Today, during our noon hour the Honors Class and I went to an art convocation. At this convocation were displayed pieces by artists that were immigrants, refugees, sons of refugees, daughters of refugees, sons of immigrants, or daughters of immigrants. At the beginning of the convocation, we looked at the pieces and tried to discern the meaning of each. Some of the pieces where easy to find meaning for but most were extremely difficult. One of the pieces that sticks out in my mind was also what seemed the center piece of the display, It was a lilac bush that had been dug out of the ground. The roots were exposed, and as your eyes moved up the bush you noticed that the bark was being removed, Finally, after all the bark had been removed the branches were becoming more and more geometric. This piece showed what immigrants and refugees went through when they moved from one country to another.
From that one piece, I realized what kind struggles refugees and immigrants had to go through to make it in America. They like the piece had been uprooted, and now were put on display in a place where there roots were easily visible and could not be hidden. The piece also showed what happened as their time in America got longer. They like the piece became more and more American and lose parts of their own cultures, this is shown in the removing of the bark. Then as generations, pass the culture is lost and the descendants become more and more American. This idea is shown in the branches becoming more and more geometric.
This convocation has really shown me how difficult it is for refugees and immigrants to hold on to their culture. When they get here, they don't know the systems and timetables that we run on and that most of us have grown up with. They must adjust and in doing so must discard and lose some of their culture and who they are. They must, in a sense, reinvent themselves and change at a very critical juncture in their lives. Even with this being true, if these people can come through this gauntlet of tests and trials alive and vigorous, then they have the ability to become very important and influential people in this country.
From that one piece, I realized what kind struggles refugees and immigrants had to go through to make it in America. They like the piece had been uprooted, and now were put on display in a place where there roots were easily visible and could not be hidden. The piece also showed what happened as their time in America got longer. They like the piece became more and more American and lose parts of their own cultures, this is shown in the removing of the bark. Then as generations, pass the culture is lost and the descendants become more and more American. This idea is shown in the branches becoming more and more geometric.
This convocation has really shown me how difficult it is for refugees and immigrants to hold on to their culture. When they get here, they don't know the systems and timetables that we run on and that most of us have grown up with. They must adjust and in doing so must discard and lose some of their culture and who they are. They must, in a sense, reinvent themselves and change at a very critical juncture in their lives. Even with this being true, if these people can come through this gauntlet of tests and trials alive and vigorous, then they have the ability to become very important and influential people in this country.
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