Thread by @christineychen

Yes, exactly. The definition of "Taiwanese" or "Taiwanese American" is something that has continually evolved. I will attempt to unpack it a bit 🧵👇(but may oversimplify and make some mistakes, so pls correct me if ! do). Paging @TaiwaneseAm_org. #AAPI #AAPIHM

https://twitter.com/pewresearch/status/1389971988496666626

@TaiwaneseAm_org First, a generalization. People in Taiwan can largely be categorized into three groups:

@TaiwaneseAm_org The first group would be native/indigenous/aboriginal. People such as the Ami, Bunun, Kavalan. Roughly a dozen or so groups, who currently make up 2-3% of Taiwan's population.

@TaiwaneseAm_org The second group would be people who are descended from those who migrated from mainland China to Taiwan over many centuries but before 1949, primarily from southern provinces like Fujien. Many speak Taiwanese as a primary language and not Mandarin.

@TaiwaneseAm_org Most would be considered ethnically "Han" Chinese, with the two subgroups as "Hoklo" (majority) and "Hakka" (smaller group). FWIW, this is where I identify. My parents spoke Taiwanese at home, our ancestors migrated from China to Taiwan centuries ago. My Amah was part Hakka.

@TaiwaneseAm_org The third group would be descendants of those who were part of the Chinese nationalist Kuomintang party who fled mainland China and came to Taiwan after 1949. Also ethnically "Han" Chinese, with most speaking Mandarin as their primary language.

@TaiwaneseAm_org All three groups might consider themselves "Taiwanese" - although some might argue about who actually has the right to call themselves "Taiwanese."

@TaiwaneseAm_org Also, intermarriage has been very high, so many people -- in younger generations, in particular -- could claim ancestry among all three groups.

@TaiwaneseAm_org Some may claim Taiwanese identity as based on language, others as an ethnicity, yet others may identify themselves as ethnically "Han" Chinese, but Taiwanese because of where they grew up.

And politically, as the decades have passed, many people claim Taiwanese identity to distinguish themselves from the Chinese communist regime in mainland China.

Then, add onto that, immigration to the U.S. So the definition of "Taiwanese American" may not necessarily map perfectly to what you think it should map to. Taiwanese American could simply be anyone who is descended from someone who's lived in Taiwan and migrated to the U.S.

Anyway, this is all to say that Taiwanese and Taiwanese American identity is very complex. And evolving.

The only one super clear thing -- and it is sad that this even merits mention, but it does -- is that Taiwanese is not the same as Thai. It is still mindblowing how many people in the U.S. think this.

Anyway, there's lots of history and complexity and although of course I am biased, I think it is super fascinating. The wikipedia entry about this is decent, but not comprehensive. You can go down your own rabbit hole, tho! [FIN] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwanese…

@threadreaderapp please unroll