Monthly Archives: May 2005

Meet “Chairman George Sapounidis” a Greek Canadian statistician who is a pop star in China, singing in Mandarin Chinese

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George Sapounidis is a VERY interesting man.

I first heard
about him when Moyra Rodger featured him in the CBC TV Gung Haggis Fat
Choy performance special.  Then I finally met him when he came to
Vancouver for a show earlier this year – click here for the funny story of how we met.


George now has a TV special of his own on CTV May 28th.  He invites everybody to watch 'Chairman
George' and buy the CD  'George from Athens to Beijing'

Enjoy the show Saturday
May 28  7pm on CTV in CANADA .  Thanks for your
help .  
George Sapounidis ,
Canada

www.chairmangeorge.com

———————————————————

TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY MOVIE

CHAIRMAN GEORGE – QUEST FOR THE TORCH

How a Greek-Canadian
government statistician reinvented himself as a rising Chinese pop star with dreams of bringing a message of
unity to the Olympic Games.

CTV
NATIONAL BROADCAST in CANADA
SATURDAY MAY
28   7-8 PM

Directed by Daniel Cross ,
Produced by
EyeSteelFilm
in association with CTV, BBC and TV2 Denmark

New CD Soundtrack:  'George
from Athens to Beijing'
(16 chinese and greek songs plus 5 voicebites from
documentary)

Visit        www.chairmangeorge.com  to buy the CD

Or contact   george_sapounidis@hotmail.com  with CD
orders.

For more info about the film:
———————————————————

Have an Asian Heritage Month Long Weekend – Check out these events around town and at the Children's Fesitval

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There are many many things to do on a rainy wet Vancouver weekend…
including celebrating the rain at the Children's Festival by wearing
your “welly's” and carrying your “brella.”

Check out the many events at explorASIAN
festival celebrating Asian Heritage Month.

National Acrobats of Taiwan
Vancouver International Children's Festival
Sunday 12:00 pm

Monday 3:00 pm
Vanier Park, Vancouver

BC BUDS: A SPRING ARTS FAIR
Lots of FREE events all weekend!
THE FIREHALL ARTS CENTRE
280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver

SENSES
ongoing until June…
The Centre for Performing Arts, 777 Homer, Vancouver
see my opening night review

Past ExplorAsians, Present Explorations
Chinese Canadian Genealogy
Saturday
9:30 am to 4pm
Vancouver Public Library – Alma van Dusen Room

Harry Wong
Vancouver International Children's Festival
Saturday 11am
Sunday 3pm
Vanier Park, Vancouver
I met Harry last year when he did his 5 Elements show with Rick Scott – Wonderful performance!

Drookpa: A Celebration of Mongolian and Tibetan Culture
Saturday 1:00 pm
Roundhouse Community Centre (181 Mews, Vancouver)

explorWORD – Reading Series

Featuring Lydia
Kwa, Sook Kong, Fiona Lam, Chris Gatchalian, Rita Wong, Rupinder Sohal
Saturday 7:00 pm
Our Town Café (96 Kingsway, Vancouver)

One World Taiko
Saturday
8:00 pm
Vancouver East Cultural Centre

– featuring my friends Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault from Silk Road Music

Vancouver International Children's Festival
Sunday 12 pm
Vanier Park, Vancouver

Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre

Dazzling Maori dance from ambassadors of the South Pacific.
Vancouver International Children's Festival
Saturday 11am
Sunday 4pm
Monday 11am
Vanier Park, Vancouver

Joy Kogawa readings for May 24th and May 28th in Vancouver

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Joy Kogawa at VPL May 24th

for One Book, One Vancouver premiere event

Here are details from the Vancouver Public Library website about the One Book One Vancouver program featuring Joy Kogawa.

