The Journal
Inventing Southeast Asia - Documentary
Watched 3 part documentary “Inventing Southeast Asia”
Portion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbXXQ8u1p0I
the documentary largely looks at how British colonials made their way through S.E.A and how even today, whilst gaining individual independence, S.E.A countries are still in the shadow of the west. The documentary also touches on how the southeast Asian identity is still linked to colonial histories, which was a topic I was particularly interested in. A few key points/notes are as follows:
Quote: “From the mouth of the tiger into the mouth of the crocodile” (Malay/Indonesia saying)
Raffles changed his perceived image from that of a conqueror into the image of a curator. Now acting as a historian and explorer, coming into Indonesia and other surrounding countries to “preserve the culture” because the locals could not in the eyes of the colonials. This has led to the modern day Indonesians fixating on these elements “saved” by the British as their cultural identifiers.
One of the most interesting points the documentary touches on is how modern Southeast Asians self-identify. Colonials like Raffles, in their quest for knowledge, categorised all sorts of different fluid types of people and cultures under wider and broader umbrellas. This ultimately classified the many as one through the process of being made ‘known’. This categorisation can be observed today through the self-identify of southeast Asians. Often you see or hear Malaysians say “I am Malaysian because I eat this” or “I am Indonesian because we dress like that”. These all stem from initial categories imposed by the west, which have now become intrinsic to southeast Asians sense of self identity.
The documentary also brings up the myth of the Bornean pirate. The pirate or headhunter is ultimately a fabrication, or at the very least a greatly exaggerated version of the truth. This was perpetuated by those such as James Brooke to justify the invasion and wars over the people of Borneo. This is of note to me as through this project I have become interested in ideas of truth and fiction in history and culture.
Parallel of “the saviour” - jesus/religion & the colonial
Stories We Tell - Documentary
Stories We Tell explores Sarah Polley’s birth and the rumours that surround it within her family. She asks everyone involved in the documentary to tell the story in its entirety. Over the course of the documentary more information begins to unfold - some stories match, some are entirely different. Sarah begins her own investigation into her birth, eventually confirming her mother had an affair and finding her birthfather.
The documentary is focused on the interviews and peppers some archival footage and images to visualize the topics and characters discussed. Toward the end of the film, it is slowly revealed that these scenes were fabricated and shot by Sarah herself on a Super 8. The documentary focuses on how we tell stories and how vague truth can be. As we recall and communicate stories from memory, there is an inherent lack of truth, even if we believe we are conveying information as accurately as possible, because of memory itself.
This film was interesting as my work deals with similar topics and subject matter. Working with those in my family and wider community to tell the story of the Eurasian identity from all angles. its use of original and recreated archival materials was also interesting as I begin to experiment with the concept of truth and fiction within documentary making.
“Picturing Power” by Yee I-Lian - Artist/Work
Through some research into South-East Asian artists, and artists creating work surrounding colonialism, I found Malaysian/Bornean artist Yee I-Lian. one work in Particular, Picturing Power stood out to me.
In her body of work, she looks at the tools of colonisation. For her, the two strongest tools are the camera and the table. Both were used to exert power over those they wished to rule. The camera, a tool used to categorize and visually identify as the colonials saw fit. Through this categorization, they imposed their power onto those they colonized. The second, the table, was used to create maps and to document through writing the journeys of the “explorers”.
Her work uses archival images of colonials and these tools, cut out on a white background in a sort of collage/fabricated landscape.
Interview: Rebecca Vega
Rebecca was one of the first people I interviewed as a she told me catalized the beginnings of this project. She mentioned that in a meeting with the Penang Eurasian Association, she was told that she would not be considered Eurasian due to the ethnicity of her father. While her mother was Eurasian, because her father was of Indian decent, it would mean she could not be classified as Serani/Eurasian.
She was presented with a powerpoint to illustrate this point. With one of the slides looking like this:
There are 4 Eurasian Sisters from the Johnson family who each marry:Johnson + Muhammed = MalayJohnson + Chan = ChineseJohnson + Rajesh = IndianJohnson + Smith = Eurasian
Only one can be considered Eurasian, as the name she takes is one of Eurasian decent.This is a slide she recalls, and was illustrated to me with a small handwritten note. I have tried to obtain the slideshow in various ways, but have had no sucess. This is something I might try to recreate in a style similar to the archival documents I already have.
Interview: Debra Rodrigues (Mom)
I remember a story that my mom told me some years ago, which I asked if she could tell again:
My Father is fully French and my Mother is Eurasian. When I was born, a Senior member of the Penang Eurasian Association told her that she was lucky because by being born to a French father, I was considered an “A-class” or “first-class” Eurasian because I had a higher percentage of European blood compared to most others.
I am in two minds on how to convey this information. On one hand, this, together with Rebecca’s story about her experience was quite a strange thing to hear. It reflects quite a serious issue within the community, where a woman’s worth is solely based on whom she chooses to marry. On the other the term “A-class” Eurasian is somewhat humorous to me - it is just such an absurd term to use to describe someone, and I find it even more absurd that it is me that this refers to.
