How do communities assimilate with their larger host cultures?  Does living in the United States mean sacrificing ancient traditions, values, and beliefs for the sake of fitting in? In this episode of Ties That Bind, we'll explore three diverse communities who must decide how much to integrate with American culture and how much to preserve of their unique traditions.

We'll start with a fascinating trip to the Mille Lac reservation, where Native Americans are building casinos to combat poverty, and we will discover how they are using the new money to regenerate their community and their cultural pride.  Next, we'll explore the marshy swamplands of St. Helena Island, South Carolina, where descendents of slaves have created their own unique community.  They keep the vibrant traditions of their ancestors alive with animated storytelling and spectacular seafood feasts. Finally, we'll tour the colorful streets of San Francisco's Chinatown and explore the festivals that help older generations pass on their values to their children. Lion dancing and Wu Shu provoke the ancient wisdom of the elders to a new, American-born generation.		  

NETWORK: Discovery Networks
LENGTH: 31 x 60
DATE: 2001
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