A Bit about CC, You China!

CC is a high school. I went there for junior and senior high. The name stands for Canisius College, though may sometimes be referred to as Cinasius College (meaning: College of the Chinese). It’s no surprise since most of the students are indeed of Chinese descendants. The rest consists of Javanese, Padangese, and a small number of other ethnicities.

There’s a tradition that is passed for generations in CC. We never let anyone forget what ethnicity they belong to.
We call the Padangese ‘Padang’.
We call the Javanese ‘Jawa’, or sometimes ‘Tiko’ (it’s supposed to be a Chinese word, but when I asked for its meaning once, a friend of mine told me to just let it go).
We call the Chinese ‘China’, and so on.

The names aren’t necessary used by a group to call a different group. They are in fact used by students in the same group to call one another. No one’s ever got offended, and we find it to be funny and friendly.

My girlfriend once confronted me on this ‘habit’. She said that race and ethnicity were serious and sensitive subjects. They are not to be taken lightly and irresponsibly.
At first, I didn't say anything. But when she kept pressing on, I finally said,

“Darling, the last time a man took it seriously, he killed 6 million Jews.”