Reflections
by Katie Bergin
The topic I chose for the TE 448 final is Asian American literature. I decided against also studying Pacific Island texts because if I were to include those texts as well, there would have been way to many different themes and aspects of the culture in the books. The reason I chose Asian American children’s books was because it is something that I have only recently found really interesting. I am taking an Asian American English class here at MSU, where we study numerous different Asian cultures through adult novels and films. I wanted to research a little more and see if the themes between children’s books and adult novels and my findings were pretty surprising. In the following posts, I am going to talk about the different themes covered in these pictures books including immigration, cultural and family traditions, overcoming negative stereotypes, and the issues of finding an identity.
Literature is such a great tool to be used in the classroom to expose and teach children about things that they might not learn through their family, in their classroom, or in their society. Having something relatable to students such as a picture book is a great way for children to not only learn a lot about another culture, but to learn through something as enjoyable as a picture book. There were tons of Asian American authors and picture books available in my local library, which mind you, is a huge library, but something I noted was that unless there is a lot of children of Asian decent in a classroom, there is normally not that many Asian American books to choose from. My hope is that my final posts not only opens up and exposes people in our class to these wonderful books, but to expose them to this great, diverse genre of Asian American literature for children.
Just a side note, there is an award called Asian/Pacific American Literature Award (APALA) “The prizes promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and are awarded based on literary and artistic merit. This year, APALA is presenting awards in three categories: Adult Non-Fiction, Illustration in Children's Literature, and Young Adult Literature.”
http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards.htm#AWARD_FOR_LITERATURE
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Apple Pie 4th of July
Apple Pie 4th of July
By Janet S. Wong
Pictures by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Apple Pie 4th of July is a wonderful children’s book that specifically deals with the issues of identity. Written in first person, the young girl in the story is never named, but is the voice throughout the picture book. This girl is a young girl whose parents own a Chinese Restaurant. The girl and her family are clearly Asian, with many physical indicators including their eyes and dark hair. It is confirmed they are Chinese when her parents own the Chinese restaurant and the main character states, “My parents do not understand all American things. They were not born here.” (Wong, pg. 14, 2002)
But this is not where the issue of identity begins in the novel. In the beginning of the novel the main character first brings up how “No one wants Chinese food
on the Fourth of July, I say” (pg. 5, Wong, 2002) This clearly shows how the main character believes Chinese food is something unwanted on an American day of patriotism- the 4th of July. She attributes it to the fact that her parents migrated here when they were younger. (Pg. 14, Wong, 2002) But soon, the little girl is proven wrong, when people come in, more and more people, towards the night. Eventually, she and her family get to close up shop and sit on the roof and watch the fireworks and enjoy something so typically American- apple pie. (Pg. 30, Wong, 2002) Since Janet S. Wong is the daughter of two immigrant Asian parents, I can say with ease this is a story written from an insider’s perspective. (Back cover, Wong, 2002). She speaks from experience and knows what it is like to identify with a certain culture. The girl in the novel has clear problems with who to identify with- should she identify with the neighbor upstairs, baking apple pie? (Pg. 3, Wong, 2002) Should she be participating with her neighborhood in watching the 4th of July parade? Clearly she is torn between these things in the novel.
The picture book not only does an amazing job of showing the main characters split in herself, but the illustrations aid the reader in things such as body language, attitude, and cultural things, such as the Chinese food, the Chinese store, the neighborhood she lives in, and the fireworks at the end of the night. The pictures are vivid in color and are pretty simple with tons of shapes included to make objects. There are a lot of straight lines and clear distinction between colors.
Janet S. Wong is not only recognized by me as an amazing writer, but has actually won many awards, including an award for this book. The APALA or Asian American Pacific Literature Award awarded Apple Pie 4th of July in 2002, the website stating,
“The illustrations are expertly created with all the elements of "writing with pictures". The printmaking technique is interesting and well done and the book captures an Asian American spirit in its illustrations and text, and is authentic in its portrayals.” (http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards0203.htm)
Overall, this book is a great picture book for children of any age, although on the back of the book it specifically says ages 3-7. I would include in my classroom for children to read on their own, or read it to the class for the enjoyment of the illustrations and aspects of diversity the main character has dilemmas with.
Wong, Janet S. Apple Pie 4th of July. San Diego, CA: Hardcourt Inc., 2002.
"Scholarships and Awards." APALA Awards. 11 Oct. 2007. Asian Pacific American Literature Award Committee. 6 Dec. 2008.
The image is from:
http://146.74.224.231/archives/apple_pie-thumb.jpg
By Janet S. Wong
Pictures by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Apple Pie 4th of July is a wonderful children’s book that specifically deals with the issues of identity. Written in first person, the young girl in the story is never named, but is the voice throughout the picture book. This girl is a young girl whose parents own a Chinese Restaurant. The girl and her family are clearly Asian, with many physical indicators including their eyes and dark hair. It is confirmed they are Chinese when her parents own the Chinese restaurant and the main character states, “My parents do not understand all American things. They were not born here.” (Wong, pg. 14, 2002)
But this is not where the issue of identity begins in the novel. In the beginning of the novel the main character first brings up how “No one wants Chinese food
on the Fourth of July, I say” (pg. 5, Wong, 2002) This clearly shows how the main character believes Chinese food is something unwanted on an American day of patriotism- the 4th of July. She attributes it to the fact that her parents migrated here when they were younger. (Pg. 14, Wong, 2002) But soon, the little girl is proven wrong, when people come in, more and more people, towards the night. Eventually, she and her family get to close up shop and sit on the roof and watch the fireworks and enjoy something so typically American- apple pie. (Pg. 30, Wong, 2002) Since Janet S. Wong is the daughter of two immigrant Asian parents, I can say with ease this is a story written from an insider’s perspective. (Back cover, Wong, 2002). She speaks from experience and knows what it is like to identify with a certain culture. The girl in the novel has clear problems with who to identify with- should she identify with the neighbor upstairs, baking apple pie? (Pg. 3, Wong, 2002) Should she be participating with her neighborhood in watching the 4th of July parade? Clearly she is torn between these things in the novel. The picture book not only does an amazing job of showing the main characters split in herself, but the illustrations aid the reader in things such as body language, attitude, and cultural things, such as the Chinese food, the Chinese store, the neighborhood she lives in, and the fireworks at the end of the night. The pictures are vivid in color and are pretty simple with tons of shapes included to make objects. There are a lot of straight lines and clear distinction between colors.
