"Before you go out into the world," Ming Miao told her five kittens, "you must know the true story of your ancestors...."
 | Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat, In 1994 Amy Tan published her second children’s book, Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat which captured the imagination of both children and parents. Tan's story of Sagwa is an origin story of sorts that delves into traditions of 1900 China and explores the curious spirit of a pearly white cat, Sagwa. She is pure white, just like all the other Chinese cats were. Through a series of events she finds herself faced with an unjust law that denies her the freedom she believes she has a right to, the right to sing whenever she pleases. Sagwa jumps down from a high cabinet and lands in an inkwell. The ink stains her paws, ears, tail and face and that is why Siamese cats have black splotches on their paws, ears, tail and face to this day. In the process of staining herself she accidentally smudges the unjust law and changes its meaning. Once she realizes what she's done she could have quite and run away but instead she stays and continues to make changes to the law so that it benefits everyone. It is a cute story but with a serious meaning behind it. Sagwa is fighting against injustice that has only occurred because of cultural standards and foolish rulers. Amy Tan uses this curious cat to encourage bravery, standing up for what one believes, and taking action when faced with injustice. She helps children see that change can happen if you are willing to work for it. A freedom fighter with fur, Sagwa is the kitten who changed her world for the better. |
A Subaltern Cat?It might seem far fetched that Amy Tan broached the subject of subaltern voices with a children's book but with Sagwa she did. It all starts with Sagwa herself. A Chinese cat from a lower class family ruled by lord named, The Foolish Magistrate, who is obviously more interested in his own comfort than what is best for his people. It is a common enough tale (pun intended) where the rich oppress the poor. And just like subaltern writers all over the word, the only thing Sagwa wants is to be heard. The Foolish Magistrate passes laws that benefits only him and it is Sagwa who speaks up by performing a kind of pre-colonial China version of "hacking". She rewrites the law to better suit the people and in the process marks herself as the one who spoke out against injustice. This kitten actually illustrates the very example of what it means to be a subaltern. To speak from a place of submission and call out unfair practices for everyone to see. And what's more, Amy Tan does it in such a way that it appealed to both parents and kids. |  |
  | Sagwa on PBSSagwa's success wasn't limited to book sales for in 2001 the courageous kitten was made into an educational animated series that aired on PBS Kids. The show ran until 2002 and included 40 episodes. It was produced by the Canadian animation studio, CineGroupe, and the Sesame Street creator, Sesame Workshop. Executive producers were George Daugherty and Michel Lemire with associate producers David Ka Lik Wong and Leon G. Arcand. |
Episodes (courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagwa,_the_Chinese_Siamese_Cat)
| # | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "How Sagwa Got Her Colors" | September 3, 2001 |
| After a day of playing and calligraphy, at bedtime Mama tells her kittens the story of how Sagwa got ink patches on her paws and face which in the process thwarted one of the magistrate's unfair laws, resulting in benefit for everyone. | ||
| 2 | "New Year's Clean Up / Firefly Nights" | September 4, 2001 |
Before New Year's Day, the Magistrate is horrified to find the presence of rats in the palace. Sagwa finds a rat who tricks her into repeatingly catching him and giving Sagwa false good impression, but she realises he's a cheat and drives him out. Dongwa feels discontented about his kittenhood and tries to act more grown up hoping to see the fireflies in the night sky. After many hard working tasks, Baba permits him to come and Dongwa is rewarded with a wonderful sight. | ||
| 3 | "Royal Cats / Acrobat Cats" | September 5, 2001 |
| Uncle Miao pays his family a visit. The kittens go exploring a cave in a valley. Inside they find giant clay statues of warriors and their cats. This greatly interests Uncle Miao who discovers their ancestral origins. | ||
| 4 | "Tung, the Singing Cricket / Sagwa's Lucky Bat" | September 6, 2001 |
| Sagwa shares her newly discovered attic with Fu-Fu and Sagwa remembers how she first met Fu-Fu after he rescued her from an ash pot and Dongwa never believed in Sagwa's new found friend. | ||
| 5 | "Cat Burglar / Sagwa's Good Deed" | September 7, 2001 |
A Cat Burglar has done numerous thefts especially a ruby belonging to the Magistrate's ancestors. The kittens and Fu-Fu watch the palace and manage to capture the burglar. Sagwa hears how hard it is for Fam and his family to get food, so she shares some of hers, but pays the price for being late for dinner. The Miao kittens teach Fam how to fish and he finds Fu-Fu his lost glasses. | ||
