Between Image & Word Symposium
Update April 19, 2012: This event has passed. You can view photos and watch the recorded webcast.
Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium
National Portrait Gallery
8th and G Streets NW
Washington, DC 20001
Google Map
Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown
Related Exhibition:
Asian American Portraits of Encounter
Free and open to the public.
Book signing after the symposium.
Asian American art and literature offer a collective portrait of Asian American identity and culture, one that reflects on lived experience and expresses its textures. The Edgar P. Richardson Symposium Asian American Portraits of Encounter Between Image & Word brings these critical efforts to light by staging conversations and encounters between acclaimed Asian American writers and the artwork of Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter, the exhibition by the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program. The symposium will feature original literary work composed in response to the themes and feelings raised by the exhibition.
Come hear readings by writers David Henry Hwang, Garrett Hongo, Bao Phi, Marianne Villanueva, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Kazim Ali, and Anna Kazumi Stahl.
National Portrait Gallery curators will give a guided tour of the exhibition that includes artwork by CYJO, Hye Yeon Nam, Shizu Saldamando, Roger Shimomura, Satomi Shirai, Tam Tran, and Hong Chun Zhang.
(Re)Presenting America: The Evolution of Culturally Specific Museums
Rasmuson Theater
National Museum of the American Indian
4th and Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20560
Google Map
Metro: L’Enfant Plaza
Reception to follow in the
Museum’s Potomac Atrium
at 6pm—8pm
Free and open to the public.
Update: This event has passed. To watch video clips, click here.
Join an important conversation about the role of “ethnic” or “culturally specific” museums with museum directors and scholars from across the National Mall and beyond. Moderated by Ray Suarez of PBS NewsHour, the program features Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; Konrad Ng, director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program; Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture; Claudine Brown, Smithsonian Assistant Secretary for Education and Access; and Lonnie Bunch, director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Participants also include Clement Price, professor at Rutgers University and director of the Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience; David Hurst Thomas, Curator, Department of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History; Philip Kennicott, critic, The Washington Post; and Congressman Xavier Becerra. Lively panel discussions will feature David Penney, Associate Director for Museum Scholarship, National Museum of the American Indian; Lawrence Pijeaux, President & CEO, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute; Helen Samhan, Senior Outreach Advisor, Arab American National Museum; Beth Takekawa, Executive Director, Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience; and Carlos Tortolero, President, National Museum of Mexican Art.
Performance artist Kip Fulbeck engages the symposium audience with a dynamic performance exploring multiracial identity. At a reception following the symposium, artist Bunky Echo-Hawk (Pawnee/Yakama) will offer a “live art” performance during which he invites his audience to suggest themes that he incorporates into a painting that he then spontaneously creates.
Related Links:
- Click here for more information
- Click here to download the program and schedule (PDF)
- Click here to download participant bios (PDF)
To RSVP or for further information, please contact NMAI-SSP@si.edu
BookDragon Turns 3!
By Terry Hong (BookDragon Blogger and former APAP Media Arts Consultant)
Three years ago, BookDragon officially debuted as almost a dare. The APA Program’s founding director, Dr. Franklin Odo, bugged me on and off for years about compiling my book-related articles into a single place. So I got the idea that I might throw everything up somewhere, somehow on the world wide web… although being a Luddite, that was no small task. Thanks to the facile (and oh so very patient) multimedia producer at the time, Ricky Leung, BookDragon miraculously became the literary home of all my bookish ramblings…
And, today, BookDragon is actually three years old! I’ve been told time passes more quickly out there in the virtual world, ahem!
What a year of reading around the globe this has been! Some favorite adult reads include Julie Otsuka’s The Buddha in the Attic, Krys Lee’s Drifting House, and Xinran’s Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love. Among the kiddie titles, I couldn’t extol any more the virtues of The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Save Families by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore. My manga-addicted self swears Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá was the most spectacular graphic read.
My favorite literary news of the year was definitely yesterday’s announcement that Kyung-sook Shin became the first woman to win the Man Asian Literary Prize, considered Asia’s most prestigious award for writers, for her Stateside debut, Please Look After Mom (she’s already a literary rock star in her native Korea with many titles) which was published April 3, 2011. Mom is surely one of the best books I’ve read in years, and I gave Shin a starred review in Library Journal (December 15, 2010 issue). Then I heard about the uproar over an NPR review by Maureen Corrigan that aired April 5, 2011 ["kimchee-scented Kleenex fiction"] … be sure to check out the even more interesting comments. In spite of such detractors, Mom did (deservedly) hit the bestseller lists and garner quite an impressive list of citations and awards.
