#studentspeak

Students Speak

Students Speak

Students Speak

"The most fabulous thing about Lakhotia is that they concentrate on practical work more than theory work. I enjoyed the live studio sessions and outdoor shooting sessions more than theory. Photography is a subject where you only need a lot of practice after a theory session. I love how the curriculum is planned and executed by them. Enjoyed each and every day in the entire year Amazing experience." - Surya Kumar.

SAME-SAME / SAMA-SAJA

by Andrea Chew

Malaysia is a country that is made up of many ethnicities, including a generation of people of mixed ethnicities due to inter-ethnic marriages. We find all kinds of hashtags on social media portraying the mixed-ethnicity community: #chindian #nyonya #biracial #mixedrace #cinabhai #eurasian #limitededition, just to name a few. It is fascinating when our friends of mixed ethnicities try to explain their heritage to others of a single ethnicity, which often ends up in either confusion or amazement. Here are a few responses from our multi-ethnic students:

What is your heritage?

Angley Foo - Chinese + Dusun

Anonymous - Chinese + Indian + Portuguese

Asther Sarge Kaur - Chinese + Punjabi + Siamese

Idayu Izreen - Chinese + Malay

Josiah Ng - Chinese + Indian

What is the best part of growing up in a multi-ethnic family?

“I really love my name because it makes me unique and when I meet other Eurasians, we're like "Hey, gang!" That's one of my other joys about being mixed; finding others just like you, ‘cause we're like limited edition. It gets really exciting especially during festivals - there are so many different people, different skin colours, and everyone is just happy to be together during the holidays.” - Anonymous

“Being able to understand and experience both races’ cultures.” - Idayu

“The food at home - enjoying both Chinese and Indian food.” - Josiah

“I am exposed to more diverse cultural experiences and I feel that it makes me a lot more open towards people of different races.” - Angely

Are there any challenges being a person of mixed heritage in Malaysia?

“Language. I speak mainly English and my parents do not speak any other language. There was once a Chinese lady who spoke to me in Cantonese and when I told her I couldn’t speak Cantonese, she gave me a very dirty look and said, "You are not Chinese meh? Why can't you speak?" I told her I was mixed and she still insisted that as long as I was mixed with Chinese, I should be able to speak. I did learn some Mandarin growing up but I don't really speak it anymore - except to my grandmother sometimes - and I'm kind of rusty so when I speak in front of friends, they tend to make fun of me, which is really annoying and embarrassing. At times, I fit right in but I feel left out at the same time. When I go out with both my Malay and Chinese friends, I just feel like I don't really belong. So it's like you belong everywhere but nowhere all at once.” - Anonymous

“I always consider them beneficial.” - Angely

“I don’t have a stand because Malays wouldn't quite accept me being half Chinese, and Chinese wouldn't quite accept me being half Malay.” - Idayu

“Yes... writing my race on forms - there should be a Chindian option.” - Josiah

Do you practice a combination of traditions from your mixed heritage?

“Food - From eating Chinese dishes with chopsticks to eating banana leaf with my hand, I eat it all. When my grandparents cook, they cook their own authentic culture food. So I've had the privilege to eat some real Portuguese food as well, not just Nando's.” - Anonymous

“Our ‘pantang-larang’ (superstitions and taboos).” - Idayu “In my case, both my parents are Christian so we only follow Christian traditions and there’s no mixing of other religious traditions.” - Josiah

“For me it's the Sabah culture. For example, when we have festivals or parties or any sort of gathering, it’s more like a Sabah thing rather than a particular race.” - Angely

“Marriage traditions - my cousin who is mixed Siamese and Punjabi recently got married and we did the Punjabi way of sending away the bridegroom, and a Siamese marriage.” - Asther