Joy will also do a reading for Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop
May 28 7:00 pm

explorWORD – Reading Series

Our Town Café 96 Kingsway, Vancouver

Featuring Mishtu Banerjee, Joy Kogawa, Hanako Masutani, Alexis Kienlen, Glenn Deer

Obasan is a powerful and moving story of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War, told through the
eyes of a child, Naomi. Surrounded by hardship and pain, Naomi is protected by the resolute endurance of her aunt,
Obasan, and the silence of those around her. Only after Naomi grows up does she return to question that haunting silence.

Until
September, Vancouver Public Library is presenting a variety of special
events, author readings, and discussions to bring the book alive and to
explore its many ideas. Please see our One Book Upcoming Events page for details.

 

 

 

 

 

Premiere Author Reading with

Joy Kogawa

Tuesday, May 24

7:30 p.m.

Central Library (350 W. Georgia St.)

Alice MacKay Room (Lower Level)

(part of our special Library Square at 10 celebration!)

 

 

What to do on a Long Weekend in Vancouver? Check out BC Buds at the Firehall Arts Centre

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Featuring
performances and works by Joe McDonald's Brave Waves, Hiro Kanagawa,
Aretha Aoki, Adrienne Wong, C.E. Gatchalian, Takahashi Sachiyo, Colleen
Lanki + many many more..


BC
BUDS

280 East Cordova St. Vancouver, BC
****ALL EVENTS ARE FREE!
****
 
Friday May 20 : 7pm – midnight
Saturday May 21: Noon – midnight
Sunday May 22: Noon – 6pm
FULL SCHEDULE click here

LOTUS Sports Club Bill Alley Dragon Boat Regatta:

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LOTUS Sports Club Bill Alley Dragon Boat Regatta:

The Lotus Regatta went well, the rain held off, but it
was still a bit chilly and the sun didn't show.
Typical racing in May. There were 16 teams racing. Bob
Gung Haggis coach Brinson was there coaching 
WOW: Women On Water from Ft. Langley BC.

Four of our Gung Haggis paddlers showed up and I found 
them spots to paddle with the Save-On Voyageurs from
Chilliwack. They were coached by Manfred who is the
president of the Fraser Valley Dragon Boat
Association, who invited us to come paddle in the
inaugural Harrison Lake dragon boat Festival on July
16.  I have known Manfred and the Fraser Valley
paddlers since 2001.  They are a friendly bunch of
people and were very happy to welcome our paddlers, as
they are a brand new team of rookies and were short
paddlers.

Bob's team WOW - won their first race and looked very
good. They later went on to win the Women's Race at
the end of the day.

Our 4 paddlers on Save-On Voyageurs won their first
race too.  Dan and Ernest sat out the first race and
we watched from the beach with Manfred.  Dan and
Ernest learned a lot as we talked about race
preparation, and what goes on during a race.  Manfred
shared how the Save-On team had only had about 8
practices and he was very pleased with their
performance. 

The team surprised themselves and  and went on to the
Finals... very good for a team of rookies.  They
really valued the experience of Kristine and Joe, plus
the enthusiasm and muscles of our own rookies Dan and
Ernest.  Daming also showed up around 12, and was able
to watch the races.

Lots of good enthusiasm and fun today.  Can't wait to
share it all with everybody for our next practices. 
Our first race as a team will be the Alcan Dragon Boat 
Festival regatta on June 5th. From about 12 noon to 4pm. 
More details including race times tba.

Dragon Boat Races in the Vancouver Area Part 1

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8th Annual Lotus Sports Club / Bill Alley Memorial Dragon Boat Regatta

May 21st 2005

Barnet Marine Park

Burnaby, B.C

http://www.lotussports.com/events.cfm

This is a small but real friendly
race. The water is clean and the competition is friendly. One of my
favorite races because the people at Lotus Sports Club are so friendly.
Lotus is the group that started the Golden Spike Races in Port Moody on
Canada Day – but moved the races due to safety concerns with power boat
traffic / sand bars and a paddle wheeler.

