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Life for Asian laborers in the California of the1800s was filled with back-breaking work, harsh conditions, and prejudice. The cute, cheerful water carrier figurines contrast sharply with the reality depicted in this historical sketch of Chinese miners. Perceptions Rooted in History: Attitudes and perceptions about Asian Pacific Americans have been reflected in images and objects embedded in popular Western culture. The quaintness of Chinatown, the romanticism of Hawaii, and the cartoon-like caricatures of Asians in media and the arts show how little was known about Asian Pacific Americans throughout most of the 20th century. These ceramic figurines and images span the time period between 1910 and the 1960s and give us pause to think on this APA Day about how far or how little we have come since these images were the accepted norm.
Sunset on the beach, ukulele music and the hula, surfers and outrigger canoes, all set against the magnificence of Diamond Head, is the romantic image of Hawaii that has been conjured up in the collective cultural consciousness for over a hundred years. But the Hawaiian people, culture and history are far more complex and interesting than the tourist glitz that is endlessly promoted. Perceptions Rooted in History: Attitudes and perceptions about Asian Pacific Americans have been reflected in images and objects embedded in popular Western culture. The quaintness of Chinatown, the romanticism of Hawaii, and the cartoon-like caricatures of Asians in media and the arts show how little was known about Asian Pacific Americans throughout most of the 20th century. These ceramic figurines and images span the time period between 1910 and the 1960s and give us pause to think on this APA Day about how far or how little we have come since these images were the accepted norm.
Colorful maps like this 1939 version depicted the highlights of a glamorous Chinatown. All the map’s cartoon characters are in period Cinese costume and eagerly welcome curious tourists. Exotic foods and customs await wide-eyed onlookers. The cadence of drums and the clash of cymbals draw huge crowds as a colorful lion dance is performed. Perceptions Rooted in History: Attitudes and perceptions about Asian Pacific Americans have been reflected in images and objects embedded in popular Western culture. The quaintness of Chinatown, the romanticism of Hawaii, and the cartoon-like caricatures of Asians in media and the arts show how little was known about Asian Pacific Americans throughout most of the 20th century. These ceramic figurines and images span the time period between 1910 and the 1960s and give us pause to think on this APA Day about how far or how little we have come since these images were the accepted norm.
The Chinatown that was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco was designed as a tourist destination, complete with ornately decorated pseudo-Chinese buildings. Curio shops in Chinatown and department stores everywhere sold colorful Chinese characters like these salt and pepper shakers. They were a sharp contrast to the people actually living behind the ornate facades. Perceptions Rooted in History: Attitudes and perceptions about Asian Pacific Americans have been reflected in images and objects embedded in popular Western culture. The quaintness of Chinatown, the romanticism of Hawaii, and the cartoon-like caricatures of Asians in media and the arts show how little was known about Asian Pacific Americans throughout most of the 20th century. These ceramic figurines and images span the time period between 1910 and the 1960s and give us pause to think on this APA Day about how far or how little we have come since these images were the accepted norm.
“When the town is fast asleep, And its midnight in the sky, That’s the time the festive Chink Starts to wink his other eye…” When William Jerome penned the lyrics to Jean Schwartz’s tune, “Chinatown, My Chinatown” in 1910, it reflected the prevailing Western attitude about a community and a culture. The song spoke about opium use and the dreamy, mysterious lure of Chinatown. These ceramic vases depict a Chinese boy and girl romantically gazing at one another in front of a musician playing strumming her instrument in a moonlit garden.
