Donate Now

traditions

私は、青い鳥 / I am a blue bird

私は、青い鳥

青空を自由に飛び回り、

眼下の国々を眺める

 

私の母は、日本の白い鳥

父は、アメリカの藍色の鳥

そして兄と私は、空の色

 

ある時は、アメリカの自由平等を

素晴らしいと思い、

ある時は、日本の伝統に

心を魅かれる

 

私の居場所は、空の上？

日本　それとも　アメリカ？

 

いつの日か

自分の居場所を選ぶために

私は今　空を飛ぶ

空には、国境がないから

 

そして、色々な人に出会い、

色々な考えを聞き、

私を作っていく

 

でも、一つ気づいた

いつの日か

私が居場所を決めても

私は、私のままの青い鳥

 

誇りを持った青い鳥

翼を持ち、いつもはばたく

 

I am a blue bird

I fly through this blue sky ever so freely

And I look at the countries that lie below

 

My mother is a white bird of Japan

My father, a navy blue bird of America

And my brother and I, we are the color of the sky

 

Sometimes, we admire

America’s freedom and striving for equality

But other times, the traditions of Japan

Appeal to us

 

Do I belong in the sky?

In Japan? Or in America?

 

In order for me to someday

Realize where I belong

I soar through this sky right now

Because the sky doesn’t have borders

 

And I will meet so many people

And I will listen to their ideas

And become who I want to be

 

But I noticed something

Even if I decide where I belong

Someday

I’ll keep being the blue bird that I’ve always been

 

A blue bird, full of pride

I’ll use these wings to continue to fly

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

アーリーワイン直美 南カリフォルニア在住の日英バイリンガル教師。日本人の母とアメリカ人の父のもとで日英バイリンガルとして育ち、日米両文化に触れて育った。東京での字幕制作、またシカゴ郊外の日系企業での通訳・翻訳の経験を持つ。2015 年５月にコロンビア大学ティーチャーズ・カレッジでバイリンガル・バイカルチュラル児童教育の修士を所得後、アメリカの公立小学校で日英両語を使って教鞭を執っている。教育者としてのキャリアを通し、教育現場での文化や言語的多様性の受け入れを促進し、ハーフやミックスレースの児童のアイデンティティー形成のサポートを目指している。趣味は、フラメンコと三線。

Naomi Erlewine is a Japanese-English bilingual educator currently teaching at an elementary school in Southern California. As the daughter of a Japanese mother and American father, Naomi grew up speaking English and Japanese and was always immersed in a bicultural environment. She has professional experience writing subtitles in Tokyo and translating/interpreting at a Japanese manufacturing company in the Chicago area, but her heart lies in bilingual education. After receiving her Masters in Bilingual/Bicultural Childhood Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in May 2015, she has been teaching public elementary school students in both English and Japanese. Through her work as an educator, Naomi would like to advocate for cultural and linguistic diversity in education and support the identity development of multiracial children. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing flamenco and learning how to play the Okinawan sanshin.

Chicken Tikka Masala

My husband and I are coming up on our six year anniversary. It’s been a whirlwind for us. In the last six years we have moved to two different states, had three boys, and daily attempt to navigate our family through two cultures. I’m a Whitey from the Pacific Northwest and my husband is an East Indian from Chicago.

We have a few things that make up our foundation and helps to hold us together. Two of those things are our love of food and family. This is one of the things I love about Indian culture. It’s all about both of those things!

My husband and I love sharing Indian dishes with my side of the family. It’s a simple way we can teach them about a culture other than their own.

The first dish we showed my family was Chicken Tikka Masala. I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t like this dish! It’s incredibly easy to make. It just takes a little love and a few hours in the kitchen. When my family tried it, we took it a step further and taught them how to eat with their hands!

 

Ingredients:

  1. 1 lb of diced chicken breasts
  2. 2 small cans of tomato paste
  3. 2 garlic cloves
  4. 2-3 tbs olive oil or ghee
  5. 1 Shan chicken tikka bbq packet
  6. 1 tbs methi leaves
  7. 1-2 tsp chili powder
  8. 1-2 cups of plain yogurt
  9. 1/2 quart heavy whipping cream
  10. optional- extra yogurt, basmati rice, naan

 

Directions:

  1. Dice up the chicken and combine it with the Shan mix and yogurt in a bowl. Marinate it for 3 hours or overnight.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put your chicken on a deep cookie sheet and bake it until your chicken is cooked through.
  3. Heat a pan on medium low heat. Add in the olive oil and diced garlic. After about 5 minutes, add in the tomato paste, methi leaves, and chili powder. Cook for about 10 minutes.
  4. Slowly add in the heavy cream, while stirring. Turn the sauce to the lowest setting. When the chicken is done, add it to your sauce.

 

A little family secret, just for you. You can add the extra liquid on the cookie sheet to the sauce and chicken mixture or keep it in a small bowl for people that like the heat to add to their dish. We call it “man sauce” in our house.

Serve this with rice and or naan.

 

almostindianwife@gmail.comBrittany Muddamalle is the mother of three boys under four years old. She has been in an intercultural marriage for six years. Her and her husband are currently raising their children in American and East Indian culture. She is also the writer of The Almost Indian Wife blog. Her hope is to make a change by sharing her experiences with her own intercultural marriage and raising biracial children.

Check out her blog: The Almost Indian Wife                                                      Facebook Twitter Google+ 

Seeking Holiday Guest Bloggers

How do you mix your holiday traditions?

We’re looking for guest bloggers for the last couple months of 2014 who will share their holiday traditions. Holiday traditions often represent our cultural and familial roots that have been passed down through the years.

We want to hear from you! How have you and your family mixed those traditions to celebrate the holidays?

Email us at info@mixedrootsstories.org if you’re interested in sharing your mixed holiday story!