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fenrys-moonbae · 5 years

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Lily of the Night--Chapter 2: What Has Become

Dim evening sunlight peered through the glassless windows and scattered across the floor of the gray wooden shack in lazy rays. The golden light glazed over the old splintered wooden benches and rusted metal tools, carelessly strewn about, coating the entire room in a muted golden sheen. A young woman sat just beyond the rays in the shadow, her hands working quickly with pieces of twine before her.

A grunt echoed from a large man sitting against the wall adjacent to her.

“That’s not how ye throw a net you goon,” a reel of rope came flying at the young woman’s head, which she artfully dodged her eyes fixed on the net she had spent an hour straightening and carefully knotting, “Yer never gonna learn girl.” The smile was easily heard in the man’s voice, his yellowed teeth peaking from behind a broad mustache and unkept beard. The young woman clicked her tongue in response, her nimble fingers pulling and weaving the rope of the net with expertise, she had to get this finished as quickly as possible. “Is there anything else you’d like to add before you leave Adder?” She called from her kneeled position, her silken hair tied in a tight braid that she absentmindedly adjusted and tossed over a shoulder.

A snort. “That’ll be it for the day.” The large man lifted himself from his seated position, the wet squelch of his boots echoing in the room as he stood, “though I’d suggest yer workin too hard and should git home to check on that sister of yers, but yer foolish head’ll never listen to a wise old man.” This time a snort from the woman.

“Duly noted.” A dismissal. Adder shook his head, rolling his large shoulders beneath his faded grey parka.

“Ye know the ole boss isn’t gonna care if ya leave before the sun goes down,” the man stated, his burly arms crossing over his chest, “I’ve been here nearly thirty years and he hasn’t fired me.”

“Miraculously,” The girl replied nonchalantly, her fingers tying up the last of the knots in the net, keep it even, keep it tight--“and unfortunately some of us can’t afford to lose the job. There.” Tying the final knot the young woman held up the net to Adder, showing off her handy work.

“Well?” She questioned, her large violet eyes raising and glancing towards the tall old man almost expectantly. Adder had been the one to teach her how to tie a net, he had also been the person to tell her when she was screwing up one.

“Perfect as always Miss Celeste,” Adder replied with a chuckle, his broad mouth breaking out into a smile, “though if ya don’t mind me saying you’d be better suited for a bride with that pretty face of yers.”

Celeste scowled and rolled her eyes before narrowing them towards the man, “Does your idiocy know no bounds?”

A chuckle.

“Guess not,” Adder watched as Celeste rolled up the net with expert hands and stuffed it into a burlap satchel filled with countless other nets, “just figured a pretty young woman such as yerself might want to eventually leave this hell hole of a fisherman’s life.”

“Are you offering me a proposition?” Celeste quipped a small smile tugging at the edge of her lips, her equally soaked boots squishing as she strode across the shed burlap sack in hand, the smell of fish and the sea an onslaught against her nose. The golden rays of the sun had dissipated from the room leaving the old shack feeling hollow.

“Mother above no,” Adder said with a breathy laugh, “Ye know how mad Martha’d be? I’d be dead before the idea even left my head.” Celeste chuckled in response as she shoved the satchel of nets onto the top shelf of an old rickety cabinet. Running the sleeve of her shirt across her forehead she wiped away the damp condensation from the humid room. Hopping down from her perch she used to reach the high shelf she began rummaging through another bin, one filled with tackle and line. She only had one more net she had to finish before she could be on her way for the evening. “Your wife is a fool for not disposing of you,” Celeste replied as she dug around in the bin, her voice slightly muffled from inside the container, “She could find herself a nice young merchant man. Easier on the eyes and exponentially easier on the nose.”

A cackle escaped Adder’s lips as he shook head in agreement. “You’re mighty correct about that one.”

“Of course I’m right.” Straightening from the bin Celeste pulled out several long pieces of twine, she inspected their length and strength, “Speaking of your lovely wife,” Celeste drew, making her way back to her position in the corner of the shack twine in hand, “shouldn’t you be headed home? You’ve been stalling leaving for the last hour and a half.”

