1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: My name is Eva Longoria and I am Ma de 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Gomez Racon and welcome to Hungry for History. 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: A podcast that explores our past and present through food. 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: On every episode, we'll talk about the history of some 5 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: of our favorite dishes, ingredients, and beverages from our culture. 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 2: So make yourself at home. Ewhen we are halfway through 7 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 2: the season, and the great thing about doing this show 8 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 2: is the more we dig into the history of food, 9 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 2: the more we learn about how layered all the influences 10 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 2: are and how all countries are intertwined. 11 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 3: Today we're not just covering a dish. We're talking about 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 3: the Chinese contribution to Mexican and American history through the 13 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 3: food lens. Of course, we've learned that when people plant 14 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 3: their flag in a new country, they do it first 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 3: through food. This is how they preserve their family memories 16 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 3: and how they make a new place feel like home. 17 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: So today we are taking you from China to San 18 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: Francisco to Mexicali. 19 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 4: In rods because it's a lot generally generally speaking, yeah no, 20 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 4: but I feel like the history of Chinese and Mexico 21 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 4: is so significant and so unknown. 22 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 2: There were a few waves beginning obviously in the colonial period, 23 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: and a larger wave like sixty thousand arrived at the 24 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 2: end of the nineteenth century beginning of the twentieth century, 25 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 2: fleeing you know, obviously poverty and hardships in southern China's 26 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: Cantone region. But today so many young Chinese Mexicans are 27 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: searching for their roots and kind of reclaiming their history. 28 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: And so I don't think a lot of people know this, 29 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 2: but there's like seventy thousand Chinese living in Mexico, mainly 30 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 2: in La Chinesca in Mexicali and in the Barriochino in 31 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:46,199 Speaker 2: Mexico City. 32 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 3: There is in Mexicali in Baja was Chinese before it 33 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 3: was Mexican, which is so interesting. It's a city of 34 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 3: about one million, ninety miles south of San Diego, and 35 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 3: it's hated. Was nineteen twenty to nineteen thirty three Chinese 36 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 3: first came to Mexicali run nineteen hundred. Most of them 37 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 3: were brought over from China by the Colorado River Company 38 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 3: to work on railroad and irrigation construction. And this was 39 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 3: this partnership between the US and Mexican government. So anyhow, 40 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 3: by nineteen twenty there were more Chinese in the region 41 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 3: than Mexicans, and both communities were part of a workforce 42 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 3: that took care of cotton fields, so many were farmers. 43 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 3: They opened up canals for the introgrationion of water, and 44 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 3: some of them started opening up businesses such as grocery stores, 45 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 3: clothing stores, butcher shops, and of course restaurants and bars, 46 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 3: and so they were it's so interesting. They were the 47 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 3: first to open up laundromats, establishing this concept of the bilogne. 48 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 3: And I always do you know this, this concept of 49 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 3: the bilan the few extra, like if you'll you know, 50 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 3: you'll buy cookies or something, and then they'll give you 51 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 3: a bilon the extra, the free extra, and it was 52 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 3: sort of this incentive for customers to come back for more. 53 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 3: Chinese immargrants are considered pioneers and Mexicali's social, economic and 54 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: cultural development right. So Ginesca, I've never been, but I'm 55 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 3: dying to go. And it's not too far from us. 56 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: It's the largest Chinese enclave in Mexico. And if you 57 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 3: ask people in Mexicali what their most notable regional cuisine is, 58 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 3: they won't say that goes. They'll say Chinese food. They're 59 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 3: over three hundred Chinese restaurants in the city. 60 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,519 Speaker 2: And then what's bancino? Are they pandulcee. 61 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 3: Bancinos are bandulces that are sort of like conchas and biscuits, 62 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 3: and but they're denser and more moist and they're steamed 63 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 3: and then they're baked. This is something that we see 64 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 3: a lot in Mexico City. There's a lot of these 65 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 3: cafes chinos, and even Cossafina velasque ze Leon, who we've 66 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 3: talked about before. She has a whole book on pancino. 67 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 3: They may have learned this type of pastry working in 68 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 3: the railroads in the nineteenth century or working for French 69 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 3: or English families, and so it's basically steamed then baked 70 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 3: van dulces. 71 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 2: Oh, well, I know that hole Sepina Velaskaz de Leon. 72 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 2: We've talked about her on the podcast. She wrote a 73 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: book only about foncino, or she mentioned fancino in a book. 74 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: Only about flancino. She wrote a whole book on how 75 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 3: to make blancino. I haven't tried making it because it's 76 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 3: pretty complicated, but I need to check it out. I 77 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 3: need to try it. 78 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 2: Well. After the break, we'll take you back to the beginning. 