Nice to see so many positive responses to my mini-rant. Maybe a bit overstated, but it's something close to my heart. My family emigrated from the UK to Canada in 1960. Every member of my family except for some of the children are immigrants. My wife, my sister-in law, aunt, cousins, nephews, all immigrants. My family is British, Dutch, French, Thai and Japanese and between us we can speak English, French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Thai, Japanese and Panjabi!

Multicultural? We're living it, man!

Here's one of my favorite videos that expresses it all better than I could ever say.

Lyrics included to help you through the vocal stylin'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jywa9oK3ytU

Every Sunday morning in front of the TV

Recording with a microphone Naya Zindagi
Pioneer Gurdas Maan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Kept our parents alive, gave them the will to survive
Working inna de factories, sometimes sweeping de floor
Unsung heroines an heroes, they open de door
They came a long time ago, but now it seems we've arrived
Naya Zindagi! Naya Jeevan, New Way New Life

Stayed an we fought an now de future's open wide
New Way New Life, New Way New Life

Naya Zindagi! Naya Zindagi! Naya Jeevan!

Tjinder (*) pon de radio, dis is England's new voice
Censorship for years, but now dem have no choice
An walking thru de playground, we could never a known
Dat inna de future, our role models would be home grown
And yes we're walking down de street, wid a brand new pride
Spring inna de step, wid our heads held high
Young Asian brothers an sisters, moving forward side by side
Naya Zindagi! Naya Jeevan! New Way New Life

Our opportunity no longer denied
New Way New Life, New Way New Life
Naya Zindagi! Naya Zindagi! Naya Jeevan!

And now we're supposed to be cool, inna de dance our riddims rule
We knew it all along, because our parents made us strong
Never abandoned our culture, jus been moving it along
Technology, our tradition, innovation inna de song
Now de struggle continues, to reverse every wrong
New heroines and heroes, inna de battle we belong
Now when we reach de glass ceiling, yes we will blow it sky high
Naya Zindagi! Naya Jeevan!, New Way New Life

Stayed an we fought an now de future's open wide
New Way New Life, New Way New Life
Naya Zindagi! Naya Zindagi! Naya Jeevan!

(*) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornershop

(and seriously, how cool is it to have your mom in a rock video?)

ebear