| 6 | "Harvest Festival Race / The Foolish Magistrate's New Robes" | September 10, 2001 |
| The Harvest Festival is taking place. Dongwa tries to ruin Sagwa's efforts to prepare for the annual race. Next day Dongwa cheats to win the race, but later confesses and does a fair rematch. | ||
| 7 | "Fur Cut / Magistrate Loses His Post" | September 11, 2001 |
| Sagwa gets herself messed with wet clay. The Cook gives her a bad fur cut. She tries to fool her siblings with a made up story. This causes Fu-Fu to make a mistake, so Sagwa admits the truth before things get out of hand. | ||
| 8 | "Tribal Cats / Sagwa's Swan Song" | September 12, 2001 |
| It's the Magistrate's and Tai-Tai's anniversary. | ||
| 9 | "Cat And Mouse / Stinky Tofu" | September 13, 2001 |
Yeh-Yeh receives a treat of one hundred year old tofu. The scent really disgusts Sagwa, but she doesn't know how to tell Yeh-Yeh without offending him. Then Sawga goes on a mission with Yeh-Yeh to get some more old tofu. The Magistrate's family spot the Miao's mouse friends and the alley cats think their games with the mice is a joke to catkind. After a talk with Fu-Fu, Sawga is happy to resume playing games with the mice. | ||
| 10 | "The Foolish Magistrate's Aching Tooth / Sheegwa and the Blizzard" | September 14, 2001 |
Sagwa and Dongwa accompany the reader to find a crested porcupine quill to complete a remedy for the Magistrate's toothache. Sagwa thinks a porcupine is a monster, but she befriends one called Hau-Ju and gets a quill. On a very wet day a generous toy peddler gives the kittens toys and warns them of a coming blizzard. Insulted by Sagwa, Sheegwa runs away. When the snow comes, Sagwa makes a frantic rescue attempt only to find she's perfectly safe. | ||
| 11 | "Treasure Hunters / By The Light Of The Moon" | September 17, 2001 |
| 12 | "Fraidy Cats / The Tortoise and the Cat" | September 18, 2001 |
| Sheegwa gets scared in the attic and downstairs overhears Yeh-Yeh telling a story about the ghost cat Gui-Miao. Sheegwa is convinced the tale is true, but the kittens see only Fu-Fu who was trying to shelter from the wind. | ||
| 13 | "Alley Night Opera / Cats Of A Different Class" | September 19, 2001 |
| 14 | "Fu-Fu and the Whistling Pigeon / Princess Sheegwa" | September 20, 2001 |
The Magistrate receives from the Emperor a musical pigeon Ping-Wing. Fu-Fu and Sagwa compete for her attention. When Ping-Wing gets fed up with them, they make up and everyone does Tai-Chi together. When Sheegwa comes to the pagoda, visitors recognise her as a Princess due to a star mark. The royal treatment makes Sheegwa feel lonely. Sagwa is jealous, but then realises she may not see Sheegwa again. The star mark proves to be only a bit of dirt. | ||
| 15 | "Sagwa Rules / Ciao, Meow!" | September 21, 2001 |
An Italian ambassador comes to the city. To the Miaos' horror, the ambassador is willing to accept one of the cats to take back to Italy. Both the kittens and Tai-Tai execute a plan to make the ambassador change his mind. Tired of their mother's rule dictating, the kittens play with the alley cats without any rules. They then realise a lack of rules would only mean misery for others. After an accident, they head back to the safety of their mother. | ||
| 16 | "Explorer's Club / Time for Everything" | September 24, 2001 |
| Dongwa and Ba-Do spend time doing their favourite hobbies instead of their palace duties. Dongwa and Ba-Do manage to get Baba and Tai-Tai's appreciations after showing great talent in their hobbies. | ||
| 17 | "Comic Opera / Not-So-Purrfect Patient" | September 25, 2001 |
| Dongwa sprains his left foreleg. Dongwa takes advantage of this to get all the attention. Sawga and Fu-Fu witness that's he perfectly fine and Mama makes him do a long chore, but both Sawga and Dongwa make up. | ||
| 18 | "Panda-monium / Festival of Lanterns" | September 26, 2001 |
The kittens are restricted from the palace rooms due to an important event, but they accidentally chase a baby panda called Ling-Ling inside. The kittens help Ling-Ling to get back to his home and family. Mama and Baba make a tiger latern for the Magistrate's lantern contest entry. In a tangle with the sleeve dogs, the kittens ruin it. They manage to crudely fix it and the contest judges are impressed with it. | ||
| 19 | "Snagged by a Thread / Master of Mistakes" | September 27, 2001 |
| 20 | "Collar of Time / The Birds, the Bees, and the Silkworms" | September 28, 2001 |
Sagwa is given by Nai-Nai an old collar which makes her a laughing stock and itches her neck. She buries it, but upon hearing its an ancient family heirloom, Sagwa gets it back from the Sleeve Dogs who found it. A great banquet will soon take place in the palace. All the birds, silkworms and bees are being driven out on Tai-Tai's orders, which causes her problems at the banquet. After she fixes the problem, Dongwa finally bids farewell to his moving friend Shau-Bau. | ||
