Monthly Archives: October 2006

Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque

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Charlie Quan receives the first head tax redress cheque


Arms raised in triumph! Head
Tax redress campaigners Victor Wong, Gim Wong, Sid Tan stand behind the
second and first head tax ex-gratia payments to Thomas Soon and Charlie
Quan – photo Todd Wong

Ninety-nine year old Charlie Quan recieved the very first ex-gratia cheque
for Chinese head tax redress, presented by Bev Oda, Minister of
Canadian Heritage and Status of Women.  Oda and David Emerson,
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacifc Gateway and
the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, were in town to present the cheques to
Quan, Thomas Soon (aged 95) and Ah Foon Chin (aged 96) who could not attend and was represented by his daughter-in-law. 

In 1923, Quan had to
pay $500 to enter Canada, estimated to be the cost of a house or two
years wages back then.  Only ethnic Chinese were charged the head
tax.  It was a concerted effort to keep Canada white, and
discourage Chinese from coming to Canada. 
Beginning in 1885, the Canadian government imposed a
$50 fee on Chinese immigrants, which was raised to $100 in 1900 and to
$500 in 1903. But by 1923,
Chinese were still coming, so the Canadian government passed the
“Chinese Exclusion Act” which effectively banned all Chinese
immigration, and was not rescinded untl 1947, after WW2,

During the head tax redress campaign,
Charlie Quan repeatedly stated that he wanted his money back. 
Quan was interviewed for the NFB documentary ” In the Shadow of Gold Mountain,” written and directed by head tax descendant Karen Cho. 
Earlier in 2006, Quan stated that he thought a head tax redress
settlement would be worth $35,000. 

After Quan received his cheque and posed for pictures with Minister Bev Oda, he sat down beside his friend Gim Wong,
also a veteran of Chinese head tax who completed a “Ride for Redress” on his motorcycle across
Canada to Ottawa in 2005 to draw attention to the head tax/exclusion act redress
campaign. Wong was also featured in the movie “In the Shadow of Gold Mountain.” 
Quan and Gim immediately looked at the cheque and
began to count to check the number of “zeroes”on it.  After so
many years of seemingly hopeless campagining, they still found it hard
to believe that redress payments were actually happening. 
Payments for surviving spouses will begin in November, 2006.



Hon. Bev Oda presents the cheque to
Thomas Soon in front of media cameras.  Gim Wong (seated 
center in uniform) smiles.  Charlie Quan shows his cheque to
grandson Terry. – photo Todd Wong

Quan was accompanied by his favorite grandson Terry Quan and Terry's
wife and two children.  Together they represented a legacy of four
generations of Chinese Canadians going back to 1923 when Charlie Quan
arrived with his father in 1923.

Also accompanying Quan and Wong, were Victor Wong, executive
director
of the Chinese Canadian National Council,
Colleen Hua (national CCNC
president), and Sid Tan national CCNC board representative.  Both
Wong and Hua and travelled from Toronto to attend the event, and both
say they will continue the campaign to include descendants of
predeceased head tax payers and spouses.



Head Tax redress campaigners Ron Mah,
Colleen Hua (CCNC National president), Gim Wong and Victor Wong (CCNC
executive director) – photo Todd Wong

It was the CCNC that helped lead the campaign for a more comprehensive
redress package than the Agreement-in-Principle that was signed almost
a year ago by Prime Minister Paul Martin.  That agreement gave no
apology nor individual compensation, and only promised an
“acknowledgement,” and community funding.

Also present were many of the members of the Head Tax Families Society,
including Ron Mah, Foon Chan, Cynthia Lee and myself.  Other head
tax descendants attending were Col. Howe Lee and Vancouver city
councillor George Chow.  Howe was a signatory on the Liberal
Agreement-in-principle document for which the veterans signed onto
because they hoped to see some form of “acknowledgement” in their
lifetime as they saw their numbers  dwindling each year.  Up
until the Liberal A.I.P., no previous Canadian government had been
willing to tackle the Chinese head tax or Exclusion Act
issue.   While the NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party each
agreed to the CCNC call for Head Tax apology – the Conservative Party
did not join the redress bandwagon until after Prime Minister Paul
Martin stumbled on his pseudo apology given on a Chinese language radio
program.


