would you consider this family to be interracial (best, places, interesting)

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by kyh

Chinese culture is very alive here, unlike in the Phils or Indonesia where most have become acculturated. Being a <insert race here> in Malaysia is an important identity, an affiliation with the community that you grow up with.

We talk about China, its politics, the economic progress every other day, but it's just a matter of table talk. How the development and progress takes place over there has absolutely no impact on our lives here in Malaysia. In fact, most people here (as well as the Singaporeans) have developed a disdain of the Mainlanders due to their general rude, brash, harsh attitudes, unlike the more refined characters you see in the general population of HK, Macau, and Taiwan.

Btw, we are called Chinese Malaysians/Malaysian Chinese; Chinese-Malay is someone who is a mix of Chinese and Malay (but we almost never use this term - as one would generally adopt either one race, usually Malay as his identity).

Yes Singapore also uses this 'three race' model. I think the person takes on the 'race' of his father/mother. My cousin is half Malay on his mother's side but he's not a Muslim so I don't think he'd be considered Malay anyway, because in Malaysia being part of the Malay ethnic group means also being a follower of Islam.

[ejay1]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

I use men and women who both work in the fields as a base comparison, as the women don't have the luxury to keep their skin pale. In both cases, even in northern China where people are supposedly fairier (which, btw, is pretty untrue in my experience. It's more an urban vs rural thing, and people in Shanghai are probably among the fairest of all) the rural and older city folk are all a rich dark brown. The difference between men and women is due to fashion, although there might be a slight tendency for males to be darker it wouldn't be that noticeable.

The Mongoloid race in general is a lot darker than what Westerners might think from Asian actresses or pop stars, look at the Inuit/Eskimo for instance.

of course women who work the field will be darker...but in rural Philippines women are expected to stay at home/ watch the kids/ cook/ clean/ take care of the inlaws while the men work the fields or other jobs
if a woman does not have kids to take care of or a job or school to go to she helps out with the field work

in rural china you can also find fair skinned people in rural areas...just as fair skinned as shanghai...but it is true...you would most likely find the field workers to be darker then urban socialites
the mongoloid race can get tanned skinned if left in the sun all day

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by ejay1

of course women who work the field will be darker...but in rural Philippines women are expected to stay at home/ watch the kids/ cook/ clean/ take care of the inlaws while the men work the fields or other jobs
if a woman does not have kids to take care of or a job or school to go to she helps out with the field work

in rural china you can also find fair skinned people in rural areas...just as fair skinned as shanghai...but it is true...you would most likely find the field workers to be darker then urban socialites
the mongoloid race can get tanned skinned if left in the sun all day

I'd be surprised if the women don't also spend a lot of time outdoors in the fields, but those with kids probaby less so since they have to look after kids, but heck even they often work out in the fields carry their babies. The Hmong are an example, they look Korean to me, and they are believed to have come from northern China. Young Hmong children often have dark brown hair like Koreans. I get tanned extremely easily myself. Someone once thought I was Cambodian lol.

[ejay1]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

I've heard that many Chinese Filipinos want to downplay their Chinese roots, I mean heck former President Marcos and his wife Imelda were part Chinese, I think some of the Indonesian leaders too and of course the Thai prime ministers were part Chinese, and they even persecuted the Chinese.

Being 'ethnically Chinese' for many is now separate from identifying from the country that is the People's Republic of China. The degree to which one is still Chinese (language, food, customs) varies from country to country. While I have ancestors that left China as late as the early 20th century (and others a lot earlier than that), I'm not culturally Chinese for the most part. There are some in Malaysia and Singapore, however, that would still be culturally mostly Chinese. The 'speak Mandarin' campaign in Singapore was an example to keep alive the Chinese identity while still promoting the Singaporean identity of course. Before independence many Chinese in Singapore had Communist leanings and still identified more with China as their country. Not anymore, they are Singaporean first and foremost.

actually marcos was part japanese.....he probably wanted to downplay that since after ww2 there was a witchhunt for anybody who conspired with the japanese

in the Philippines chinese are very much seperate from the locals in terms of identity
been like that since Spain allowed them to setup shop in Manila during the 1600s

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by ejay1

actually marcos was part japanese.....he probably wanted to downplay that since after ww2 there was a witchhunt for anybody who conspired with the japanese

in the Philippines chinese are very much seperate from the locals in terms of identity
been like that since Spain allowed them to setup shop in Manila during the 1600s

Really? I thought I remember reading he was part Chinese. I think a lot of the politicians and big wigs in those countries are often part Chinese but want to use the populist majority to persecute the Chinese. The fact the Chinese, once poor labourers, became a more favoured class by the colonials (as in Indonesia, although that didn't mean the Dutch didn't sometimes ally with the natives when convenient).

[ejay1]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

I'd be surprised if the women don't also spend a lot of time outdoors in the fields, but those with kids probaby less so since they have to look after kids, but heck even they often work out in the fields carry their babies. The Hmong are an example, they look Korean to me, and they are believed to have come from northern China. Young Hmong children often have dark brown hair like Koreans. I get tanned extremely easily myself. Someone once thought I was Cambodian lol.

of course some do....but I know about this because I visited my relatives in rural philippines
many of the women worked selling the products in the shaded market

they wear longsleeves and hats like these to keep themselves from getting too dark while working in the fields mind you


some women in rural philippines walk with umbrellas when its not raining

so its understandable why some rural women are light skinned if they go through so much protection


I have to say chinese do it better though lol

[bejarano]

Originally Posted by ejay1

actually marcos was part japanese.....

No he wasn't, he would have had some distant Japanese ancestry - if that.

[ejay1]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Really? I thought I remember reading he was part Chinese. I think a lot of the politicians and big wigs in those countries are often part Chinese but want to use the populist majority to persecute the Chinese. The fact the Chinese, once poor labourers, became a more favoured class by the colonials (as in Indonesia, although that didn't mean the Dutch didn't sometimes ally with the natives when convenient).

the current president of the Philippines is part chinese

actually in the Philippines politicians work in favor of chinese-filipinos

[Trimac20]

LOL, yeah Asians tan really easily. Some definitely are naturally pale, and the ones you see in western countries or in richer countries like Singapore can be pale because they spend more time indoors. Actually eastern China is pretty cloudy so I think it's possible to be outdoors and still be pale. Japan is cloudier still, that's why some Japanese people seem so lily white.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by ejay1

the current president of the Philippines is part chinese

actually in the Philippines politicians work in favor of chinese-filipinos

What percentage of people in Manila are classed as 'ethnic Chinese', full or part?

I heard in Bangkok it's the majority.