Detail of an 18th century fresco by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo

I've been thinking lately about the idea of maintaining my kids' heritage, and what "heritage" means, and the extent to which an American of recent Euro-African descent can actually somehow embody Chinese culture. My conclusion: I can't. I can only embody international adoption as its own culture within America, and maybe make sure a couple language lessons get given. But I'm interested in what I'm reading about other ways people are 1. defining that international adoption-as-culture and 2. dealing with issues of heritage, race and culture.

There's been an interesting piece in the New Haven Register on international adaptation, which is a phrase I'm going to rip off, and classes (or, what, "consciousness-raising exercises") for transracial families.

For example, they still have to answer a lot of questions and assumptions based on their race from people who challenge whether or not they’re American. Such tauntings may lead a child to question who they really are, especially when they reach adolescence and high school.

"Our society doesn’t see me as a McGinniss but as an Asian woman. Our attempt to address this kind of dichotomy has been to give children a lot of pride in their heritage," but it may not be enough, she said.

I'm interested in what McGinniss' classes are actually like.

(Compare that to thoughts on naming at Twice the Rice, about which more in a later blog entry.)

Similar thoughts are addressed (and left unaddressed) in the Bennington Banner's piece on "honoring heritage", which has a single quote that seems to say a lot:

"It's so wonderful to share Chinese culture with children," said Ai Ping, "especially because they would not learn the language any other way."

Ai Ping is a language teacher who says much in few words.

The article really drills home the message that these kids have a heritage and culture that must be respected and celebrated. You see that a lot in writings about adoption. What I don't see all that often (although Cheri Register gets into it in one of her books) is people talking about how impossible it is to share a heritage and culture which isn't actually your own. Culture is a thing that goes deeper than a couple big meals a couple times a year and some funky clothes that get trotted out a couple other times a year. Language? Makes travel easier, and communication easier. But it's just the beginning (and to be honest, I haven't even started that).

So how does a non-Chinese person engage with Chinese culture?

That's a question I can't pretend to answer (although, as that "Chinese Culture" category just to the right of these words makes obvious, it's something that fascinates me).

How do I share it with my children?

I dunno. I'll let you know when it happens. You got any ideas?