I am never sure whether people in the villages of Rwanda are happy to see “muzungu’s” (people who are not visibly African) or scowl with unease; most days this could depend on the person. In a sense, I am sheltered from the full variety of opinions and responses as those who do approach me seem to reassure me that most Rwandans don’t really discriminate in the same way segregation and racism was propagated in America. Most times I don’t doubt it as their hospitality is unprecedented and unselfish beyond words. But my experience being viewed as a foreigner has been quite different from the other girls in our group, who are mostly European or American in appearance. I am visibly Chinese, a difference lot of people and children can tell as I walk about in the village every day. I get called Chine, China, Chinois and even Jackie Chan or shouted at in Mandarin (Neehow! – which means hello) sometimes and even proposed to once (though thats for most “muzungu’s”). While my travel partners all notice the USAID logo on the tarps covering the charcoal in the market or the abundance of toys and knick-knacks with pictures of famous celebrities from Canada or America, I often see the large commercial trucks rolling in with Chinese characters on the sides or that one truck on the military base on the main strip towards town. Three thoughts interwined with conversations and stories, come to mind surrounding these instances:
1) Dambisa Moyo (author of Dead Aid) and President Kagame’s inclination towards the development of China as a model for “progress” within Rwanda has truly trickled down to the people. On a pleasant early evening walk with my host parents I asked them what people and children think about Chinese people. Up to this point, I've had many conversations about what European/muzungu means (with other Rwandans) but I never expected to be blatantly categorized as Chinois (because we are also muzungus). But somehow there is a difference. My parents told me children here just call it as it is and some of them know from movies and maybe even school the different features of a Chinese person. But for adults, their impression tends to be of positivity towards the economic prosperity and technologies of China; that "we" can make everything. At least that is what I was told. In a book called "Land of a Thousand Hills" Rosamond Carr writes of her time in Rwanda during the 20s: "As a rule, foreigners were perceived differently in Rwanda than in most African countries. Never in Rwanda have the Europeans or Asians been expelled or even harassed. At the time of Rwandan independence, leaflets were dropped from airplanes that read in Kinyarwandan: "Europeans and Asians will show us the way to economic prosperity."
2) Often when I am recognized as Chinese, many adults would yell, "NeeHow!” I've always seem to be at odds with what my culture/identity is, even in Canada. There are moments when I want to tell them that I speak Cantonese, English and French and not Mandarin. Other times, I keep walking. I am sure when they want my attention; it is less of a taunt but more of a friendly greeting. But because I was raised in Canada and had experiences of my language being laughed at or being called "chink" in a New York City bus terminal in a crude way, I’ve sided with sticking to my fluent English and my working French, to separate myself from Chinese culture; as if English and French are more refined and respected. I'm often on this cultural fence because I personally find Chinese culture rich with traditions and knowledge, expression and eloquence, but growing up mostly in an environment that never really understood that makes me choose the former option of proclaiming myself as only "Canadian", because I can. I never want to be ashamed of where I am from, but I end up always hating myself for not embracing my heritage because of the negativity I feel about people “trying” to imitate Chinese language. It is something I constantly struggle with, how much of each culture can I really adapt to?
3) But people in Rwanda, that I have met, have been fascinated with Chinese culture, sometimes asking me how to say certain words or being confused about how chopsticks are held and used. Even conversations with University students in Rwanda telling me they may study Chinese as one of their electives in school. It is the same curiosity of people who speak of learning Mandarin, because it’s the next most important language in the world, in Canada. All this possibly as a means to economic prosperity; an example that Rwanda seems to admire and strive for in terms of the progress of material goods and fast production of technology, the efficiency of businesses. Seeing this difference between myself and the other girls in the group has sometimes alienated me sometimes set me aside in the eyes of my colleagues and expected to be different too. Whereas many Europeans are approached by children pleading, "give me money", I get asked this question less, but have more adults scream greetings to me than they do. The difference is subtle but I am reminded that it is a result of a political ideology trickling down to its citizens, a yearning for "development" through economic prosperity and progress through an exemplar.
1) Dambisa Moyo (author of Dead Aid) and President Kagame’s inclination towards the development of China as a model for “progress” within Rwanda has truly trickled down to the people. On a pleasant early evening walk with my host parents I asked them what people and children think about Chinese people. Up to this point, I've had many conversations about what European/muzungu means (with other Rwandans) but I never expected to be blatantly categorized as Chinois (because we are also muzungus). But somehow there is a difference. My parents told me children here just call it as it is and some of them know from movies and maybe even school the different features of a Chinese person. But for adults, their impression tends to be of positivity towards the economic prosperity and technologies of China; that "we" can make everything. At least that is what I was told. In a book called "Land of a Thousand Hills" Rosamond Carr writes of her time in Rwanda during the 20s: "As a rule, foreigners were perceived differently in Rwanda than in most African countries. Never in Rwanda have the Europeans or Asians been expelled or even harassed. At the time of Rwandan independence, leaflets were dropped from airplanes that read in Kinyarwandan: "Europeans and Asians will show us the way to economic prosperity."
2) Often when I am recognized as Chinese, many adults would yell, "NeeHow!” I've always seem to be at odds with what my culture/identity is, even in Canada. There are moments when I want to tell them that I speak Cantonese, English and French and not Mandarin. Other times, I keep walking. I am sure when they want my attention; it is less of a taunt but more of a friendly greeting. But because I was raised in Canada and had experiences of my language being laughed at or being called "chink" in a New York City bus terminal in a crude way, I’ve sided with sticking to my fluent English and my working French, to separate myself from Chinese culture; as if English and French are more refined and respected. I'm often on this cultural fence because I personally find Chinese culture rich with traditions and knowledge, expression and eloquence, but growing up mostly in an environment that never really understood that makes me choose the former option of proclaiming myself as only "Canadian", because I can. I never want to be ashamed of where I am from, but I end up always hating myself for not embracing my heritage because of the negativity I feel about people “trying” to imitate Chinese language. It is something I constantly struggle with, how much of each culture can I really adapt to?
3) But people in Rwanda, that I have met, have been fascinated with Chinese culture, sometimes asking me how to say certain words or being confused about how chopsticks are held and used. Even conversations with University students in Rwanda telling me they may study Chinese as one of their electives in school. It is the same curiosity of people who speak of learning Mandarin, because it’s the next most important language in the world, in Canada. All this possibly as a means to economic prosperity; an example that Rwanda seems to admire and strive for in terms of the progress of material goods and fast production of technology, the efficiency of businesses. Seeing this difference between myself and the other girls in the group has sometimes alienated me sometimes set me aside in the eyes of my colleagues and expected to be different too. Whereas many Europeans are approached by children pleading, "give me money", I get asked this question less, but have more adults scream greetings to me than they do. The difference is subtle but I am reminded that it is a result of a political ideology trickling down to its citizens, a yearning for "development" through economic prosperity and progress through an exemplar.