One Sunday
afternoon many years ago, a friend drove me over to south Belfast, where there
is a supermarket specialising in Asian produce. He was confident that the trip
would be an antidote to my disgruntlement with the uninspiring choice and mediocre
quality of fresh fruit and vegetables in my area. As we were searching for a
parking space in the terraced street closest to the supermarket I noticed scores
of Chinese couples and families wheeling heavily burdened trolleys through the
mizzle in the direction of their cars. Until that afternoon I’d only been
vaguely aware that Chinese people lived in Belfast. Apparently, there were over 7,000* living in Northern Ireland at that time, which made them the
largest non-European ethnic group within the wider population. My friend and I wondered where
they all lived, what jobs they did and why they had come to Belfast, a city from
which so many of the local population had fled during “The Troubles”. Where did
the Chinese fit in here; were they anomalies in a terrain demarcated into
orange and green, or red, white and blue? Were they “invisible people” I
wondered, a shadow community in a population of nationalists and unionists?
More
recently I’ve come to re-examine these questions. My friendship with a young
Chinese couple, who have come to Belfast since the demise of the conflict, has
given me an insight into how they perceive the challenges of building a life
for themselves here. Far from being “shadows”, their forthrightness and
resilience has a freshness that contrasts with the general weariness that seems
to have fallen upon much of the population, defeated by a war and
straitjacketed by an economic recession.
Steven
arrived in Belfast ten years ago from the north of China and his wife, Judy,
finally joined him three years later. By that time Steven had acquired a
partnership in a city centre restaurant, a business which has become stable and
prosperous. Management of the business takes up much of his time, but Steven is
also very much “hands on” in the kitchen. He is a master chef and twice he has
won first prize in competitions at the Chinese New Year Festival.
For
her part, Judy has made it a priority to learn English. She spent three years
enrolled on a full-time course for international students at Queen’s University
and is now working toward a degree in art and design. She is a gifted artist
and wishes she could devote more time to developing her creativity. But time
has been at a premium since two-year-old Michael was born and assignments are
often completed after midnight. Still, she knows there will be more
opportunities to study when Michael starts play school.
Judy
has mixed feelings about her son’s future on this side of the world, “I worry
about him, about what his life will be like here. He’s a kind and gentle child
and it may not be easy to find kindness out on the street.” Last year, a bus
driver refused to let Judy board with the pram. She was surprised and hurt when
this happened because she could see there were only about half a dozen
passengers and a sole pram on the bus, so there was plenty of room. That
evening, a friend (also Chinese and also a mother) explained this was not uncommon
and advised her not take it too personally, “and I can’t afford to, can I?” she
adds with a shrug.
That
incident occurred while Michael was still a baby. A few weeks ago, during lunch
in one of the more exclusive stores in Belfast, Steven took his son over to
look at the toys so that Judy and I could chat. Five minutes later he returned,
saying that he had been “scolded” for allowing Michael to run up and down the
aisle. I caught Judy’s eye and she murmured, “I think it’s only Chinese children who are not allowed to
run here”. At this point Michael dropped his toy car, so I picked it up and told him
to be careful. “Be careful;” he mimicked my pronunciation perfectly with a
heart-melting smile, mirrored by his mother, delighted that another new word has
been added to her son’s lexicon of English.
From
the outset has Steven impressed upon Judy how important it is to integrate
here, to follow norms. He felt uncomfortable when she wandered around the city taking
photos for her art and design course, perhaps drawing attention to herself; not
keeping a low profile. Developing talent often involves taking risks with new
endeavours. Whereas most Chinese students study management or business, Judy
points out that in choosing art and design, “I was already way off the beaten track
as far as Chinese immigrants are concerned.”
The
couple have achieved much in the years that have passed since Steven’s arrival
in Belfast with some savings and just a few words of English; the point of
disembarkation for a new life. Now they live in a detached house, outside of
which their respective cars are parked, a testament to the double shifts and
frequent seven-day weeks Steven works. Back in China he’d heard that this is a
country where hard work and effort equals results. It is precisely this, the
opportunity to make a success of life which Steven most values about this
society.
He denies it is work which is causing him to look so weary. In
his own words he tells me about an incident that occurred a few days ago in the
restaurant. Two drunks entered and said some “dirty sentences” to the young
Chinese waitress. One of them punched Steven’s brother when he intervened on
her behalf. CCTV captured the scene and a local taxi driver followed the pair
when they left; it was thanks to his help the police were able to initiate a criminal
investigation. Neither Steven nor Judy is hopeful of a prosecution. Judy adds
that they already spend too much time in their solicitor’s office and the
outcomes are usually very disappointing because the cases are rarely taken
seriously.
Drunks
demanding free food or menacing staff are a persistent late-night hazard in the
restaurant. On one occasion a couple of youths, high on drugs or alcohol, were behaving
aggressively and Steven was endeavouring to persuade them to leave; just then a
customer took a stand, a tall stand, for when he rose from his seat, he was about
6’7’’. He lifted the pair by the collar, one with each hand, and threw them
into the street. “Chinese can’t do this because we would either be battered
senseless or find ourselves in front of a court.”
Just
recently Steven was stopped and questioned at the same police road block for five
consecutive days. On the fifth day, he challenged the officer, pointing out
that as a Chinese man he was being repeatedly singled out while other drivers
were being waved on. Steven asked for the officer’s name and number and told
him he would be taking the matter further. “But I can’t, can I? I’ve got a
business to run. It’s like Judy says, we already spend too much time with our
solicitor”.
Last
year Steven went to the City airport to collect Judy, who was arriving from
China. He’d barely walked into the foyer when he was “pounced” on by a pair of
plain clothes border officials. They demanded to see his passport, and when Steven
pointed out that he no reason to carry it because he’d only come to collect his
wife the pair went on the offensive. At this point Steven turned the tables on
the officials and insisted on seeing their ID. In the end it was only with
great reluctance that they accepted his driving licence as valid ID. The irony
is that Steven is a UK citizen with a UK passport. That his oriental features
and faltering English make him an easy target is not an unfamiliar scenario for
him.
Whereas
the police are more likely to be “polite” now in their dealings with Chinese,
this was not always the case. Steven recalled an occasion when six people left
the restaurant after a lavish meal without paying. Staff called the police and Steven
managed to catch up with one of the group in a nearby street. When the officer
arrived on the scene she asked him if “all this fuss” was about “a tip”. The
same police woman witnessed Steven being punched and responded by giving his
assailant a private “talking to” and allowing him to run off.
Judy
was quick to add that, in general, most people are friendly. “We really
appreciate that because when discrimination happens, we remind ourselves that
the majority accept and welcome us. Last year our neighbours spent two hours
helping Steven dig his car out of the snow. That is something we will never
forget.”
Before
leaving Steven and Judy’s home, I asked if they were familiar with the 1970’s
series Kung Fu. We watched a scene in
which the “Chinaman” Kwai Chang Caine literally turns the tables on his aggressors.
My friends laughed but added “That is not Belfast.” They are right, the setting
isn’t Belfast but the attitudes Caine battles against perhaps resonate with
many Chinese here.
*According to the
Chinese Welfare Association, the figure has grown to 12,000 - 15,000.
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