Girl cousins with the Aunties, cleaning all the dishes in the kitchen.
Uncles, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Boy cousins — all outside, drinking, laughing, talking, sharing stories…
Girl Cousin: Why do we put up with this? All the women in the kitchen and the men out there?
Me: I don’t know. I’m kinda just… glad to be a part of it? I haven’t experienced this in Australia… ever… I didn’t know that… we… Taiwanese? We are… like… this?
Girl Cousin: No. Taiwanese are NOT like this. We are HAKKA. Hakka are LIKE. THIS. (Fucking. Frustrated about to break a plate).
Girl cousin went on to serve in the Taiwanese military… (Like, NOT FORCED — she’s a GIRL. She doesn’t have to do it…) She’s all good now… but… she was pretty angry there, for a small moment…
Oddly enough — whilst this was happening — Mum, non-Hakka, and other non-Hakka wives, went for a walk by themselves… they didn’t participate in cleaning the dishes or anything like that. For some reason, it was for the Hakka women to learn.
I HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA WHY. (To this day…!)
And you know what? At home? Away from the Hakka family!? My Dad often does the dishes! It’s not like the Hakka men NEVER do the dishes — but it was a TRADITION for CHINESE NEW YEAR.
…
P.S. I have no idea if it’s just my family or if it is “Hakka are like this” — that was only my experience of it.
I’m kinda hesitant to write more about these types of memories cos I don’t even know if my family is… “normal”…?! Or people will be like… “Hmm. That’s actually NOT Hakka… her family is… WEIRD…” — ?!?!
(Shrugs shoulders)
Maybe we’re weird… I have no idea.
Virgo Sun Pisces Moon 