Janet S. Wong is not only recognized by me as an amazing writer, but has actually won many awards, including an award for this book. The APALA or Asian American Pacific Literature Award awarded Apple Pie 4th of July in 2002, the website stating,
“The illustrations are expertly created with all the elements of "writing with pictures". The printmaking technique is interesting and well done and the book captures an Asian American spirit in its illustrations and text, and is authentic in its portrayals.” (http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards0203.htm)
Overall, this book is a great picture book for children of any age, although on the back of the book it specifically says ages 3-7. I would include in my classroom for children to read on their own, or read it to the class for the enjoyment of the illustrations and aspects of diversity the main character has dilemmas with.
Wong, Janet S. Apple Pie 4th of July. San Diego, CA: Hardcourt Inc., 2002.
"Scholarships and Awards." APALA Awards. 11 Oct. 2007. Asian Pacific American Literature Award Committee. 6 Dec. 2008
The image is from:
http://146.74.224.231/archives/apple_pie-thumb.jpg
Hannah is My Name
Hannah is My NameBy Belle Yang
Hannah is My Name is an awesome, color-fill picture book more appropriate for older elementary aged children. The pages are filled with more text, meant more for a teacher to read to a classroom. The pictures are wonderful to look at, with bright, vivid colors and comic like characters. I personally love the fact that the front and back inside covers are covered with a full-page picture, making the reader see this as the first and last look at the book. Even more interesting is the first cover is Hannah’s family leaving China, waving goodbye and the back inside cover is Hannah’s family adapted to their life in the United States.
The characters features are much more exaggerated, less life-like. But this definitely doesn’t stop a reader from seeing exactly what is going on. You can clearly see the main characters are Asian from their facial features and the fact that Hannah states on the first page “We came to American by airplane over the ocean, and we want to stay and make this country our home.” (Pg. 3, Yang, 2004)
The story is centered on not only Hannah and her family, but also their immigration process. It’s about them moving to American from China (Taiwan), and becoming citizens. Easily stated in the text, it explains to children how immigration and the immigration process works. The reason I like the novel is because of this- there is one whole page dedicated to Hannah’s family being at the immigration office, answering a series of questions, and getting something called their “green cards”-
“When it is all done, Mr. Choo tells Mama, ‘Take these papers to the immigration office. Pay them a fee. After that, there is nothing left to do but wait. If the government mails you green cards, one for each of you, it means you can stay in America. But the green cards may never come if the government does not believe you are honest.’” (Pg. 7, Yang, 2004)
I think the clear way this immigration process is stated is perfect for a children’s book, because the children can connect the text to the picture and more easily understand the process through this more simple dialogue. Belle Yang, the author, is an insider. As stated on the inside cover, her family migrated from Japan, although she was born in Taiwan, when she was only 7 years old. She says, “I missed my old friends and teacher, but it was not miserabl
e yearning. It was a great privilege to come to the United States and we didn’t look back.” (Back cover, Yang, 2004). What is even more remarkable is the fact that Yang also illustrated this book, as well as writing it. Another interesting this is that this book has clear hints in the pictures of the time period- 1967 and 1968, which is the the first years Yang lived in American herself. Take the picture to the left- The chalkboard says 1968 so a reader can deduce the year. Another page (the page about immigration) has a calender that says 1967.The book is filled with vivid descriptions of living in a new place and adapting to a new place, a new life, and a new identity- the story of a young girl becoming an American citizen. Hannah is a character that any young child can relate to, having to adapt to many new things in life.
Yang, Belle. Hannah is My Name. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick P, 2004.
The first image is from:
http://www.belleyang.com/Cover%20Hannah%20Is%20My%20Name.jpg
The second image:
http://belleyang.com/Martin%20Luther%20King%20Jr..htm
Heroes
Heroes
By Ken Mochizuki
Illustrated by Dom Lee
Heroes is a story that is set in the early 1960’s, which I figured out with a contextual clue- the main character, Donne, talks about how there was a new way on TV in a country called Vietnam. (Pg. 10, Mochizuki, 1995). The reason I chose to include this book in my set of texts was because I felt as though it included a piece of history that was not that far in the past. It wasn’t a folktale, but a story about not only Donnie, the main character’s life, but about something our parents or grandparents went through. One of the first pages in the book, before the story starts, is an author’s note about all of the “American of Asian and Pacific Islander descent served in the armed forces of the United States during World War II”. (Author’s note, Mochizuki, 1995) This is useful because it gives the reader a little bit of background on many Asian American’s role in WWII.
The main theme of the story was acceptance. Donnie is a little boy who is Asian and plays with a group of boys from his school. Every day they play war, and Donnie is always the bad guy. He doesn’t want to play war with them unless he can prove that he truly isn’t the bad guy, although he looks like them. His dad and uncle fought in the war, but since they won’t ever talk about it, Donnie is left to always be the
bad guy. (Mochizuki, 1995).
Although this story is set in the past, the idea of acceptance is still a problem that goes on in all societies, school or older. The story of Donnie is a great example of how cruel and blunt children can be, but in the end, how they can learn to accept their peers no matter what they look like. The book also does a great job of showing how uneasy a lot of soldiers were to show their story after the war, but in a way that a child reader would understand.
The text is on the left side of the page; the picture is always on the right. Some of the pages have more in depth and longer text, which makes me think this novel is good for older children, such as children who are not just beginning readers, but a little more advanced. Although, I read it to the children in my daycare who are ages 2-4, and they enjoyed the story because of the idea of “good guys” and “bad guys” and how Donnie’s friends were mean, but then they learned about Donnie and were nice.
The illustrations are more life-like compared to the other books in my set, with more texture, much like they were drawn with pencil. The colors are darker, with more browns, blacks, and beiges. Dom Lee, the illustrator, didn’t win any awards for this book, but did in fact win an APALA award for “Illustration in Children’s Literature” for the 04/05-award year. The author, Ken, is not from Japan, although his grandparents are. I think with this information, he can be considered an insider because he grew up with an insider's perspective on the culture, not to mention this story may have been the sort of story that might have actually happened to his grandparents.
