'Herro nice Duke Peopre!!': Fraternity's Asian-themed party featuring kimonos and sumo-wrestling outfits ignites outrage on campus



A Duke fraternity's Asian-themed party featuring kimonos, conical hats and sumo-wrestling outfits has ignited outrage on campus, prompting hundreds of students to organize a protest rally Wednesday.



The controversial party was held by the Kappa Sigma fraternity on Friday. Invitations to the event went out via email on January 29.

'Herro Nice Duke Peopre!!' the email invitations began. 'We are proud to announce the return of Kappa Sigma Asia Prime, this Friday! We look forward to having Mi, Yu, You, and Yo Friends... over for some Sake.'

Members of the Asian Students Association at Duke are incensed over a fraternity's decision to throw a themed party replete with offensive Asian stereotypes and they posted these flyers around campus to raise awareness



The controversial party was held by the Kappa Sigma fraternity on Friday. Invitations to the event went out via email on January 29

The email was signed, 'Chank You, The Brothers of Kappa Sigma.'

The Asian Students Association is organizing the rally and more than 700 students have signed up to participate. The association is also holding an 'open discussion' on the issue with Duke's student government on Thursday.



The party was reported to university officials before it was held, which prompted the fraternity to change the name of the gathering to 'International Relations.'

A second invitation was sent out following the change that said: 'The Brothers of Kappa Sigma regret to inform you that our forebrothers' secrets of the far east have not survived the move back onto campus. Without them, Asia Prime cannot go on and must be cancelled. Instead, Kappa Sigma presents: International Relations. A celebration of all cultures and the diversity of Duke.'

This is the email invitation to the party that was sent out by Kappa Sigma, a fraternity at Duke. The email was made into a flyer and posted around campus by the Asian Student Association

But pictures obtained and posted on Facebook by senior Ashley Tsai, Tong Xiang and Ting-Ting Zhou reveal that the party went on as planned, regardless.



'This is not just about Asians, one party or one frat,' Tsai told the Houston Chronicle . 'This is a consistent thing happening. We want serious things to be done by the student body and the University so that this never happens again.'

The pictures, which show students at a party dressed in kimonos, conical hats and sumo-wrestling suits, prompted a heated debate on Facebook.



In defense of the fraternity party, Michelle Bard wrote, 'It's called having a sense of humor. You guys should get to know this group of people before spending hours trying to trash their reputations.'



In response, Zachary Glanz wrote, 'This party had nothing to do with a sense of humor. It had to do with a sense of hatred and ignorance.'

Added Abbey Bucher Ness: 'I hope that people who claim to have a "sense of humor" will one day realize that a sense of humor grounded in the debasing of other people is wrong.'

The protest rally was announced on a Facebook page. It was scheduled for 1 p.m. on Duke's campus

A bulletin board in the West Union Building was filled by the words 'HOW DARE YOU KSIG' cut from newsprint

On another Facebook page announcing the rally, which was scheduled for 1 p.m. on Duke's campus, a group called the Asian American Alliance writes, 'The events of the past week have deeply hurt students in our community... Duke is on stage today. The world is watching, and the media will scrutinize our every word looking for the story they want.

'Duke: This is our opportunity to come together and redefine our identity.'