hapa.me -15 years of the hapa project

source: KipFulbeck.com

As I'm still riding on the Asian American identity theme for the past 3 of 4 weeks, I'm going to shift gears a little and update you on my August 10, 2012 entry, The Hapa Project.

Continuing through October 28, 2018 at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles is the exhibition "hapa.me - 15 years of the hapa project".

Taken from the first paragraph from the exhibition page: The word “hapa” is the Hawaiian transliteration of the English word “half.” Much of its current usage derives from the phrase hapa haole, meaning “half white.” The phrase was originally coined by native Hawaiians to describe the mixed offspring resulting from encounters between islanders and White settlers. In subsequent years, hapa (or Hapa) has come into popular usage away from the islands, most frequently embraced by Asian/Pacific Islander Americans of mixed descent.

Some well known Hapa:

• Oiympic swimmers Nathan Adrian, Natalie Coughlin and Jay Litherland
• Actors Keanu Reeves, Chloe Bennett, Maggie Q, and Daniel Henney

For me, I need to make this as a must-see on my next visit to Los Angeles.

Crazy Rich Asians on Food and Family

source: Mother Jones
L to R: Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Constance Wu, Ken Jeong, Awkwafina

Yesterday, I attended the early bird showing of "Crazy Rich Asians".
Love versus family with east versus west complications told in a fun yet very heartfelt way. With lots of eating in-between.

I'm ethnically biased, but it's the best movie I've seen this year.

From USA Today, here's the film's cast on their own experiences with food and family. Can't stress it enough. Especially if you or loved ones are Chinese. GO SEE THE MOVIE. And if you can, with a group of friends and/or family.

Nationwide PWBA Columbus Bowl - 2018 August 16-18

source: PWBA

With only 3 tournaments remaining for the 2018 PWBA season, the next tour stop is in Columbus, Ohio at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.

Bowl Fearless.



Bowlers featured in video in order of appearance:
Diana Zajvalova, Kelly Kulick, Daria Pajak, Stefanie Johnson, Liz Johnson, and the heavy favorite for Player of the Year, Shannon O'Keefe.

Crazy Rich Asians Film Premiere 2018.08.08

source: Amazon
novel by Kevin Kwan

In recognition of lucky 8 in Chinese numerology, the highly anticipated motion picture based on Kevin Kwan's best selling novel, Crazy Rich Asians will make its San Francisco debut in limited release on August 8, 2018.

I haven't read the novel but likely will see the film.

There have been some grumblings about casting Henry Golding, who is British Malaysian, in a Chinese role.

This isn't anything new.

Michelle Yeoh (Golding's mother in Crazy Rich Asians), Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li, who are all Chinese, were cast as Japanese in Memoirs of a Geisha. 

The late Miyoshi Umeki and James Shigeta, who are both ethnically Japanese, were cast as Chinese characters in Flower Drum Song. Tamlyn Tomita, ethnically Japanese, was cast as Chinese in The Joy Luck Club.

As we do every time we see a film, exercise your suspension of disbelief. Get an overpriced fat tub of popcorn lathered in real butter. Munch. Enjoy.