Monthly Archives: December 2006

Dec 22, Winter Solstice House Concerts near the Drive: featuring Orchid Ensemble + more!

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Dec 22, Winter Solstice House Concerts
near the Drive: featuring Orchid Ensemble + more!

Myriam Steinberg is the artistic director of the In the
House Festival. She sends me the following notice.  The
House concerts idea is great.  Many of the events are
intercultural, and I am delighted that they feature my storytelling
friends Pauline Wenn and Mary Gavan, as well as the Orchid Ensemble.

On Friday, Dec. 22nd, In the House is co-producing a
series of house concerts with the Secret Lantern Society in honor of solstice.
There is a Celtic folk music concert included in the line up of house concerts.
I was wondering if you would be able to send this event announcement to your
distribution list and/or
post in on your webiste. Below is the complete description of what is
happening. Thank you!

Winter
solstice is on Friday! There are still some seats left for the solstice house
concerts that are being put on by the In the House Festival and the Secret
Lantern Society. The concerts will happen in conjunction with the 13th Annual
Winter Solstice Lantern Festival which celebrates the coming of longer days.

Homes
in the East Side (all around
Commercial Dr. )
will open their doors as hosts to this wonderful event. Lanterns will be sold
at each house – after the concert participants form their own small
processions, creating a gentle constellation of lanterns throughout the
neighbourhood as they make their way to the free festivities at Britannia
Community Centre.

Feel
free to spread the word to all your friends, family and co-workers! This is a
wonderful community event.

Date:
Friday, December 22nd, 2006

Time:
Shows are at 6:00 pm and again at 7:15 pm. Illuminate the neighborhood with
your lantern and attend two concerts in two different houses. After the concert
join fellow participants in your own mini lantern procession down to the
Britannia Community Centre for free solstice activities.

Tickets:
You can see a single show or get a double pass. When purchasing tickets, please
ensure that you indicate whether you would like the 6 pm show, the 7:15 pm
show, or the pass.

Tickets
for single show: $10 / adult,  $8 /
kids 
Tickets
for two shows: $15 / adult,    $13 / kids

You
can reserve your seat by calling 604-874-9325 or emailing
info@inthehousefestival.com. Please indicate which show you want to see, at
what time, and how many tickets you need.

 

Tickets
are also available at:

On-line
at www.inthehousefestival.com
Highlife
Records
At
the door (may be limited space available)

Performers & Venues:

Orchid
Ensemble
1957 Venables 
The Orchid Ensemble blends ancient musical instruments and traditions
from China
and beyond, creating a beautiful new sound that is both creative and distinct.
The ensemble has embraced a variety of musical styles to its repertoire,
ranging from the traditional and contemporary music of
China , World Music, New Music to
Jazz and Creative Improvisation.

The
energetic yet endearing performance style of the ensemble consistently
intrigues and delights its audiences, consistently receiving standing ovations.
Acclaimed as 'One of the brightest blossoms on the world music scene' (Georgia
Straight), the Orchid Ensemble has been tirelessly developing an innovative
musical genre based on the cultural exchange between Western and Asian
musicians. 

Mariachi
Romantico
1190 Semlin Dr.
El Mariachi Romántico was founded to maintain and promote the
beauty of Mexico
through traditional and uplifting music. El Mariachi Romántico International is
a multicultural band which delivers the passion, love and respect we feel for
Mexico .

Nihavend
1929 Napier St.

 This trio composed of François Houle on clarinet, Gordon Grdina on oud,
Neelanjit Dhillon on tabla, will be playing music based on Persian, Turkish,
and middle-east themes.

Oak
Bones
2063 Grant St.
Diana Halter on harp, bodhran, and vocals and Steve Quattrocchi on
mandolin. This duo performs traditional and contemporary Celtic music.

The
Adama Trio
1510 Salsbury Dr.
The music of The Adama Trio
explores the boundaries of classical, contemporary jazz and world music.
Adama creates exciting and original material, rich with Middle-Eastern and
Flamenco sounds, unusual melodies and complex rhythms.

Mary
Gavan & Pauline Wenn
1676 Grant
St

Mary Gavan's
grandparents in both Scotland and Ireland taught her the old legends
and the long ballads as they regarded storytelling as
a way of life rather than a festival event. She also learnt much from
my parents
who were skilled raconteurs. At first, she told the old stories,
especially those
of working with animals. On coming to Canada , she began to expand on
the
stories to explain Celtic ways and to include my own experiences. Now,
she writes her own stories combining the wisdom of the past legends
with the understanding
of my present experiences.

