Auntie Helen Lee and Todd Wong – photo Halya Kuchmij
Monthly Archives: October 2006
Rev. Chan family descendants: Todd Wong, Roberta Lum and Victor Wong – photo Halya Kuchmij
Dan Seto holds the book “Finding Memories, Tracing Routes” in which he authored a story about his family – photo Todd Wong
CHSBC writing workshop: My cousin Hayne Wai, Dan Seto, Todd Wong (me)
“Finding Memories, Tracing Routes:” CCHSBC book launch BIG SUCCESS for Chinese Canadian Family Stories
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“Finding Memories, Tracing Routes:”
CCHSBC book launch BIG SUCCESS
for Chinese Canadian Family Stories
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
7:30pm
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street.
Author Dan Seto
holding a copy of the CCHSBC book Finding Memories, Tracing
Routes” Dan's story includes a beaver… how Canadian is that? –
photo Todd Wong
Almost two hundred people attended the book launch of the Chinese Canadian
Historical Society of BC's book launch for “Finding Memories, Tracing
Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories.”
Family
and friends + interested listeners all crowded into the Alice Mackay
Room at the Vancouver Public Library to hear about how self-confessed
non-writers helped create the most significant new book about Chinese
Canadian stories. CCHSBC executive members described how the 6
week writing project took place and what its' significance means to how
history will be understood.
Dr.
Henry Yu, UBC professor of History said “Many people think that history
is defined by the historians, but it's not – it's really defined by the
people who tell the stories. The authors in this book have
changed how history is being told.”
Editor Brandy Liên
Worrall, who was a former editor for the Amerasia Journal
in Los Angeles, led the 6 week workshop. With simple exercises,
the 8 first-time writers were able to discover their topics, and flesh
out their stories with details, sights, sounds and emotional
experiences. Worrall was credited by each of the writers as being
very
supportive, and able to make their stories really come alive.
Shirley
Chan, one of the writers, said she had always wanted to be able to
share the stories that her mother had told her – but she didn't know
how. The writing workshop with a group setting not only helped her to
write, but she developed lots of new friends, and a sense of community
too!
Writer
Hayne Wai (also my cousin), who is also currently president of the
CCHSBC, said it is important to note that nobody considered themselves
a “writer” before the workshop. They didn't know what a
“metaphor” was. And while they all had different reasons for
wanting to write, they also had different audiences to write for.
Some people wrote for their parents or their ancestors. Some
people wrote for their family and future generations. But many of
the writers each admitted that it was also important for them to write
for themselves.
Dan
Seto was the one writer selected to give a testimonial presentation to how the
workshop helped him to give voice to the stories inside him, as well as
helping to understand his brothers and his parents better. And along
the way, Dan said the writing process helped him to mature. Dan
introduced his family to the audience. And he introduced his
dragon boat team too! He asked the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon
boat team and its coach – me… to stand up and credited us with giving
him the support and listening to his stories about his family.
All
of the eight authors attended the book launch, and next took seats near
the stage. They answered questions from the audience, then signed
copies of the books for family, friends and fans.
Author Dan Seto holds a copy of
“Finding Memories” with his dragon boat team buddies, Todd, Jen,
Stephen, Wendy, Jonas, Julie, Grace, Tzhe and Jeremy. – photo courtesy
of Grace.
We
really do love Dan on the dragon boat team. He and many others on
the team regularly exchange ideas about Chinese-Canadian identity and
issues, as well as thoughts about issues that affect us. This
year I openly shared with the team about my activities in the Save
Kogawa House and Head Tax redress campaigns. Others talked with
Dan about where we grew up, and where our ancestors grew up. And
like the writing group our Dragon boat team members provides lots
of social support – the following paddlers came out to support Dan:
Grace, Julie, Jonas, Wendy, Jennifer, Jeremy, Tzhe, Joe, Keng, Gerard,
Stephen, Steven, Christine and myself.
CCHSBC president Hayne Wai (my
cousin!), Dan Seto and Todd Wong (me!), attending the Oct 21st CCHSBC
writing workshop at the Vancouver Museum – photo courtesy of Todd Wong
The Chinese Canadian
Historical Society of BC proudly presents the first
collection of eight stories demonstrating the power of finding common
history in the lives and deaths of those who came before us. Created
during a six-week community writing workshop, this touching and
evocative book is a must-read for all Canadians who want to understand
the central place of Chinese-Canadians in our shared past.
