Rice To Interview You

Anoushka:

A: Could you introduce yourself?

H: My name is Huda Anas, I was born and raised in New Zealand and I am a Sri Lankan woman. 

A: What is something you like about your culture?

H:  The food! A home cooked meal like biryani is so nostalgic. And who could forget the 1996 Cricket World Cup! Tea is also a big thing I like about my culture, especially as my maternal grandad is deeply involved in tea production in Sri Lanka. 

A: What is something you want people to know about your culture?  

H: Although Sri Lanka was once a part of India, Sri Lanka is its own country—we are separate and should be seen and celebrated as such. 

A: What societal challenges do you face being a Sri Lankan? 

H: Being Sri Lankan has meant facing racism and learning how to be as ‘white’ as possible to get where I want. I also found self acceptance hard. When I was younger and even now sometimes, all I would see is white skin with small noses and pretty blue eyes. That was a standard I could never live up to.

A: How do you deal with issues of identity?

I spent my childhood obsessed with washing away my culture to fit in—I regret it so much. I was so ashamed, I didn’t even learn my family’s language and now I struggle to understand them. I have a lot to unlearn. The first step I took was to learn and enjoy our food without worrying about being the “curry kid.” I’ve also been trying to love the natural features of my ethnicity, like my nose.

Laurelei:

L: Introduce yourself! Name, ethnicity, all that jazz.

G: My name’s Gina (they/she)! I’m half-Vietnamese and half-Pākeha. I mainly live with my mum, so I’ve been raised in a Vietnamese household. 

L: True true, so how would you describe your relationship with your culture?

G: When I was really young, I could speak Vietnamese. Then I went to primary, where there were only like 2 other Asians, and I lost my language. At high school, there were more POC and I realised that I don’t look like other white people—and maybe I don’t look like other Asian people too. Through social media and trips back to Vietnam, I’m more certain of my identity now—I am Vietnamese, and I am Pakeha.

L: How do you think being Vietnamese has impacted you?

G: Here, specifically, there aren’t a lot of Vietnamese people my age to connect with. I chose to take Asian Studies… which is hilarious, since most of my lecturers have been white. But yeah, even in general being the only Asian or POC in the room just really isn’t the vibe.

L: Feels. Is there anything you’d like people to know about your culture?

G: I have a pet peeve of people pronouncing Vietnamese food wrong (L: looking at you, Pho Mo), and also when people unnecessarily bring up the war. Same goes for when people bring up their travels to Vietnam… me bringing up my culture isn’t an invitation for you to tell me the one way you’re connected to it. I think Vietnamese people are very passionate and genuine about what they say. As I learn more about Vietnam’s history, I really admire how close Vietnamese people have stayed together given how much they went through.