June 11/12

Portland-Kaoshung Dragon Boat Race

Portland Oregon

http://www.rosefestival.org/dragonboats.html

This is the race with the infamous
“barge” Taiwanese boats – they seat 16 people and you have to “grab” a
flag. These boats are not the sleeker Taiwanese Racing boats that came
to Vancouver in 2003 which seat 18 paddlers, and are made of Alaskan
cedar. Be prepared for the boat NOT to move much on the start. Go slow
and long for the entire race. This event is run with the Portland Rose
Festival. Portland is a “city of gardens” – famous for its Rose
Gardens, Japanese Gardens and incredible Chinese Classical Gardens
built in 2001 – puts Vancouver's to shame!

July 4th

Washington Dragon Boat Festival

Commencement Bay

Tacoma, Washington

http://www.washingtondragonboat.us/

This event is hosted by the Tacoma
Dragon Boat Association – another of my favorite teams. A great group
of people which hosted the world's first Dragon Boat barrel races last
year, and subsequently replicated at the Vancouver International
Taiwanese Dragon Boat races in Hong Kong teak boats. TDBA owns their
own BUK boats. This race includes FIRE WORKS at the end of the
evening… be prepared for lots of American Rah Rah!

July 16th

Kent Cornucopia Days dragon boat races

Lake Meridien

Kent, Washington

http://www.kcdays.com/Event-DB.htm

Lovely park setting – just a few
hours drive south of the border. In 2001, the festival used BUK boats,
so that both FC Women and Wasabi could race in them before going to the
World Championships in Philly. This event collects some of the top
teams in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. More Vancouver teams have
been discovering it each year. This event includes an outdoor buffet
dinner. Make sure you stay in town on Saturday night to go to the
Cornucopia Days Festival in downtown Kent Wa. Cool medals too!

July 16th

1st Annual Fraser Valley Dragon Boat Festival

Harrison Hot Springs

http://www.fraservalleydragonboatclub.com

This could be fun… Fraser Valley
dragon boaters have wanted to host their own race on Harrison Lake for
a few years. The wind could whip up, like it does in the Okanagan – but
the Fraser Valley boaters want to brave the chop. The Harrison Festival
of the Arts is a great cultural festival to tie in with. Fraser Valley
paddlers are a good friendly bunch too!

July 23/24

1st Vernon Dragon Boat Festival

Kalamalka Lake

Vernon, BC

http://www.vernondragonboat.com/

Lake Kalamalka is one of the most
beautiful lakes I have ever paddled on. It is very clean with a great
beach! I've wanted to see a dragon boat race here for the past two
years. It's being organized by the same people who organize the Calgary
races. This is a good event to get the Kelowna teams paddling earlier.
Kal Lake is colder than Okanagan because it is deeper, and fed by snow
pack. It doesn't get swimable until late June. No Ogopogo to worry
about.

August 5/7th

Calgary Dragon Boat Festival

Glenmore Resevoir

Calgary Alberta

http://www.calgarydragonboat.com/

Clean water, an Olympic quality race
course – what more could you ask for? Lots of teams really like
Calgary. This race will also attract the paddlers from Edmonton,
Regina, Kelowna, Lethbridge and Winnipeg.

There are many reasons why the Dragon Boat Canada race-offs are held in Calgary.

August 6/7th

Portland Dragon Boat Races

Sellwood Park,

Portland Oregon

http://www.dragonsports.org/

This is the site of the infamous
T-bone collision between LA Racing Dragons and Gung Haggis Fat Choy in
2003. This is a lovely park setting and a very friendly environment.
Lots of paddler swapping went on in 2003 – hence LARD had a boat
containing V02 Max paddlers with a steersperson from Pink Phoenix and
Gung Haggis had paddlers from Wasabi, and Zamboanga. If you have an
extra day for travel, drive out to the Oregon Coast for your ride home.
Great beaches + the famous Haystack Rock monolith.