Adder looked sheepish at that and turned to face the window, the wood around it swollen and warped from years of exposure to the humidity. “Well I was hopin ye’d get out of here at a decent hour there isn’t much sunlight left to work by….” Adder’s voice trailed off his crinkled eyes focused on the distance. Turning he faced Celeste once more, “How’s that momma of yer’s doing?” Celeste’s hands paused briefly at the question catching her off guard. Swallowing hard she slowly she went back to work. “She’s…..still here.” Her voice was strained as she answered, her posture going ridged. Why would Adder want to talk about this of all things?

“Martha said she saw ye and Miss Anelisse headed to the apothecary few nights ago,” Adder ran an idle hand through his grey beard, “lady drives a mighty hard bargain since she’s the closest thing we’ve got to a healer for a hundred miles.”

“She needed the medicine,” Celeste murmured, her voice having gone soft, “what choice do we have but to the pay the price.”

“You’ve got none,” Adder replied, watching the girl work with soft eyes, her hands moving slower this time, “that lady doesn’t deserve either of ye girls.”

“Mind your business,” Celeste replied sharply as she quickly readjusted her braid again her eyes shooting daggers at the old man, “we do what we have to do.” His hands rose in surrender.

Walking towards Celeste Adder looked down at the young woman as she worked, her thin bony frame evident beneath the tattered white shirt and black pants she wore, her spine peeking through. How long had it been since she’d eaten adequately? Everyone at the fisherman’s reef took home fish in the evening, enough to feed two people if you stretched it but not three and Adder knew full well who got most of that food.

“Yer gonna turn into dust one of these days if ye don’t put some meat on those bones,” rummaging in his pocket Adder pulled out a small leather satchel, “here ya goon, a present from me’n Martha.”

Celeste looked up confusion on her face as she took in the kind old man she worked with dangling a leather satchel above her head.

“What’s that?” Celeste asked suspiciously as the old man shoved the satchel into her hands and folded them around it. “A gift.” Uncertainty filled Celeste as she carefully opened up the pouch and felt her jaw slacken, “Adder,” she said almost breathlessly, “I will not—“

“Yes, ye will,” Adder said, shoving the satchel back at the young woman, “You and yer kind are barely hanging on and yer the only one floating yer bunch. Take it and don’t argue girl, you wouldn’t wanna piss off Martha.”

Resilience flashed across Celeste’s eyes, she knew how desperately they needed the money but to take it from Adder-“But your trip to the main land-“

“Can wait,” Adder replied, “It won’t take long to rebuild it up again, Martha will get to see her fields of flowers.” It was decided. Celeste felt her shoulders slacken, even for all of her hard work it never seemed to be enough. She hated handouts and favors.

“Don’t go lookin so sad ye goon,” Adder said, his hand patting the young woman on the head, “The ole boss man doesn’t pay ye near what he pays the rest of us. Ye work harder than the lot of us combined. So take that there and go get yerself some food and new boots,” A glance towards the old worn leather boots, too small and fraying at the edges, “and for the life of ye don’t tell that momma of yers.”

“Thank you, Adder,” Celeste bowed her head in thanks before pocketing the money, with that she’d be able to get Anelisse a new pair of boots as well, “Someday I will pay you back every copper you and Martha have given us.”

“I know girl,” Adder smiled at the girl before stretching his arms above his head, “but until then take care of yerself,” Adder finally turned to exit the old shack, his accented voice calling back to her “You want me to walk you home?”

“No,” Celeste replied, her hands having dropped the twine, she could finish the net in the morning, “I can manage myself. Thank you.”

Another snort. “Stubborn girl,” Adder pulled at the old wooden door, its hinges creaking and groaning, as he tugged it free from its swollen frame, “make sure ye stop by some time and see Martha, she’s been askin about you--also girl, yer ears are showin.” With that Adder stepped out onto the pier that the shack sat on and disappeared into the noisy array of gulls.

Celeste lifted a finger to find that her delicately pointed ears were indeed poking out of her carefully braided hair. Cursing she readjusted her braid once more, mindfully concealing the heritage she fought daily to conceal from the wary fisherman.