Surely, I have so much to celebrate this year! Literally!
In addition to all the memorable books, thanks even more so to all my fellow readers. Please keep visiting BookDragon via blog, Facebook, or Twitter at @SIBookDragon. Hopefully we’ll be sharing multi-culti book news for years to come!
HomeSpun Embassy Reception
HomeSpun Reception at the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C.
By Pawan Dhingra, HomeSpun Curator
On February 23, the Smithsonian APA Program hosted a special preview of Speaking Up!, the upcoming exhibition for HomeSpun: Smithsonian Indian American Heritage Project at the Embassy of India in Washington, DC. Click here to view more photos.
Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao remarked, “[t]o say that the Indian American community has truly come of age is no exaggeration,” and pointed to how the Smithsonian Institution strengthens the India-US partnership by highlighting the accomplishments and experiences of Indian Americans. Before a crowd of major donors, HomeSpun Advisory Council members, and representatives from the senior administration of the Smithsonian Institution, Curator Pawan Dhingra shared some of the objects, images, and events that will be featured in the exhibition. Gautam Chandra, a founding member of the HomeSpun Advisory Council, closed the preview event by underscoring the importance of HomeSpun to the community and the importance of community support to its success:
“My children were born here, like many of yours or your grandchildren. This is their homeland. And the last thing we ever want our children to feel like is that they’re strangers in their homeland. This project is a very important project to make sure that this doesn’t happen.”
We are now entering the next stage and we need your support; please consider partnering with the Smithsonian Institution in telling the Indian American story. Your gift to HomeSpun will ensure that Indian American history, art and culture are part of the Smithsonian experience. Each tax-deductible contribution is an opportunity to leave the next generation of Indian Americans a legacy to be proud of. Click here to donate.
Speaking Up! is scheduled to open in Spring 2013 at the iconic Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Recap: Annual Day of Remembrance at the Smithsonian
Poster design by Nigel Briggs, National Museum of American History
By Noriko Sanefuji (Curatorial Assistant) and Christine Chou (intern)
This year’s Day of Remembrance (DOR) was special for many reasons. Not only is it the 70th anniversary since the signing of Executive Order 9066, the action that led to the imprisonment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, it was also to honor the Japanese American WWII veterans that were recently awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
The program began with a keynote speech by Secretary of Veterans Affairs General Eric Shinseki (watch the video clip above or download his speech here). He reflected on the roles of Japanese Americans who volunteered in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service during World War II. General Shinseki recognized their merit in receiving the award and stated that their legacy shows what it means to be an American to future generations. He said:
Download PDF
“In all my years in the military, I can find no better, no more compelling, and no more inspiring story of what it means to be an American than the stories and battle histories of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service. They were premiere warfighting units ranking among the very best in U.S. military history. The legacy of those who served in those units is a tradition of patriotism, loyalty, courage, honor, dedication and sacrifice that’s as old as the American Revolution. Their’s is an American story.”
General Shinseki’s keynote speech was followed by a film highlighting the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony. Afterward, there was a panel discussion that included Grant Ichikawa, MIS veteran; Gerald Yamada, Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) president; Christine Sato-Yamazaki Chairperson, National Veteran Network; and Doug Sterner, author of Go For Broke. The panel was moderated by Franklin Odo, former director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program. Everyone provided insights about the significance of the Congressional Gold Medal and the process of recognizing Japanese American WWII veterans.
Day of Remembrance Recap
Dr. Odo began the discussion by asking the panelists: “What does the Congressional Gold Medal mean to you?” Mr. Ichikawa recalled his experiences in the MIS and reflected on how proud he is to be a recipient of the medal. Ms. Sato-Yamazaki expressed her feelings on how the award ceremony represented the completion of a difficult, two-year effort to obtain congressional approval for the medal. Mr. Sterner explained how the medal was the highest honor bestowed by Congress. According to Mr. Yamada, the award gives JAVA the chance to make the Nisei soldiers’ legacy a living story, rather than just a historic one.