79 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 3: And explore Chinese immigration in Mexico and the US. 80 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: Look, I feel like the Chinese influence in Mexico is 81 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 2: important and is historic, and I don't think a lot 82 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: of people know about it, and especially the Chinese influence 83 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 2: obviously in the United States, but you know, in Mexico. 84 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 2: I guess it began roughly about four hundred fifty years 85 00:04:54,680 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 2: ago when Spanish trading ships like the Manila galleons, they 86 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: brought fine silk and porcelain and tea and all these 87 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 2: Eastern goods to the western coast of Mexico, mainly in 88 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 2: exchange for silver. And so these trade links have long 89 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 2: been established between Spanish and Chinese merchants. 90 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 3: The Spanish had their base of operations in Manila where 91 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 3: their goods would be unloaded and sent to Mexico from 92 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 3: these ships sailed twice a year a Kapuico and we're 93 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 3: distributed mainly to wealthy Spaniards. We've talked about these. 94 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, we talked about this in another episode. 95 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, yes, And the first Chinese to arrive in 96 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: Mexico were actually servants of Spanish merchants after they paid 97 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 3: their dues. If they decided to stay in Mexico. Many 98 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 3: became tradesmen, barbers, and shopkeepers, and they started to build 99 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 3: networks with other Chinese. And so the ones that arrived 100 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 3: first became the wealthiest. And these networks grew and they 101 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 3: were able to climb up the ladder and others followed. 102 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 3: So the ones that arrived first served as a support network, 103 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 3: helping others back home. So it became a very tight 104 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 3: knit community. It was tight ennit for many, many centuries, 105 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 3: and this sort of tight knitness eventually was seen as 106 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 3: a threat. So but you know, all immigrants communities really 107 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: are tight and they're drawn to each other for support. 108 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 3: But as the centuries progress, this community was seen as 109 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 3: a threat. They were very industrious, they were hard working. 110 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 3: They were neither rich nor poor, and they eventually would 111 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 3: become a middleman between the rich and the poor. So 112 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 3: eventually they became really the only middle class in Mexico. 113 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 3: So yeah, it is really really quite interesting. They lived 114 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 3: in their own communities and which became chinatowns, right or 115 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 3: barrio chinos. 116 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: I feel like the most iconic chinatown though, is in 117 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: San Francisco, don't you think absolutely? 118 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 3: It's a beautiful Let's go to California before we come 119 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: back to America. Let's go to California. 120 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 2: Okay, So China to San Francisco. Was that because of 121 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: the gold rush? 122 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 3: It is it started in the gold rush. So it 123 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 3: started in Mexico, way way, way earlier. California became part 124 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 3: of the US in eighteen forty eight, and then around 125 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 3: this time over two million Chinese immigrated internationally as part 126 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 3: of this global diaspora, and they were fleeing civil unrest 127 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 3: and violence, silver, population, poverty. There were opium wars, there 128 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 3: was floods, famine, just political instability sort of generally. So 129 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 3: you know, they were fleeing for a better life. And 130 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: so this coincides with gold being found in San Francisco 131 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 3: and so drawn by the silure of gold and employment 132 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 3: opportunities in the railroad construction and of course in mining. 133 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 3: We see about three hundred thousand Cantonese immigrants come to 134 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 3: the US between eighteen forty eighty and eighteen eighty two, 135 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: and most of them were from the same. 136 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 2: Region than this little region. But you know what region. 137 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: What's crazy. Even though we abolished slavery in eighteen sixty five, well, 138 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 2: because we abolished slavery in eighteen sixty five, there was 139 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 2: a high demand for Chinese labor because wherever these Chinese 140 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 2: immigrants went, they were preyed upon. And I think ninety 141 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: percent of the workers that built the Central Pacific Railroad 142 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 2: were Chinese, and they received fifty percent less pay than 143 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 2: whites for the same job. The Chinese held an eight 144 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 2: day strike in eighteen sixty seven to demand equal wages, 145 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 2: and they used their collective strength and they did scare 146 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 2: the company leaders. But at first they were they were 147 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:51,079 Speaker 2: deemed two week for this dangerous, strenuous job for the 148 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 2: railroad work. But the director at the time of the 149 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: Central Pacific Railroad, I think his name was Charles Crocker, 150 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 2: recommended hiring them after a job posting that resulted in 151 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 2: only a few hundred