It had been that way for the last thirteen years carefully hiding what she so clearly was.

Not that it did her much good.

Straightening her frame she rubbed at her sore spine, she’d been kneeling nearly all day working on the nets. The waters had been too rough that morning to go out and catch so they’d been holed up in the wretched shack waiting on the cursed storm to stop raging. They’d been having to go out farther and farther to be able to find fish, so on stormy days like this it wasn’t feasible to leave the dock lest risking the entire crew.

Hanging up her hooking tools Celeste scooped up her old worn pack and grabbed the two meager pieces of bread and small chunk of cheese one of the other fishermen had left from his lunch saying it was nothing but gull food. Celeste felt that familiar cramping hollowness in her stomach; for her, it was to be dinner.

Shoving open the old wooden door Adder had disappeared through Celeste was met with the salty scent of the ocean, the powerful stormy breeze dancing across its surface billowing her hair. Turning she pulled the old warped door shut.

Some good this lock does, Celeste mused as she clamped the old rusted thing shut, it’s pin barely holding it together. She turned and faced the ocean, the grey sky painted in storm clouds and the sound of thunder clashing in the distance, strange for the season.

Making her way up the pier she began the long trek back to the other shack she had come to know as home. The home that had become her own when she’d washed up on the shores of this desolate coastal town, Vanica, all those years ago lost, injured and confused. Everyone had adamantly avoided her, her fae heritage evident with her ears, an ominous sign in a village full of isolated humans.

She’d be fortunate that Anidre, a former Child of the Blessed, had found her and taken her in, agreed to raise her alongside her own child, otherwise she knew she’d have been left for dead.

Walking down the old cobblestone road, Celeste kept her eyes forward watching the local children scuttle home for the evening, their voices echoing with laughter in the streets. A pang strummed through her chest that she ignored as a bright-eyed girl ran up to her and waved her greeting. Marrien, Celeste remembered as the girl quickly shot past her giggling and a young boy, James, came chasing after her laughing. Siblings.

Celeste smiled and waved slightly at the two, knowing full well their mother would be angry if they dallied and stopped to talk to the local fae resident. It’d happened before, and Celeste had no desire to see the children punished like that again.

The main street of the town was lined with old wooden buildings whose once vibrant paint was chipping and faded from the relentless sun and the strong winds of the ocean beating against it. She watched as the shop keepers closed for the evening, some sending her small smiles but most just glaring, making small signals with their hands to ward against her.

She bowed her head respectively towards those acknowledging and mindfully ignored the rest.

It was well known that many humans still weren’t fond of the fae, especially in small secluded towns were few ever came and even fewer left.

Making her way past the main street she hiked mindlessly into the rural area of the island, the buildings fading into foliage, and thought of the things she would finally be able to buy with the money Adder had given her. Anelisse needed a new dress and boots, wearing ones that were clearly too small for her adult frame.

She also thought of the small paint set sitting in the window of the quaint art shop, something that Anelisse had been eyeballing for the better part of the last few months. Paints were something that Anelisse hadn’t had the luxury of having in years, ever since the money had ran out and they’d been left in total poverty.

To say they were poor was an understatement. Anidre’s husband had died a few years before Celeste had shown up on the island and had left Anidre, a dreamer with a vague mind, to raise a little girl on her own and with no means to provide for her other than the small savings that had been left for her in her husband’s passing.

When she had taken Celeste in there had barely been enough food to go around and the savings was dwindling. When the money and food finally ran out Celeste decided to take it upon herself to help, so she learned to fish. At first her catches were few and far between but then Adder saw her one day trying to cast a line and decided to help her, coming out in the evenings to show her the tricks of the trade.

Before long she had found herself working at the fisherman’s quarters gutting fish for coppers a day thanks to a certain old man’s insistence. When she’d gotten older and they realized how strong she was, and how fast she could move and tie knots she was finally permitted to join the rest of the men on the ocean front fishing, for the same pay she’d always had.

A few measly coppers a day.

It was better than nothing and beat out scraping the guts out of fish before they were sent to the market.

