Flavors of AAPI Heritages
by Kevin Xiang
Both of my parents were born in parts of China, my father was born in Nanjing, China. My mother was born in Harbin. My last name is Xiang, which was determined because of cultural reasons when my father passes down the last name to the child. My parents met in Cambridge but moved the California, where I was born. Even though I wasn’t born in China, my family celebrates Chinese holidays.
The holidays we celebrated the most were the Chinese New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival. I first experienced a Chinese New Year celebration when we moved to Massachusetts, where I learned many arts, crafts, and cultural activities. Some examples included learning about wearing red, putting up good luck signs, and having a large dinner. It wasn’t until my first year in middle school that I started to get involved in these cultural activities. I would participate in kung fu, Chinese yoyo, and lion dance classes to celebrate Chinese culture and perform these activities many times during the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Another Chinese holiday that I experienced was the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival, originating from China, includes a race of dragon-shaped boats down a river. In Massachusetts, it is celebrated around the Charles River. The event also includes performances on a large stage that happened throughout the day. I would perform diabolo (Chinese yoyo) and lion dance at the festival with a group from Newton. The group was called GBCCA (Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association) and we would be practicing our routines for the performance for a very long time. It was very lucky for me to be part of such a community with many people also wanting to learn the things that I wanted.
Chinese holidays come with delicious and unique food. One prime example is the Mid-Autumn Festival, where in China many people eat moon cakes to celebrate a successful harvest season. Likewise, in the U.S., my family would order mooncakes during the festival week. Another example of delicious food would be on New Year’s Eve. Many families in China would eat dumplings on this holiday and my family was no exception. My family would make dumplings in our house from scratch, which would be fun and tasty.
Wherever you are in the world, you can still celebrate AAPI holidays by doing simple things. You can be of any ethnicity to celebrate these holidays. Simply going to a show or performance that is based on celebrating the holiday is enough to immerse yourself in the culture. I knew this because I have done this many times throughout my youth, and I hope you will too.
Judges' Comments
I enjoyed reading how this young writer embraced her cultural holidays and encourages readers to do so as well. - A.K.
Through a delightful narrative of Chinese festivals and family story, the essay invites everyone to taste the rich flavors of AAPI heritages. - N.M.
What a beautiful, detailed reflection on all the ways we can celebrate culture no matter where we are! I loved the specifics this author offered, and their conclusion especially was so moving. I think this essay needs a tiny bit more focus at the beginning, especially given the power of the conclusion. Start us off by showing us your journey, giving us a starting point that will allows us to see how these community experiences have changed or impacted you. That said, this was a beautiful and moving reflection – this young writer is already doing so much, and I feel inspired to get out and get more involved in my community by this piece! Thank you for your beautiful words! - S.T.
by Kevin Xiang
Both of my parents were born in parts of China, my father was born in Nanjing, China. My mother was born in Harbin. My last name is Xiang, which was determined because of cultural reasons when my father passes down the last name to the child. My parents met in Cambridge but moved the California, where I was born. Even though I wasn’t born in China, my family celebrates Chinese holidays.
The holidays we celebrated the most were the Chinese New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival. I first experienced a Chinese New Year celebration when we moved to Massachusetts, where I learned many arts, crafts, and cultural activities. Some examples included learning about wearing red, putting up good luck signs, and having a large dinner. It wasn’t until my first year in middle school that I started to get involved in these cultural activities. I would participate in kung fu, Chinese yoyo, and lion dance classes to celebrate Chinese culture and perform these activities many times during the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Another Chinese holiday that I experienced was the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival, originating from China, includes a race of dragon-shaped boats down a river. In Massachusetts, it is celebrated around the Charles River. The event also includes performances on a large stage that happened throughout the day. I would perform diabolo (Chinese yoyo) and lion dance at the festival with a group from Newton. The group was called GBCCA (Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association) and we would be practicing our routines for the performance for a very long time. It was very lucky for me to be part of such a community with many people also wanting to learn the things that I wanted.
Chinese holidays come with delicious and unique food. One prime example is the Mid-Autumn Festival, where in China many people eat moon cakes to celebrate a successful harvest season. Likewise, in the U.S., my family would order mooncakes during the festival week. Another example of delicious food would be on New Year’s Eve. Many families in China would eat dumplings on this holiday and my family was no exception. My family would make dumplings in our house from scratch, which would be fun and tasty.
Wherever you are in the world, you can still celebrate AAPI holidays by doing simple things. You can be of any ethnicity to celebrate these holidays. Simply going to a show or performance that is based on celebrating the holiday is enough to immerse yourself in the culture. I knew this because I have done this many times throughout my youth, and I hope you will too.
Judges' Comments
I enjoyed reading how this young writer embraced her cultural holidays and encourages readers to do so as well. - A.K.
Through a delightful narrative of Chinese festivals and family story, the essay invites everyone to taste the rich flavors of AAPI heritages. - N.M.
What a beautiful, detailed reflection on all the ways we can celebrate culture no matter where we are! I loved the specifics this author offered, and their conclusion especially was so moving. I think this essay needs a tiny bit more focus at the beginning, especially given the power of the conclusion. Start us off by showing us your journey, giving us a starting point that will allows us to see how these community experiences have changed or impacted you. That said, this was a beautiful and moving reflection – this young writer is already doing so much, and I feel inspired to get out and get more involved in my community by this piece! Thank you for your beautiful words! - S.T.