Hakka Women: Strong Personalities

["Hilary Chance" <hil_chance@hotmail.com>]

HGN members and Forum participants:

Hello!  I am an ethnically Chinese, Hakka female who was born and raised 
in Toronto, Canada.  The remaining members of my nuclear family (my 
parents, my two brothers and my sister) were born and had previously 
lived in Jamaica.  When I was growing up, I did not learn to speak Hakka 
(no fault of my own, I might add), but I have always had a keen interest 
in my Chinese heritage and culture.   

Now to the issue at hand.  As I have recently come to understand it, 
traditionally, Hakka females did not fit the stereotypical description 
of the "inferior" Chinese woman.  Instead, they have been characterized 
by their "independence" and their "strong personalities."  Because of 
their role within the family, they had access to certain freedoms and 
shared a certain degree of power and authority with their men.  This is 
in contrast to women that belonged to many of the other Chinese ethnic 
sub-groups.

 I would like to raise the question:  "What contributed to the 
development of these 'strong personalities'?"  On some level, I believe 
that this must be related to the issue of self-esteem and how Hakka 
girls were treated by their parents.

In my own experience, my mother always says (and I quote):  "l love all 
of my children the same."  This, of course, is easier said than done, 
but for the most part, she tries her best not to show any favouritism.  
My example is only relevant if one considers the fact that the parents 
of many of my other (non-Hakka) Chinese friends have usually favoured 
their male children.  

It is only recently that I have started to attribute my mother's 
attitude to our Hakka heritage.  I used to think:  "That's just the way 
my mother is," but I never stopped to ask myself "why?"  The other day, 
my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to ask her whether or 
not she had been treated as an inferior to her two older brothers by her 
parents.  "Not that I remember," she replied.  Now, I realize that this 
issue of self-esteem is not the only factor, but I must say, you 
couldn't meet a Chinese woman with a "stronger" personality than my 
mother.  It may have something to do with her "hot" Jamaican temper...  
:)

In any case, are there any other Hakka females out there who can comment 
on how they were treated by their parents when they were younger?  Did 
your parents value you as much as your brothers?  Do you think that this 
has contributed to the formation of a "strong personality" within you?   
If not, is there anyone else who can comment (generally) on the subject 
of personality in relationship to Hakka women?

Thanks,
Hilary Chance   


    



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