Overall, Heroes is story that has a theme in it that is still present in current society. It is not only a story that revolves around an event in American history, but gives a new perspective that children might not have been exposed to before. It would be a great book to include in a Social Studies or American History class to make up for the otherwise underrepresented Asian American’s position in America during this time.
Mochizuki, Ken. Heroes. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books Inc., 1995.
Image found at:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1880000504.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
By Ken Mochizuki
Illustrated by Dom Lee
Heroes is a story that is set in the early 1960’s, which I figured out with a contextual clue- the main character, Donne, talks about how there was a new way on TV in a country called Vietnam. (Pg. 10, Mochizuki, 1995). The reason I chose to include this book in my set of texts was because I felt as though it included a piece of history that was not that far in the past. It wasn’t a folktale, but a story about not only Donnie, the main character’s life, but about something our parents or grandparents went through. One of the first pages in the book, before the story starts, is an author’s note about all of the “American of Asian and Pacific Islander descent served in the armed forces of the United States during World War II”. (Author’s note, Mochizuki, 1995) This is useful because it gives the reader a little bit of background on many Asian American’s role in WWII.
The main theme of the story was acceptance. Donnie is a little boy who is Asian and plays with a group of boys from his school. Every day they play war, and Donnie is always the bad guy. He doesn’t want to play war with them unless he can prove that he truly isn’t the bad guy, although he looks like them. His dad and uncle fought in the war, but since they won’t ever talk about it, Donnie is left to always be the
bad guy. (Mochizuki, 1995).Although this story is set in the past, the idea of acceptance is still a problem that goes on in all societies, school or older. The story of Donnie is a great example of how cruel and blunt children can be, but in the end, how they can learn to accept their peers no matter what they look like. The book also does a great job of showing how uneasy a lot of soldiers were to show their story after the war, but in a way that a child reader would understand.
The text is on the left side of the page; the picture is always on the right. Some of the pages have more in depth and longer text, which makes me think this novel is good for older children, such as children who are not just beginning readers, but a little more advanced. Although, I read it to the children in my daycare who are ages 2-4, and they enjoyed the story because of the idea of “good guys” and “bad guys” and how Donnie’s friends were mean, but then they learned about Donnie and were nice.
The illustrations are more life-like compared to the other books in my set, with more texture, much like they were drawn with pencil. The colors are darker, with more browns, blacks, and beiges. Dom Lee, the illustrator, didn’t win any awards for this book, but did in fact win an APALA award for “Illustration in Children’s Literature” for the 04/05-award year. The author, Ken, is not from Japan, although his grandparents are. I think with this information, he can be considered an insider because he grew up with an insider's perspective on the culture, not to mention this story may have been the sort of story that might have actually happened to his grandparents.
Overall, Heroes is story that has a theme in it that is still present in current society. It is not only a story that revolves around an event in American history, but gives a new perspective that children might not have been exposed to before. It would be a great book to include in a Social Studies or American History class to make up for the otherwise underrepresented Asian American’s position in America during this time.
Mochizuki, Ken. Heroes. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books Inc., 1995.
Image found at:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1880000504.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Henry's First-Moon Birthday
Henry’s First-Moon Birthday
By Lenore Look
Illustrated by Yumi Heo
Henry’s First-Moon Birthday was by far my favorite book in the set of texts that I chose. She also wrote another book using the same illustrator, in 2006, called Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding.
To begin with, the first page before the actual story has a glossary of words for people who might not be educated with the Chinese culture. For example, it explains not only what a “first-moon birthday party” is, but it also explains all of the Chinese words used within the text. I love that the text of the picture book is not just in English, but has words in Chinese. (They are not written in Chinese symbols, but sounded out- ex. GninGnin is her grandmother).
This is the story of Jen, Jenny, but never Jennifer. (Pg. 1, Look, 2001) She is getting ready for her brothers first-moon birthday, or his one-month birthday. She spends all day working with her GninGnin, her grandmother, prepare everything from the food, the decorations, and Jen’s home. The pictures go along beautifully with the text, and the sentences are pretty simple and silly. My favorite page is page 28, which states- “When the grown-ups aren’t around, we peek inside Baby Henry’s hungbaus and count more than one hundred dollars! We think of a million ways to spend it. Then we jump on the beds.” (Pg. 28, Look, 2001). I find it hilarious to just clearly say these sentences together- one having nothing to do with the other two. The pictures are filled with texture, never just one color, but pattern after pattern, even on the walls and in the sky. I like the fact that there are Chinese symbols included in some of the illustrations, specifically on page 9.
The information was scarce on the author. After searching numerous websites, there was not a lot I found out about her, except for what I saw on the back of the book cover. I was
not sure whether she was Asian or not until I found a picture of her on Google, where I found out she is clearly of Asian decent. The illustrator of the book, Yumi Heo, was born in Korea and moved to the United States in 1989. (Back cover, Look, 2001). So the illustrator is an insider, as well as the author, although I couldn’t find her decent or her past history.Any teacher would most likely have a lot of fun with this story, for every child can relate to having a little brother, having to help out around the house, and celebrating a cultural tradition- a birthday party. Everyone might have their own family tradition when it comes to family parties. The book does an awesome way of specifically making this book relatable to children while maintaining the main characters cultural practices, while also educating the reader on a tradition many Chinese cultures celebrate.
Look, Lenore. Henry's First-Moon Birthday. New York, NY: Anetheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001.
The first picture was found here:
http://www.ofertondelibros.com/images/large/isbn978068/9780689822940-l.jpg
The second picture was found here:
http://www.bookpatrol.net/2008_07_01_archive.html
Professional Resource Review
“Issues of Ethnicity, Authenticity, and Quality in Asian-American Picture Books, 1983-1993”
By Violet H. Harada
Although this journal article is really outdated, I found in my own search that the ideas running through it are still present in picture books now. It seems as though although there are way more Asian-American books present in our society, there are numerous books that are written by the same authors who have written popular books previously. A lot of the books that I found on Asian-American cultures were folktales or books about history. I am now going to back up my findings with the similar findings of Harada’s article.
