Abstract:

The untold story of how Asians--Filipino, Chinese, Asian Indian--first arrived in the Americas. Film crosses centuries and oceans from the 16th century Manila-Acapulco trade, to the Opium War, to the 19th century plantation coolie labor in South America and the Caribbean. || "...Overturns familiar assumptions about Asian American migrations and cultures to reveal the rich and complex realities beyond the cliches." --Barbara Abrash, Assoc. Director, Center for Media, History & Culture, NYU || Part 1 of the Ancestors in the Americas Series. || Viewer Guides and related historical documents are available at http://www.cetel.org