Museum visitors viewed the actual Congressional Gold Medal up close during the event. Objects made inside the barbed wire camps during WWII were also on display at a nearby education cart. Artifacts were brought out of storage for DOR, and experts were also available to answer questions from the visitors at the education carts. Representatives from the U.S. Mint were there to discuss how the medal was created.
Interns Christine Chou (Smithsonian APA Program) and Erin Anderson (National Museum of American History) talk to a visitor at an education cart. Photo by Donald Hurlbert, NMNH
Smithsonian APA Program intern Christine Chou designed a second educational cart as an interactive way of learning about daily life in internment camps. Objects on display included typical mess hall food, tools from working life, school artifacts, leisure items (like a baseball), and craft materials used for art projects. Historical photos complimented the objects to provide a more complete picture of camp living conditions. Everyone was encouraged to pick up and touch the objects. Some of the most popular items were the medical tools, including a stethoscope, head mirror, and elbow splint, which visitors were free to try on and use.
Another popular item, the dog tags of a Japanese American World War II veteran, belonged to Grant Ichikawa, who was interned before joining the military. As visitors held his dog tags, they were told that Mr. Ichikawa was actually in the museum that day to tell people about his experiences, and it was a quietly powerful moment. For visitors and volunteers at the cart that day, having the opportunity to interact with these artifacts helped foster a deeper connection to our national history.
Related Links:
- View the original post for DOR 2012
- More about the Congressional Gold Medal
- Photos of this event on Flickr
Related Blogs:
- Day of Remembrance: 70 Years After Executive Order 9066
February 13, 2012 – Written by one of our interns for American History’s O Say Can You See blog, this entry features photos of Asian Pacific American WWII artifacts. - A Day of Remembrance
February 27, 2012 - A recap of the day of events written by Sarah Emerson, a fellow in the Office of Public Affairs. - Day of Remembrance: An interview with Grant Ichikawa
March 5, 2012 - Blog from Noriko Sanefuji, curatorial assistant at the APA Program and program assistant in the Division of Work and Industry at the National Museum of American History.
Related Podcast: History Explorer: Japanese American Internment and WWII Service
Listen to the Podcast (MP3 file)
View more photos
Curatorial assistant Noriko Sanefuji interviews Grant Ichikawa, a U.S. veteran who enlisted after being relocated to a Japanese American internment camp with his family in 1942. Allowed to join the army after a need for interpreters, Mr. Ichikawa served the country proudly. In 2011, he and other veterans were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his service.
Curatorial assistant Noriko Sanefuji interviews Grant Ichikawa at the National Museum of American History, February 2012.
TalkBack Board
We also utilized the National Museum of American History’s TalkBack Boards program to invite the museum visitors to post their comments.
Question:
Today the U.S. Mint will be presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Japanese Americans to honor their service during WII. How do you think America should honor its veterans?
You can join the online conversation by clicking here.
NMAAHC Groundbreaking
National Museum of African American History and Culture concept sketch courtesy of the Freelon Adjaye Bond/Smithgroup.
On February 22, 2012, the Smithsonian Institution broke ground for the construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). This historic event marks another milestone whereby the symbolic space of the National Mall more closely reflects the history, art and culture of the American people. Indeed, many of our stories are defined by the African American experience. The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program celebrates NMAAHC for enriching our art, history and culture, and for reminding us of what is possible.
Thank you.
Fred Korematsu and The Struggle for Justice
Telling the Story of Civil Rights in America: Fred Korematsu and The Struggle for Justice
Fred T. Korematsu. Hand-colored gelatin silver print, c. 1940. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Fred T. Korematsu Family.
On February 2, 2012, our colleague, the National Portrait Gallery welcomes two photographs of Fred Korematsu (1919-2005) into The Struggle for Justice (2nd Floor), the incredible exhibition about civil rights in America. Korematsu’s images will join portraits of cultural and political icons such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Betty Friedan, César Chávez, Leonard Crow Dog, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Their images are windows onto the journey for civil rights and justice; together, their stories invoke the powerful sentiment from Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
The photographs are gifts of the Fred T. Korematsu Family, a relationship that was cultivated by Ling Woo Liu, director of Korematsu Institute for Civil Rights and Education. Korematsu is the first Asian American featured in the exhibition and joins a growing collection of Asian American portraits at the NPG that includes APAP’s gift portrait of the Honorable Norman Mineta and Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter.