Surmounting the hill, she soon found herself in front of her home, smoke billowingly lazily from the chimney and the soft feminine humming echoing from inside. Anelisse. Celeste reach forward and opened the door with intentional loudness alerting her younger sister inside. Her preternatural silence had always been unnerving to Anelisse so she had learned to make a point of letting her sister know where she was.

Stepping inside she was met with sight of the said beautiful blonde sitting in front of the fire, her hands working quickly as she repaired one of the old shredded curtains, her long fingers moving swiftly and smoothly.

“Welcome home,” Anelisse called sweetly, her beautiful heart shaped face lifting to face Celeste, silvery eyes glinting in the fire and thin pink lips spreading into a relieved smile, “I’m glad to see you’re okay, I was worried about you on the ocean with this weather.” “We didn’t go out,” Celeste replied, her voice a softer alto compared to Anelisse’s sweet soprano, “the water was too treacherous with storm raging on the coast, I made nets all day.”

Anelisse stood, setting her sewing aside and straightened her old ragged dress as she rose from the old rocking chair.

“Come sit, I will get you some water,” Anelisse quickly scuttled for the makeshift kitchen, ignoring Celeste’s pleas to sit down. Celeste watched as her sister fetched one of the broken porcelain cups from the kitchen, humming all the while, her lithe feet seemingly dancing across the dirt floors.

Celeste shook her head and kneeled next to the fire, shoving her cold hands near the flames absorbing the heat that she could from it.

“Here,” Anelisse offered the cup to her sister upon her return, “You should drink.” Anelisse plopped down next to Celeste and propped her head in her hands watching her sister.

Celeste drank the cool water quickly, not realizing her thirst until the water hit her parched throat. Setting the old porcelain cup aside she pulled her pack from her back and began rummaging around for the bread and cheese. Pulling the bread out she watched her sister’s eyes light up as she handed the larger chunk over to her.

“Thank you,” Anelisse said as she took the bread, carefully concealing her obvious hunger, “No fish for today I assume?” “No,” Celeste said looking towards the side, guilt wrenching her gut, the fish had moved away from the coast in recent years and it was no longer possible to go out and just cast a line any longer, “we should have some tomorrow.”

“It’s okay,” Anelisse reassured as she bit into the bread, eating slowly, “how was your day?” This was the routine, Celeste would return from the fisherman’s wharf to be greeted by her sister and asked about how her day was, prodding for any details she could get and trying to make light of even the most mundane tasks.

On good nights Anidre would join them sitting in the old rocking chair listening as her children prattled on.

“Droll,” Celeste replied, valiantly ignoring the piece of bread and cheese still sitting in her pack as her stomach turned over on itself, “How is she?” Anelisse stopped her chewing briefly before swallowing, “She hasn’t woken much today, it’s only been murmuring. I was able to give her some fish broth left from yesterday but otherwise nothing.” Anelisse looked sadly towards the dirt floor, “I do not know what to do.”

Celeste offered a hand out towards her sister, a sign of comfort and understanding. Anelisse took the outstretched hand and held it tightly, her other hand shoving bread into her mouth.

“You should eat,” Anelisse said from behind a mouthful of bread, “Momma won’t be eating that tonight and you need it more.” She looked guilty at the remaining bread in her hand, Celeste squeezed her hand diverting her attention. “Don’t you start feeling guilty,” Celeste said nodding her head towards the bread, “eat.” Anelisse slowly nodded.

Anelisse had always come first, that was the unspoken rule Celeste had set for herself, Anelisse then Anidre and if any remained she would take it. Rummaging in the pack Celeste handed the cheese to Anelisse before rising from her seated position.

“Where are you going?” Anelisse asked watching Celeste move towards the small separate room at the back with sad eyes, the answer self-evident.

“To check on Anidre.”

Opening the door on silent hinges Celeste walked into the dusty room, the same old wooden decorations nailed carefully into the wall, a room that had once been the sanctuary of a very happy family. A small broken bed sat in the center of the room, it’s brass frame curved in the shape of vines and rusted. It was occupied by a small unmoving lump.

