In this land of many peoples and people of many ancestries, how do people see their ethnic heritage? How do they practice it, ignore it, or celebrate it? On the occasion of our 54th year of independence from Britain, Guardian feature writer SHEREEN ALI spoke to T&T citizens of different backgrounds to ask how they see issues such as ethnicity, race and in some cases, their own uniquely diverse heritages. People, in their own words, helped paint a picture of an ever-changing, complex twin-island nation of many different ancestral influences. Today and tomorrow, in part five of seven, we hear from people who have Chinese ancestry.
Megan Lee Yuen
Self-appointed Trinidadian ambassador
and Carnival junkie.
When you have to fill in a form asking you your race, what do you put?
I usually state that I’m “mixed” but, depending on the purpose of the form, I’ll choose the “I would rather not say” option if I don’t think a person’s race is relevant.
How do you see your ethnic roots & heritage? Is it important to how you define yourself, or is it irrelevant, an accident of birth?
My mix is half-Chinese, quarter-Indian and quarter-white, but I largely identify as being Chinese, due to my surname, physical features and general upbringing. I make an effort to feel connected to my Chinese heritage, since both of my parents are also half Chinese, and because the Chinese community in Trinidad is small and close-knit. Even though I am proud of my Chinese heritage and am proud to be mixed, I don’t explicitly try to portray myself as Chinese or any other ethnicity, as I don’t feel that race should define any person. Especially with living abroad on and off for the last 13 years, I simply identify as being Trinidadian.
Do you celebrate your ethnic heritage, ignore it as irrelevant, or have mixed feelings about it?
I don’t celebrate my ethnic heritage in any significant way, probably because I identify as being mixed and just a child of T&T. I have grown up eating a lot of Chinese food, though, thanks to both my parents and grandparents. In Trinidad, I only celebrate my Chinese heritage in superficial ways, like saying “Gong hei fat choy” for Chinese New Year, but I go to Chinatown if I’m in London at that time of the year, because the celebrations there are much more prominent than in Trinidad.
I wish I were more aware and involved in my Chinese heritage, but my maternal grandmother, who was born in Trinidad, thought it more important to assimilate into the local diaspora rather than pass on traditions. I respect this choice, though, as I consider myself Trinidadian ahead of any particular ethnicity. I otherwise don’t celebrate my ethnic heritage, with the exception of supporting Portugal in football since my mother’s grandmother was Portuguese. And garlic pork! My mum makes it every year for Christmas Day breakfast.
Do you think race is important in T&T?
I wish I could say that race didn’t matter in T&T, but the unfortunate truth is that it does. The racial tension that arises especially around election time is appalling, and there are constant recounts on social media of individuals being discriminated against.
Do you think different ethnicities have different values?
I don’t think that different ethnicities have different values—I think each person has their own set of values and ideals, and that some people let those be influenced by their ethnicity, but it’s a choice made by the individual rather than the collective.
How long have you/your family had roots here (best estimate)?
My Chinese great-grandparents came to Trinidad in the early 1900s, my European and Indian ancestors sometime in the latter half of the 1800s.
What do you like and dislike about T&T culture?
I love not only the ethnic diversity in T&T, but how inclusive we are as a people and the integration of ethnicities, religions, cultures. I love that all cultures and religions are celebrated here, and by not just a particular community but the country as a whole.
However, it’s really disheartening to see how racially divisive we can be, especially with respect to the political landscape. It’s so disappointing. But, conversely, everyone comes together for Carnival, and it’s beautiful. We need every day to be Carnival!
Do you know about the beliefs and lifestyles of T&T people of different ethnic heritages from your own?
I would like to say that I do, but that’s only from my own viewpoint and frame of reference. But between what I’ve learnt in school and my own personal experiences with the people I’m surrounded by, who are largely not of my primary ethnicity, I do feel that I have a good understanding and appreciation of others’ beliefs and lifestyles.
• Tomorrow: Derek Chung and Rhett
Chee Ping
