Motherland is an on-going personal project exploring cross cultural identity.
M O T H E R L A N D
PT. I - THE PAST LIVES
GUANGZHOU,CHINA - In memory, the family trip to China was one remembered with fondness and excitement. It’s a story of fantastic food, family reunions and immersing one’s self in the rich “exotic” sights and the humdrum of every day life in a country far across the other side of the world. However, after having not returned in nearly a decade, the trip to my country of origin brought severe bouts of anxiety and apprehension.
This time around, the journey back to China would have multiple objectives. The first and foremost - the most somber one- was to visit the graves of Grandparents. Second, retrace the roots of my mother culture in a 10-day bus tour across the country. And third, to bring two family members to begin a new chapter of their lives in the United States.
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Note: In Chinese, the word “grandparent” differs between the maternal and paternal side. The grandparents will be referred to by the Cantonese pinyin word.
嫲嫲 Mah mah - Grandmother
爷爷 Yeh yeh - Grandfather
Mother’s Side:
婆婆 “Poh po” - Grandmother
公公 “Gung gung” - Grandfather
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PT I - THE PAST LIVES
PT II - Ongoing
PT III - Ongoing