Ricepaper staffers greet guests at the door - photo Meena Wong
It was a love-fest as former editors and writers, + many featured authors and performers + our favourite city councillors and community organizers, all attended the celebration. The Buzz about the Rice Paper Magazine 10th Anniversary Party, organized by Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop, picked up speed late in the week. Numbers confirmed on Thursday night practically doubled by Saturday night, as attendees "borrowed" extra chairs and tables from the Tinseltown Food Court.
Writers Fiona Lam and Lydia Kwa sat at a table next to Faye Leung, Vancouver Librarian Ross Bliss stated "I want to meet writers!" and was quickly introduced to lots. UBC professor Glenn Deere and wife Faye sat at the Joy Kogawa table. Writer and Artist Janice Wong, along with Capilano College instructor and writer Crawford Killian joined friends at Scott McIntyre's table. Citizenship Court Judge (and former City Councillor) Sandra Wilking sat nearby Opera singer Grace Chan, and across from writer SKY Lee. City councillor Ellen Woodsworth chatted with SFU writer-in-residence Daphne Marlatt. City Councillor Anne Roberts brought her mother Barbara. Kelly Ip chatted with Lt. Col. Howe Lee. Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre producer Joy Lam hung out with CBC writer Charlie Cho, and scripting partner Grace Chin.
Elwin Xie (ACWW Director) and Joyce Lam (VACT producer) share a smile and long friendship - photo Meena Wong
Joy Kogawa signs a book for one of the many event guests - photo Meena Wong
Whoops of joy were heard as it was announced that Vancouver city councillor Sam Sullivan had secured his mayoralty bid to represent the NPA party, as he made a surprise appearance fresh from the NPA counting. Even COPE city councillors Anne Roberts and Ellen Woodsworth rushed to give him heartfelt congratulations.
And in the middle of this sat our featured guests: Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre and Gim Wong. Host and ACWW Vice President Don Montgomery introduced each starting with Kogawa. Joy said that this year started off with the surprise of having Obasan selected for the Vancouver Public Library's One Book One Vancouver program, and described how wonderful the republishing of new versions of Emily Kato (Itsutka) and Naomi's Road have been plus the delight of seeing Emily's Road transformed into an opera by the Vancouver Opera.
Joy Kogawa holds her ACWW Community Builders Award while Todd Wong (ACWW vice-president) speaks about efforts to save the Kogawa Homestead - Event host Don Mongomery (ACWW vice-president) looks on - photo Meena Wong
Joy called on me to speak about the developments of the previous 60 hours, as she had learned about the planned demolition of the Kogawa Homestead and the efforts mobilized to save it. I described the seemingly impossible contradiction that while this week when Joy is being celebrated at the Rice Paper Anniversary Dinner, Word On The Street, Vancouver Public Library and Vancouver Opera... the proposed demolition represents polar opposites that create a dynamic tension, giving even greater emphasis on both positive and negative aspects. But it is because of her being celebrated, that reaction to the proposed demolition, is even more sharply responded to - witness the way that the Globe & Mail picked up on the story, that it was announced and spoken about at the Vancouver Arts Awards by both Mayor Larry Campbell and city councillor Jim Green. And by the evening, Scott McIntyre was volunteering his influence and suggestions to help save the house. "One Million Dollars should be easy to raise," he told me.
Scott McIntyre tells the audience about the pionneering nature of the books by Paul Yee, SKY Lee and Jim Wong-Chu that he has published - photo Meena Wong
Scott McIntyre was jovial in his speech. He spoke about the achivements of Douglas McIntyre Publishing, in putting out Salt water City by Paul Yee, Disappearing Moon Cafe by SKY Lee, and Many Mouthed Birds edited by by Jim Wong-Chu and Bennett Lee - each the first of their genres, pioneers in Asian Canadian literature. Then Scott said, "We haven't done enough." He talked about the fact that we are all one family - no longer separated by clan or race distinctions. Chinese-Canadian literature and Japanese-Canadian literature is all Canadian literature - We are all the same family, as he spoke about how his own daughter-in-law is Asian, and they are all one family. I was so moved by his talk, that at the end of the evening, I invited him to speak the same words for the 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner in January. "I'd be delighted," was his reply.
Gim Wong recalls the sacrifices he made and the discrimination that he faced by choosing to enter Canada's armed forces in WW2 - photo Meena Wong
Gim Wong, stood up shakily, his 82 years betraying his youthful heart and still innocent demeanor. Honest in his gratitude, and eloquent in his politeness, Gim talked about how proud he is to be a Canadian, and how he came to enlist and train in the Canadian armed forces, when nobody wanted Chinese in the army, airforce or navy. "We couldn't even vote," he exclaimed. He described his unselfish attitude, willing to make the supreme sacrifice for the country of his birth, and how he has continued to sacrifice his time unselfishly to champion for redress, for the Chinese head tax. "They told me it couldn't be done," he said of his motorcyle "Ride for Redress" from Victoria's Mile 0, to Ottawa and Montreal. His bravado had revealed itself when he had threatened to ride his Harley up the steps of Parliament to confront Prime Minister Paul Martin. His son Jefferey had accompanied him on the ride, and looked after him. This week, the Georgia Straight's "Best of Vancouver" selected Gim Wong for the "Gutsiest Ride against Racism." I had talked with Gim many times throughout the evening, and knew that he was both humbled and tired by the evening's celebration. The applause touched him deeply.
Great appreciation to all the ACWW directors, Rice Paper staff and volunteers for putting on such a grand event. Special thanks to organizers Jim Wong-Chu, Don Montgomery, Michelle Sui, and Jenny Uechi.