Research: Bumiputera/Eurasian
Across my own interviews, as well as through several texts, one quickly discovers a veil that envelopes the Serani history, that is its vague and often self-conflicting narrative. One key example of this is after the May 13th incident[1] in 1969 which led to the creation of the Bumiputera[2] policy. With economic incentive to claiming a Malay ancestry, Eurasian community leaders united in efforts to promote their genealogical, cultural, and linguistic similarities with the Malay community, tracing their roots back to intermarriage between sixteenth-century Portuguese conquistadors and local Malay women. By the 1980s, this constructed history had become the basis for lobbying the government for Bumiputera privileges (Fernandis, 2003). Kirsty Walker reflects on this:
Eurasian family histories are inherently composite, created from distinct, often contradictory, narratives. Nostalgic stories of ancestors, related from generation to generation, merge with historical narratives that were created in response to the pressures of contemporary cultural politics. Eurasian histories were sites of interaction in themselves, undergoing successive transformations, being remembered, altered or forgotten at different moments. (Walker, 2012)
[1] The 13 May incident refers to an episode of Sino-Malay sectarian violence that took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 13 May 1969.
[2] Meaning “son of the soil”, these policies defused the ethnic tensions by placating the Malay majority through granting them a privileged status over the Malaysian Chinese. Originally intended to be a temporary measure, these policies are still in effect and have been described as racially discriminatory.
Thoughts: On Fact/Fiction & Faith
I find there are similarities in how people view and interpret documentary/news stories and the religious faith. Both are seen as fact and are rarely questioned by an older audience. It is the youth who are questioning and looking for the actuality in what is told to us. Maybe something to look into and explore further.
Thoughts: Curry as a symbol
Food & Culture
Alison Blunt’s term ‘productive nostalgia’ (Blunt, 2003) can be used to describe this relationship, whereby this longing for home (or in this instance the need to feel connected to one’s community) is enacted through practice rather than narrative or imagination. This is reflected in the interviews I have conducted with participants of the project as many, when prompted to define what makes them Serani, reflect on clothing, specific family rituals, religion, and often many will turn to the preparation and consumption of Eurasian foods as a cultural identifier.
Starting to look at foods like Devil Curry, a very popularly portuguese-eurasian dish, and how people identify with it
Mentor Meeting: Muhammad Fadli
First meeting with mentor Muhammad Fadli. Spent some time getting to know each other, talking a little about the project and my intensions with it. Some notes from the meeting as follows:
Don’t let shooting film hold you back from taking a shot. Sometimes you might come across a shot and may contemplate taking it because of the physical limitations of film (amount of shots left, etc) and also the cost of film per shot. Shoot anyway as you were initially drawn to the person/object. Alternatively, take a digital as a backup.
Talked about intension and reaching an audience beyond “photoland”. It can be easy to get wrapped up making work for other photographers, consider who your audience is and how to make the project more accessible to them through writing, design and other elements when producing a photobook.
Relying on photography alone can be difficult for projects with this much complexity. I’m experimenting with writing this semester, but try to really implement a structure and written word to the book/project.
collaboration will make the work stronger. whether is with a writer or researcher or designer, and so on. Admitting we can’t do it all is important to producing something even better.
Thoughts: On Religion & St. Anthony
Exploring concepts of connection to religion & catholic faith. Photographing the Church gave me a new perspective to my connection to the project and Eurasian culture.
As I try to uncover and essentially form my own eurasian identity, a key factor in identifying as eruasian seems to be a devotion to catholicism. As a baptized Catholic, I have not continued down the path to complete confirmation, and currently consider myself atheistic (although perhaps Agnostic would be a less confrontational word). This “lack of faith” can be seen as a substantial barrier when attempting to identify with the community and is something I will likely explore further.
St. Anthony (the french Antoine translates to Anthony) is in part the origin of my name. This can be part of my connection to Religion.
on St. Anthony:
Portuguese Preist
He is especially invoked and venerated all over the world as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items and is credited with many miracles involving lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods
Prayer for lost items:
O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me…[Mention your request here].
O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.
Exploration: Gallery
Hin Bus Gallery
Not many places in Penang I am particularly interested in to exhibit. There are almost no gallery spaces, or places that could be converted into a gallery space.
Hin Bus Gallery is a location that has it’s own interesting history. Was a Bus depot in the 60’s and fell into disuse. Turned into an arts hub, currently with a lot of traffic
The space is interesting aesthetically as well. Two walls, one larger and one smaller are unfinished, with the depots original faded and chipping paint. Other walls are painted white, with the option to add some wall segments within the space. Classic “Penang” floor tiles, match those that would appear in heritage houses in Georgetown.
Thoughts: On humor and photography
Discussion: Matt Johnston
Scheduled a meeting with Matt to further discuss the project and the book specifically. I had concerns and questions about accessibility vs. artistic intent and how to navigate this conflict. Some notes from the session:
Sarah Bodman talks about levels of engagement, people will interect with the work on different levels, there will be space to work on all levels.
If the work is too literal, its also not great, as there will not ne any conversation to the work, you’re just directly telling them whatt to think. There still has to be some play with it. Make the audience question and want to know more
Random referral & intended referral - either way there will be people picking up or not picking up what you dont want them to. this can be good or bad
Never too early to start making dummies. see how images fit together, how they sit next to eachother, with and without texts, etc. Show these to those who are in the photography circles, but also outside of them