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Post by helen on Aug 4, 2012 16:13:56 GMT -5
Chinese Couplets Felicia Lowe discovers family secrets borne of her mother’s immigration during the Chinese Exclusion era & its repercussions on four generations of women. Follow my quest to unravel the mystery surrounding my mother’s emigration from China, the web of secrecy underlying her acculturation and unflagging pursuit of the American Dream and its repercussions on four generations of women. It was the surprising revelation of a secret my mother disclosed to my daughter Alana that triggered my years-long search for answers about my mother’s life before she became my mother. My quest would take me to Cuba, China and the National Archives. Mother’s odyssey to America in 1937 illuminates the lengths to which families went to circumvent exclusion laws, the economic privation that drove my grandfather to Latin America, and the repercussions it had on four generations of my Chinese, then Chinese American family. www.indiegogo.com/chinesecouplets |
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Post by lowetus on Aug 1, 2013 18:42:00 GMT -5
Thank you Helen for posting my project. I've been to Cuba two times (1999 and 2003) in the hopes of finding information about my grandfather. What did he do there? Did he start another family? Casino Chung Wah, the equivalent of the Chinese
Six Companies in San Francisco was as helpful as could be by making introductions to the likeliest family associations. My grandfather was a Louie from Chungshan. However, I knew of only one of his potential nine + names so was unsuccessful in
learning specifics. I did meet a man who arrived in Cuba the same time as my grandfather in 1920 and interviewed him about conditions. I have marvelous footage and I intend to make a separate doc on the Chinese in Cuba.
When Castro took over in 1959, many of the records were destroyed, hidden, confiscated. The exodus of the Chinese who could afford to leave was less about conditions in China (since the third wave of immigrants escaped China in 1949 when Mao assumed power) and fled to America, Australia, Canada and more. More scholars and historians are studying Asians in Latin
America so there will definitely be more information forthcoming. Felicia Lowe
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Post by douglaslam on Aug 2, 2013 9:10:44 GMT -5
lowetus, if your grandfather was a Louie from Chungshan, you can be sure he was from the village of Dutou 渡頭. It is one of my neighbouring villages across a river. I know many Louies in Sydney, Australia, but I have yet to meet any exiles from Cuba. The following link has a few snaps of my visit to Dutou in 2010. If you had never visited the village, you can get an idea of what it is like. just scroll down the page, and you'll find it. siyigenealogy.proboards.com/thread/1181?page=22 |
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Post by lowetus on Aug 2, 2013 10:55:41 GMT -5
Hi Doug, you're absolutely right about my grandfather's village. I appreciated "re-visiting" Dutao through your photographs.
My mother finally conceded to going back with me for the first time in some 60+ years and I filmed the trip which is a part of "Chinese Couplets." So pleased to learn of the work of fellow enthusiasts. My intention is to deconstruct the story of a paper name emigration and breaking a legacy of secrets and lies. Cheers!
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Post by douglaslam on Aug 4, 2013 5:10:59 GMT -5
Lowetus, you'll keep us informed of your project, won't you. I am sure members of this Forum are keenly interested.
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Post by abcgirl on Mar 18, 2015 8:24:09 GMT -5
Felicia Lowe's two films, Chinese Couplets and China: Land of My Father were shown in San Francisco's Chinatown at the historic Great Star Theatre on March 14. They were presented at CAAMFest 2015 (Center for Asian American Media) along with other films. Anyone see her films? Hope they'll get wider distribution.
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