Authors: Shirley Chan,
Belinda Hung, Roy Mah, Dan Seto, Hayne Wai, Candace Yip, Gail Yip and
Ken Yip.
Editor: Brandy Liên
Worrall
Proceeds from the sales of this
collection will go towards the Edgar Wickberg Scholarship for
Chinese Canadian History.
For additional
information on the book launch, please email
info@cchsbc.ca.
For information on the
collection and/or how to purchase, please go its
dedicated page.
To
find out more information on the upcoming February workshop that will
focus on “Stories about Family and Food” – please go to www.cchsbc.ca/
Federal Govt to name Vancouver building after noted MP who made racist comments
Federal Govt. to name Vancouver building after noted MP who made racist comments
The latest hot issue in the Asian-Canadian community is the Federal government's attempt to name a Vancouver building after a Conservative MP who served during Diefenbaker's government. Howard Green apparently made the following statements:
“Orientals (should) be excluded from Canada .”
– Vancouver News-Herald front-page story on July 25, 1939
– Vancouver News-Herald front-page story on July 25, 1939
“Mr.
Green felt there should be 'no halfway measures about the Japanese
question in Canada.” 'The Japs must never be allowed to return to
British Columbia”
– The Vancouver Sun of May 17, 1945
Many
Japanese-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian community leaders are speaking
out against the naming of the building. My quick perusal of the
internet reveals the Hon. Howard Green to have held cabinet
positions of Public Works, Defense Building, External Affairs.
John Diefenbaker called him “one of the greatest leaders in the
field of disarmament and world peace”as he was a strong advocate of
world peace and the United Nations.
So what is true? Did
this WW1 veteran feel that Canada's existence was really threatened by
Canadian born citizens of Japanese ancestry? Even though
Japanese-Canadian soldiers were accepted in the Canadian Army?
Did he ever recant his racist declarations? Was he a victim of
the times, when Canada was swept up in fear of attack from Japan that
everybody and their dog wanted BC's Westcoast free from anything
Japanese… even though Japanese-Americans were never interned or sent
away from the Hawaiian Islands.
Other possible names were apparently considered, such as Chief Dan George and Terry Fox.
Do
we condone racist comments as the tenor of the times, or do we move
along and say that while it may have been acceptable back then, it is
no longer acceptable now. After having worked on the Save Kogawa
House committee, and the Head Tax Redress campaign it is amazing to
discover the deep-rooted emotions that many Canadians have had towards
these issues. These emotions are valid, and we cannot move
forward as a country until we stop paying lip service to these
issues. This is the reason why we must ensure that all
communities that have vested interests are not only part of the naming
process, but also part of the decision making bodies – such as the
government. Otherwise we have uninformed people going “What's the
fuss?”
Minister asks volunteer committee to review recommendation on naming of Howard Green Building
For immediate release
Ottawa,
October 24, 2006 – The Honourable Michael M Fortier, Minister of Public
Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), today announced that he
will ask the local volunteer committee in British Columbia to review
its recommendation regarding the naming of the Howard Charles Green
Building in Vancouver.
In
keeping with the Policy on Naming Government of Canada Structures, a
volunteer committee comprised of representatives of Vancouver
organizations held public consultations and made a recommendation in
2004 for consideration by the Government on the naming of the federal
building at 401 Burrard St . The organizations included the Downtown
Business Association, the Vancouver Business Improvement Association,
the Vancouver Historical Society, and the Vancouver Heritage Commission.
“Following
concerns expressed by Canadians of Japanese descent regarding the
naming of the Howard Charles Green Building , I will be asking the
volunteer committee to review its recommendation and indicate whether
it continues to stand by this recommendation,” Minister Fortier said.
Mr.
Fortier committed his department to taking immediate action to work
with the volunteer committee to review the recommendation and to report
back to him as soon as possible.
“I will await the results of this review before making any decision regarding the naming of this building,” the Minister added.
-30-
ce texte est également disponible en français.
For further information, please contact:
Jean-Luc Benoît
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Fortie
819-997-5421
Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
PWGSC news releases are also available on our Internet site at www.pwgsc.gc.ca/text/generic/media-e.html
End
For Immediate Release
October 25, 2006
CCNC to Ottawa : Name Building After Heroes Who Survived Racism
TORONTO:
The Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) is calling on Ottawa to
reverse a decision to name a federal building after the late Howard
Charles Green, a former Conservative MP who served in Prime Minister
John Diefenbaker's government.