September 10th

Penticton Dragon Boat Festival

Okanagan Lake

Penticton, BC

http://www.prcc.bc.ca/dragonboat/festivals.php

Another lovely park and beach setting
on the south shores of Lake Okanagan, and right beside a casino! About
24 teams last year. I paddled with Tacoma DBA, and we had the fastest
time, until the wind blew up and the races were post-poned before being
cancelled. Good fun alternate choice if you can't get into the Kelowna
DBF. Great chance to visit Canada's only pocket desert near Oosooyoos
too!.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team practice review and weekend plans

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Hi everybody

Good but small practice on wednesday night.
We had the minimum of 10 paddlers going out - then we
picked up Ashley at the Dragon Zone dock.

People really enjoyed the smaller practice with more
focus on individual attention.  Big big differences in
people's improvement by the end of the practice.  

More emphasis on: 
1) posture (sitting upright), 
2) keeping the top hand outside the boat
3) Reaching forward more
4) exiting sooner before your knee
5) get the paddle DEEPER - only the shaft is visible
above the water.
6) less splashing - less white water

Thanks to everybody participating in the UBC sports
Kinetics survey by Meaghan McDonough.  This will help
develop learning standards in the dragon boat
community.  I have surveys for people who missed
filling it out on Wednesday.

Unfortunately a number of people have classes on
Wednesday or were sick.  Bob and I have decided that
for future Wednesday practices will start at 6pm, and
we will be on the water from 6:25 to 7:25.  This will
ensure people will not be late coming from work, or
rushed in traffic.  We believe a higher quality but
shorter practice will be more beneficial to everybody.
Please park your car in the lot north of Columbia
street, or on West 1st ave. and walk to the DBA
clubhouse.

THIS SATURDAY - 9am

Lotus Sports Club Regattaa - see
http://www.lotussports.com/club.cfm
for info and maps

Bob Brinson will be coaching his Ft. Langley team
"WOW" aka Women On Water - come out and hang with the
team, maybe... become a mercenary paddler on another
team - or VOLUNTEER!  It's a great group of people and
a fun small race of usually 12 to 16 or 20 boats.

THIS SUNDAY - 2pm

We will have a dragon boat practice this Sunday 2pm at
DBA Warehouse compound 215 West 1st ave.  Many people
are out of town as well.  So this is a good time to
bring a friend who is interested as well.  Focus will
be on paddling techniques.

Please bring an idea of what you would like to improve
on.  eg. paddling technique, reach, exit, posture,
endurance, strength, mental focus, visualization.

Cheers, Todd

BC Election: Chinese Canadian MLA's re-elected, elected for May 17th

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BC's May 17th provincial election re-elected Jenny Kwan (Vancouver
Mount Pleasant) by one of the biggest majorities in the election.
Kwan's 43% margin over Liberal opponent Juliet Andalis, a Filipino
nurse, was 3rd only to West Vancouver – Capilano's Ralph Sultan's 52%
and Vancouver Quilchena's Colin Hansen's 47%.

Returning Liberals Ida Chong (Oak Bay-Gordon Head) won by a narrow
margin of 1121 votes (5% victory margin), while Richad Lee (Burnaby
North) won a squeaker by only 339 votes (4% victory margin). Former
minister for Multiculturalism Patrick Wong lost his Vancouver Kensington
seat by 1,295 votes to NDP's David Chudnovshky. Liberal newcomer John
Yap handily won Richmond-Steveston by 4,913 votes.

Burnaby Willingdon was an interesting riding to watch as Chinese media
journalist Gabriel Yiu lost narrowly to the Liberal's John Nuraney by a
5% margin of 595 votes. It might have been speculated that the
Democratic Reform candidate Tony Kuo and independent candidate Tom Tao
would split the Chinese vote. When Kuo and Tao's combined votes of 642
are added to Yiu's 5,243 votes to create a grand total of 5,885. He
then comes ahead of Nuraney's 5,828 by 57 votes.

