Kotarō at home, Victor at school. Speaking Japanese at home, speaking English when out and about. Tea-time, Mexican food, and getting measured on a Shaq cut-out. This is the life of the Spann family.
What does it mean to live in Dallas? Better yet, what does it mean to live in Dallas and be an American? Most of us think we know the answer to that question, because we all have personal ideals about our American identities. But what if your family isn’t just American, but mixed culture, and you want to hold on to your family’s heritage?
Recently, I got the chance to spend time with a family that I think is navigating these questions well. The Spanns are not your normal family – Lucas and Aya are raising a mixed-heritage family and they have a son that they want to be able to live in the tension of multiple cultural identities. What I found fascinating is that they’re not interested in subsuming either side of the family’s cultures. Instead, they are making daily, intentional decisions to allow Kotarō to experience the richness of life in Dallas through the eyes of his Japanese heritage. He has the privilege of getting to see the world differently than a lot of people, and the Spanns want to keep it that way.
I loved getting to spend the day with Lucas, Aya, and Kotarō (Victor). Day in the Life sessions give me a chance to see what’s common among all of us – rich or poor, old or young, Asian or black or white or Hispanic or anything else. The Spanns spent their day going to the Mexican market for groceries, fixing the couch, and putting a grumpy Victor down for a nap. Commonalities we all recognize.
But then I got to see something unique to the family – speaking Japanese a home, on purpose. Eating rice at every meal. Calling him by Kotarō at home. Aya also mentioned that her parents still live in Japan, and I wonder, what will that be like for their family in the future? Will Kotarō get to see Japan some day, and will he see it as something ancient to draw from, unique to him among his American friends?
The Spanns have something to teach us about life and diversity and the tension that multiple cultural identities can bring. My hope is that this sparks something in you – to live a little more thoughtfully, and to try to be true to your own heritage in the midst of a fast-moving world.
This is just amazing, I feel so privileged to have got such an intimate glimpse at this beautiful family. I just love the documentary feel – an authentic look into their everyday lives in Dallas!
Thanks for sharing.