Trevor Linden, Red Robinson, Dal Richards, Ida Chong and Todd Wong are the newest invitees to the Royal BC Museum's exhibit “The Party” to celebrate BC's 150 year history.
If you could invite 150 of BC's most colourful citizens throughout it's 150 year history to “The Party” who would you invite?
Governor James Douglas or Pamela Anderson? Architects George Rattenbury, Arthur Eriksen, or James Cheng? Athletes Joe Sakic, Karen Magnusson, Steve Nash or Nancy Greene? Artists Emily Carr, Toni Onley, Jack Shadbolt or Robert Davidson? Community Activists Nelly McClung, Rosemary Brown or the Raging Grannies?
Inspirational icons Terry Fox or Rick Hansen? Politicians Svend Robinson, Grace McCarthy, Dave Barrett, Kim Campbell or Amor de Cosmos? Musicians Bryan Adams, Diana Krall, David Foster or Sarah McLachlan? Authors Jane Rule, Douglas Coupland, Dorothy Livesay or Joy Kogawa?
Actors Chief Dan George, Yvonne De Carlo, Kim Catrall or Bruno Gerussi? Environmentalists David Suzuki or Roderick Haig Brown? Business leaders Tong Louie, Jimmy Pattison or Nat Bailey? And what about “Hanging Judge” Begbie, Expo Ernie or Mr. Peanut?
The Royal BC Museum's website says”
The history of our province is filled with fascinating people. Find out who they
are. Uncover their stories. These are the guests invited to The Party so far.
All of the above are all invited as guests… and now… Gung Haggis Fat Choy founder Todd Wong has joined them along with new invitees Trevor Linden, Ida Chong, Dal Richards, Red Robinson, and Jennie Butchart – the inspiration behind the Butchart Gardens.
Todd Wong stands beside BC hockey player Sakic, beneath author & friend Joy Kogawa, activist Betty Krawcyk, and nearby Gov. James Douglas, when he visited the exhibit on April 23rd – photo Deb Martin.
To see the picture of me in the exhibit check out http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx
and scroll to the far right. The picture was taken by my friend
Richard Montagna. So far only six of the most recent invitees are on
website. The official press release announcement will be on August 6th.
Read Todd's August 8th account of visiting his picture at the Royal BC Museum:
“Toddish McWong” installed at the “Free Spirit” exhibition at Royal BC Museum
The Royal BC Museum website says:
Todd Wong
“Passionate about intercultural adventures, “Toddish McWong” founded Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a Robert Burns / Chinese New Year event that has been celebrating with an annual dinner since 1997.”
It is indeed an honour to be included with so many illustrious and
creative BCers. It's amazing to think that Gung Haggis Fat Choy has
created such an impact, inspiring dinners in Seattle, Whistler, Ottawa, Wells BC
and Santa Barbara California (that I know about). As well there has been the 2004
CBC television performance special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy“, and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival.
I had visited the exhibit on April 23, when I traveled to accept my BC Community Achievement Award. We were excited to see the picture of Joy Kogawa, which I had taken. Joy was one of the original 132 persons chosen for the exhibit, but it was challenging to find a full length picture of her, so I volunteered myself and girlfriend as photographers for her.
Check out my story about bout finding Joy's picture and visiting the exhibit “The Party”:
Todd stans in front of “The Party” in front of his friend Joy Kogawa. – photo Deb Martin
Todd's adventure in Victoria: Traveling to “The Party” at BC Royal
Museum
I guess it is time to write that “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” book I have wanted to for awhile… or a theatrical play about the mythical Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner called “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”
I personally really think it is time for post-multiculturalism, when we can embrace a mix of cultures as well as creating our own new cultures and traditions out of that mix.
150 years ago, James Douglas was BC's first governor. But a lot of people don't realize that he was born of mixed Scottish and Creole bloodlines in Guyana. He married a Metis woman, Amelia Connolly,
whose father
was an Irish-French fur trader and whose mother was a Cree Chief’s
daughter. Author and friend Terry Glavin told me that Douglas had envisioned a new land where people from all over the world could come and live harmoniously in peace.
Racial and cultural issues have always been part of our province's history, whether it was wars between the Haida and the Kwakiutal, Black American or Chinese miners coming to BC for the gold rush, the Potlatch Law, the Chinese Head Tax, the Komagata Maru incident, the internment of Canadian born Japanese-Canadians during WW2, or even the present day First Nations treaty negotiations, migrant farm workers from Central America, nurses and nannies from the Phillipines, rising immigration from Hong Kong and China.
Here are the write-ups for my fellow newest invitees to The Party.
Ida Chong:
This Victoria native first entered politics in 1993 and three years later became the first Canadian-born person of Chinese ancestry elected to the British Columbia legislature.
Dal Richards (1918 – )
A member of the Kitsilano Boys Band in his youth, this Vancouver native began his professional musical career 70 years ago, and is now playing more gigs than ever.
Red Robinson (1937- )
At the age of 16, he was one of the first Canadian disc jockeys to play Rock'N' Roll. He is a member of the Canadian Broadcast hall of fame, and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Trevor Linden (1970 – )
This National Hockey League All-star played 16 of his 19 seasons as a Vancouver Canuck. A holder of many team records he retired in June 2008.
Jennie Butchart (1866-1950)
Wife of Portland-cement pioneer Robert Butchart. Her inspired creations of Butchart Gardens in the limestone quarry at Tod Inlet became a world-renowned destination for visitors to British Columbia
http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx
