Third Culture, Our Culture
Meet the future, the people born in a foreign culture, raised in Hong Kong - and here to stay. Pictures by Victor Chau.
Say hello to the children of the third culture. Or say "ni hao" or "neigh ho" or just "hi."
As Hong Kong SAR Establishment Day (July 1) approaches, and thoughts turn to patriotism and nationhood, we thought it would be a good idea to find out what these third culture kids (or culture 3s) have to say about the city they call home. Could it be that within their search for self-identity we could learn something about the character of new Hong Kong, now eight years old and finding its own voice at last.
How We Found Our Third Culture Kids
Our selection of people was random. One rainy day last week we sent out word we were looking for people of mixed background who had made Hong Kong their home. "Give us your huddled masses," we said. "Your refugees, mutts and misfits." And friends called friends and without really planning we suddenly had a random group of culture 3 children lying in a big pile in a make-shift studio at the Fringe Club.
We took pictures, gave everyone a questionnaire and followed up afterwards with chats and phone interviews. Here's what we learned.
New Hong Kong
The past is another country. And after eight years, colonial Hong Kong is no more. The region's best legal system and civil service remains. But Hong Kong's pre-handover culture, an entire state of mind, has shrunk and dried-up into a few museum pieces and tourist postcards.
Yet the resulting power vacuum has not been filled by mainland thought. Hong Kong is in no way a mainland city. Instead, eight years into its young life, a new and independent city is emerging with its own character, a growing self-confidence and a unique identity.