In 1976, the Council on Interracial Books for Children did a study that eleven Asian-American book writers read and analyze a total of thirty-six books (published from 1945-1976) where one or more of the main characters were Asian American. (Pg. 136, Harada, 1995) The research found that a lot of the stories were about Chinese Americans, there were a lot of the same authors (about 17%), about 70% were picture books, and all but two of the books were “racist, sexist, and elitist.” (Pg. 137, Harada, 1995). I agree with the fact that there are a lot of popular authors that a lot of people choose to read their stories because they know they are credible authors. I think there have been giant leaps on the issues of stereotyping as well as sexist when it comes to literature more recently written, including the picture books that I have reviewed myself.
Then in 1983, there was another study that was done more recently that focused on three issues: authenticity vs. stereotyping, outsider vs. insider point of view, and lastly, the quality of literature. (Pg. 138, Harada, 1995) I found this fascinating because these are issues we have dealt with all throughout the semester, and these are clearly issues that have been around for a while. This study was created by Lyn Miller-Lachman by Esther Jenkins, and the Council on Interracial Books for Children, then done by six school librarians “with experience as library book reviewers for the Hawaii Department of Education” (Pg. 139, Harada, 1995) Surprisingly, this study had similar findings as the study done in 1976. Chinese Americans were the most represented, but in this study they used books of both Asian and non-Asian decent. (About half and half) This study found that there was an increase in Asian American writers, but a lot of the books studied were also by the same writers. (Pg. 140, Harada, 1995)
The good thing about the more recent study is the fact that stereotyping has become much less prominent in books, and there are a lot more positive roles for Asian American characters. (Pg. 140, Harada, 1995) There are numerous more positive changes in the books written more recently, but I think that stereotyping was the biggest problem with the first set of books, so it is the main thing I took out of the article, especially when there was such a decrease in stereotyping, making the books so much more positive. The rest of the article goes on to talk about the increase of Asian American writers, the more numerous stories about Korean and Vietnamese American characters, and the increase in authentic literature, written from and by an insider’s point of view. (Pg. 146, Harada, 1995)
The main thing that I took from this article was the fact that children need to be exposed to multi-racial literature starting from a young age, because as stated in the article, “Research has shown that very young children between the ages of three and four are already aware of the status assigned by race and sex. Their perceptions are shaped both by experience with significant adults and by the messages they receive from their environment.” (Pg. 135, Harada, 1995) Just that last fragment of the sentence screams to me: environment=school, including day care and stretching to what children are exposed to at home.
Harada, Violet H. "Issues of Ethnicity, Authenticity, and Quality in Asian-American Picture Books, 1983-1993." Youth Services in Libraries 9 (1995): 135-47.
By Violet H. Harada
Although this journal article is really outdated, I found in my own search that the ideas running through it are still present in picture books now. It seems as though although there are way more Asian-American books present in our society, there are numerous books that are written by the same authors who have written popular books previously. A lot of the books that I found on Asian-American cultures were folktales or books about history. I am now going to back up my findings with the similar findings of Harada’s article.
In 1976, the Council on Interracial Books for Children did a study that eleven Asian-American book writers read and analyze a total of thirty-six books (published from 1945-1976) where one or more of the main characters were Asian American. (Pg. 136, Harada, 1995) The research found that a lot of the stories were about Chinese Americans, there were a lot of the same authors (about 17%), about 70% were picture books, and all but two of the books were “racist, sexist, and elitist.” (Pg. 137, Harada, 1995). I agree with the fact that there are a lot of popular authors that a lot of people choose to read their stories because they know they are credible authors. I think there have been giant leaps on the issues of stereotyping as well as sexist when it comes to literature more recently written, including the picture books that I have reviewed myself.
Then in 1983, there was another study that was done more recently that focused on three issues: authenticity vs. stereotyping, outsider vs. insider point of view, and lastly, the quality of literature. (Pg. 138, Harada, 1995) I found this fascinating because these are issues we have dealt with all throughout the semester, and these are clearly issues that have been around for a while. This study was created by Lyn Miller-Lachman by Esther Jenkins, and the Council on Interracial Books for Children, then done by six school librarians “with experience as library book reviewers for the Hawaii Department of Education” (Pg. 139, Harada, 1995) Surprisingly, this study had similar findings as the study done in 1976. Chinese Americans were the most represented, but in this study they used books of both Asian and non-Asian decent. (About half and half) This study found that there was an increase in Asian American writers, but a lot of the books studied were also by the same writers. (Pg. 140, Harada, 1995)
The good thing about the more recent study is the fact that stereotyping has become much less prominent in books, and there are a lot more positive roles for Asian American characters. (Pg. 140, Harada, 1995) There are numerous more positive changes in the books written more recently, but I think that stereotyping was the biggest problem with the first set of books, so it is the main thing I took out of the article, especially when there was such a decrease in stereotyping, making the books so much more positive. The rest of the article goes on to talk about the increase of Asian American writers, the more numerous stories about Korean and Vietnamese American characters, and the increase in authentic literature, written from and by an insider’s point of view. (Pg. 146, Harada, 1995)
The main thing that I took from this article was the fact that children need to be exposed to multi-racial literature starting from a young age, because as stated in the article, “Research has shown that very young children between the ages of three and four are already aware of the status assigned by race and sex. Their perceptions are shaped both by experience with significant adults and by the messages they receive from their environment.” (Pg. 135, Harada, 1995) Just that last fragment of the sentence screams to me: environment=school, including day care and stretching to what children are exposed to at home.
Harada, Violet H. "Issues of Ethnicity, Authenticity, and Quality in Asian-American Picture Books, 1983-1993." Youth Services in Libraries 9 (1995): 135-47.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Final Post
I learned a number of things about children's literature this year in TE 448. The variation of texts used in class was something that really helped me to understand the real meaning to diversity. I thought I knew what it was, and that I was in tune with multiculturalism and the diversity of my own society. However, after seeing aspects of each of these in texts throughout the class, I now know I was not as educated as I thought I was. I thought that diversity was just race, ethnicity, or religion. I thought that multiculturalism was just numerous cultures represented at one time. But I never thought of the things I am about to talk about now.
I think it was a wonderful idea to bring up all of the things we talked about in the last class because of the numerous amount of themes people added to the already created list. I focused a lot more on issues of stereotyping, generalizations, insiders vs. outsiders, conforming to society, cultural traditions, and not to mention critically analyzing through writing and discussions. But there were a lot of things that I wished I would have focused on instead/more- gender issues, sensitivity, language barriers/just language, bias, and issues of inclusion. I did a good job of analyzing most texts based on other classes that I have had, but I never really thought of thinking about gender roles or bias.