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Korematsu challenged the legality of Executive Order (EO) 9066, the action that authorized the internment of Korematsu and 120,000 other Japanese Americans during World War II. Americans with heritages that could be traced to the other nations at war with the U.S. at the time—Germany and Italy—were not interned. Korematsu refused the order. While Korematsu argued that the order violated his freedoms guaranteed to him as a U.S. citizen by the U.S. Constitution, he was convicted. His appeals went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in a split decision that the internment was a military necessity. Korematsu maintained that the basis of his conviction was a clear case of injustice. After the release of Japanese Americans following the end of World War II, the internment of Japanese Americans remained an unresolved issue for America.
Fred T. Korematsu (center). Gelatin silver print, 1939. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Fred T. Korematsu Family
Japanese Americans, researchers, legal experts, a Presidential Commission, and others, continued to review the circumstances and actions behind the internment. Archival and legal research revealed that documents disputing the justification for the internment were suppressed. Korematsu’s case was reopened and on November 10, 1983, his conviction was overturned. The message was powerful, especially for those who were interned: Americans of Japanese descent had done nothing wrong by virtue of their heritage; they were, first and foremost, Americans. In 1988, Japanese Americans impacted by EO 9066 received redress and reparations from the U.S. government.
Korematsu is a symbol for civil rights and justice. His opposition to EO 9066 on legal and moral grounds joins the other voices in The Struggle for Justice who were similarly committed to a concept of American democracy that lives up to its ideals. On every January 30, the state of California will celebrate Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, the first day in U.S. history to be named after an Asian American.
It will be seventy years since the signing of EO 9066, an event that is the subject of APAP’s Annual Day of Remembrance Program on February 18, 2012 at the National Museum of American History. The APAP is part of the largest museum and research complex in the world and our role is to connect Americans with their rich heritage and history.
Update February 7, 2012
From left: Ken Korematsu, Karen Korematsu, and Congresswoman Doris Matsui
The Smithsonian APA Program attended a special presentation and reception for the portrait of Fred Korematsu on February 2, 2012. Two photographs of Korematsu are on display in the Struggle for Justice exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Click here for more photos from the event, including speakers and guests.
Job Opening: Senior Advancement Officer
Senior Advancement Officer,
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program
odstaffing@si.edu
Commensurate with experience
February 17, 2012
Website
Update February 21 – This position is now closed.
Come join a team of dedicated staff at an exceptional moment in Smithsonian history. The Institution is implementing a groundbreaking comprehensive strategic plan that expands the programming, educational, and scholarly activity of its museums and research centers, and undertakes its very first Institution-wide fundraising campaign. In planning for the campaign, the Smithsonian has built a model fundraising organization, one that will meet the growing needs of this unique organization and offer excellent professional opportunities.
This new position offers exciting opportunities for the successful candidate to make a significant impact on the future of the Smithsonian. This is the time to join this amazing Institution.
The Senior Advancement Officer, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (APAP), plans and accomplishes all aspects of fundraising for the organization in support of its goals. The position reports to the Director of the Asian Pacific American Program.
Specific duties include:
— Works collaboratively with APAP Director and other staff in establishing funding priorities
— Establishes and maintains relationships with a variety of key donors and prospects and plans and executes effective fundraising approaches to meet funding priorities
— Manages the work of the APAP Advisory Board and APAP’s relationship with the board members
— Develops effective and creative ways to advance the mission of the APAP
— Coordinates efforts closely with the Smithsonian Office of Advancement
Successful candidates will demonstrate experience and success in fundraising, strong organizational and communication skills, the initiative and ability to work independently, and the capacity to think creatively about expressing the importance of history, art and culture. A minimum of four years of progressive fundraising experience, a passion for learning and exploration, and the desire to join a dynamic and growing operation should be demonstrated in your application. Experience in complex higher education or a large cultural or environmental organization is preferred. Extensive travel required.
Smithsonian human sunburst.