Head Tax Descendants: Vancouver City
Councillor George Chow and Col. Howe Lee, president of the Chinese
Canadian Military Museum attended the event – photo Todd Wong.

After the initial and obligatory photographs of each cheque
recipient were taken with Ministers Oda and Emerson, I suggested a
photo with all
the head tax descendants in the room together.  Both Sid Tan and
Howe Lee had to finish media interviews before they were able to join
us standing at the front.  The three head tax redress cheque
recipients sat on chairs in front, beside Ministers Oda and
Emerson.  Gim and Sid were both heard saying to Charlie Quan “We
kept our promise” – which was to continue campaigning for head tax
redress until he would a redress payment.  They cut it pretty darn
close to Charlie turning 100 years old before the redress payment
arrived.

I was asked today how I felt about the presentation of the cheques, and
my reply was that it is bittersweet.  Only less than 1% of 81,000
head tax payers and spouses will recieve the ex-gratia cheque payments,
because the Conservative government is only giving them to surviving
head tax payers or their surviving spouses.  This means that there
will be no recognition of the head tax certificate paid by my
great-grandfather Ernest Lee, because both he and my great-grandmother
passed away a long time ago.  Only head tax payers and spouses who
were still alive in February 2006 when the Conservative government came
to power will be recognized.

Sid Tan, long time head tax activist since the 1980's says that the
campaign for honour and justice will continue.  Sid's late
grandfather paid the head tax, but his grandmother is no longer alive
to collect a redress cheque.

But all is not bitter….  There is much to celebrate.  One
year ago on Novmber 26th.  Then Prime Minister Paul Martin came to
Vancouver for the A-I-P ceremony, and met with Charlie Quan, so that
Martin could have a “face to face”with an actual living breathing head
tax payer. Martin told Quan to his face, that there would be no
individual compensation.  What a difference seven months made when
on June 22, Charlie Quan sat at the Hotel Vancouver listening to Prime
Minister Harper make an apology for the Chinese head tax, and promised
that there would be payments to living head tax payers and spouses.

After the ceremony, we walked up Pender St. and celebrated at the New
Town Bakery for lunch.  Charlie was surrounded by his grandson and
grandsons.  Gim Wong sat at the next table with Ron Chin, Foon
Chang, Victor Wong and myself.  Sid joined us immediately after
going to the CBC studios for an interview.  We took
pictures.  Charlie held his cheque up for all to see. And…
Charlie Quan paid for our celebration.



The celebratory meal…  Charlie
Quan holds his ex-gratia head tax payment cheque, accompanied by
redress campaigners Sid Tan, Gim Wong, Foon Chang, Ron Mah, Victor Wong
and Todd Wong

Click here for Susanna Ng's article + pictures:  Canada-delivers-first-head-tax-redress

Click here for more Head Tax information, links and stories on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com

check out these other head tax media stories:

Ottawa issues head tax redress payments to Chinese Canadians

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/10/20/head-tax.html

Cheques of $20,000 given to surviving head tax payers

Vancouver Sun 

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=
af360db4-1ff5-4cae-9cdd-bae5b95ef912&k=81059

CCNC: First Redress Payments Issued On Friday

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CCNC:  First Redress Payments Issued On Friday

Here's a news release from the Chinese Canadian National Council in Toronto.

Finally after many years of campaigning, and after many peaceful marches and demonstrations and rallies and meetings… redress payment for the Chinese head tax is happening.  I will be there.

For Immediate Release

October 18, 2006

First Redress Payments Issued On Friday

(Toronto/Vancouver). Representatives of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) will be attending the presentation of first redress payments to Chinese Head Tax payers in Vancouver on Friday. CCNC representatives include: Colleen Hua, CCNC National President, Sid Chow Tan, CCNC National Director and Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director.

