“To hyphenate or not to hyphenate”is a question that sometimes perplexes even the most seasoned writer or editor.What’s more, the use of hyphens to express a dual identity has been a source ofcontention for nearly a century. Those who oppose hyphenated ethnic terms,whether Latin-American or British-Pakistani, claim they are divisive. Those infavor believe they’re the only way to give equal credence to one’s ancestralpast and immediate present.
As far as Montreal-born,Milwaukee-based Indian writer ShaunaSingh Baldwin is concerned, the more hyphenated you are, the better. She’salways bridled at terms that seek to place a geographical limit on her breadthof experience and range of expression. Even the name of her new book serves asa curt rebuttal, further underlined by the broad geographical base it drawsupon. We Are Not in Pakistan is acollection of short stories in which voices from the
In the title story an angry youngwoman of mixed descent sharpens her knife-edged insecurities against herPakistani grandmother. “Only a Button” recounts the
Also this week, a group of womeninvolved in the visual, literary and performing arts, led by former MilwaukeePoet Laureate Peggy Hong andactress/director Deborah Clifton,seeks to convey the human face of the Iraq war. Using blogs and memoirs writtenby Iraqi and American women civilians and military members, the ensemble hascollaborated on a play titled SmallPieces Fly to Heaven that combines elements of poetry, movement, drama andart. The performance previews June 2-4. Its regular run takes place June 5-8 atOff-Broadway Theatre,