| 21 | "Dongwa The Sailor / Invention By Mistakes" | February 12, 2002 |
| 22 | "Cool Fu-Fu / A New Cook In The Kitchen" | February 13, 2002 |
| 23 | "Tough Guy Dongwa / The Competition" | February 14, 2002 |
| While trying to maintain his reputation with the alley cats, Dongwa helps a downed bird named Haiyo, but he accidentally hurts his feelings. Dongwa makes friends with both Haiyo and Hun-Hun. | ||
| 24 | "Precious Gift / Lord Of The Fleas" | February 15, 2002 |
| Sheegwa finds Tai-Tai's jade necklace, but thinks its a toy and won't part with it as Sagwa tells it is not hers. The Alley cats swipe the necklace, but when Sheegwa gets it back it breaks. Still Tai-Tai is happy to have it back. | ||
| 25 | "My Fair Kitty / The Favorite" | February 18, 2002 |
| Dongwa is coming with Baba to fish and he believes he is Baba's favourite. They haven't caught a thing and Sagwa neglects her duty to have fun of her own. This postpones the festive boat race, but Baba forgives Sagwa. | ||
| 26 | "Luck Be A Bat / Tea For Two" | April 1, 2002 |
| 27 | "Sagwa the Stray / ...And Action" | April 2, 2002 |
| 28 | "Ba-Do and the Lantern Festival / Fu-Fu's Full Moon Flight" | April 4, 2002 |
The princesses enjoy the Lantern Festival, but Ba-Do gets dirty, mistaken for a commoner and lost with Sagwa. When they meet a nice old woman, Ba-Do decides to donate her lucky money and enjoy the last of the festival. Fu-Fu is hoaxed that he is out of his depth. He seeks the wisdom of Master Wu-Fu. At first Fu-Fu finds his lessons a bit odd, but his training pays off, especially when Sagwa is need of help. | ||
| 29 | "Wedding Day Mess / A Catfish Tale" | April 4, 2002 |
Sawga meets Uncle Catfish who tells a tale about a Shen-Shen a girl cat who didn't respect her grandfather. She fell underwater and lived with a fish Gallo for so long, she missed her grandfather. After a dilemma she married Gallo. Tai-Tai's niece Angwan has come to the palace to be wed, but Baba is reluctant to meet with her. As the kittens try to deliver a present for Angwan, a calamity ensues, but Angwan and her groom thought it was very funny and the wedding commences. | ||
| 30 | "Up,Up And Away / Spreading Rumors" | April 5, 2002 |
| 31 | "The Jade Rabbit / Dongwa's Best Friend" | April 8, 2002 |
| A new cat called Wong-Ton becomes Dongwa's mate to do a lion dance. Dongwa then realises Wong-Ton used him and took credit for his dancing. Dongwa manages to get the alley cat Ling to join in his own dance. | ||
| 32 | "The Zodiac Zoo / The Four Dragons" | April 9, 2002 |
| The kittens are fascinated by Nai-Nai's dragon tales and do a play of one to show to the alley cats. Then the mice join in the performance. By the end of the tale, the alley cats are impressed. | ||
| 33 | "Lost and Found / Three Graces" | April 10, 2002 |
| 34 | "All Grown Up / The Cat and the Wind!" | April 11, 2002 |
Sheegwa tries to act older, while Baba tries to act young again. The kittens, Baba and Fu-Fu go on a treasure hunt, Sheegwa as the leader. When they find the treasure Sheegwa and Baba finally accept their current ages. Dongwa has no taste for art. Mama tells the kittens a story about the cat Ming-Yao, a magical artist cat who brought life and good from his art. But the evil emperor wanted the power of destruction from him, until Ming-Yao banished him on a flagship. | ||
| 35 | "Too Close for Comfort / Sister Act" | April 12, 2002 |
| 36 | "Sick Day / The Name Game" | September 21, 2002 |
| Sheegwa is sick so she is begging a story and that's what Mama Miao always does when she is sick. Sagwa,Sheegwa,Dongwa and the alley cats played The Name Game. | ||
| 37 | "Shei-Hu's Secret / Homesick Jun" | September 28, 2002 |
| Shei-Hu satisfies Sagwa's curiosity on the Mouse Village. Despite her promise to keep it secret, it leaks to the alley cats who accidentally destroy the village. To make it up to the mice, the kittens aid them in rebuilding. | ||
| 38 | "The Return of the Rat / Great Balls of Fire" | September 28, 2002 |
| The Rat comes back to the palace on the run from the alley cats. He uses Sheegwa to get what turns out to be a clay cookie. Sagwa makes the rat put it back and then he becomes part of their Zodiac Game. | ||
| 39 | "Catsitter / On the Run" | October 5, 2002 |
| Sagwa hitches a ride with a puppeteer to leave her village behind, Fu-Fu coming also. The next village they arrive in is unpleasant, but their saviours the puppeteer and his dog Fang come to the rescue. However the whole adventure was a dream. | ||
| 40 | "Cha-Siu Bow Wow / Mutt That Would Be King" | October 5, 2002 |
In 2003 PBS released DVDs and VHS tapes that combined the Sagwa episodes. Here are a couple episodes from Youtube. |
Amy Tan reads her book, Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat on Sesame Street:
She starts it but Elmo finishes it. be prepared for extreme Sesame Street cuteness.
