Am I Chinese?

I was born in Indonesia, but I am pure Chinese. I'm proud being Chinese, I'm surely do. Now, it is kinda change a bit, it doesn't mean I'm not proud that I am Chinese, but I'm getting irritated by other Chinese.

When the first time I moved here, in Malaysia, I was not really care about that I'm Chinese but I couldn't speak Chinese. In my country, especially in Jakarta, it is not a problem at all. There are a lot of Indonesian Chinese, including my parents, who couldn't speak Mandarin, Hokkien or whatever.

Now, every time I'm in the cab with Chinese driver, they are going to speak in Mandarin to me. Whenever I reply, "Sorry Uncle, I cannot speak Chinese" they will accuse me.

Uncle 1: I thought you are Chinese ah
Uncle 2: You Chinese but cannot speak Chinese, funny ah
Uncle 3: How come you cannot speak Chinese. You are not Chinese!

They will give me those pity looks, or even get mad of me.

I will explain to them, how the thing was going in the past. Some stories, that Soeharto did not allow Indonesia Chinese to speak in their mother tongue language and even forced them to change their name to Indonesian name.

They still give me those pity looks, or ignore me, haha.

Uncle 4; You should learn Mandarin, today it is very important you know (agree!)
Uncle 5; Started to ignore me and bitching up in Mandarin. (for this type of taxi driver they are look very grumpy)
Uncle 6; Even your parents cannot speak Mandarin? aiyoooooo (shake their head and another pity looks again)

Well, those kind of reactions were came from taxi driver, or I will say uneducated class. My lecture and friends put more curiosity rather than accusing me about this (thanks God).

I know, every Chinese are always proud about Chinese. From the history I learnt, in the past they were the same. Chinese always think China as the centre of the world and other races are barbarian. Despite the facts Chinese is a good businessman and the economy builder in some countries, they are always the minority.

United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, they are the minority.

From the presentation I attended, the professor had mentioned that Chinese in China thought that Singaporean Chinese were not Chinese. They had emigrated from China, therefore they are not "Chinese" anymore. I think it is funny, because most of the time I heard from those taxi drivers that I am not Chinese because I could not speak Mandarin. Now all I wanted to say to them, "Do you know, you have been abandoned as well by the other Chinese? We are the same"

Well, after all I'm proud that I am Chinese. It is not my fault that my ancestor had travelled to Indonesia. This is not my fault that Soeharto used to hate Chinese. This is not my fault that even my parents could not speak Mandarin. I am Chinese.

I am proud as well, even I am Chinese, I'm not old-fashioned like most of the Chinese. I have blended with other races, I have seen more about cultural differences. I have learnt more about others, and I did not live in the box with "CHINESE" letter only.

Cheers!