東南アジア学会

Your are cordially invited to a special seminar

speaker: Eric Crystal

YAO REFUGEES: FROM HIGHLAND
SOUTHEAST ASIA TO CALIFORNIA.

15:00-17:00 7 November 4 (Mon.), 2005
E207, 2nd floor of CSEAS East bldg.
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YAO REFUGEES: FROM HIGHLAND
SOUTHEAST ASIA TO CALIFORNIA.

Eric Crystal received his Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of
California at Berkeley. Since retiring from his long term position has
Vice Chair of the U.C. Berkeley Center for Southeast Asia Studies in
2000 he has continued to undertake research on traditional Southeast
Asian culture. Dr. Crystal currently teaches
part time for the Group in Asian Studies at Berkeley and the San
Francisco Art Institute.

In l980 several thousand Yao villagers were flown to northern
California as part of the American endeavor to support former allies
in the Vietnam War. Eric Crystal has worked with the Yao community in
Oakland, California (his hometown) for a quarter century. Of the
22,000 Yao flown to America in the l980's none had higher education,
less than a dozen had completed high school, and the vast majority
were unable to read and write Lao, much less English.

This presentation will discuss crucial aspects of traditional Yao
culture, religion, and expressive arts as observed by Dr. Crystal in
highland Southeast Asia (Vietnam) in recent years. Adaptive strategies
off U.S. Yao refugees, maintenance of traditional religious beliefs and
ceremonies, and the results of engagement with the U,S. educational
system will be explored.

This presentation will be illustrated with photographs in power point
format.