Peril is a new Asian-Australian website designed to build a critical mass of Asian-Australian art and cultural concerns. Our ambition is to have two core issues a year on the site with a forum board for people to chat and comment. Why Peril? From the so called Yellow Peril that labelled the wave of Chinese immigration in the 19th century. We are perilious and take risks but not in the way that the Pauline Hansons of the world think!
We are also calling for contributions for issue two – and …

Hsu- Ming Teo won the Vogel Award for her first novel “Love and Vertigo” in 1999. She has recently released another novel “Behind the Moon” in 2005. Hearing that she was a fan of the Sound of Music, I had to track her down and interview her by e mail about nerds and her novel….

I don’t know any white person who would look at a white nerd and think, ‘why do white people have to be such nerds?’

In the relationship between Asian and nerd identities, the flipside to the Asian nerd stereotype is the appropriation of Asian popular culture by nerd subcultures in the west. Such is the case in otaku subculture, in which participants obsess over anime and manga, and Japanese culture in general. A subset of this community interact online using specialised forum software called imageboards, in which communication revolves around the posting of images.

is a sewer pipe from America
it’s staying home forever
and falling in love with a computer.
It’s the story of Hardware Man & Software Girl
setting off together on a kitchen adventure.
It’s staying home forever:
push a button & a remote controlled custard pie
flies in the video compere’s eyes.
“Interactive” is when you get to spit back.
My house is a city state.
Outdoors there’s a weird fog
I don’t want to go out in.
Forests are flattened to fuel
computer factories,
the trees are routed once & for all.
When the last tiger in the wild died
the tigers in the zoo …

The English language & Roman alphabet impose severe limits on the art of writing. A number of Western, English-speaking people play a game called “English literature”. They ignore artforms which utilise aspects of writing other than correct spelling & standard grammar constrained into accepted literary forms. Artforms such as Asian brush calligraphy & hip hop style graffiti stimulate us to think freshly about reading & writing. I’m trying to find a new approach to writing, which is truly global, & appeals to people who aren’t necessarily interested in traditional forms …

I was (I mean I am!) a big fan of fantasy fiction especially when I was younger. I wanted to escape from everyday reality, and fantasy provided the outlet. I also indulged in the odd game of Dungeons and Dragons, the latest game ran from when I was 30 to 32. This short essay will be a reflection on my racial identity and engaging with fantasy faction. It is meant as a springboard for comments and discussion, so read away and post your comments!

I am at my auntie and uncle’s house for dinner. I like visiting Auntie Wei and Uncle Wang. They both love hosting visitors. Auntie Wei is also an outstanding cook and her dinners typically showcase the best of northern Chinese cuisine. Although their house is small, it has a very large kitchen. This kitchen has a neon sign on the wall that says ‘Oriental Gourmet Kitchen’ and Auntie Wei likes to stand in the kitchen stirring food that is in bain-maries.