responses from white laborers. So white 152 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 2: people did not want to build these railroads, and so 153 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 2: they had to look to a different talent pool. And 154 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 2: then there was this court case in eighteen fifty four 155 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:21,479 Speaker 2: that ruled that Chinese, like Black Americans, like Native Americans, 156 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 2: they weren't allowed to testify in court, and so it 157 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 2: really made it impossible for these Chinese immigrants to seek 158 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: justice against the you know, the people who ran the 159 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 2: railroads to get equal pay against the violence that was 160 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 2: a you know, that was mounted against them. And so 161 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 2: this case People versus Hall in eighteen fifty four, which 162 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 2: was a California Supreme Court case, it made it legal 163 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 2: for people to bash Chinese people and get away with it. 164 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 2: It's crazy. 165 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 3: It's horrible, horrible, horrible. And then we see the Chinese 166 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 3: Exclusion Act in eighteen eighty two, so just a couple 167 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 3: of decades later, meant to curb the influx of Chinese 168 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 3: immigrants to the US, particularly to California. So it suspended 169 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 3: Chinese immigration for ten years and required Chinese people traveling 170 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 3: in or out of the US to carry a certificate 171 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 3: identifying his or her status, whether it's the labor or scholar, diplomat, merchant. 172 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 3: On the other coast, right in New York, Ellis Island 173 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 3: opened around this same time, and many still arrived. 174 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 2: But the crazy thing about that, what you just said, 175 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 2: is like we needed them, and yet we were like, 176 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 2: don't come. You know, it's so crazy how history repeats itself. 177 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 2: And I feel like that's still the case now. You know, 178 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 2: we need There are a lot of industries dependent upon 179 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: immigrant labor today, agriculture, manufacturing, you know, the jobs that 180 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 2: a lot of people don't want, and immigrant labor always 181 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 2: fills those jobs. So the fact that this, you know, 182 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 2: historically happens like there's like an influx of immigrants and 183 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 2: then there's fear mongering and xenophobia and then we're like 184 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 2: go home, and then it's just like this push and 185 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 2: pool that does not make our borders pores like they 186 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 2: should be. 187 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:06,439 Speaker 3: You know, history keeps repeating itself, right, And this law 188 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 3: was this Chinese Exclusion Act was the first restricting immigration 189 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 3: into the US, and so many Americans on the West 190 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 3: Coast attributed to declining wages and economic ills to Chinese workers, 191 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 3: even though they only composed of point zero zero two 192 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 3: percent of the nation's population, right, so nothing and Congress 193 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: passed an act to playcate workers demand and calm concerns 194 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 3: about maintaining white racial purity. These are the words that 195 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 3: they used. And so tens of thousands went to Cuba, 196 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 3: South America, to Mexico. Instead, many settled along the US 197 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 3: Mexican border, becoming grocers and merchants and restaurant owners. But 198 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 3: you know, many stayed in San Francisco, you know, not 199 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 3: everybody could could leave, you know, going back to San Francisco. 200 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 2: Specifically, like when when Chinatown was founded, it was called 201 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 2: Little Kenton because that's lead the community of where they 202 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 2: were coming from, and it was you know, port of 203 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 2: entry for all these Chinese immigrants, and a lot of 204 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,839 Speaker 2: them obviously opened up restaurants and they were called chou 205 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 2: chow houses. And you know, the American restaurant system, I think, 206 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 2: especially in San Francisco, was so underdeveloped, and these Chinese 207 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 2: immigrant restaurant tours kind of knew what they were doing, 208 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 2: and so they offered, you know, cheap prices hospitality to 209 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 2: poor American All these people were coming to San Francisco 210 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 2: in this moment, did not have money, they were looking 211 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 2: to make money, and so you know, it was they 212 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 2: offered kind of a better restaurant experience. And so when 213 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,719 Speaker 2: the when the gold rush ended, then these restaurants were 214 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 2: mostly frequented by Chinese patrons and obviously they served like 215 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 2: traditional Chinese dishes, salted fish, salted duck feet, fish heads, 216 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 2: and then it just kind of became this place where 217 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 2: the old country lives inside a new one and it's 218 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 2: well together. And so for me, it was it's like, 219 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 2: I love to learn the his This is why we 220 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 2: do this podcast. I love knowing where things began. And 221 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 2: then you go, well, it kind of began here, No 222 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 2: it didn't really. I mean it's so cyclical, it is 223 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 2: so evolutional, like it's still evolving, and so it's so 224 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,599 Speaker 2: fun to discover all of these new things. 