The
Globe and Mail published a story on October 24, 2006 bringing attention
to some of the racist comments made by Mr. Green, when he was a Member
of Parliament:
“A Vancouver News-Herald front-page story on July 25, 1939, had Mr.
Green
demanding 'Orientals be excluded from Canada .' The Vancouver Sun of
May 17, 1945, states: “Mr. Green felt there should be 'no halfway
measures about the Japanese question in Canada .
” 'The Japs must never be allowed to return to British Columbia ,' he said.””
“We
are dismayed to learn that the Conservative Government chose last month
to name a building after someone who advocated so forcefully for
exclusion of Asians in general and internment and repatriation of
Japanese Canadians in particular,” Colleen Hua, CCNC National President
said today. “The irony is that we just completed a ceremony to restore
dignity to our few living Head Tax payers including 99 year-old Charlie
Quan and WWII veteran Gim Wong who both who lived through the Chinese
Exclusion Act era.”
“There are no half-way measures about fighting racism in Canada”
“My
question is how members of the Japanese Canadian community will feel
walking into a building named after someone described as ‘among the
most vocal and unregenerate of the racist politicians,’” Sid Tan, CCNC
National Director added. “Where are the lessons of redress here? This
building should be named after Suzuki, Kogawa, Miki, Shoyama and the
true heroes who survived this vicious racism.”
Chinese
Canadian National Council (CCNC) continues to work with other
redress-seeking groups including the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head
Tax Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition) and Head Tax Families of
Canada Society (formerly the B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses
and Descendants) in the campaign for inclusive redress of the Chinese
Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act.
– 30-
For more information, please contact:
Sid Tan, CCNC National Director, (604) 783-1853 ( Vancouver )
Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director, (416) 977-9871 ( Toronto )
Sinfonia, Orchestra of the North Shore performs on Saturday October 28
Sinfonia, Orchestra of the North Shore
performs on Saturday October 28
Centennial Theatre
North Vancouver
7:30pm
pre-concert talk by Gerald van Wyck at 6:30
Our friend, violinist Mark Ferris, will be performing Concerto Number 3 “Strassburg,” by Mozart as part of an Austrian themed concert. Soprano Lambroula Maria Pappas will also be featured.
http://www.sinfonia-orchestra.com/concert_season.html
Centennial Theatre Box Office: 604-984-4484
CBC Generations: Film interviews begin today on the history of Rev. Chan family
CBC Generations: Film interviews begin today on the history of Rev. Chan family
Todd Wong is interviewed by producer
Halya Kuchmij for the CBC Generations series documentary, at the Dr.
Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens. Wong's maternal
great-great-grandfather Rev. Yu Tan Chan met with Dr. Sun Yat Sen,
during his visits to Vancouver. Wong's paternal cousin Joe Wai is
architect of the gardens. – photo Rick Zimmerman.
We started filming interviews today on the CBC documentary series Generations, which will feature the the Rev. Chan Yu Tan family.
It is part of a CBC series that focuses on the histories of families
through the generations. Past episodes include: 100 Years in
Alberta; 100 Years in Sasketchewan; A Century on the Siksika Reserve.
Today our interviews were done at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens.
We had a very nice shot of the gardens behind me, while producer Halya
Kuchmij asked me questions. Camera person is Doug. Sound
person is Rick. They have both been doing additional filming of
me at the Richmond Terry Fox Run, and also for a Chinese Canadian
veterans reunion in Victoria last weekend.
Halya's interview topics included:
– what I knew about my great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan;
– what was Vancouver like when Rev. Chan Yu Tan came to Canada in 1896;
– what kind of racial prejudice did Chinese-Canadians face in Canada;
– how has knowing about Rev. Chan influenced any of my community service
Then the rain started getting bigger and wetter. We went for
lunch at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant which specializes in the old-time style
of Cantonese food favoured by the Pioneer descendants of the 20th
Century. Co-owner Joanna was very friendly to us, and recommended
a number of dishes. Halya, Rick, Doug and I exchanged stories
about eating Chinese food, and growing up in Canada. Doug grew up
in southern Alberta. Halya grew up in Manitoba, and I grew up in
Vancouver, BC.
