When Asia is mentioned, most people immediately think of China, Japan, or North Korea, some of the countries that make up East Asia. However, Asia is more than its most famous countries. It comprises 48 nations divided into six regions – East, Central, South, Southeast, West & North Asia. As we end Asian Heritage Month, we would like to highlight the diversity and richness that Asian cultural communities bring to our local societies.
Why Celebrating Asian Cultures is Important for Canadian Communities
When I asked Rachel and Don Florentino, from the Filipino community, why celebrating Asian Heritage Month was necessary, they pointed to bringing together different communities. Celebration is about inclusion and building positive relationships.
Ayushi Sharma, a fifteen-year-old who recently moved to a small town in Manitoba, said that celebrating her culture keeps her connected to who she is. Her heritage is part of her identity, and she loves sharing the richness of her East Indian culture with others – from food to language to dress. It brings people together.
Mekala Busilla emphasized that having a month dedicated to Asian Heritage means having the opportunity to share the best of Asia with other cultures. It also allows us to celebrate and honor Indigenous peoples on whose land we reside because, without their generosity, we wouldn’t have a place where many cultures can call home together. She’s appreciated this since moving from Sri Lanka almost two decades ago.
Asian Heritage Month is an invitation to build understanding and support among diverse communities in Manitoba and Canada.
A few things to know about Asian Cultural Communities
Asian cultures are as diverse as the 48 countries that make up Asia.
For Don and Rachel, Filipinos are hardworking, holding 2-3 jobs at a time because they want to take care of their families and give them the best possible life. Here and in the Philippines. Family is central to everything they do. And of course, there must be lots of food and dancing!
Ayushi cherishes how friendly, welcoming, and helpful people from her country are. She states that East Indians are willing to help anyone, whether it’s food, clothing, or shelter. She notes that they are a happy culture, proud of their food and vibrant clothing.
Mekala notes that regardless of the challenges faced, people from Sri Lanka will always find a way to thrive and connect with other cultural communities. I can honestly say that I have experienced this first hand.
How relevant is this year’s theme, 'Stories of Determination,' to you?
Mekala smiled when I asked this question. “We are resilient. We move halfway across the world, leaving behind our family and friends to start afresh. That’s determination.” She remembers when she arrived in Canada, knowing no one and, like most immigrants, unprepared for Manitoba winters. However, her heritage had instilled in her a commitment to work hard and forge through adversity. Now she celebrates having some of her family here with her, especially her parents.
For Don and Rachel, determination meant living apart for six years as they worked towards a better life for their family. Rachel moved to Canada first and was employed by her eldest sister to care for her other sister’s children. Her entire family was determined to work together to build a life in Canada.
At a young age, Ayushi sees determination through the lens of maintaining her cultural heritage. She is concerned about losing her language and other cultural aspects by being far from home and so celebrations like Asian Heritage Month mean so much more to her today. It’s a way of keeping part of her identity alive.
None of the people I interviewed knew it was Asian Heritage Month. There isn’t as much advertising around this month as other cultural celebrations. When asked what could be done to bring more awareness to this month, each of the interviewees suggested bulletin boards at/communication through churches and temples – many Asian cultural groups spend time here. It’s an integral part of their lives.
In conclusion, there are over 5 billion people in Asia, and over 2,300 languages are spoken. Asian cultural dresses are as stunning as they are varied by country and region within those countries. And what many may find surprising is that although Russia is commonly known as a European country, a large part of it resides in Asia, further expanding the language, clothing, music, and food diversity of Asian culture.
As May comes to an end, think about how Asian culture has impacted you. Was it through food or language, or music? What impressed you the most about it? How is it similar to your culture? Celebrating Asian Heritage Month reminds us that celebrating diverse cultural groups brings us together and builds healthy, thriving communities.
This article was written by community writer Tsungai Muvingi as part of our J.E.D.I. Initiative – Community Writers Project. All thoughts and opinions expressed are Tsungai’s own. You can learn more about Tsungai on our team page here.
To learn more about our Intercultural and Intergenerational Diversity and Inclusion Engagement Project, go to our J.E.D.I. Initiative landing page here.
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