Curriculum Connections: Pacific Odyssey to California, 1905 Historically, the first major wave of immigrants reached Hawaii during 1903-5. This phase of immigration brought a total of 7,226 Koreans as contract laborers for sugar plantations. Su-Na and her two younger sisters, Jae-Mi and Hi-Jong, along with their parents were among those immigrants. Read a brief narrative about the history of Korean Immigration to Hawaii and the United States (note that Hawaii was not yet a state of the United States in 1905). Korean Immigration, Time Line Many Asians came to Hawaii as part of the laborers for the sugar plantation. The major field workers came from the Asian countries of China, Japan, and the Philippines. This ThinkQuest entry from 2000 discusses the "Sugar Roots" and the Asian migration to Hawaii.

• For a scholarly view of Koreans in North America and the Pacific Islands consult this booklist on the Korean History site. "Korean Communities Abroad: North America and the Pacific Islands."

Other Resources Related to the Korean Experience

• A booklist of books by "Komericans" (Korean Americans) -- "Books by Korean-Americans


• The first Koreans to the US disembarked in Hawaii January 13, 1903 off the ship Gaelic. A large Korean-American celebration is scheduled for 2003. Check it out. Korean-American Centennial 1903-2003.


• Visit the Korean American Historical Society.

Questions to Discuss

• The family felt a lot of prejudicial treatment in Hawaii. Cite some examples of treatment that was prejudicial.


• Why do you think the family moved to California? Were their reasons valid? Did their move accomplish what they wanted to accomplish with the move?


• How did life change for the family once they moved to California? Did their life improve? Change in what way? Was life in California better than in Korea, or in Hawaii? Better or just different?


• Do you think the family would want to return to Korea? Hawaii?


• What do you think the girls will be doing ten years after the book ends?


• Would you have wanted to be friends with the girls? Why? Or Why Not?


• If you had lived in California (or in Hawaii) at the same time that Su-Na, Jae-Mi, and Hi-Jong lived there, how would you have helped them to adjust to life in their new country?

Response Activities

• Interview a new immigrant to this country to find out if prejudicial treatment of immigrants still exist, especially Asian immigrants. Are there other groups that are discriminated against in the present day environment?


• Read Peacebound Train by Haemi Balgassi, and illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet. Would this story, set in Korea, have taken place before or after Pacific Odyssey to California, 1905.


• Read about other immigrants who have come to the United States and then discuss how their experiences are similar to or different from the experiences of Su-Na, Jae-Mi, and Hi-Jong. Are the differences a function of the time period, the cultural background of the immigrants, or what?
  

  Other Books with an immigration theme:

  
  
  • Aliki. Marianthe's Story: Painted Words/Spoken Memories. Greenwillow, 1998.
    

  • Bunting, Eve. A Picnic in October. Harcourt, 1999.
    

  • Kurtz, Jane. Faraway Home. Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Harcourt, 2000.
    

  • Lee, Marie G. F is for Fabuloso. Avon, 1999. (novel)
    

  • Levitin, Sonia. Dream Freedom. Harcourt, 2000. (YA novel)
    

  • Lynch, Chris. Gold Dust. HarperCollins, 2000.(YA novel)
    

  • McKay, Lawrence, Jr. Journey Home. Lee & Low, 2000
    

  • Rosenberg, Lis. The Silence in the Mountains. Orchard, 1999.
    

  • Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza Rising. Scholastic, 2000. (novel)
    

  • Weiss, Nicki. The World Turns Round and Round. Greenwillow, 2000.
    

  • Booklist -- Children's Immigration Book List -- Seattle Public Library.