Among all three of these groups (Honolulu Chinese, Befu Koreans, and the battlefront Okinawans), cultural productions had played a very important role. No matter what kind/aspect of art it is, all these productions had somehow released the tension among different groups (politically). These three groups of people all had to leave their own land and come to a place they barely knew anyone. Their conditions were not perfect. They had to face all the discriminations and barriers.
From my own perspective, this is well applied too. I have come to America since I was only 15. It was really hard to be a part in any group at first. But music had saved me. I started listening to rap songs and I was quickly invited to join our school’s hip-hop club. And there, I had made a group of friends and was finally accepted as a member of the school. I was firstly seen as the “Chinese boy”, but later on, I was treated as an equal member. Music had brought all these to me. Moreover, I had brought my own music to the group as well. I played some Chinese traditional music and everyone was attracted. We had a really good time in the club. Therefore, cultural productions could really erase the barriers among various groups.
Just like my own experience, cultural productions had helped the three groups (from the beginning) to encounter their own problems. For instance, music had brought the Chinese together with the Jamaicans. The other two groups had gone through similar things. Eventually, a considerably peaceful state was able to be reached. I cannot say that political struggles were all erupted, but they were mostly resolved. Under such cultural productions, people were willing to sit together and enjoy life, instead of fighting for their differences.
Therefore, cultural productions are proved to be a really useful tool for solving different people’s disagreements. Both my own experience and the stories about the three groups of people could prove that.
