Chinatown Swagger: Chinese Pride

Chinese immigrants and their descendants are spread out allover the world. A lot of times, and in many countries, the immigrants are looked down upon by the locals and discriminated, even after many generations (like in the US).

Now ok, so you are a Chinese immigrant. So what? Don't cry about it. Embrace it.

Chinese Pride. We are made of steel. We bend but we don't break.

Someone made a documentary in US about Chinese Immigrant playing volleyball. Not the traditional 6-man volleyball. There are 9 men in each team. I found it by accident because the film maker was being interviewed for a story about an American Chinese journalist who was shouted at and asked to "go back to China", in the middle of Manhattan, I think. I may have gotten the city wrong, but you get the drift.

Usually I don't pay to download movies. This one I did because I wanted to support the film maker for documenting a part of the history of Chinese immigrants.

Fantastic film!!!

So, if you are a Chinese immigrant or a descendants of one, please go and watch this film.

Click here to pay download or watch online

The documentary is called 9-Man.

"9-MAN uncovers an isolated and unique streetball tournament played by Chinese-Americans in the heart of Chinatowns across the USA and Canada. Largely undiscovered by the mainstream, the game is a gritty, athletic, chaotic urban treasure traditionally played in parking lots and back alleys. A 9-Man tournament grew in the 1930’s, at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment and laws forced restaurant workers and laundrymen to socialize exclusively amongst themselves. Today it’s a lasting connection to Chinatown for a dynamic community of men who know a different, more integrated world, but still fight to maintain autonomy and tradition."

You can go to their online store to buy the T-Shirts too. Click here

I like the "Chinatown Swagger" on the T-shirt. In two words, it says a lot about Chinese Pride, about being strong and resilient despite all odds as immigrants.

My takeaway from this film is that we are Chinese immigrants (in Malaysia), we have to stick together and preserve our heritage.

One more thing. If you are Chinese, no matter where you are, USA, Russia, Malaysia, Brazil, Germany, Kenya, Lithuania, and if someone gets in your face and give you shit, not because of your character, not because of what you say or do, but because of you being Chinese, you DON'T bow your head or run away.

You stay and fight.

You hear me?

You stay and fight.