Pauline
Wenn grew up in a typical Scottish working-class home, with typical
Scottish storytelling, Pauline was never bored. Having left that home at the
age of 18, she made a  new life in
Canada .
She brings to her stories rich experiences and memories from both sides of the
Atlantic .

For
more information, please go to www.inthehousefestival.com
For full Winter Solstice Lantern Festival information: www.secretlantern.org

Phone:
604-874-9325
Email:
info@inthehousefestival.com

 
Myriam Steinberg
Artistic Director

www.inthehousefestival.com
info@inthehousefestival.com

Seating Plan for 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner

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Seating Plan for 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner

Here is the: Seating Plan for 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner
click on the attachment.

We are setting up 40 tables for 400 people.

As of  January 22nd…
You can purchase the Premium tables for $85 a ticket – includes 2 bottles of wine at each table.
Regular seats are $75 a ticket.

If you purchase and entire table of 10 seats, we will have a special
gift for you.  I am currently working on a bottle of wine, theatre
passes, or special surprise.

Check out a list of confirmed performers here:

Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner event.

2007 GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY update: tickets on sale Friday, Dec 15???

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2007 GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY update: 
tickets on sale

Monday, Dec 18th.

for the January 28th, 2007 dinner


Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner is a fundraising event.
Funds will be shared with the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team, Joy Kogawa House, Ricepaper Magazine for subscriptions.

Tickets are available for sale on Dec. 18th.
Thank you for being patient.

Tickets will again be made available through Firehall Arts Centre.
Call 689-0926 to order by credit card,
Tickets can be mailed.
or purchase and pick up in person.

Advanced price now until January 15th is:
$60 + service charge for regular seating
$70 + service charge for premium seating (closer seating + 2 bottles wine at the table)

After January 15th, prices will go up to $70 for regular seats and $80 for Premium seats.

If you book a table of 10 – then you will recieve a special gift.  We are working on the details now.  But it will be GOOD!

But please do not call Firehall Arts Centre on weekends, as the office is closed.
In the mean time, check out the Firehall's hit play “Urine Town” which is now doing an extended run until Dec. 17th.

We are putting together a great show for Gung Haggis Fat Choy with
wonderful artists and lots of surprises, as always.  Afterall…
it will be the 10th annual dinner.

Lots of great ideas are happening… as well as solutions to the logistics.

Expect haggis dim sum appetizers to greet guests after they arrive at 5:30pm, prior to the show start at 6:30pm.
 
Not just the usual haggis won ton, there will be haggis spring rolls, plus some surprises. 
Afterall, “dim sum” can be literally translated as “pieces of the heart” (in an emotional way!)

Again… expect to see highlights from the CBC television performance special – Gung Haggis Fat Choy!

Confirmed performers include Brave Waves, Heather Pawsey, Leore Cashe, Lensey Namioka, and more surprises!

CBC Radio's Priya Ramu, host of “On the Coast” – will co-host the event with me.

These past few weeks I have been very busy researching and trying to find
and identify pictures of my ancestor Rev. Chan Yu Tan for a CBC Generations
documentary that will be aired on CBC Television in February.  So
that's my excuse for not writing on the blog this weekend.

Cheque presentation in Toronto for surviving head tax payers.

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Cheque presentation in Toronto for surviving head tax payer

The first stage for the Chinese head tax redress, of ex-gratia payments for surviving head tax payers, continued with a cheque presentation in Toronto today.

The next stage will include payments to surviving spouses of pre-deceased head tax payers.  This will include several of my maternal grandmother's sisters who live in the Toronto area.  Even though my grandmother and her 13 siblings were born in Canada, my grandmother and her sisters married men who paid the head tax and came to Canada, prior to the Chinese “Exclusion Act” of 1923.

Payments to surviving head tax payers and spouses will amount to 0.6 % of a total 81,000 head tax certificates, as many payers and spouses have long since passed away.  The government says they will not give ex-gratia payments to the estates of the head tax familes, but the Chinese Canadian National Council is asking for all head tax certificates to be treated equally.

In my own family, both of my father's parents died during the 1960's.  His father arrived in Canada at age 16, around 1882.  My father's mother arrived in Canada around 1910 at age 16, after the Chinese head tax had been raised to $500 in 1903.

Victor Wong, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council writes the following:

A huge turnout today at the cheque presentation.

Minister Oda presented cheques to 4 individuals who made it in person Bing Yen Tom, Betty Fong (Lee Toy Kew), Frank (Poy Fong) Lim and Gook Fung Tom (see govt news release).

