TRIASPORA: artistic telling of Chinese Canadian history through music, dance and multimedia


Triaspora (with Orchid Ensemble, Moving Dragon Dance)
September 21 and 22, 7:30pm
Telus Studio Theatre, Chan Centre at UBC

I am really looking forward to this exploration of Chinese Canadian history.  Lan Tung and the Orchid Ensemble are incredible musicians and I have enjoyed their performances this past year, especially performing flamenco music with Mozaico Flamenco.  Lan first told me about this project last year, as she was actively engaged in searching out images of old Canadian Chinatowns - particularly Nanaimo.

This production has been previewed recently by both the Vancouver Sun East meets West in three ways in mixing Triaspora and twice in the Georgia Straight with Janet Smith's Dance | Critics' Picks: Dancers spin visions of angst and beauty ...and Alex Varty's Arts Features | A whole new breed

I am particularly excited becasue Lan Tung the leader of Orchid Ensemble, Moving Dragon's Chengxin Wei and composer Jin Zhang, are all immigrants to Canada.  I have heard many immigration stories about the Chinese coming to Canada from  many Chinese-Canadian pioneer descendants (and have also been telling them in the CBC documentary Generations: The Chan Legacy), so it will be refreshing to witness the production with fresh eyes and ears of these newcomers.


Telus Studio Theatre, Chan Centre at UBC

Reconciliation Dinner: Addressing the 1907 Anti-Asian riot and a century of change

The dinner was good.  In the theme of Anniversaries of Change, it wasn't stuck on an anti-anti-asian theme.   There were a few speeches by George Chow, the organizer of the event, and a welcoming by Larry Grant of the Musqueam Nation - whom I invited to come as a special guest to the next Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.

There was a short panel discussion where members from different aspects of the community gave their take about the anniversary of change.  Dr. Henry Yu spoke first.  He is also the chair of the Anniversaries of Change committee.

Rika Uto, spoke about the Japanese community.  She is also the chair of the Japanese Language School.
 
Bill Saunders spoke from a labour perspective, acknowledging that many of labour's members have all been immigrants throughout our province's history. 

Harley Wylie reminded everybody that the 1907 riot took place on traditional Musqueam lands, and gave a First Nations perspective.

Sketch comedy troupe Assaulted Fish, performed riffs on Asian and caucasian stereotypes.... very funny!

During the 2nd dinner break, I decided to explore the North side of the room and stopped by to say hello to my friend Meena Wong who was sitting with her friends from SUCCESS.  Last year Meena arranged for me to be interviewed by the SUCCESS youth leadership training program.

I saw the students from the SUCCESS youth leadership training program at their table, some were holding their cell phones, text messaging their friends.  I asked them how they were enjoying the dinner. I told them that there were many many cultural and community leaders in the room, and would they like to meet people, and learn networking skills.  I asked if they would like to meet Minister of Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.  They said yes...

So a table of 10 students + their 3 adult sponsors followed me to the front of the stage... where city councillor George Chow was getting up from his seat.  I introduced them to George, and he shared some wisdom with this group that I introduced as "future community leaders"

Then we went over to Jason Kenney's table where SUCCESS ceo Tung Chan presided over introductions.  Kenney told the kids about the naming of the Douglas Jung building, and the contributions that Jung and the Chinese Canadian veterans had made for the community.

I asked the kids that since Kenney had told them about the veterans - would they like to meet some Chinese Canadian Veterans...  They said yes!  I introduced them to Col. Howe Lee, founder of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum (whom Barb met on Nov 11) and Peggy Lee, the first Chinese Canadian woman volunteer in the military auxillary.

"Who's next Todd?" somebody asked.  Darn... they were enjoying meeting community leaders.

"Let's go meet the people I have been sitting with." I replied.

I introduced them to City Councillors Heather Deal and Raymond Louie.  Heather is also a biologist with the David Suzuki Foundation, and I told the kids that if they ever visit the Vancouver Aquarium, they will see a life size picture of Heather that they can take a picture with.  Raymond is a descendant of one of the earliest Chinese pioneers Yip Sang... and also used to ride bicycles competitively and helped to found the Taiwanese Dragon Boat races.

Andrea Reimer was there too!  The first Green Party member elected... to Vancouver School Board - where I first met her when I did a presentation to include Asian Heritage Month as part of the school curriculum.  She is executive director of the Wilderness Committee and recently was trained by former US vice-president Al Gore to give presentations of "An Inconvenient Truth" - If you want to talk to somebody about helping to save the environment... talk to Andrea.

Dr. Kerry Jang is an award winning medical doctor from the UBC school of Psychiatry, but now he is turning his energy to community service.  Last year Jang received the BC Community Service Award.  The students thought this was good.

Then we went over to the next table where I introduced them first to my friend Charlie Cho, CBC researcher, writer, and now a playwright of "Twisting Fortunes."  I first met Charlie when he was editor of Ricepaper Magazine. 

Also on the table was Charlie Smith, editor of the Georgia Straight.  Back in 1993, Charlie called me up for my first ever radio interview.  I had just received the SFU Terry Fox Medal for courage in adversity and dedication to community, and it was Charlie who put me on CBC Radio's "Early Edition."

Next we introduced Joan Andersen, Regional Director of CBC Radio in British Columbia.  I have known Joan many years through some of my involvements with CBC Radio.  She was surprised last year when she had the honour of presenting me with my 30 year service pin, in her role of Vancouver Public Library Board Chair.

The editor of the Sing Tao Chinese language newspaper was sitting next to Joan, so they got to meet him too!  But one of the first questions was to Charlie Cho... asking about Ricepaper Magazine.

Cheers, Todd

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.

Check out the www.Anniversaries07.ca website

REFRACT: who we are
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.

RECORD: what we're about

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.

RECONCILE: Join Anniversaries of Change ...

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

Vancouver Sun: When Racism Ruled

On Saturday, the Vancouver Sun published a story about the infamous Anti-Asian riots on Sept 7th 1907.  These anniversary of  the riots are being given an academic treatment in a colloquiuem this weekend at SFU Harbour Centre

My father's father Wong Wah was living in Victoria at the time, since 1891.  My grandmother's grandfather the Rev. Chan Yu Tan had recently arrived in Victoria in 1896.  The Chinese Methodist Church had a mission in Vancouver, that was started by his brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai - who had arrived in Canada in 1888.

Check out the Vancouver Sun story:

When racism ruled

When racism ruled. Vancouver has come a long way since the anti-Asian race riots of ... Catherine Rolfsen, with research by librarian Carolyn, Vancouver Sun ...
www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=ada365e9-fba9-427e-8829-3c860bca9a81&k=27005 - 69k -