A lot of the books also touched on religion which I think is a very important thing to learn about in a classroom. I went to Catholic school from grades k-8, so I learned very basic things- the basis of the following three religions- Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism. I never learned about other religions unless I did so myself. Although these books may not teach about religions, it would be extremely beneficial to be exposed to ideas and aspects of the culture of each religion.
Another thing I did notice although I didn't focus on was gender roles. I think that I picked out the major theme in the story and then just noted the little themes on the side without much of a thought. For example, in "Al Capone Does My Shirts", it would have been very beneficial to not only focus on the aspects of diability in the novel, as I did, but also the fact that the main character with the disability was a girl, or that the relationship with the boy and the mother in the story was strained, as opposed to the male/male relationship he had with his father. Gina pointed this out in class today to my group.
Overall, this class really helped broaden my knowledge of diverse and multicultural literature. Thinking about my future classroom, there is no way that I can imagine not having some of these texts, the ones we read in class and the ones that I read for my final project, in my classroom. I want to expose children to these texts appropriate for their age group as this class did for me.
I think it was a wonderful idea to bring up all of the things we talked about in the last class because of the numerous amount of themes people added to the already created list. I focused a lot more on issues of stereotyping, generalizations, insiders vs. outsiders, conforming to society, cultural traditions, and not to mention critically analyzing through writing and discussions. But there were a lot of things that I wished I would have focused on instead/more- gender issues, sensitivity, language barriers/just language, bias, and issues of inclusion. I did a good job of analyzing most texts based on other classes that I have had, but I never really thought of thinking about gender roles or bias.
A lot of the books also touched on religion which I think is a very important thing to learn about in a classroom. I went to Catholic school from grades k-8, so I learned very basic things- the basis of the following three religions- Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism. I never learned about other religions unless I did so myself. Although these books may not teach about religions, it would be extremely beneficial to be exposed to ideas and aspects of the culture of each religion.
Another thing I did notice although I didn't focus on was gender roles. I think that I picked out the major theme in the story and then just noted the little themes on the side without much of a thought. For example, in "Al Capone Does My Shirts", it would have been very beneficial to not only focus on the aspects of diability in the novel, as I did, but also the fact that the main character with the disability was a girl, or that the relationship with the boy and the mother in the story was strained, as opposed to the male/male relationship he had with his father. Gina pointed this out in class today to my group.
Overall, this class really helped broaden my knowledge of diverse and multicultural literature. Thinking about my future classroom, there is no way that I can imagine not having some of these texts, the ones we read in class and the ones that I read for my final project, in my classroom. I want to expose children to these texts appropriate for their age group as this class did for me.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Prop 8
I know the election happened almost a month ago now, but tonight I took the time to read through the two websites posted on the main blog. I can say I was astounded, to say the least.
I think since I am a supporter on no on 8, I found more things wrong with the Vote Yes website as opposed to the No website. While reading through an article on the website, there was many problematic things with it.
Just an excerpt: from http://www.protectmarriage.com/article/misguided-activism
"Since most American voters oppose gay marriage, the question of how to proceed on the gay rights front now hinges on whether or not same-sex marriage bans constitute an act of tyranny of the majority—in other words, whether or not gay rights are minority rights. Many activists have described the gay rights debate as the most important civil rights issue of our time. This is not an apt description, as gay Americans are not being denied rights. This was not the case in previous civil rights movements. African-Americans living in the sixties were granted fewer rights than their white counterparts. Women living in earlier decades were granted fewer rights than their male counterparts."
The bolded is such a general statement that not everyone will fall into that category, which is ridiculous to say for everyone.
It goes on to say that gay couples are asking for additional rights as opposed to rights that they should be allowed. Personally, I think that this whole paragraph sounds like the writer, Lucy Caldwell, feels as though gay people are inferior. Opposite sex couples and people who believe in it are therefore superior because the law says it. The text also goes along to say that same sex couples believe that this would be a move for "civil union" but the law says that marriage is a matter of religion. What happened to separation of church and state? I just get the vibe that since they are against it, all of their information on the website has a more negative spin against someone, as opposed to the No on 8 website that are for ALL people.
While on the No website, it seemed as though it was a website filled more with clarification. There was a fact and fiction section that made SENSE of the prop, as opposed to saying what the YES people were doing wrong. I have few bad words to say about the No website, but I am clearly biased, although not gay myself. I think that everyone should have an equal chance to have a relationship with someone. I personally agree in same sex marriages, but I am not overly religious, or see anything wrong with it. They should equally have equal financial opportunities (the right to share benefits, to adopt, to be supported)
The actual Prop 8 page tells a totally different story. It says plain and simply that gay marriage will be banned on voting yes, and that man and woman will only be recognized. NOTHING about what will be taught in schools or how it is outrageous!
Another problematic part of the YES website:
Voting YES on Proposition 8 does 3 simple things:
http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop8-title-sum.htm
http://www.protectmarriage.com/about
http://www.noonprop8.com/about
I think since I am a supporter on no on 8, I found more things wrong with the Vote Yes website as opposed to the No website. While reading through an article on the website, there was many problematic things with it.
Just an excerpt: from http://www.protectmarriage.com/article/misguided-activism
"Since most American voters oppose gay marriage, the question of how to proceed on the gay rights front now hinges on whether or not same-sex marriage bans constitute an act of tyranny of the majority—in other words, whether or not gay rights are minority rights. Many activists have described the gay rights debate as the most important civil rights issue of our time. This is not an apt description, as gay Americans are not being denied rights. This was not the case in previous civil rights movements. African-Americans living in the sixties were granted fewer rights than their white counterparts. Women living in earlier decades were granted fewer rights than their male counterparts."
The bolded is such a general statement that not everyone will fall into that category, which is ridiculous to say for everyone.
It goes on to say that gay couples are asking for additional rights as opposed to rights that they should be allowed. Personally, I think that this whole paragraph sounds like the writer, Lucy Caldwell, feels as though gay people are inferior. Opposite sex couples and people who believe in it are therefore superior because the law says it. The text also goes along to say that same sex couples believe that this would be a move for "civil union" but the law says that marriage is a matter of religion. What happened to separation of church and state? I just get the vibe that since they are against it, all of their information on the website has a more negative spin against someone, as opposed to the No on 8 website that are for ALL people.