Walking towards the center of the room Celeste lowered herself gently onto the small mattress, the old soil colored quilt wrapped tightly around the small lump of a woman. With gentle hands Celeste pushed the peppered hair away from the woman’s sweat drenched, fever clearly racking her body. “Semour?” The woman called hoarsely, her glazed eyes darting back and forth, searching, “Love is that you?” Celeste took Anidre’s hand and squeezed gently, her heart aching as she watched the woman who had shown her kindness call out for her lost love.

“No Anidre,” Celeste replied, rubbing soothing circles on her hand, something that had been done for her once long ago when she was unwell, “it’s just me. It’s just Celeste.” The woman’s clouded amber eyes cleared momentarily as she took in the young woman sitting with her.

“Celeste.” Anidre said with a smile, her wrinkled hand coming up to cup Celeste’s face, the warm hand pressing against her cold cheek, the same hand that had held her fevered face that night all those years ago when she’d been brought back to this house soaking wet and barely alive.

The same night she had thrown away all ties to the fae realm and swore she would never return, no matter the cost.

“My beautiful fae child, my gift from the Mother for my diligence to the fae lords,” Celeste felt herself cringe internally as she watched Anidre’s mind real back to her once ridiculous worship of the high fae, high monsters is more like it she thought ruefully to herself, “do you hear the music? The immortal fae ringing,” A soft, breathless giggle from the woman “how blessed I was to have gotten you my child.”

“Yes Anidre I’m here,” She rested her hand over Anidre’s, “Are you thirsty? Hungry?” She felt her stomach tie in a knot but forced it down willing it to cease its complaining, “what can I do?”

The woman paused staring blankly off into the distance before she leaned her head back against the pillow, her eyes suddenly glazing again, “Semour? Love?”

“No Anidre,” Celeste whispered, “it is still just me.” The woman’s hand slackened. Celeste gently pulled Anidre’s hand from her face and laid it across the woman’s stomach who had abruptly fallen back into a deep sleep.

This illness, seemingly unknown to anyone, had taken Anidre in its clutches nearly a year ago and her condition had only declined, worsening with each passing day and no tonic or herb had seemed able to break the clutches of the strange sickness.

Tucking the covers around Anidre once more Celeste stood from the bed and crept silently back into the main room, the sun now having fully set and the fire the only light in the room.

“Well?” Anelisse questioned, her eyes watching the fire, “anything?” “She spoke of your father,” Celeste replied, noting that her sister had eaten only half of the chunk of cheese she had given her, “then fell back to sleep.” Anelisse nodded her head gravely, tucking her knees up under her chest and staring blankly into the fire.

Lowering herself back onto the floor Celeste pulled the bread from her bag and began eating it, the cramping in her stomach easing. Anelisse quietly handed the other half of the cheese to Celeste before curling herself next to her adopted sister.

“You’re going with me to the market tomorrow,” Celeste said as she stared into the fire eating her bread slowly, the wind tearing at the broken shutters, “we’re going to buy you some new boots and that set of paints you’ve been eyeballing.” She felt Anelisse shift, her silver eyes focusing on her, “what do you mean?” Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Adder and Martha gave me money,” Celeste said quietly, her eyes trailing towards the satchel of silver and copper hidden carefully in her bag, “He refused to take it back so we best make use of it while we have it.”

“Truly?” Anelisse said, her eyes unexpectedly sparkling for once, “you mean there’s enough to get paint?” Celeste nodded her head, she knew the money should be saved but for Anelisse she’d be willing to risk spending the few extra coppers, she needed the happiness, now more than ever. Celeste could hear the smile in Anelisse’s voice as she spoke to herself, “I’m going to get to paint tomorrow,” Nuzzling down Anelisse once against propped herself against her sisters side, “You’ve always taken such good care of Momma and I, I do not know what we would have done without you Celeste.”

Celeste felt a pang rattle through her chest at those words. She opened her mouth to refute the claim of her sister but noticed Anelisse had already slipped into a deep slumber, her long fingers curled into Celeste’s shirt. That night Celeste dreamed of beautiful paintings and of a beautiful woman with golden hair.

