Hurts my head...
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 03:34PM So. Was just reading some history lessons with the boys and discussing various medieval civilizations and such. Somehow, this led to a discussion about ancestry and ethnicity. We were talking about how a Viking named Rurik "started" Russia and how the Vikings he brought with him and the Slovenians already living there were all considered Russian after that because of where they all lived.
And now Noah would sincerely like to know why we still "classify" by where families lived generations ago. For instance, my dad's grandparents on both sides came to the US from (then) Yugoslavia. So, they were Yugoslavian. My dad's parents were both born in the US, as was my dad. So, Noah wants to know, why aren't they just American? Why do we still say they're Yugoslavian? At what point do we get to just have Americans, he says? (like when the Russians became Russians instead of Vikings and Slovenians) He can see that maybe my dad's parents could still be Yugoslavian since *their* parents were born and raised in Yugoslavia. But my dad was born and raised in the US...by parents who were born and raised in the US.
To this end, at least my parents' families are fairly straightforward, having been first and second generation immigrants to the US. But, says Noah, what about Nathan's family history? His ancestors have lived in the US for generations upon generations. Why do we still get into the whole "what country" do they hail from thing when 1) they've all lived here for ages and 2) most people just say Caucasian or white anyhow?
Added on top of this, of course, is the fact that I'm Korean...and was born in Korea. But was raised in America by American parents. Shouldn't this make me American instead of Korean, he wants to know?
Ah the inner workings of this boy's head...definitely food for thought, folks. And, for the record, he's declared himself simply American. So there. ;)
Reader Comments (9)
That concept is totally confusing to an adult, let alone a child. LOL. You'd almost need a chart to map it all out! Tell Noah I'm on his side . . . I'm just American. Of course, Tom considers himself to be Irish, so that's a whole other story for my kids to figure out, too.
Korean American! LOL! Kids. Or just tell him you're a twinkie/banana.....
Out of the mouths of babes. Wouldn't life be much simpler if we were all just Americans instead of all this hyphenated stuff, too? np
I know what you mean! My family has been in America for who knows how long! But my sister's husband is a first generation immigrant from Laos. I think your son is right we are all American's--and that's what makes America such a beautiful place!
Smart kid! I am with him too. I hate filling out paperwork where it says to specify that sort of thing. I always wonder why does one get precedence over another? Sometimes the options on there are so crazy and they never have anything that my family claims to me- I tend to put 'other' or 'no answer' just to defy the system ;)
Once they filled it in for me though- that was a bit rude.
I agree with Noah, too! I do think that it can be fun to claim the foods and culture of your ancestry though - some of the holiday traditions. I have a friend that recently adopted a beautiful little girl from the Ukraine. She came here speaking nothing but Russian and, even though she has learned English very quickly, still clings to some of the Russian words. It is very charming.
I have to agree with your son. I never understand why people do that type of grouping either. Seriously, do you speak Russian? If the answer is no, then you aren't Russian, because Russians speak Russian. I can understand if you are only one generation removed, but beyond that, it's just Americans! I back him 100% !!! lol
Love the way his mind works :). I do like my Polish and German family traditions. Ancestry is fun, and it is good to know where you came from, but several generations removed, I'm American too :).
funny! My mom's parents came from Hungary and had accents and all...altho they spoke English. My mom was teased for being a "Hunky" and her father told her to be proud of where she was from b/c the other little girl didn't know....so maybe, not knowing your ancestry wasn't good. dunno.
I think it's cool to know where your people are from, but I don't even know where my kids' great grandparents came from and that feels kinda sad.
But I like that Americans are all different flavors...it's what makes us especially cool!
Just when you think you know everything, your kid asks you a toughie! :)