Ancestors in the Americas: Coolies, Sailors, Settlers
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Loni Ding
Sab Shimono
Loni Ding
Loni Ding
John Eskai
Alexandra Halkin
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
An overview showing how the Asian diaspora played an infinitely greater role in the colonialist-era development of North and South America--culturally, politically and economically--than hithero acknowledged. Freewheeling in approach, the historical scope ranges from familiar images of U.S. "Chinese laundries"; Chinese/Japanese restaurants; and infinite numbers of Asian railroad workers; to showing more uncommon images and/or situations like Filipino "Manilamen" who settled Louisiana shrimp villages in the 1700s; tumultuous early Spanish-Chinese relations; and the real reasons behind China's allegedly ancient opium addiction.
Director
Loni Ding
Crew
Loni Ding
Loni Ding
John Eskai
Alexandra Halkin
Ashley James
Amy Kato
Kyle Kibbe
Eric Ladenburg
Grace Lee
Sarah Lewison
Zhou Long
Neal Morrison
Robb Moss
John Pai
Wanda Pruska
Eric Schurig
Eric Schurig
Sean Thomas
May Ying Welsh
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
"Ancestors in the Americas: Coolies, Sailors, Settlers" is the first in a four part series about the Asian impact on Western history; as shown by the final title card in the documentary, the anticipated sequel to follow is: "Part 2: Pioneers to the American West."
Shown at San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival March 7-14, 1996.
16mm from videotape
color
