Asiantation
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
"Asiantation Not Orientation"
ASIAN
is not
Oriental.
Head bowed, submissive, industrious
model minority
hard working, studious
quiet
ASIAN
is not being Oriental,
Lotus blossom, exotic passion flower
inscrutable
ASIAN
is not talking
Oriental.
ahh so, ching chong chinaman
no tickee, no washee
ORIENTAL
is a white man’s word.
Oriental is jap, flip, chink, gook
it’s “how ‘bout a backrub mama-san”
it’s “you people could teach them
niggers and mexicans a thing or two
you’re good people
none of that hollerin’ and protesting”
ORIENTAL
is slanty eyes, glasses, and buck teeth Charlie Chan, Tokyo Rose
Madam Butterfly
It’s “a half hour after eating chinese food
you’re hungry again”
it’s houseboys, gardeners, and
laundrymen
ORIENTAL
is a fad: yin-yang, kung fu
“say one of them funny words for me”
Oriental is downcast eyes, china doll
“they all look alike”
Oriental is sneaky
Oriental is a white man’s word.
WE
are not Oriental.
we have heard the word all our lives
we have learned to be Oriental
we have learned to live it, speak it,
play the role,
and to survive in a white world
become the role.
The time has come to look at who gave
the name