Where:      S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

            28 West Pender St. , Vancouver , British Columbia

When:       October 20, 2006 at 10:30 am

CCNC and redress groups have led the campaign for redress of the Chinese Head Tax, Newfoundland Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act for over 22 years. During this period, CCNC has registered more than 4000 head tax payers and families seeking a just and honourable resolution. On June 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology and announced individual symbolic financial redress to living head tax payers and living spouses of deceased head tax payers.

CCNC and redress groups have been assisting the living head tax payers with their application since late August. “We are very happy for the head tax payers who will be receiving these first payments,” Colleen Hua, CCNC National President said today. “This is a restorative moment for the Chinese Canadian community as we begin a genuine process of reconciliation with the Canadian Government.”

CCNC and redress groups continue to press for redress that is inclusive of all head tax families. “The June 22nd redress announcement covers just over 10% of the head tax families registered with us,” Victor Wong, CCNC Executive Director said today. “We will press for inclusive redress to restore dignity to all head tax families including those where the head tax payer and spouse have both passed away.”

CCNC continues to work with other redress groups including the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families (Ontario Coalition) and B.C. Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants (B.C. Coalition) in the campaign to redress the Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act.

 

-30-

 

For more information, please contact Victor Wong at (416) 977-9871.

Head tax redress: Outside Inside: Observing A Year of Redress Struggle

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Sid Tan sends this media release as the first redress cheques will be 
presented in Vancouver on Friday.

Media Advisory: For Immediate Release - October 19, 2006

Outside Inside: Observing A Year of Redress Struggle:
Seminal Moment "On the Streets" Creates Turnaround

Vancouver BC  - The Head Tax Families Society of Canada (HTF),
successor group to the BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and
Descendants (BC Coalition), will observe the turnaround of the Chinese
head tax/exclusion redress struggle with a public forum. Invitees
include Greater Vancouver Members of Parliament from the three parties
represented in the House of Commons, the BC Attorney General and
Minister of Multiculturalism, the three Chinese Canadians sitting on
Vancouver City Council and other elected officials.

When: 11:00am Saturday, November 25, 2006
Where: Chinese Cultural Center - Dr. David Lam Hall
              50 East Pender Street, Vancouver

"Outside Inside" refers to last November 26 when several hundred
people set up an information line in Chinatown. It attended outside a
closed redress conference funded by the government at the Chinese
Cultural Center and a photo opportunity for Prime Minister Paul Martin
at United Chinese Community Enrichment Social Services (SUCCESS). This
"on the streets" action is now considered by many in the redress
movement as a seminal moment in the redress struggle.

At the time, governing Liberals were reaching an Agreement in
Principle (AIP) to direct millions of dollars in a community redress
fund to a pro-Beijing group created in the aftermath of Tiananmen
Square in 1989. Then, the opposition Conservatives were introducing
Private Member's Bill C-333 allowing the Liberal government to direct
millions of dollars to the same group, which would accept the funds on
an agreed precondition of "no apology, no compensation" to head tax
families.

The Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) and local Association of
Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society (ACCESS), who
were against Bill C-333 and AIP, enlisted head tax families and
supporters to make a strong and definitive statement that the
Government's and Official Opposition's actions were a betrayal. The ad
hoc BC Coalition was revived and called for political participation
and peaceful assembly. Recently, the Head Tax Families Society of
Canada was formed to call for good faith negotiations between the
federal government and representatives of head tax families for a just
and honourable redress to all head tax families.

The unilateral settlement imposed by the Government will directly
address only 0.6% of affected head tax families. Approximately 600
surviving head tax payers and spouses will receive $20,000 in ex
gratia payments. Over 82,000 Chinese families paid the unjust tax
between 1885 and 1923 in Canada and 1906 to 1949 in Newfoundland
before joining Confederation.

-30-

Diwali in Vancouver: Lots of intercultural fusion happening!

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Diwali in Vancouver:  Lots of intercultural fusion happening!

Tarun
Nayar is one of the key people involved in “Beats Without Borders”
which has grown into a musical cultural fusion extravaganza. 
Tarun has sent me the following information about some special events
during Diwali – “the festival of lights” which symbolizes the victory of good over evil.  Lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind.