While on the No website, it seemed as though it was a website filled more with clarification. There was a fact and fiction section that made SENSE of the prop, as opposed to saying what the YES people were doing wrong. I have few bad words to say about the No website, but I am clearly biased, although not gay myself. I think that everyone should have an equal chance to have a relationship with someone. I personally agree in same sex marriages, but I am not overly religious, or see anything wrong with it. They should equally have equal financial opportunities (the right to share benefits, to adopt, to be supported)
The actual Prop 8 page tells a totally different story. It says plain and simply that gay marriage will be banned on voting yes, and that man and woman will only be recognized. NOTHING about what will be taught in schools or how it is outrageous!
Another problematic part of the YES website:
Voting YES on Proposition 8 does 3 simple things:
It restores the definition of marriage to what the vast majority of California voters already approved and what Californians agree should be supported, not undermined.
It overturns the outrageous decision of four activist Supreme Court judges who ignored the will of the people. (clearly not ALL people!)
It protects our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage, and prevents other consequences to Californians who will be forced to not just be tolerant of gay lifestyles, but face mandatory compliance regardless of their personal beliefs. *neither of these things are specified, which makes a reader feel confused exactly about what prop 8 even means! What are "mandatory compliances"?
http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop8-title-sum.htm
http://www.protectmarriage.com/about
http://www.noonprop8.com/about
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Extra Credit International Day
I attended "International Day" at the college of engineering on Nov. 19. It was really small, but it was enjoyable. When I arrived, there was a little boy playing the bongos, and an older gentleman playing the guitar and singing into the mic. It was pretty interesting to listen to the two sounds mixed together because they were a mix of identities- The little boy was dressed in a traditional African outfit and the man was playing the guitar and singing in Spanish to make a song together.
The next part of the International Day was young ladies and gentlemen from a Mexican dance group dancing Mexican Folk dances. I didn't catch the correct names of the dances, so instead of butchering it, I will just tell you about it and post pictures that I took on my cell phone. The first act was two guys and two girls. The girls were dressed in pretty, long, flowing dresses and the boys were dressed in all white except for their belts which were colorful red scarves. They danced as pairs to Mexican music.
The next dance was three girls dancing together (all dancing the same thing) to different, faster music. The dancing really focused on the use of the dresses. The girls held on to th
eir skirts and spun around a lot, and you could see all of the layers of the dress and they looks beautiful. They had their hair in a braid down the back and a flower to match their dress.Then the guy who was in charge of the group, Mike, got up there and explained that these children dance all over MI, and in the summer almost every weekend! They were all Mexican, and their families were there, so it had something to do with their culture and keeping it in their lives throughout the generations. The kids were in elementary AND middle school, and Mike said they spent hours and hours practicing these dance along with other things they did, including their social life, sports, and homework. Mike also said that they were nonprofit and their "costumes" were made ENTIRELY by the PARENTS! I thought this was shocking, but it also showed how close this dance group had made each of these families. They spend so much time together and by coming to the International day they were not only showing courage for performing in front of mostly adults and college students, but also exposing me and other students to a culture we wouldn't normally see.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Museum Visit
1. What issues of diversity are addressed in these two exhibits?
I think the main issue of diversity that was addressed in these exhibits was the different lifestyles different ethinicities and cultures have based on where they are located and the people there. Looking at how the Our Journey's exhibit was more geared towards these individuals life's based on their biographies that were summarized. Then the Mali exhibit used the pictures as the stories that were taken by these students but it didn't focus on the lives they have had thus far, just through their pictures.
2. Pick a narrative that intrigues you (in either exhibit). Whose story is being told and how?
The narrative I chose was from the Our Journeys exhibit. Pepon Osorio was an artist, which is something that I am very interested in. He was born in Puerto Rico and also lived in New York. General statements about his life were stated with quotes and paragraphs on the board in the exhibit. What really struck me was his quote: "My heart is where humanity is." This shows not only his interests as a artist, but as a person.
3. (Our Journeys/Our Stories Exhibit)-Focus on Sandra Cisneros. How does she or does she, discuss finding her voice?
She discusses finding her voice when she was a child and she realized that she didn't want to write like her classmates or teachers. She wanted to create literature that would be enjoyed by everyone, even laborers, "mi padre," by taxi drivers, even children.
4. (Our Journeys/Our Stories Exhibit)-Based on what we have read in class for today, what do you think of the use of Spanish and English texts? Why would they do this?
I think and know that some words and phrases are easier to explain in one language as opposed to another. It might be easier for someone who speaks Russian to describe something, like slang, in Russian as opposed to English. I think it works that same way in the Naomi Leon text, as well as how the exhibit was in both English and Spanish.
5. In the Mali exhibit – please read the first introductory panel. What do they say about telling stories? Do they discuss the insider/outsider perspectives? What does this mean to you?
This exhibit is their way of reaching out to us to communicate their vision of their own life. They decided what to photograph and shared it with their friends and family, and then the MSU Museum decided to share this because as stated in the Museum: "The MSU Museum has a commitment to understand, interpret, and respect cultural diversity." I think this shows how the museum wants to show insiders AND outsiders multiple perspectives of these Malian towns and lifestyles.
6. Was there anything else that caught your eye, intrigued you, you are questioning?
I loved the photography, but I wish it was in color. I do love black and white, but some of the pictures in color might have enriched my experience just looking at the photos. I also thought it was interesting and cute as well that the captions were so simply put: Here is my friend bathing his little brother. It didn't talk about look at how big my friend's brother's belly is huge because of lack of food, or it didn't at ALL talk about the hardships... it talked about their everyday life which I thought made this experience richer.
* I visited the Museum today, 11/03/08
I think the main issue of diversity that was addressed in these exhibits was the different lifestyles different ethinicities and cultures have based on where they are located and the people there. Looking at how the Our Journey's exhibit was more geared towards these individuals life's based on their biographies that were summarized. Then the Mali exhibit used the pictures as the stories that were taken by these students but it didn't focus on the lives they have had thus far, just through their pictures.
