whatever misery they might be suffering. During the month, every family can choose a day to present a feast and burn joss paper and incense in front of the house to invite the spirits to eat. The most distinguished feature of the ceremony is the “offering snatching.” After the incense burns down, the neighborhood children are allowed to grab the food. No one will stop them as it is believed the spirits may be angered if they do so. The ceremony is also a great chance for people to express their gratitude to their parents. One more tradition of this day is for people - Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike - who wish to express their gratefulness and appreciation towards their mothers, to go to a pagoda, often wearing a rose. Thousands of people flock to pagodas wearing red roses if their parents are alive or white roses if their parents have passed away. The rose has been a symbol of love and sharing among parents and their children regardless of social background Modern view “This festival is a chance for guilty homeless spirits to be pardoned. People worship ghosts and release animals, such as birds or fish, ” said My Ngoc, a university student living in Westminter , California. I am going to the pagoda this year to pray for my mother because we are thousand miles apart. My mother is living in Vietnam. I always think of her, ” Ngoc said. Although, nowadays the young people live faster and are becoming more unfamiliar with tradition value, they still deeply love and respect their parents. The Festival is no longer exclusively for Buddhists but an occasion for everyone to express their love to their parents. So, while the Westerners have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to be proud of, Vietnamese have their Seventh Lunar Moon Festival as a time to show gratitude to their parents and practice Compassion and Charitable giving. Vietnamese offer food, fruits and votive papers to hungry ghosts who supposedly wander the streets and drop into some houses. Though