Here's Tarun's message:

This
is a little reminder of all the fantastic events happening over the
next few days for the Indian Festival of Lights… From Bhangra dance
classes to Indian Classical Music, the three events listed below are
just a sampler of the many workshops and events happening around town.
Check the http://www.vandiwali.ca website for more info.

Diwali Mubarak! 

Tarun
 
———————————————————————————————–
DIWALI 2006

Beats Without Borders Diwali Dance Party

Thursday Oct 19th, Doors 9pm
The Waldorf (1489 Hastings)
10$ advance, 15$ Door
Tix at Highlife, Zulu, Boomtown, Kamal

Beats
Without Borders is gearing up for its first big party of the winter;
and it should be spectacular. DJs Amar (SF) and Layla (OR) join us from
out of town, Andrew Kim opens the night on electric sitar and eastern
violin, and we'll have special guest dancers and live dhol and tabla.
This is a two room party: expect a high-energy masala of sound and
light to warm up the dancefloor and shake off those fall blues! Last
year, this was one of our biggest parties of the year. We've just
released another 50 tickets to Highlife Records, so if you're looking
for 10$ tickets, that's where to head :o)

Roundhouse Diwali Celebration 2006


Sunday Oct 22, 12:00pm-4:00pm
Roundhouse Community Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews (Davie & Pacific)
FREE

An
Exposition of Music, Dance & Visual Art –Family Entertainment for
All! Performances, Vendors, Henna painting, & Diwali sweets. Missed
a workshop? Join our dancers for a mini lesson in Bollywood &
Bhangra!

Diwali Chaihouse

Sunday Oct 22, 7:00pm-11:00pm
Wise Hall
1882 Adanac Street (Venables & Victoria Drive near Commercial)
$5.00 at the door. Doors open at 7:00pm

Fusion
Inspiration: An Intimate Night of Poetry, Music, Dance & Film.
Highlighting the work of young South Asian artists, featuring, among
others, Delhi2Dublin, Inject, Zenobia Salik, Spoken word, and various
short films. Should be a great night!

Food: Phnom Pehn – great food, cheap prices… perfect for post-paddling appetites

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Food:  Phnom Pehn – great food, cheap prices… perfect for post-paddling appetites


Our dragon boat team is really a food club.  Paddling is just an
excuse to work up an appetite.  During the 2006 paddling season
from April to October, we have gone Japanese, Chinese, Irish,
Vietnamese, South Asian… even Burger King.  We have tried frog
legs at the Phnom Pehn and kangaroo at the Locust.  We have even
wrapped our own home made haggis won ton for our Gung Haggis dragon boat team end-of-season wrap-up party.

But one of our favourite restaurants is the Phnom Pehn, tucked away on
Georgia Street on the outskirts of  Vancouver Chinatown. 
Over the summer we had some great dinners.  Sometimes we had two
tables full of paddlers, sometimes one table.  But the food,
service and company was always good, even if the restaurant is always
crowded and we had to wait for a table.

Tonight, some of our keener paddlers who want to keep paddling for
fitness and fun, went out on marathon canoes on False Creek. 
Afterwards we decided to go to Phnom Pehn for dinner.  We started
with a Fish Soup which was so savoury everybody commented on it. 
Deep fried spicy squid was wonderful with a light batter.  Deep
Fried chicken wings with the lemon pepper sauce is a definite
favorite.  Chinese broccoli was nicely done.  The deep fried
spring rolls with ham, were not well-recieved by our spring roll
fans.  The Vietnamese rice rolls were good – but strange that
these supposed “appetizer” items arrived last.  Everybody was
happy and full.  Next time I want to order the lemon-grass chicken
drumsticks. 

Eating together and sharing food is a good way to build community, and one of the best features about the  Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team,
 dragon boat team.

photo Roland Tanglao

Chicken Wings with Lemon Pepper Sauce  is one of our team's favorite dishes!

here are some reviews by my friends Roland Tanglao and Barb Lee + more links.