Colleen, Joseph and I represented CCNC, Karen and Kristyn were there from CCNCTO, George, Susan, Har Ying, Doug, Binh and Rebecca from Ontario Coalition and many of our volunteers. We invited Jack and Maria from CCCO (CBC-Canada). I think there were 17 people present from our end and there were a handful of representatives of the Congress as well.

Some media questions (actually most) were on the issue of descendants redress. The Minister reiterated the Govt position and seemed quite firm that the door was closed.

CCNC and redress groups will continue to press the federal Government to redress all head tax families. The June 22nd redress announcement covers just over 10% of the head tax families registered with us and represents only 0.6% of all of the individuals who paid the Chinese Head Tax or Newfoundland Head Tax.

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

-30-

 


Toronto-area Chinese head tax payers receive ex-gratia payments today

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News Release Banner

Canada's New Government Provides ex gratia
Payments to Greater-Toronto-Area Chinese Head Tax Payers

TORONTO, December 15, 2006 – The Honourable Beverley J. Oda,
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, today presented redress
payments to four Toronto-area residents who paid the Chinese Head Tax. Bing
Yen Tom, Betty Fong (Lee Toy Kew), Frank (Poy Fong)
Lim and Gook Fung Tom each received a cheque for
$20,000.

“I am proud that Canada 's
New Government is continuing to fulfill its commitment to Chinese Head Tax
payers by providing these symbolic payments,” said Minister Oda.
“With the delivery of ex-gratia payments to living Head Tax payers,
we are taking one more step toward recognizing past experiences and hardships
and to contributing to healing in the Chinese Canadian community.”

On October 20, 2006, Minister Oda participated in a ceremony in
Vancouver to present
the first ex-gratia
payments. These payments follow from the official apology to Chinese
Canadians for imposition of the Head Tax, made by Prime Minister Stephen
Harper on June 22, 2006, on behalf of the Government of Canada.

On December 1, Canada 's
New Government announced that individuals who were in a conjugal relationship
with a Head-Tax payer who is now deceased may apply for ex-gratia
symbolic payments of $20,000.

The Head Tax was imposed on Chinese immigrants entering
Canada from
1885 to 1923. A similar tax existed in the Dominion of Newfoundland between
1906 and 1949, before the province entered Confederation.

Information
:


Chisholm Pothier
Director of Communication
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
819 997-7788

Donald Boulanger
A/ Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101

Canadian Club: Christmas through the Century – a fashion show and dinner event

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Canadian Club: Christmas through the Century – a fashion show and dinner event

Christmas Through the Century
Thursday, Dec 14, 2006
Plaza 500 Hotel
500 West 12th Ave.

7pm registration and reception
8pm Christmas Through the Century.
Cost: $20 including GST

The
Canadian Club Vancouver is celebrating its 100th anniversary.  I
am happy to be a board member.  We had a wonderful 100th Anniversary Gala in November.

Check out this final celebration of our festive year!

· December 2006 – Getting in the holiday spirit:  Ivan Sayers will take us on a
voyage through the past century, showing us marvelous period cotumes,
worn by his models. His costumes come from women who could afford the
very best of everything.Ivan gives us a fascinating peek at the lives
of people in our city over the past century. he shows us what the women
were wearing, describes the reason for their designs and they reflect
the changes in society. Register here.

Vancouver Sun 2002: Toddish McWong marks Bard's birthday – the newsclipping

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Vancouver Sun 2002:
Toddish McWong marks Bard's birthday – the newsclipping

Here's the story that the Vancouver Sun's Pete McMartin wrote about me
in January 2002.  I just sent it to Toronto to be included for the
CBC Generations documentary.

It was a fun interview, and we went to the Vancouver Sun for the photo
shoot.  My friend Sonia Baker co-hosted the 2002 dinner with
me.  Neither Scottish nor Chinese, Sonia was actually born in
Holland.  If you watched the movie “The Mummy,” you heard Sonia's
voice… she voiced the Mummy. “Errrrrgggghhhh!!!!”

2002 was the first year the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner attracted major
media attention.  I did an interview with Bill Richardson for CBC
Radio's flagship afternoon show “Richardson's Roundup,” for which Sonia
and I read the Jim Wong-Chu poem “Recipe for Tea.” It is a poem written
for two voices and describes how tea travelled from China to
Scotland. 

VTV (which was became City TV) sent a reporter and cameraman to the
dinner at the Spicy Court Restaurant.   Highlights of the
newscast included hearing the entire restaurant chanting “We want
haggis,” as well as seeing and hearing a verse of Robbie Burns “Address
to a Haggis,” read with a Chinese accent by Raymond Chan, who was inbetween member of parliament stints at the time.

