Project Report: A Tibetan in Beijing

[chayedan01]

Zanta is a lovely woma. She is an artist who has made so many beautiful necklaces and bracelets and so on.

Bringing up a child by her own without proper financial backing is very tough for any woman. It is a problem that many single women live either in urban or rural China has to face. Having said that, she does have more difficulties than others, such as language problem.

Surviving is the most important concern for her. Being Chinese or not becomes much less important....

[yetaai]

"Chinese" or "Being Chinese" does not matter. The most important thing is that her will is respect and her rights is protected. Unfortunately, Chinese government does not keep it as belief and twisted both Han and Tibetan's brain by censorship. It is untolerant. People should find solution together by talking and rational action and stop Chinese Government's wrong policy. But it is long way to go as the education and media and Internet are controlled.

[richprince78]

Jocelyn,

Ok...I'm not even going to attempt to wonder into all of the nationalistic/political/ethnic issues here. Obviously some rather complex issues.

Rather, I would just like to say that as far as a documentary, and a submission for the Project Report, I thought it was amazing. It is a story that I have yet to hear, and a very touching and moving one at that. Thanx for sharing it and good luck with everything.

Cheers

-Rich

[ChinaForReal]

Thank you for bringing up all these issues which I was unable to address in a 3 minute documentary. Actually it would be great if you could discuss them with Zanta herself, and perhaps we could share the discussion online. Would you like to do this via skype?

[LAYGPOT]

The only reason her in-laws opposed sending the child to school is because they fear as all Tibetans do, that he will turn into a Chinese. There is nothing conservative about that. Was it conservative of the Chinese to want not to be educated in Japanese? But why are Tibetan families split up by such dilemmas? The entire blame falls on the imperialist policies of China. Please recognise the right culprit and stop scapegoating Tibetans for the dislocations caused by Chinese imperialism.

[ChinaForReal]

Zanta told me she prefers her son learn Chinese because it is a key to a better life. She told me she is not worried he will become "Chinese." She told me her mother agrees with her, it sounds like her father shares your view. She describes deep-rooted sexism in her village, which I have described as conservative. She told me she thinks Han Chinese women are better off than Tibetan women because they are more independent, can work or not, and can freely visit their families.

[ChinaForReal]

I think it would be healthy if people in China could openly and freely discuss nationality, ethnicity and tolerance and respect for ethnic groups and different values. Unfortunately, the censors won't yet allow this.

[odemylife]

Somehow I wonder whether it possible to copy US example,separating the political capital from the metropolis Beijing city,so the disadvantaged group might entitle to enjoy equal respect according to the law.

when refer to the ethnic groups,I am more concerned about the Uighur ethnic group in XinJiang region.

[LAYGPOT]

There used to be a time in Tibetan regions, when being literate in Tibetan was "key to better life." Who brought about this difficult dilemma when a person and his family has to choose between his/her ancestral language (perfectly capable for modern purposes) and the language of their colonial masters?

[LAYGPOT]

Please don't mislead people here. The only reason her in-laws opposed his going to school is because he will become a Chinese. Why aren't there schools where Tibetans can be educated in Tibetan language and grow up as dignified Tibetans? Why are Tibetan families split up by these dilemmas? It's all down to imperialist Chinese policies. Please recognise the right culprits and don't scapegoat "conservative" Tibetans for the dislocations caused by imperialist policies.

[ChinaForReal]

This is an important debate. There are other economic issues for Zanta's dislocation. Another reason she left the village was the reforestation policy. Most of the family's land was taken over to plant trees, and they were only compensated with two years worth of food (I'd have to check the details.) She had to go out to earn a living.

[LAYGPOT]

She is not "one of the millions of Chinese"! She is a Tibetan!

[ChinaForReal]

Thank you for your comment.

Zanta tells me she is proud to be Tibetan. She insists she is Chinese. She tells me she gets upset when other Chinese say she is not Chinese. "If I am not Chinese, what am I?" she tells them.

This is her view of her identity.

Thank you for raising the issue.

Personally, I think the terms "Chinese" and "being Chinese" are poorly defined, misleading and confusing.

[LAYGPOT]

Thanks for taking my comments positively and apologies if I came across a bit cross. I am so used to Chinese and some Western leftists twisting issues on the internet and get riled up. Zanta grew up under Communist Chinese propaganda of inculcating a sense of Chineseness among Tibetans and other minorities. The fact that she considers herself a Chinese shows the effects of imperialist indoctrination. What choice does she have?