Celebrating heritage highlights differences, brings Soldiers together

Photo By Sgt. Emily Knitter | Soldiers with 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, dance during a performance for Asian Pacific Heritage Month on Contingency Operating Station Falcon, May 30.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

06.07.2010

Story by Pvt. Emily Knitter 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

BAGHDAD -- Inside a high school in Kentucky, the hallways were full of students in cowboy attire. Designated as "Western Wednesday," the school was celebrating the history of the West. Amid the sea of cowboy boots and plaid shirts, one student wore a cook outfit.

A guidance counselor pulled the student aside and asked what he was doing.

"It's Western Wednesday," the student said.

"Where is your cowboy outfit?' the teacher asked.

Jesse Kim was one of only three Asians in the school. He explained that during the time period, most Asians were either cooks or railroad track layers. The teacher told him he had to take off his costume because he was racially profiling.

"I am Asian. How are you going to tell me I am racially profiling my own people?" Kim asked the teacher.

Now a mechanic with B Company, 3rd Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, Kim, joined other 1/3 AAB Soldiers May 30 to perform in celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month at Contingency Operating Station Falcon.

"Regular U.S. citizens don't know a lot of what is outside the textbooks," said Kim, who was born in Vusan, South Korea. "Although the military has a wide variety of cultures, ceremonies like this teach people a lot. They keep us enlightened, and the next time these people attend something similar, they know more about our culture and will be more open-minded."

The show featured traditional island dances and a speech by Lt. Col. Johnney Matthews, the 3rd BSB commander.

As the Soldiers performed, the audience quickly became followed the rhythmic beats of the music, and the aggressive, enthusiastic style of some of the dances. The room was quickly filled with cheering and clapping from the packed crowd as dancers encouraged them.

The production brought some of the native Pacific culture to the audience, highlighting many unique differences, but throughout the performance there were also subtle reminders that everyone in the room was united for a much different cause.

The performers' shirts, illustrated with black marker designs representing traditional tribal tattoos, were the same style shirts worn under their uniform every day. The male dancers wore fringed anklets, traditionally made from banana tree leaves that were made from shredded sand bags as a substitute.

One of the dancers, Capt. James Powell, said he believes that being able to escape the repetitious tasks of deployment is one of the biggest benefits of the performances.

"I think [the Soldiers] appreciate having some levity. Everything is so serious all the time," said Powell, a dentist with 1/3 AAB. "It's nice to get some break from work and to get together to appreciate the many cultures, not just Asian and Pacific, but all cultures we represent throughout the Army."

Although Powell jokingly claimed that although he is "from the island of Utah," his participation in the show displays another quality of Asian Pacific culture.

"There are actually quite a few Polynesians that live [in Utah,] so I was introduced to the dances when I was younger. In junior high and high school, I learned a couple of them," Powell said. "[Me] being in the performance just shows that [Asians] are very accepting and are always willing to share their culture."

• Date Taken: 06.07.2010
• Date Posted: 06.07.2010 14:10
• Story ID: 51016
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