We returned to the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens in the afternoon to film me
playing the song “Amazing Grace” on my accordion. It's a song
that imagine Rev. Chan playing on his own pump organ. It was
written by former Scottish sea captain, John Newton, who sailed African
slaves to the United States. He later “saw the light,” and
insisted that the slaves be treated humanely. He later became a
Chuch minister.
We filmed me playing the song slow… then fast. I was wearing my
“Fraser Hunting tartan” kilt, to emphasize my character of “Toddish
McWong.” It was lovely playing Amazing Grace in the
gardens. With the gentle rain falling, few tourists
visited. The gardens were peacefully quiet despite the traffic
noise. And indeed the gardens provide a cultural meditative oasis
in the heart of this busy city called Vancouver.
Tomorrow we travel to Vancouver Island to visit two of Rev. Chan Yu
Tan's grandchildren who remember attending his services at his Nanaimo
Church during the 1930's.
Cafe de Chinitas: when Flamenco and Chinese music meet
Cafe de Chinitas: when Flamenco and Chinese music meet
Saturday October 28
8pm
Norman Rothstein Theatre,
Mozaico Flamenco Company
+ Orchid Ensemble
I love Flamenco Music… so I was happily surprised when Lan from the Orchid Ensemble handed me this flyer for the latest project that she will be involved in.
The Orchid Ensemble has been involved with both traditional and fusion forms of Chinese music in Vancouver for many years, as well as jazz and contemporary. Lan Tung is the innovative erhu (Chinese violin) player whose influences cross classical, celtic, middle-eastern, folk and blues. Gelina Jiang is a multi-instrumentalist who can play zheng, ruan, yuetqin, pipa, jinhu and jin-erhu. Jonathan Bernard is a percussionist who also loves the marimba.
Combine these fine musicians with flamenco dancers and musicians, mix them up, light a fire, and watch them go! (or listen!)
Oscar Nieto
and Kasandra founded the Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy in 2002. “Mozaico,” refers to the diversity of the ensemble, a mosaic
of students from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, and various diversities who love flamenco at the academy.
It's hard for me to play flamenco on my accordion… I have tried to play Al di Meola's “Mediterranean Sundance” but I think I have to stick to my tangos, and other latin tunes like El Choclo, Espana and Two Guitars. I have seen flamenco greats, Paco de Lucia and Paco Pena in concert here in Vancouver. And twice… I attended dinner with Paco after his Misa Flamenco concerts… wow… what a treat to have such an attentive cousin who was friends with Paco back in London in the early 1970's.
Finding Memories, Tracing Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories Book Launch
Finding Memories,
Tracing Routes:
Chinese Canadian Family Stories book launch
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
7:30pm
Vancouver Public Library
350 West Georgia Street.
Central Branch
Alice Mackay Room
This
event will be interesting! I know many of the authors included in
this anthology. Hayne Wai is my cousin – That's our grandmother
in the picture with my father and his mother, and our Auntie Rose,
Uncle James and Uncle Gilbert.
Dan
Seto is a dragon boater on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat
team. Dan joined the team after we met at a CCHSBC event last
year.
Shirley
Chan and her brother Larry are family friends. Shirley's mother
did a lot of community work in Chinatown and was recently featured in
an episode of Mother Tongue.
Chan and her brother Larry are family friends. Shirley's mother
did a lot of community work in Chinatown and was recently featured in
an episode of Mother Tongue.
The Chinese Canadian
Historical Society of BC presents the formal book launch of the
groundbreaking collecting for capturing the diversity of British
Columbia and Canada's past. This eight-story collection features
touching and memorable family stories. The
Canadian Chinese Historical Society of BC proudly presents the first
collection of eight stories demonstrating the power of finding common
history in the lives and deaths of those who came before us. Created
during a six-week community writing workshop, this touching and
evocative book is a must-read for all Canadians who want to understand
the central place of Chinese-Canadians in our shared past.
Authors: Shirley Chan,
Belinda Hung, Roy Mah, Dan Seto, Hayne Wai, Candace Yip, Gail Yip and
Ken Yip.
Editor: Brandy Liên
Worrall
Proceeds from the sales of this
collection will go towards the Edgar Wickberg Scholarship for
Chinese Canadian History.
For additional
information on the book launch, please email
info@cchsbc.ca.
For information on the
collection and/or how to purchase, please go its
dedicated page.