Roland's Mini-Review: Phnom Penh

Barb's Fave Restaurants June 2000

Latest reviews of Phnom Penh Restaurant, Vancouver, BC

Georgia Straight: Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line

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Georgia Straight:  Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line


As part of the Georgia Straight's contribution to the Think Vancouver
theme of Diversity, Technology writer Dave Watson checks out websites
that are pro-diversity, as opposed to racist hate-mongering rant
sites.  He does a good job finding Asian Canadian webzines such as
Ricepaper or the Asian American Web zine Jade.  Watson even checks out Canadian heritage websites too. 

There's even a cartoon of a male dressed in kilt, sporran, wooden clogs and a turban.  Hmmm… doesn't look like anybody “we” know.

But somehow he missed the weblogs such as www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com  or Susanna Ng's
Chinese in Vancouver BC – Chinese Canadian news, stats or Asian Canadian writer Alexis Keinlen and her writing blog, or my friend Jeff Chiba Stearns who created the award winning animation short :

Check out Dave Watson's story
Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line

Once in a while, a story hits the traditional media about some nasty
hate-mongering Web site hanging out there in cyberspace where young
people or other impressionable minds could find it. It’s true that such
things do get established, but it seems to me that they’re greatly
eclipsed by the number of sites that either actively promote tolerance
or provide a forum where people within an ethnic group can discuss
common problems (and people from outside the group can drop by and
learn something). And then there are all those self-selected
communities that are based on some kind of shared interest (a TV show,
author, hobby, job at McDonald’s, or whatever) and thus are usually
colourblind.

All of these on-line venues provide opportunities
for communication and challenging preju?dices, a means for people to
meet mind to mind on neutral ground. It’s difficult to dislike someone
retroactively on some generalized, arbitrary basis when you’ve already
considered or accepted one of their opinions. Communicating via the
Internet also frees people up from their herd instinct (the tendency to
follow the dominant personality in the room) because typing your
thoughts focuses you down into yourself.

Sure, some people are
too weak-minded to develop their own thoughts, and they simply parrot
the opinions of whoever last influenced them, while others have no
capacity to analyze or challenge their prejudices and have to seek out
similarly close-minded people in order to reinforce their beliefs, but,
in general, people who are smart enough to use the Internet have the
potential to learn new things. Here, then, are a few Web sites that
might prove useful for that purpose.

read more Diversity and tolerance outweigh idiocy on-line

Check out these websites on Chinese Canadian History that I list on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com

Alexander Won Cumyow -first Chinese born in BC

Asian North America History Timeline
CBC Archives: Chinese Canadian Issues on TV
Canadian Steel Chinese Grit Project
Chinese Canadian Biographies and Family Histories – Vancouver Public Library
Chinese Canadian Historical Photos – CCNC Toronto
Chinese Canadian History at the Vancouver Public Library
Chinese Canadian Military Museum
Historical Chinese Language Materials in BC
Imogene Lim's webpage
Multicultural Canada Project
The Chung Collection at UBC
Vancouver Chinatown Attractions


Think Vancouver goes Diversity with the theme: Living Together

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Think Vancouver goes Diversity with the theme:
Living Together

Check out the this year's Think Vancouver theme.

They are doing some stuff that is soooo…. “intercultural”
soooo…. “Gung Haggis”

The Georgia Straight and CBC Radio One
and CBC Television's Canada Now have combined for stories that explore
how a multicultural / intercultural society lives together or lives
separately in the same space.

There is also a very cool contest – CBC is looking for a family that
celebrates cultural fusion and diversity.  Diversity can be
interpreted many ways:  ethnic backgrounds,
age, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliations, political
affiliations, and more.

Hmmm…. would my family qualify?  All my maternal cousins married
non-Chinese caucasians.  All my cousins children including my
nephew are “hapa“- the Hawaiian language term meaning bi-racial or multi-racial.  My cousin Rhonda Larrabee
is “hapa-First Nations.”  Our family definitely includes the
nursery rhyme description of: “doctor, lawyer and Indian Chief.”

Check out:
Fusion Family Contest

Check out: http://www.cbc.ca/thinkvancouver/

Think Vancouver: Living Together

“People from all over the world call Vancouver home. Some of us have
been here for generations, others are moving in today. Some are very
wealthy, others are struggling day to day, and most of us fall
somewhere in the middle. More than one third of us are visible
minorities, and that percentage is steadily growing. With all of this
diversity, do our cultures fuse or are we living together, yet apart?