Founded in 1998, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (APAP) provides vision, leadership, and support for all Asian Pacific American activities for the Smithsonian and works to better reflect the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to the American experience, world culture, and the understanding of our planet and the natural world throughout Smithsonian collections, research, exhibitions, education, and outreach. To this end, APAP curates public programs, educational materials, and traveling exhibitions with a community-based approach and focus.
The Smithsonian Institution is a unique complex of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research centers. The Smithsonian is a national and world treasure and is dedicated to its founding mission, “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Its exhibitions, programs, collections, and outreach touch the lives of millions of Americans every year, as well as many who visit us from abroad.
The Smithsonian Institution offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive package of benefits.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their resumes and a cover letter to odstaffing@si.edu by February 17th. Please indicate “APAP” in your e-mail subject line.
The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
2012 Annual Day of Remembrance at the Smithsonian
Warner Bros. Theater
First Floor
National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Metro: Federal Triangle
or Smithsonian
Free and open to the public.
General Eric Shinseki
For Country: Japanese American Soldiers and Citizens & the 70th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066
Update March 5, 2012 - This event has passed. For a full recap, click here.
The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program is honored to host Secretary of Veterans Affairs General Eric Shinseki. This year marks 70 years since the signing of Executive Order 9066, the action that led to the internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. However, this year also celebrates the formation of heroic Japanese American World War II military units such as the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and sections of the Military Intelligence Service.
Learn more about this period in American history through objects, veterans, speakers, and film. Learn about the Congressional Gold Medal (pictured above) awarded to Japanese Americans who served in World War II. Join us for an afternoon of reflection and hear amazing stories about perseverance and service.
Schedule
| 2:00 p.m. | For Country A keynote address by Secretary of Veterans Affairs, General Eric Shinseki |
| 2:30 — 3:30 p.m. | Congressional Gold Medal Presentation by the U.S. Mint |
| 3:00 p.m. | Remembering Voices: Executive Order 9066 & Japanese American WWII Veterans Screening, panel discussion, and Q&A featuring veterans and historians. Panelists: Grant Ichikawa, MIS veteran; Gerald Yamada, Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) president; Christine Sato-Yamazaki Chairperson, National Veteran Network; and Doug Sterner, historian/author; moderator: Franklin Odo, historian. |
| 4:15 p.m. | Book Signing by Panel Participants LeFrak Lobby, near Warner Bros. Theater entrance |
| 2 — 4 p.m. | Educational Carts LeFrak Lobby, near Warner Bros. Theater entrance |
Parking info:
Please click here to download a PDF for more details on where to park at the Smithsonian.
Closest Metro:
Federal Triangle and Smithsonian.
Sponsored by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, National Museum of American History, National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, Japanese American Veterans Association, and the Japanese American Citizens League.
Travel support provided by Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines is proud to be the official airline of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program.
442nd Combat Team Song. Click for more info.
Related Links:
- View this event on the National Museum of American History calendar
- Click here to view the 2011 event
- More about the Congressional Gold Medal
- Gold Medal event recaps
- American History’s Talk Back Tuesday - 70th anniversary of Executive Order 9066
- Photos of this event on Flickr
Related Blogs:
- Day of Remembrance: 70 Years After Executive Order 9066
Written by one of our interns for American History’s O Say Can You See blog, this entry features photos of Asian Pacific American WWII artifacts. - A Day of Remembrance
A recap of the day of events written by Sarah Emerson, a fellow in the Office of Public Affairs.
Related Podcast: History Explorer: Japanese American Internment and WWII Service
Listen to the Podcast (MP3 file)
View more photos
Curatorial assistant Noriko Sanefuji interviews Grant Ichikawa, a U.S. veteran who enlisted after being relocated to a Japanese American internment camp with his family in 1942. Allowed to join the army after a need for interpreters, Mr. Ichikawa served the country proudly. In 2011, he and other veterans were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his service.
Curatorial assistant Noriko Sanefuji interviews Grant Ichikawa at the National Museum of American History, February 2012.
Happy Lunar New Year!
We’d like to wish everyone a Happy Lunar New Year 2012 (Year of the Dragon)! Click here to read more about this important event and how it is celebrated among many Asian Pacific American (APA) communities. This year, Smithsonian colleagues Jina Lee (Smithsonian American Art Museum) and Sojin Kim (Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage) share how they, as Korean Americans, celebrate the Lunar New Year in their homes.