Does the Chinese ethnic vote make a difference? or are Chinese
Canadians voting for the party and the person. Today on Vaughan
Palmer's BC Reports show on Shaw TV, he interviewed retired MLA's
Christy Clark and Joy McPhail and asked them about the Chinese and
Indo-Canadian communities. Both reported that the ethnic communities
are incredibly diverse and “textured.” I also have heard that many of
the ethnic communities vote Liberal, because it was the Liberals that
changed the immigration rulings that allowed them easier access to
immigrate to Canada.

Do Chinese MLA's make a difference in the legislature?
Jenny Kwan was, I think, the first Chinese Canadian MLA in BC. She has
worked extremely hard to represent both the causes and issues of recent
immigrants and the pionneer history of the Chinese in BC. It all comes
down to representation of experience. Mike Harcourt had an
understanding of Chinese Canadians because he had good friends who were
Chinese such as Shirley Chan, his administrative assistant – but he
didn't carry the issues in his life experience as she did.

I have met Jenny Kwan, Richard Lee and Patrick Wong. I believe that
Kwan best understands the Chinese historical roots that best relate to
me as a 5th generation Vancouverite. The issues in the Chinese
community are diverse and transcend many generations. It is only with a
broader range of Chinese Canadian, Indo-Canadian, Scottish Canadian,
and First Nations peoples, that the BC Legislature can truly be
representative of all Canadians. The histories of all our peoples,
Ukranian, French, Spanish and Japanese are imbedded in our province.

If we ignore our cultural histories, then we ignore our understandings
of ourselves. This is what the province did when they invoked the
racist “Potlatch” law against the Native Peoples of this province in an
effort to systematically weaken First Nations culture and traditions. I
believe that culture matters more than economics in defining who we
are. But it is a strong economy that supports a strong culture. I hope
that all our BC provincial MLA's can embrace our province's cultures,
and that our Chinese Canadian MLA's do their best to represent our
shared heritage and culture.

Voting in BC today – Since 1947, Chinese Canadians can vote and be voted for

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It's hard to believe that Canadians of Chinese ancestry have only been
able to vote in BC since 1947.  My grandmother was born in
Victoria BC, in 1910, the grand-daughter of Chinese Canadian pioneer Rev. Chan Yu Tan. 
After she turned the legal voting age of 18, she had to wait another 19
years before she could vote in 1947 when Chinese were allowed to vote
in BC. 

My Uncle Dan
and his fellow Chinese Canadian war veterans told me the story about
after they were allowed to join the Canadian Armed Forces, they were
stationed in Alberta.  On a Canadian federal election day, their
sergeant told them to go vote.  Uncle Dan and his mates said “We
can't vote, Chinese aren't allowed to vote.” 

The reply was “You're in the King's Army, and you can vote.”

When I became of legal voting age, my father has always emphasized that
I should exercise my right to vote.  Dad was born in Victoria BC,
in 1925.  He wasn't able to vote until 1947 when he turned 22
years old. But his older brothers and sisters had to wait longer until
the racist voting laws in BC were changed.

Here are some voting and political highlights in Chinese Canadian history

1920 
A dozen Chinese veterans who served in the Canadian Army during W.W.I are given the right to vote.

1945 
British Columbia passes a law giving the vote to Asians who are Canadian citizens and fought in W.W.II.

1947
Chinese Canadians given right to vote in federal elections.

1949 
British Columbia gives all Chinese Canadians the right to vote in provincial elections.

1957
Douglas Jung was the first Chinese Canadian to be elected to the federal parliament.

1993
Raymond Chan (born in Hong Kong) became the first Chinese Canadian to sit on the federal Privy Council.

1998
Jenny Kwan became first Chinese Canadian cabinet minister in BC legislature

Vivienne Poy appointed first Chinese Canadian senator

Below is a picture of Jenny Kwan at the 2005 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner in Vancouver.