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rootshml · 5 years

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Meet the 2019 Roots Cohort

In search of their ancestral villages, 11 people of the Chinese diaspora hailing from the Bay Area and Boston will soon travel to the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong 廣東省, China. We will visit 5 different areas, including Kaiping 開平, Taishan 台山, Xinhui 新會, and Guangzhou 廣州.

Sarah Tan 譚美婷

Village

My mother’s and maternal grandparents’ village. 永安村 (Yong’an Village) in 台山 (Taishan)

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy strength training at the gym, hanging out with friends and family, attending music concerts, watching basketball, and learning more about photography.

How did you hear about Roots?

My sister had a handful of co-workers who participated in Roots Plus (2018). They wrote a blog post for work and my sister shared it with me. I also recently found out that my favorite professor at UCLA was a rooter!

What are you looking to accomplish?

Growing up, my mother told me many stories about her humble beginnings and what it was like to grow up in a village. I look forward to living and experiencing the community and environment my mother and maternal grandparents came from before immigrating to the United States.

What are your expectations?

I do not have any expectations going in. I just know it will be a trip of a lifetime and this experience will help me reflect on who I am today

Choose a food that describes you?

BURRITOS! Yummm!

Alexander Kwok 郭智光

Village

I would like to visit my paternal grandfather's village 隔塘村 (gaak tong cyun) in Zengcheng 增城. I decided to save my paternal grandmother's village 南朗鄉 in Shunde 顺德 for another time, as I have a lot more resources on my paternal grandfather's side than I do for my paternal grandmother.

What do you do for fun?

I like to read, play video games, blog, listen to music and podcasts, bake; go camping, hiking, kayaking; try new foods and explore new places!

How did you hear about Roots?

I've been doing research on my paternal grandfather's side of the family for 5 years now but hit a wall when I tried looking for our home village. As a lot of the resources seemed to focus on the Sze-yap area of 廣東 Province, I wasn't able to do much more and stopped trying to find it.

One day, I was looking for more resources and came across an old website under the Chinese Culture Center, which redirected me to the Him Mark Lai Digital Archive. After some exploring, I found the database of villages in 廣東 with associated surnames, but none of them included my home village.

I thought I had hit yet another brick wall - until I started googling one of the headers in the Digital Archive, "The Roots Program". I quickly found references to the program and old exhibits on a few websites but thought they might have stopped the program because I didn’t see anything recent. Imagine my surprise when I found the Friends of Roots site & the Tumblr blog…!

What are you looking to accomplish?

Growing up my paternal grandparents spoke mostly Cantonese, so I never got to ask them questions about their childhood, how they met, or what it was like to raise a family in Hong Kong, let alone about my ancestors or our home villages. I’m hoping to regain some of these stories from our family through visiting relatives in Hong Kong, where my grandfather’s and father’s generation grew up and paying my respects at family graves across Hong Kong.

Through visiting my paternal great-grandfather’s home village in China, I also hope to regain a sense of identity that our family has since lost. Even though my paternal great-grandparents left the home village to go to Hong Kong in the late 1930’s, my great-grandfather had to leave the family at the start of the war, because the family was afraid something would happen to him in a city under Japanese occupation. Our family never heard from him again, and it was presumed that he had passed away back in the home village. Though my grandfather has been back to the village in the late 2000’s, he didn’t talk much about his trip with the rest of our family, and we don’t have any records where the village may have been.

So, in visiting my home village and reconnecting with whatever family is left there, I hope to learn more about my great-grandfather and grandfather’s generation, as well as reconnect with family still there. I also hope to get a sense of what growing up in the village might have been like for my great-grandfather, what he liked to do, what the village looks like, etc.

What are your expectations?

I don’t have many expectations other than going back, reconnecting with family there, and seeing what the village looks like. My great-grandfather returned to the village in the early 1940s, so I would like to visit his grave if I can. I’ve heard that when my grandfather went back to the village, he rebuilt his father’s tomb at the time.

But I can’t wait to taste all the delicious food in Hong Kong & Guangdong, learn more about overseas Chinese - including those who migrated to Southeast Asia, hopefully, and get a sense for what Southern China is like.

Choose a food that describes you?