225 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 3: Totally and it's so fun to discover Oh, this was 226 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 3: happening in San Francisco. Oh this was happening in Mexico 227 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 3: right at the same time. And it's just how everything 228 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 3: is so intertwined. So in nineteen o six, there was 229 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 3: a huge earthquake and fire that devastated San Francisco. So 230 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 3: the city government they were like, oh great, this is 231 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 3: the time to get the Chinese out, the Chinese residents. 232 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 3: They wanted to move them out of San Francisco proper, 233 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 3: moved them closer to you know, Oakland. But then they 234 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 3: were like, oh, wait a minute. They were a vital 235 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 3: part of the city's economy. We need them, we need 236 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 3: their taxes, we need them to rebuild. So this is 237 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 3: not to say that the racism didn't exist still, but 238 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 3: they let them rebuild because they needed their taxes. Because 239 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 3: it became this tourist attraction eventually, and today San Francisco's 240 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 3: Chinatown is one of the city's most popular attractions. It 241 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 3: is the backbone of the city. 242 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: And I remember the first time I went to San Francisco, 243 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 2: I was like, how we have to visit China. Debt 244 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 2: like it was one of the reasons I went, Yeah, 245 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 2: me too. 246 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 3: It's the first time I had dinsum was in San 247 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 3: Francis China that really. 248 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 2: Need to know. It was all like eye opening, like 249 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 2: I've eaten this bond now I feel part of the community. 250 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 3: I know, I had never even heard of it before. 251 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 3: I was in San Francisco Chinatown. I was like, what 252 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 3: is this? The little carts and I'm like, this is perfection. 253 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 3: This is so interesting. It's like I want to know more. 254 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 3: I want to know more. My experience with Chinese food 255 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 3: was China Bow and Laredo. That was just you know, 256 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 3: egg rolls and orange chicken. This is American, you know 257 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 3: Chinese food. 258 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: Egg Rolls were a big part of my childhood. Don't 259 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 2: go anywhere. When we come back with diving into the 260 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 2: fusion between Mexican and Chinese. 261 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 3: Cuisines, we turn our eyes back on Mexico when we 262 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 3: come back. So the border I don't know this. 263 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 2: I don't know this. 264 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 3: Sorry, go ahead, go ahead, Sorry, it's all connected. The 265 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 3: border patrol was created to keep Chinese immigrants from entering 266 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 3: the US. At the same time, the Mexican government welcomed 267 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 3: Chinese immigrants to populate northern Mexico to work on farms 268 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 3: and in mines and canals. 269 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 2: All right. So while the Chinese Exclusion Act was happening 270 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,359 Speaker 2: in the US, it was the Portfrio in Mexico. 271 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 3: The Portfridiato. So just briefly, the Portfidiato era was this 272 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 3: period of about thirty years when Portfridio Dias, he was 273 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 3: from Wajatka. He was a Francophile, and he opened the 274 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 3: door to foreign investment. So this is when we see 275 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 3: a lot of French moving into into Mexico and open 276 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 3: Americans and just opening up businesses. We see this beautiful 277 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 3: construction like ve Jasarts and all of these very beautiful 278 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 3: sort of buildings, but we see a very small percentage 279 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 3: of people getting very very very very rich, and then 280 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 3: we have most of the population is very very very 281 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 3: very poor, and eventually we have the Mexican Revolution. Porfiias 282 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 3: fled and is buried in Paris. During the Portfidiato, the 283 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 3: Mexican government was trying to modernize the country and Mexico 284 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 3: became seen as this land of opportunity. One of his 285 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 3: programs called for Europeans to work and populate the north. 286 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 3: He was especially interested in building railway roads. But Mexico 287 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 3: couldn't attract enough European immigrants to the north, same thing 288 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 3: that happened here. So they decided to allow Chinese migrant workers. 289 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 3: So this coincided with the Chinese Exclusion Act, so they 290 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 3: began leaving the US coming into Mexico. When the AS 291 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 3: granted permission to the Colorado River Land Company in the US, 292 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 3: it was it was an LA owned company to build 293 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 3: a canal in the Imperial Valley. So the plan was 294 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 3: to connect the region's dry basin to the Colorado River 295 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 3: for agricultural irrigation. Right, So we see Chinese coming, you know, 296 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 3: into Mexico, which is eventually why we have so many 297 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 3: Chinese in MEXICALI. 298 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Also a lot of the a lot of 299 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: the Chinese men that came married Mexican women. 300 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 3: They did, yes, they married Mexican women. And they weren't 301 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 3: supposed to stay own communities or mixed with the Mexican population. 