Essays on Ethnicity

Despite 400 years of what amounted to genocide at the hands of Europeans, indigenous peoples of North America – known variously as Native Americans, First Peoples, Amerinds, or their own preferred appellation, “Indians” (a name bestowed by Columbus who believed he had actually reached India in 1492) stubbornly remain. Beyond the borders of the reservations…

There had been several kinds of Indians in the United States; perhaps they had reached the other islands too. There are some tribes who exist up to this point and one among these numbers of Tribe is the Wintu Indian Tribe who had lived in the surroundings of Trinity Mountain and Northern Sacramento River Valley…

The word “Peranakan” is derived from both Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia, simply meaning “descendants” or one who is “born of the soil”, “native” and “locally born”. Since this term is very wide, it can simply refer to any person who is a native of one country from a host of different regions. There has…

The Caribbean is one of the most beautiful areas of the world.  It is comprised of many islands which have each developed their own unique culture.  The cultures of the Caribbean are a blend of African, European, and Native American cultures.  Each group in the society has its own unique history. The Africans were brought…

Penang Baba & Nyonya Peranakan and Baba-Nyonya (Chinese: ???? ; Hokkien: Ba-ba Niu-lia) are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th century Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region during the Colonial era. It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya(Singapore, Malacca and Penang) and the…

The Garifuna people are descendants of Carib, Arawak, and West African individuals. They were referred to as Black Carib and Garinagu by the British colonial administration to distinguish them from the Amerindian population called Yellow and Red Carib who did not have intermarriage with Africans. Currently, the Garifuna mainly reside in Central American countries including…

The growth of Bantu tribal civilizations was a turning point in their history. The establishment of their cities and empires started after the Bantu migrations ended. The Bantu peoples were comprised of many tribes that had similar aspects of life. They included their agricultural system and their social hierarchy. Their agricultural system was collective. The…

Since the conquistador’s conquest in 1491 and expulsion from Atzlan, the Chicano community has faced numerous struggles. The white community used race to create an unequal hierarchy, classifying Chicanos as white but treating them as a minority. However, during the Mexican American generation, Chicano activists found empowerment by actively participating in their community and taking…

Alienation, Marginalization and Assimilation in Sandra Cisneros’ My Lucy Friend Who Smells like Corn and Barbie-Q             Mexican-American poet and short story writer Sandra Cisneros (b. 1954) is well-known for her frank exposition of the plight of poor and marginalized Mexican and Mexican-American women. Critics often argue that the characters in Cisneros’ works were drawn…

The central theme of the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves is Ana’s ambition to attend college after completing high school. Ana comes from a background of traditional first-generation Mexican-Americans. Ana, a bright young female, is ensnared by Mexican tradition. She possesses the potential to enroll at Columbia University, which is a renowned institution in…