What's in an accent?

On the BBC today was a programme about 'extreme persuasion'. In it was the story of Gavin Bain, a Scots lad who teamed up with his college mate to pretend to be an American rap act. And they succeeded wildly, for two whole years! You can read an account on the Guardian website.

One of the ironies in the sad story is that they could not get their foot in the door being authentic, that is, Scottish. When they auditioned at a competition in their natural accents, they were laughed off the stage. Just acting and sounding American effected a total change in people's reactions.

Being a Peranakan has brought its share of identity issues for me. Chinese skin, Chinese name, but speak poor Chinese. Speak Baba Malay, but not colloquial Bahasa, and don't look Malay. People don't know where to place me, mentally. Earlier in life, I wasn't so sure, either. Now I know who I am - though I still don't really fit.

Being minority; not mainstream; not easy.

Asian Diaspora - More or Less Chinese

I just watched the first episode of this documentary on CNA today - great interviews with writer Amy Tan, architect Ma Yansong, mezzo-soprano Cao Zheng, and others.

I really liked hearing how the interviewees talked about how they related to being Chinese - taking the best of both sides, or appreciating it more after some event in life.

Being Peranakan, I don't consider myself ethnically Chinese; 'racially' perhaps, but not culturally. Yet I would say that there is certainly a clear heritage and link to some aspects of being Chinese.

Most people in Singapore, seeing my face or name, expect me to be or behave like I'm Chinese, and are dismissive, even offended, when I don't meet their expectations - such as my speaking to them in English, or hearing my poor spoken Chinese when I do try.

In a similar way, I also felt that the Chinese language was forced on me in school, because of my 'race'. Yet it has never been my mother tongue; neither my parents nor three of my grandparents spoke Mandarin. Only my maternal grandfather, like Lim Boon Keng, appreciated the Chinese language and heritage in a significant way.

Thus, my basic reaction is to reject anything that might reinforce others' labelling of me as 'Chinese'.

Yet, apart from the pressures and expectations of others, I realize that, yes, I have clear Chinese roots - and I shouldn't deny them.