Personal Narrative: I Am Indican
I am “Indican”
In elementary school, I was asked to list my race. My father is Asian Indian with a Christian last name of John and my mother is Mexican American with a maiden name of Torres. The class was instructed if our race was not listed to mark “other”. “Other,” my young mind could not fathom why “other” would be my only option? Instead, I wrote in “Indican.” The teacher said the made up word was not an option. I firmly stood my ground as a part Indian and a part Mexican boy and refused to mark “other.” Consequently, the answer that made me whole was “Indican.”
Dressing up in Indian clothes for functions was a norm for me growing up when visiting my father’s family. Listening to them speak Malayalam, a South Indian language was common. Although never speaking the language, the insulting words like “parti” when someone was calling another a “dog” in jest was quickly learned. Also, when in trouble, the tone spoken to me when engaging in something that was not acceptable was clearly understood. Growing up as an Indian boy was normal and I did not feel any different from the other Indian children.
Driving down to the Rio Grande Valley to visit my mother’s side of the family was like visiting Mexico. All the restaurant employees and even the …show more content…
Realizing that a traditional South Indian boy or even a Mexican boy did not fit my profile. Are there others in the world like me? I asked my mother if there was a difference between my relatives in the John and Torres family. Her response was yes, you are different, buy you are “Fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14,” and our Lord does not make mistakes. Of course she would quote scripture to console me. Surprisingly, it did make me feel better. Indian on my father’s side and Mexican on my mother’s side is what make me whole. Filling in “other” on a form will never be an option for me because I am not an
In elementary school, I was asked to list my race. My father is Asian Indian with a Christian last name of John and my mother is Mexican American with a maiden name of Torres. The class was instructed if our race was not listed to mark “other”. “Other,” my young mind could not fathom why “other” would be my only option? Instead, I wrote in “Indican.” The teacher said the made up word was not an option. I firmly stood my ground as a part Indian and a part Mexican boy and refused to mark “other.” Consequently, the answer that made me whole was “Indican.”
Dressing up in Indian clothes for functions was a norm for me growing up when visiting my father’s family. Listening to them speak Malayalam, a South Indian language was common. Although never speaking the language, the insulting words like “parti” when someone was calling another a “dog” in jest was quickly learned. Also, when in trouble, the tone spoken to me when engaging in something that was not acceptable was clearly understood. Growing up as an Indian boy was normal and I did not feel any different from the other Indian children.
Driving down to the Rio Grande Valley to visit my mother’s side of the family was like visiting Mexico. All the restaurant employees and even the …show more content…
Realizing that a traditional South Indian boy or even a Mexican boy did not fit my profile. Are there others in the world like me? I asked my mother if there was a difference between my relatives in the John and Torres family. Her response was yes, you are different, buy you are “Fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14,” and our Lord does not make mistakes. Of course she would quote scripture to console me. Surprisingly, it did make me feel better. Indian on my father’s side and Mexican on my mother’s side is what make me whole. Filling in “other” on a form will never be an option for me because I am not an