302 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 3: They were supposed to eventually return to China, And at 303 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 3: first both Chinese were in the north. By the earliest 304 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 3: twenty century, where there were in all parts of the 305 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 3: country including Mexico City, Tampico, Mas Atlanta, Manzanillo. So there 306 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 3: were about ninety eight percent men between the ages of 307 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 3: fifteen and twenty nine. You know, they weren't supposed to 308 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 3: build their communities or they weren't supposed to stay. But like, 309 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 3: asking them to return to China is like okay, wait, 310 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 3: you're you're asking me to come and do all the 311 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 3: work and then and then go back, Like what what 312 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 3: is this? You know, this is horrible. But they, you know, 313 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 3: went from laborers to merchants. They started their own businesses 314 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,679 Speaker 3: and by the time of the Mexican Revolution they had 315 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 3: created this sort of middle class. And at the time 316 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 3: the Mexican society was divided into rich and poor. Chinese 317 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 3: were the middleman. They had a strong work ethic, they 318 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 3: lived frugally, they gained business mone knowledge, they had these 319 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 3: really strong social networks. They had adopted Mexican names, some 320 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 3: of them learned Spanish. Most of them married Mexican women, 321 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 3: and during the Mexican Revolution there was this desire to 322 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 3: mexicanize the country and a lot of Mexicans resented them. 323 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 3: They resented their hard earned economic success and were treated 324 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 3: in Mexico as they had been in California in the 325 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 3: second half of the nineteenth century. So, you know, they 326 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 3: were initially welcomed into these unpopular areas which heated, she 327 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 3: played her labor, and then they were resented and accused 328 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 3: of competing unfairly for jobs. 329 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 2: So ingredients like soy sauce, they're a big part of 330 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 2: Mexican culture today. You know, we have Maggie, which is 331 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,199 Speaker 2: like an evolution of probably this original soy sauce that 332 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: has become a staple in our diets. And because I 333 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 2: think a lot of ingredients became a staple in Sinaloa 334 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,479 Speaker 2: because the port was on the trade route from Asia 335 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 2: to the Philippines to Mexico, like we talked about, and 336 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 2: those that influence can still be filt in those dishes 337 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 2: like piscato zaran, the yabo how do you say that 338 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 2: that on the yadow sarandioso. Yeah, and that's a sin 339 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 2: a classic and then tacos and egg rolls are basically 340 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 2: the same thing, right. 341 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 3: Basically, and banadas. 342 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 2: And bananas dumpling, Taco egg rolls and banadas dumplings, Ramen, 343 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 2: which we just talked about in our Food in a 344 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 2: Cup episode, avocado and Chriso on fried rice always with 345 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 2: lime on the side. Like there's so much fusion with 346 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,239 Speaker 2: you know, both cultures are pretty large and diverse. I mean, 347 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 2: if you look at China, it's very diverse. I mean 348 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: the food in the north and East and wet it's 349 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 2: all very just like Mexico, they're very large, diverse cultures 350 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 2: with ancient histories. Everything revolves around family, like Mexico and Chile, 351 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 2: like Chile's imported to China and the seventeen hundreds were 352 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 2: popularized in the eighteen hundreds obviously in Sheshwan food sarata, 353 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 2: I mean you can't eat Chinese food without having some 354 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:32,119 Speaker 2: spicy sauce on the side. Insects are popular in both countries. 355 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's so many similarities, you know, so many. So Tomoi. 356 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 3: We talked about Tamoi in our in our Candy episode 357 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 3: last season, But that's a snack that that that's something 358 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 3: that came also from the Chinese. So there's so many 359 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 3: things in our in our cuisine that is that is 360 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 3: influenced by by Chinese food. 361 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 2: I for one, am so so happy about the Chinese 362 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,880 Speaker 2: influence in Mexican food. We have a lot of similarities, 363 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 2: but at the same time, like we both both of 364 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,880 Speaker 2: our cuisines compliment each other. I think in a way 365 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 2: more in a way than any other culture. And I 366 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: don't know if it's because I'm I'm I, you know, 367 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 2: live here in Mexico and I feel the influence, but 368 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 2: I definitely I have a great appreciation for this particular 369 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 2: melding of cultures. Thanks for listening and see you guys 370 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 2: next week. 371 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 3: If you have any dishes or foods that you want 372 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 3: to hear about, leave us a message. We love hearing 373 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 3: from you all. 374 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:44,199 Speaker 2: Bye. Hungary for History is a Hyphene media production in 375 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 2: partnership with Iheart's Michael Tura podcast network. 376 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: For more of your favorite shows, visit the iHeartRadio app, 377 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.