Jakarta-style bakmie - It's something that I grew up eating as a part of birthday celebrations, represents both the Chinese & Tionghoa (Chinese Indonesian) sides of my family, & reflects on a range of experiences that I share with others being a part of multiple cultures.

Rachael Tang 鄧安琪

Kathleen Wong 黄玉明

Village Kaiping, Guangdong Province, China. 開平中股鄉赤坎屋上樓村.

What do you do for fun? Rock climbing, running, cooking, and adventuring!

How did you hear about Roots? I heard about Roots through co-founder Al Cheng. My boyfriend introduced me to him as we were having a delicious bun bo hue lunch. At the end of the lunch, Al remarked that I probably have roots in Guangzhou. We connected on Facebook and I saw his program posts. I was intrigued, applied, and the rest is history!

What are you looking to accomplish? After an intimidating visit to Hong Kong in 2011, where I could not demonstrate enough language skills to get around, a visit to China seemed so intimidating. This will be my first trip to the mainland so I’m hoping to get a better understanding of Chinese culture and connect it with my upbringing.

What are your expectations? Good food, good company, and hopefully not too many mosquitos!

Choose a food that describes you? Ice Cream :) Sweet and refreshing!

Jenny Lau 劉健儀

Village

漢塘村 in 台山市省冲蔞镇達材鄉. The village is where my parents were born and raised and also where my paternal grandfather was born and where my maternal grandfather grew up starting around five years old.

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy hanging out with my friends, eating good food, being in nature, exercising, watching movies, sharing stories, being present.

How did you hear about Roots?

I visited the Roots website after seeing a facebook post linking to it from a friend.

What are you looking to accomplish?

I am looking to better understand my parents by visiting the village where they were born and grew up and to imagine what life must have been like for them. I also want to talk to people who might remember my grandparents and have information about them.

What are your expectations?

I would like to connect with my fellow Rooters, hear their stories and why they wanted to do Roots, visit my village with my brother, who is also a Rooter this year, and to see the village that he chose. I would like to learn more about Chinese history, especially when my parents and grandparents were living in China and to contextualize family events within broader Chinese history.

Choose a food that describes you

Some of my staple foods: white rice with laap cheng and chau baak toi thlem (Chinese sausage with stir-fry baby bok choy) and unsweetened Hong Kong (HK) style milk tea. The rice dish appears simple but is very hearty like me, with the right mix of meat/veggies, sweet/savory. At the same time, I am unique in my bold and deep expressions, similar to HK milk tea, which is a unique spin to a classic tea with milk concept but it's particularly bold in flavor because it's double- or multi-brewed and it's full of depth from evaporated/condensed milk.

Michael Tom 譚振豪

Village: 台山水步毛坪村 (Taishan Shuibu Maoping Village)

What do you do for fun? I like to do indoor bouldering, taking photos, and hanging out with people

How did you hear about Roots?

My cousin, Scott Leung, and my aunt and uncle, Ray and Karen Leung, all went on Roots and recommended that I check it out

What are you looking to accomplish?

I just wanted to see where my grandfather grew up and where my greatgrandfather and greatgrandmother lived

What are your expectations?

I didn't have any expectations because my family hasn't had any communication with the village since for the past 40 years. I went in with an open mind, ready to accept every new experience

.Choose a food that describes you?

Kettle Corn. Savory is serious. Sweet is fun. I'd like to think I'm both, but also 90% hot air.

Angela Yip 叶嘉宝

Village

Wong Cyun in Toisan - 台山三合潢村河清里. This is my paternal great grandfather's village

What do you do for fun?

Eat! There's so much amazing food in the Bay Area. I also love keeping up with my bullet journal, going on hikes, and reading fiction. I've really been enjoying reading books by Asian American female authors lately. Some recent favorites are Chemistry by Weike Wang, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, and A Place for Us by Fatima Fahreen Mirza.

How did you hear about Roots?

I heard about Roots from my mom's cousin's wife Liana Koehler, Roots alum and Roots lecturer. It came up in conversation at dinner after my grandpa's funeral. She said I had to do Roots, and I was immediately sold. Roots came at the perfect time.