Leave us a comment about how you celebrate the Lunar New Year!
Young Jina posing in her han-bok.
Guest Blog by Jina Lee, Exhibitions Assistant at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
As a Korean American, I’ve had the pleasure of ringing in the New Year, both in the traditional Korean (Eastern) and Western tradition. The Western tradition, as we all know, is the fun filled night of celebrating the last night of the Western calendar—Dec. 31st. In particular, my family will the end of that particular year. We would either go into the city (Washington D.C.) for a nice dinner outing, or stay in and have Mom cook us a delicious dinner of steak or fish. Lastly, we would put on the annual Dick Clark (now Ryan Seacrest) New Years Eve television special, and watch the iconic Time Square ball drop as the massive crowds chant in sync with the countdown. While the Western tradition seems to focus on celebrating the end of the calendar, the following day (January 1) for Korean Americans seems to be the opposite. The focus is more so on starting anew and with a clean slate for the New Year. Our New Years Eve meals were usually so decadent, however on New Years Day, Mom would cook the traditional Korean rice cake and mandu (dumpling) soup for brunch. This soup usually had a beef based broth, lots of fresh rice cakes called dduk and homemade mandu (dumpling) dropped into the soup, along with scallions, egg, seaweed (gim), and slices of beef as garnishes. It was scrumptious!
Young Jina is bowing to her grandparents as a sign of respect and good fortune in the New Year. This Korean tradition is known as sae-bae.
After “cleansing” ourselves with this soup, all the elders in our family would then sit on the floor of our living room to receive their sae-bae bows from the young ones (their children, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, etc.). Sae-bae is a traditional Korean custom of bowing to one’s elder as a sign of respect. As the young ones, we would wish them good fortune in the coming year. We (the young ones again) would usually line up in a row, and do a group sae-bae, as opposed to the embarrassing solo sae-bae, where it was all eyes on you. But with all that embarrassment aside, what is rewarding about the sae-bae is the money you receive from your elders as a sign of good fortune and luck in the coming year. I used to place this money in my little red and gold hand-sewn pouch that came with my han-bok (traditional Korean garments). When I was little, I wasn’t fond of the han-bok material because of all the multiple layers and the different texture from my school clothes. But, the richness of all the different colors on the han-bok were very beautiful even to my little girl eyes. At that time, I probably didn’t realize I was celebrating both my Korean and American heritage, however after 26 years or so, I now realize how special it was to do so. Happy Lunar New Year!
Guest Blog by Sojin Kim, Curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
The translation of traditions from one place to another is of course an imprecise process with its inevitable miscalculations, deprivations, and redundancies. In my family, birthdays are celebrated on days that are vague approximations of lunar calendar coordinates and in some cases downright fabricated dates. No matter, my mother says, in our tradition everyone turns a year older on the first day of the new year, an occasion that we often observe twice.
Left: My mother's version of duk mandu guk, a dish that Koreans typically enjoy to celebrate the new year. Right: Chewy rice cake (duk).
A few weeks ago on January 1, my family convened as usual for our New Year’s meal. We sat down at 10:30 am with glasses of champagne and steaming bowls of duk mandu guk. This year, my mom’s version included both the flat chewy rice cakes and meat dumplings, strips of fried egg and marinated beef, kimchi, and a few slices of Japanese shishito pepper (standing in for the green onions that she had forgotten to buy). The key ingredient is the duk (rice cake)—eating it on New Year’s, I’ve been assured, is good luck.
A meal from the food offered to the ancestors.
Later in the day, my family gathered around for a second, less formal meal. We heaped our plates with marinated ribs, sautéed vegetables, battered shrimp and fish, stuffed peppers, and more kimchi. This bounty, wrapped carefully in old takeout containers and aluminum foil, was delivered from an old family friend, who had prepared and offered the spread to the ancestors earlier in the day. Every year, we get their leftovers, and we feast for days on these, even as our own ancestors go hungry.
In a week or so, as the Lunar Year of the Dragon kicks off, my family will sit down again for duk mandu guk. We may or may not make it ourselves—very likely we’ll go to a restaurant. In either case, we figure, one can never have too much good luck.
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