Turn to CBC Radio One, CBC Television's Canada Now and The Georgia
Straight newspaper for Think Vancouver: Living Together, as we explore
what it really means to live in a city with so much diversity. What
does it take to fit in? And does everyone want to?

From October 15 to 22, we will bring you special Think Vancouver: Living Together
programming, stories and events ranging from marriage and dating, to work,
school and home, to food, music and art. Vancouver's true colours revealed!” 

see http://www.cbc.ca/thinkvancouver/

Toronto Star: “Beautiful touching award winning book” article featuring Janice Wong's book CHOW

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Toronto Star: “Beautiful touching award winning book” article featuring Janice Wong's book CHOW

My painter/writer cousin Janice Wong was written up in the Toronto Star this weekend.

Janice
is the author of the award winning CHOW – from China to Canada:
Memories of Food and Family.  Janice was recently in Winnipeg to
recieve the Gold Award for the category of “Canadian Food
Culture.”  Here is an excerpt from Toronto Star writer Marion Kane.

Read the full article here: beautiful touching award winning book

Wong's book CHOW
(Whitecap; $24.95) garnered gold in the Canadian Food Culture category… Hers is a tale of growing up in Prince Albert in
north-central Saskatchewan, where her father, Dennis, was in the
restaurant biz.

His second venture in this field was a Chinese
Canadian eatery called Lotus on the town's main drag, which he opened
in 1956 and operated for more than 20 years.
“He never succumbed to
putting red dye in the sweet-and-sour sauce,” recalls Wong, adding that
her dad came from a family of cooks. “We grew up on his food,” she says
fondly of the man who died in 1999.

He left a slew of handwritten
recipes that were the inspiration for her book. “I thought I'd collect
all the recipes and notations, using his handwriting as an abstract
element,” she says, “as a gift to my family and to sum up my loss.”

The
result was heart-warming. “It caused a chain reaction of reunions of
family and friends,” she adds, including a book launch in her hometown.

Writing
the book helped Wong get to know her father better. “He worked six days
a week,” she continues. “When we were little, we were pulled out of bed
to see him at midnight.”

Honouring Theatre: Frangipani Perfume – dynamic and fragrant theatre for the mind

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Honouring Theatre:  Frangipani Perfume
– dynamic and fragrant theatre for the mind


Firehall Arts Centre
October 13 to October 21st

Frangipani is known as the traditional Hawaiian lei flower.  Frangipani Perfume
is a dynamic three woman play that tells the story of three sisters who
left their native island of Samoa to find a better life in New
Zealand.  The play opens with three woman dancing to a beautiful
musical piece of opera, only to reveal that they are actually scrubbing
washrooms in New Zealand to make ends meet.

This is a play that I found astounding.  It works on many levels.

  It is not the didactic memory play style of  Windmill
Baby, nor the linear time line of the historically interpretative
Annie Mae's
Movement –
each part of the tri-national tour of 3 plays from Canada, Australia
and New Zealand – titled Honouring Theatre.  Frangipani Perfume is an exceptionally creative
work that incorporates dance, drama, martial arts, comedy, memory, and
so much more.  There were many times that I have to admit I said
to myself “Wow!” or “What did they just do?”

Actors Dianna Fuemanna, Fiona Collins and Joy Vaele, together give an
incredibly dynamic performance.  The sisters dance together, they
fight against each other, they support each other, they argue with each
other, and they reveal truths for and about each other.  The
transitions and topic flow smoothly.  Just as easily as the actors
themselves move across the floor, climb to stand on their chairs,
threateningly fight each other or hold each other lovingly. 

Anything seems to be able to happen in this play.  One moment they
are discussing boyfriends and marriage to escape the drudgery of
scrubbing toilets and cleanning skid marks off the tile floors, the
next they are literally flying across the stage floor, or dreamily
recalling the fragrance of frangipani perfume which their mother used
to make back on the island of Samoa.

