It's the 100th anniversary today of the 1907 Anti-Asian Riots
It is known in Chinese-Canadian stories as “The Night the White Boys Played.” It was a time when anti-asian sentiment in Vancouver raised to a pitch that resulted in broken windows, smashed storefronts, and physical violence in Vancouver's Chinatown. The angry mob also went to Japantown – but citizens there had heard about the attack on Chinatown and had prepared themselves as they repelled the invaders.
A lot has changed in Vancouver's last 100 years. Many Asians and the Caucasians have met, fell in love and had babies. In my family, the 7th generation of Rev. Chan Yu Tan is only 1/4 Chinese. The family wing that married First Nations produced my mom's cousin Rhonda Larrabee, now Chief of the Qayqayt Band (New Westminster).
Chinese and Japanese, First Nations and South Asians all have as much right to being Canadian as Irish, Scottish, French, English and Ukranians. All have contributed many ways to help build this nations called Canada. It was remarkable to watch the recent Generations documentary series on CBC Newsworld as 6 families from across Canada had their family stories told and intertwined with Canadian history. I was involved with the episode The Chan Legacy which told the story of my great-great grandfather's 1896 arrival in Victoria BC, and how subsequent generations have contributed community service to Canada, and helped others integrate into Canadian society.
The Vancouver of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Anniversaries is a
Vancouver-based consortium of Asian-Canadian institutions and
organizations marking 2007 as an anniversary year in the search for
justice and a multicultural Canada.
1907, 1947, 1967, and 1997
represent watershed moments in the story of Asian migrants in Canada.
From the anti-Asian riots of 1907, to the hard-won franchise of �47 and
new immigration act of �67 through the handover of Hong Kong a decade
ago, Anniversaries is dedicated to claiming these transformative
markers of struggle and triumph.
In
2007 we invite you to join Anniversaries of Change as together we begin
writing the next chapter in the evolving story of Transpacific Canada.
Share the moment by coming to the Reconciliation Dinner on September 7 at Floata Restaurant, Vancouver
Check out all the media action the Anniversaries of Change got this
week! And listen to CBC's Early Edition this week (Tuesday and
Wednesday mornings) for more interviews.
The Georgia Straight
http://www.straight.com/article-107637
The Sun (and click on the link on the right under “Related Links” for a video of additional coverage)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/new