Traditions lost, identities, people assimilating.

Amber, asked me if the people were dancing, the answer is yes! And it is such a lovely sight to see. We saw them in the mornings at the park and in the evenings at the plaza dacncing to their folkloric music. I could have sat and watched all day! Several women and only one man, we're keeping their tradition alive. The disheartening thing to me is that the way of dressing, the language and I imagine the family component are being lost to the westernization of China. The worst part of living in Hong Kong is that it is a concrete jungle and with the exception of a few temples and the signage you would think you were in any big city. Nothing makes it special and unique, unless you want to say that it is special because it has the most sky scrapers in the world. What I admire so much about the Naxi and the Bai people is that they have existed and thrived for over three thousand years. The sad part is that in maybe five to ten years time, their language will no longer exist, their way of writing and their dress will disappear and all too quickly be forgotten. The U.S. has done the same thing with their immigrants, families were ashamed to speak, Italian, Spanish, or any of the hundreds of languages and traditions that were brought to the U.S.. The kids trying their hardest to assimilate and become "American" as quickly as possible and forgetting who we are as people. The one thing I am grateful for is I know my country's music,food and traditions and some of those have been passed down to my daughter and hopefully to her children. This is part of what makes us so beautifully unique. This has truly saddened me to think that all of our history through out the world will one day disappear and we will all be "vanilla"! At the airport now off to Japan! Good morning!