And yet… social commentary fills the content of this play. 
Thousands of Pacific islanders left their island homes to work in New
Zealand as unskilled labourers.  They deal with the conflict of
traditional island life and values pitted against contemporary morals
and behaviors.  Post-modern sexuality threatens church morality
and values.  Margaret Mead's anthropological views are rebuffed by
native attitudes of knowingness.   Somehow the greatness of
Einstein and the terror of nuclear war find their way into the
balance.  And it all works brilliantly.  Kudos to playwright
Makerita Urale for her imagination and daring. 

I was able to speak with the actors after the performance, and they
were wonderfully friendly.  They shared that they were enjoying
the visit to Vancouver after travelling across Canada, but were really
looking forward to going home soon, as this is the last stop of the
Canadian tour, before remounting for Australia and New Zealand in
2007.  They each spoke enthusiastically about being on this
tri-national, three play tour, and watching the other
performances.  We talked about the issue of including Pacific
Islanders into Asian Heritage Month (as is done in the United States)
and the fact that Pacific Islanders have their own identity and
culture.  I shared my experience of learning Pacific Island
culture in my visits to Hawaii, where my Aunt lived, and how I remember
her teaching me one day to make a Hawaiian style frangipani / plumaria
flower lei.

My companion had said that she smelled something fragrant at the start
of the play when the actors took the stage.  Yes… the actors
revealed.  They are wearing frangipani fragrance in their hair.  We
talked about the frangipani / plumeria flower, and how it is also known
as the “lei flower” in Hawaii.  Definitely a play that hits on all
the senses including the mind and the nose…  very rare and
fragrant indeed.

Honouring Theatre: Annie Mae's Movement

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Honouring Theatre: Annie Mae's Movement


Annie Mae's Movement
Firehall Theatre, Vancouver BC
October 12 – October 22, 2006

All three plays for the Honouring Theatre project are great.  They
are aboriginal theatre plays from Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

On Wednesday night I attended the opening night for Windmill Baby
(Australia).  Thursday night, I returned for Annie Mae's Movement
(Canada), and Friday Night for Frangipani
Perfume (New
Zealand).  Each play is different in setting, style, and story – yet each allows
the audience member to step into the culture and share the experience
of being aboriginal in New Zealand, Canada and Australia.


Annie Mae's Movement is a powerful two person play with strong acting
from Michelle St. John,
who plays Annie Mae, the MikMaq woman who
travelled to Wounded Knee to become involved with the American Indian
Movement (AIM).  There is a reference to AIM leaders Leonard
Pelletier, and Dennis Banks whom Annie Mae becomes involved with, but
the play is really Annie's journey through empowerment, hope,
resistance and her eventual death.

Based on the true story of Annie Mae Pictou Aquash, Yvette Nolan has
written and directed a true piece of Canadian history.  While this
abidged version of the original production is much revised, it still
vividly portrays the personal story and conflicts of what it may have
been like for Annie Mae to be a woman in a man's movement, a Canadian
in the United States, and person of colour in a White dominated world,
while still actively believing that she had the power to create a
better world for herself, her daughters and her people.

A creative set makes good use of screens with landscape designs that
evoke both the forest, and a camp setting.  They also serve as
backdrops for shadow theatre when one of the actors dresses up as a
wolf to signify the mythical “Loup Garou” wolf creature.  It is a
simple but effective example of the “magic” of theatre to take a simple
idea and transform it into a powerful revelation.

Grahame Merke plays multiple male characters who each interact with
Annie Mae.  He handles the transitions nicely giving each
character a distinctly different personality and manner to make it
believable that each character is different.

One of my favorite scenes is the opening where Annie Mae is speaking to
the audience and uses a bright red cloth as a stage prop to signify
that she is holding a baby, then with a few quick deft moves, she demonstrates that her hands are tied up.  It's a
wonderful display of St. John's acting skills and of the theatre
direction to both communicate with the audience while performing
physical tasks, and give the audience a visual hook.

Annie Mae's Movement is definitely something to recommend to friends, as well as the New
Zealand Maori play “Frangipani
Perfume.”