2. Pick a narrative that intrigues you (in either exhibit). Whose story is being told and how?
The narrative I chose was from the Our Journeys exhibit. Pepon Osorio was an artist, which is something that I am very interested in. He was born in Puerto Rico and also lived in New York. General statements about his life were stated with quotes and paragraphs on the board in the exhibit. What really struck me was his quote: "My heart is where humanity is." This shows not only his interests as a artist, but as a person.
3. (Our Journeys/Our Stories Exhibit)-Focus on Sandra Cisneros. How does she or does she, discuss finding her voice?
She discusses finding her voice when she was a child and she realized that she didn't want to write like her classmates or teachers. She wanted to create literature that would be enjoyed by everyone, even laborers, "mi padre," by taxi drivers, even children.
4. (Our Journeys/Our Stories Exhibit)-Based on what we have read in class for today, what do you think of the use of Spanish and English texts? Why would they do this?
I think and know that some words and phrases are easier to explain in one language as opposed to another. It might be easier for someone who speaks Russian to describe something, like slang, in Russian as opposed to English. I think it works that same way in the Naomi Leon text, as well as how the exhibit was in both English and Spanish.
5. In the Mali exhibit – please read the first introductory panel. What do they say about telling stories? Do they discuss the insider/outsider perspectives? What does this mean to you?
This exhibit is their way of reaching out to us to communicate their vision of their own life. They decided what to photograph and shared it with their friends and family, and then the MSU Museum decided to share this because as stated in the Museum: "The MSU Museum has a commitment to understand, interpret, and respect cultural diversity." I think this shows how the museum wants to show insiders AND outsiders multiple perspectives of these Malian towns and lifestyles.
6. Was there anything else that caught your eye, intrigued you, you are questioning?
I loved the photography, but I wish it was in color. I do love black and white, but some of the pictures in color might have enriched my experience just looking at the photos. I also thought it was interesting and cute as well that the captions were so simply put: Here is my friend bathing his little brother. It didn't talk about look at how big my friend's brother's belly is huge because of lack of food, or it didn't at ALL talk about the hardships... it talked about their everyday life which I thought made this experience richer.
* I visited the Museum today, 11/03/08
Saturday, November 1, 2008
the LGBT meeting- "For the Bible Tells Me So"
I went to this past Thursday's LGBT meeting and I was there for about 45 minutes. When I got there we were discussing questions that were on the table and then we went on to watch the "Unconditional Love" segment of the movie.
I think it was a great way to show us the different ideas everyone has because we got multiple points of view from different families. Some families protested, while some families just accepted how their child was no matter what- unconditionally. It was REALLY sad that the one girl hung herself before she felt that she could open up to her family and hung herself. The pictures were really disturbing.
What I didn't really get out of it was the way that Christians can accept homosexuality but for me, I don't really need to know myself because I really think that it's not up to other people to decide who other people can and can't love.
My mom and I were talking about it and we kind of put ourselves in groups: My generation is much more open and accepting (more than other generations) of gay and lesbian people. My mom was taught from the Church not to accept it, but she is in the middle on it. She doesn't think it's right, but she doesn't think it's her right to tell other people what they should do. And then my grandparents are people who don't accept it AT ALL and think it is morally and physically wrong. I know there are still people that are the exact same as my grandparents, but a lot less then there used to be.
Gina made a great suggestion that it would be good to have a panel of people from different religions and they feel about homosexuality. I think it would be good of families from every religion who have children or relatives that are gay and lesbians and discuss their feelings and the reactions and changes they have had or had to make.
I think it was a great way to show us the different ideas everyone has because we got multiple points of view from different families. Some families protested, while some families just accepted how their child was no matter what- unconditionally. It was REALLY sad that the one girl hung herself before she felt that she could open up to her family and hung herself. The pictures were really disturbing.
What I didn't really get out of it was the way that Christians can accept homosexuality but for me, I don't really need to know myself because I really think that it's not up to other people to decide who other people can and can't love.
My mom and I were talking about it and we kind of put ourselves in groups: My generation is much more open and accepting (more than other generations) of gay and lesbian people. My mom was taught from the Church not to accept it, but she is in the middle on it. She doesn't think it's right, but she doesn't think it's her right to tell other people what they should do. And then my grandparents are people who don't accept it AT ALL and think it is morally and physically wrong. I know there are still people that are the exact same as my grandparents, but a lot less then there used to be.
Gina made a great suggestion that it would be good to have a panel of people from different religions and they feel about homosexuality. I think it would be good of families from every religion who have children or relatives that are gay and lesbians and discuss their feelings and the reactions and changes they have had or had to make.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Autism is a World
I really enjoyed the documentary we watched in class a couple of weeks ago. I love stories where a person can excel no matter what their situation was.
I was disturbed by the following:
-(I know you mentioned this in class) but how her mother referred to her as "mentally retarded." I did some thinking and I think this might have to do with the fact that it was before there was a lot of controversy surrounding being politically correct and actually acknowledging disabilities.
-How it was so unfortunate that she did have to have 24 hour care and she couldn't communicate unless it was through a keyboard or her typing instrument. Hearing her say, she wouldn't be able to call 911 on her own was very sad for me.
I was pretty emotional about this story because I work with children who are preschool age and always have, and it is so hard to know what children who can't really communicate (being 1-3 yrs. old) yet in their life might have something truly wrong with them. I'm glad her parents took note of things that she did because I know diseases such as autism go untreated for a while because parents don't really want to admit or look into the fact that their child might have a problem such as this.
I was disturbed by the following:
-(I know you mentioned this in class) but how her mother referred to her as "mentally retarded." I did some thinking and I think this might have to do with the fact that it was before there was a lot of controversy surrounding being politically correct and actually acknowledging disabilities.
-How it was so unfortunate that she did have to have 24 hour care and she couldn't communicate unless it was through a keyboard or her typing instrument. Hearing her say, she wouldn't be able to call 911 on her own was very sad for me.
I was pretty emotional about this story because I work with children who are preschool age and always have, and it is so hard to know what children who can't really communicate (being 1-3 yrs. old) yet in their life might have something truly wrong with them. I'm glad her parents took note of things that she did because I know diseases such as autism go untreated for a while because parents don't really want to admit or look into the fact that their child might have a problem such as this.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Blindness
Sorry everyone about not posting the Native American Conference dates, I had a crazy weekend, and I will do my best to find another event. Sorry again.