What are you looking to accomplish?

I am hoping to learn more about a side of my family that I don't know much about--my paternal grandma's side. I grew up extremely close to my grandma, and I want to be able to show her pictures of her father's village because she was never able to visit. I also just want to learn more about Toisan, even basic information like what people eat and grow and what they do for fun. Both sides of my family are from Toisan, so it has shaped my family and my experience of being Chinese in the US in huge ways, but I know very little about the region.

What are your expectations?

I hope to find the right village! Other than that, I am trying to approach my rooting with little expectation and to stay open to whatever might happen. I expect it to be an emotional experience for me for sure.

Choose a food that describes you?

Fried rice from Fung Wah on Mission Street in Daly City

Jeffrey Lau 劉健仁

Village: I'm visiting my paternal grandma's village of 衝洋向南村

What do you do for fun? I hang with people that are easier for me to hang with for fun.

How did you hear about Roots? I learned about Roots two years ago from a friend's Facebook feed! I marinated on the idea of applying until I actually did.

What are you looking to accomplish? I’m looking to reflect on my relationships with family members who’ve had the most direct impact on my life—like the one with my paternal grandma, who raised me. I want this trip, in the long run, support my process of grounding more of my life in my Chinatown organizing work.

What are your expectations? My expectations are simply to get a feel and look of where my grandma grew up. She don't tell me much herself, so I’m gonna discover more about her myself.

Choose a food that describes you? I'm gonna say fries. Fries done well are golden and crispy, but get kinda whack over time as they get soggier. I usually start strong in many things but my energy dips over time and some times I'm kinda whack towards the end, haha...

Hannah Yee 余壽玉

Village - Dick Hoi, Toisan

Fun - I dance, garden, bake, and love being in the outdoors

Hear about Roots - Through my sister who found out through social media haha

Accomplish - (?) in life? in roots? - For Roots I wanted to accomplish finding my village, seeing the school I have heard so much about, and finding a base of friends who want to explore their Chinese American identities together and eat good food together. Expectations - I didn't know what to expect from this program. I expected it would be exciting, rigorous, tiring, and fun. I also expected it to be like solving a mystery/Clue/puzzle

Food - Dung/Jung - Have to open up the leaves to enjoy the inside! Filled with surprises like peanuts, lup cheong, egg, etc. Warm, comfort food that is a classic! Picture - I'll send you one once I get home!

Fiona Wong 黃寶賢

1. Village

中國廣東省台山市白沙鎮潮境众亨鄉潮興里

Bak Sa, Toishan

2. What do you do for fun?

I enjoy exploring new places, trying new things, and checking things off my to-do/travel bucket list during my free time. I love spending quality time with friends and family while having delicious food. As long as it is a day with blue skies, I do not mind what I'm doing as long as I'm outside!

3. How did you hear about roots?

I heard about roots through a friend who went on this program and shared her experience through social media.

4. What are you looking to accomplish?

I am looking to dive deeper into the history of China and Chinese immigration to the states with emphasis on Cantonese and Toishanese context. I am excited about the opportunity to visit other villages in the Pearl Delta River Region and to return to my ancestral village.

5. What are you expectations?

I did not have much expectations going in other than hoping that our cohort will support one another wholeheartedly.

6. Choose a food that describes you

Some type of dish that has onions because I have a lot of layers.

Nicole Wong 王雅斯

Village

I'm visiting my paternal great grandfather's village: 江門市蓬江區荷塘镇三丫沙滘村.

What do you do for fun?

I love to cook food and sing with friends, join the occasional pick-up soccer game, try different dance classes, read, and get outside.

How did you hear about Roots?

I first learned about Roots from my mom, but it wasn't until I heard Steve Owyang speak about the program at a CAA anniversary dinner that I seriously considered applying.

What are you looking to accomplish?

To learn more about my family's history so I can understand myself better and connect more deeply with my Chinese heritage.

What are your expectations?

To meet my Xinhui relatives and see the village, old house, house, and gravesite of my ancestors.

Choose a food that describes you?

Peanut butter (because I love it and chew on ideas/questions for a while

#Roots2019

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