Just over two hundred people attended that 2002  dinner in the
midst of a snow storm, an increase over the previous year's dinner of
one hundred attendees.  The following year we moved the dinner to
Flamingo Restaurant on Fraser Street, where we hosted 390 people. 
Now we host 450 to 550 people at Floata Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown.

I'll try to find a better photo scan for this news story. 

Generations Rev. Chan Yu Tan: Editing being done for the CBC documentary on Rev. Chan and descendants

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Generations Rev. Chan Yu Tan:
Editing being done for the CBC documentary on Rev. Chan and descendants

The Rev. Chan Yu Tan family is being featured in the CBC documentary series Generations. 
Editing has now been ongoing since November.  The producer is
Halya Kuchmij, a multiple award winning veteran producer, who has worked
on past CBC
projects such as Man Alive and The Journal.  She is now with the
Documentary Film
Unit – where she produced Life and Times of Northern Dancer, Who's Lorne
Greene, Tom Jackson: The Big Guy, Chernobyl the Legacy, Mandela I &
II, and many many more.

It is part of a CBC series that focuses on the histories of families
through the generations.  Past episodes of Generations include: 100 Years in
Alberta; 100 Years in Sasketchewan; A Century on the Siksika Reserve.

Halya is convinced this “our project” is going to rock!  She is
amazed at the almost 120 year long family history that started when Mr.
Chan Sing Kai first came to Canada at the invitation of the Methodist
Church of Canada in November 1888.  There are now 7 generations of
Chan descendants throughout North America, descended from eldest
brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai, who later moved to California, Rev. Chan Yu
Tan (my great-great-grandfather who retired in New Westminster), and
Aunt Naomi who had moved to Chicago.  Aunt Phoebe is the 4th
sibling who stayed with the Chinese United Church in Vancouver, and
became affectionately known as “The Bible Lady” – she never married.

Brothers Chan Sing Kai and Chan Yu Tan, were born in Guangzhou China,
and raised to be scholars by their fathers.  They helped to
organize the first Wesleyan Mission School among the Chinese in Hong
Kong.  Their father was also a Christian missionary, having spent
many years as a Chinese Scholar with Rev. Piercy, the pioneer Wesleyan
missionary who contributed greatly to the Chinese translation of
“Pilgrim's Progress.”

Chan Sing Kai became the first Chinese to be ordained in Canada, and
was instrumental in the formation of the Chinese Mission which was
located on Carrall St. in Vanocuver – just blocks down the street from
Vancouver's historical centre of Gastown. 

In 1896, Chan Yu Tan arrived in Canada at 33 years of age, as a lay
preacher.  He took on the role of pastor of the Chinese Methodist
Church and brought with him his wife Chan Sze Wong and six children: Solomon, Kate, Jack, Rose, Luke
and Millicent.  Kate is my great-grandmother.



The 50th Anniversary of the Chinese United Church in Victoria.  My
great-great-grandfather, Rev. Chan Yu Tan is 4th from left. 
Beside him stands his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai (5th from left).
photo courtesy of United Church Archives.

The Generations Rev. Chan Yu Tan project is not yet “officially titled”
– but the theme will be community service which was lived graciously by
Rev. Chan Yu Tan, and now shared by some of his descendants. 

Interviews were done on Vancouver Island
by Halya with two of Rev. Chan Yu Tan's grandchildren: Victor Wong, son
of Rose (Chan) Wong; and Helen Lee daughter of Kate (Chan) Lee, my
grandmother's sister, who lived with Rev. and Mrs. Chan Yu Tan while
they lived in Nanaimo, serving the Chinese United Church there. 
Uncle Victor Wong is a WW2 veteran and is currently president of the
Chinese Canadian veterans unit in Victoria.

Great-grandchildren interviewed by Halya were Janice Wong (grand-daughter of Rose Wong), Gary Lee and Rhonda Larrabee
(grandchildren of Kate Lee).  Last year, Janice wrote a book
titled CHOW: From China to Canada: memories of food + family, which
shared not only recipes of her father Dennis Wong, but also stories of
Rev. Chan Yu Tan and his son Luke Chan, who became an actor in
Hollywood.  Rhonda is the chief of the Qayqayt (New Westminster)
First Nations Band, which she resurrected from obscurity.  Gary is
a a longtime community builder who has been involved with many
community organizations, as well as having been a child actor.

Also interviewed were Rev. Chan Yu Tan's great-great-grandchildren Tracey Hinder
and myself.  Tracey was the BC regional winner of the inaugural
Canspell spelling bee contest, and is a great example of our family's
future generations.