I just read the two articles for the movie Blindness and at first, I wasn't sure which side I was on. I understand that it is very offensive to have blind people depicted in that light, but I don't know how far is too far.
The movie Blindness did take it to far. I can't get off this italics/bold combination. To depict human beings doing animal like things when faced with a problem such as blindness is outrageous. I don't think using the word blinded by something is a offensive.
I also understand that the writer of the book was just trying to be "controversial" which is something he achieved, but I think he offended way to many people in the process. I don't know that many blind people, but none the less, I still know people who are in my classes who get around just fine by listening and typing, and can EASILY walk around the building without people's help.
I just read the two articles for the movie Blindness and at first, I wasn't sure which side I was on. I understand that it is very offensive to have blind people depicted in that light, but I don't know how far is too far.
The movie Blindness did take it to far. I can't get off this italics/bold combination. To depict human beings doing animal like things when faced with a problem such as blindness is outrageous. I don't think using the word blinded by something is a offensive.
I also understand that the writer of the book was just trying to be "controversial" which is something he achieved, but I think he offended way to many people in the process. I don't know that many blind people, but none the less, I still know people who are in my classes who get around just fine by listening and typing, and can EASILY walk around the building without people's help.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Al Capone Does My Shirts
I was really looking forward to reading this story because I could tell it had a funny aspect to it, as opposed to other stories we have read so far. I thought it was just about Moose living on the same island as the inmates, but I had no idea it had to do with the fact that his sister had some form of a mental problem.
It didn't exactly sit well with me the attitude/the way Moose's mother treated her children. I understand that it was the 1930's and during the depression, but it seemed as though she wasn't really fit to be a mother. She put adult responsibilities on Moose that were really her responsibilities, but I think it was also the time period. I don't know the exact way people acted in the early 1930's, but I do know how much it has evolved with children's laws and things.
I ultimately liked this story. I liked the idea of his sister getting better with the work that she did with Mrs. Kelley and working on her sickness, for I know they didn't really know what autism was at that time. People still don't know what autism is exactly or how to treat it. I was reading a website blogger I often read, Perez Hilton, and this link really struck me and reminded me of this story: http://perezhilton.com/2008-07-21-why-is-this-idiot-still-on-the-air
It is completely relevant and I just think it's shocking that people still think things like this.
It didn't exactly sit well with me the attitude/the way Moose's mother treated her children. I understand that it was the 1930's and during the depression, but it seemed as though she wasn't really fit to be a mother. She put adult responsibilities on Moose that were really her responsibilities, but I think it was also the time period. I don't know the exact way people acted in the early 1930's, but I do know how much it has evolved with children's laws and things.
I ultimately liked this story. I liked the idea of his sister getting better with the work that she did with Mrs. Kelley and working on her sickness, for I know they didn't really know what autism was at that time. People still don't know what autism is exactly or how to treat it. I was reading a website blogger I often read, Perez Hilton, and this link really struck me and reminded me of this story: http://perezhilton.com/2008-07-21-why-is-this-idiot-still-on-the-air
It is completely relevant and I just think it's shocking that people still think things like this.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Blogging- What would be better...
I think it would almost be better if we all could blog on the same page... It might be better because than everyone can see everyone's comment instead of going to each individual blog. I still like the idea of having your own blog to get out ideas that might not go on a certain thread of the blog.
I think an interesting thing we could do in class would be a poetry slam, or have someone come in who knows how to actually read poetry in that way. It might be fun to get more creative in class with poetry, because like we learned in TE 348, a lot of classes don't learn poetry just because the teacher doesn't like poetry.
On a side note, I looked up Nikki Grimes' website, and I have to say it was very informative and it was very interesting to look at too!
I thought these things were interesting:
This was all found at nikkigrimes.com
I think an interesting thing we could do in class would be a poetry slam, or have someone come in who knows how to actually read poetry in that way. It might be fun to get more creative in class with poetry, because like we learned in TE 348, a lot of classes don't learn poetry just because the teacher doesn't like poetry.
On a side note, I looked up Nikki Grimes' website, and I have to say it was very informative and it was very interesting to look at too!
I thought these things were interesting:
|
This was all found at nikkigrimes.com
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Insider/Outsider Debate
I think there is a clear difference between who is an insider and who is an outsider. Someone is an insider to a particular group when they have the same characteristics- Whether it be a race or a culture... That someone is the same race or is apart of the culture. Someone is an outsider to that group when they are not the same. They don't have the same characteristics or the same everything.
Now whether someone should be able to write about a group, in my opinion, does not depend on whether they are an insider or an outsider. If you are educated in something, you study it, you should be allowed to write about whatever you want to write about.
In class, we read a book called Encounter by Jane Yolen. She is European American but the story was about Native Americans. The thing about this story is that it was about a Native American group that was not around anymore; she did study them and was educated, but as educated as anyone could be about something not a lot of people knew about. If it was about a culture that was around now, it would have been totally fine for her to write about it, if she researched and talked to people who are in the group.
To wrap up, I basically think there is a definition on who is an outsider and who is an insider to a group, but that doesn't make it wrong for an outsider to write about an insider! :-)
Now whether someone should be able to write about a group, in my opinion, does not depend on whether they are an insider or an outsider. If you are educated in something, you study it, you should be allowed to write about whatever you want to write about.
In class, we read a book called Encounter by Jane Yolen. She is European American but the story was about Native Americans. The thing about this story is that it was about a Native American group that was not around anymore; she did study them and was educated, but as educated as anyone could be about something not a lot of people knew about. If it was about a culture that was around now, it would have been totally fine for her to write about it, if she researched and talked to people who are in the group.
To wrap up, I basically think there is a definition on who is an outsider and who is an insider to a group, but that doesn't make it wrong for an outsider to write about an insider! :-)
Saturday, August 30, 2008
My Summer!
This summer I babysat the WHOLE ENTIRE SUMMER! Basically every minute I wasn't sleeping, I was trying to make money for school. At the beginning of summer, I went to the Bonnaroo Music Festival, which was AWESOME! I saw my favorite singer Jack Johnson, and then other bands I love including Ben Folds, Death Cab for Cutie, The Swell Seasons, and my new favorite singer M.I.A. whose concert was the best of the festival!
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