Over 50 artists were featured at the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Art Exhibition at Canada Place in Vancouver BC, Oct 17/18. It's a two day free exhibition with sales to the public. On Friday evening, a live auction of highlighted artworks was held with proceeds going towards the Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Youth Legacy Fund.   more »

I like attending the Powell St. Festival.  Somewhere in my clothes drawer I have a t-shirt from the 10th Anniversary festival back in 1986.

Many of my friends have Japanese ancestry such as Jeff Chiba Stearns, John Endo Greenaway, Julie Tamiko Manning, or Joy Kogawa.... I grew up folding origami cranes, and relating to Japanese culture in a Pan-Asian-Canadian kind of way...

I have even performed my accordion at the Powell St. Festival main stage.  One year I played with my friend Sean Gunn as part of the "Number One Son" band... or maybe it was under the name of "Yellow Lackey Dogs."

My friend Walter Quan is always there to sell his unique "sushi candles" and once when he was wearing a Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team cotton shirt, he was asked if he was "Todd Wong."

Check out the Powell Street Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

www.powellstreetfestival.com

Here's a great article in the Vancouver Sun by Kevin Griffin:

Powell Street Festival: Metro Vancouver's Japanese Canadians celebrate a resilient culture

Powell Street Festival: Metro Vancouver's Japanese Canadians ...

Michael was a revolutionary. He changed the way music was performed, and he challenged the way we looked at the world...
Sinatra had done the same...



Like Bing Crosby with the advent of the microphone, Sinatra and long play concept albums, Elvis and rock and roll, Dylan and folk music, Michael Jackson was there for music videos and pushed the boundaries.  

Like Sinatra and Elvis, he pushed the boundaries of "race music" while helping to create greater racial acceptance.  Sinatra helped open the doors for black artists, including Sammy Davis Jr. as a member of the "Rat pack" and speaking for racial equality.  Jackson did the same in his own way, not only performing with white artists such as Paul McCartney and Britney Spears, but also in his personal life - dating and befriending many people such as Brooke Shields, Elizabeth Taylor and marrying Lisa Marie Presley, as examples of greater dissolution of borders between black and white.

This past week, I have been reading the book "Why Sinatra Matters" written by Pete Hamill soon after the death of Sinatra.  With all the media attention around MJ's death, I have listened to the music and watched the videos, and recalled my own memories and experiences of how Michael Jackson's music has been part of my life.

 

By reading "Why Sinatra Matters" it gives a greater context and template to examine how Michael Jackson's life, music and dance have impacted on both American and global popular culture.  Both were affected by their ethnic roots where their communities were treated as 2nd class: Sinatra grew up in the time between the World Wars, when Italians were immigrants to America and worked as labourers to survive.  Jackson grew up during the 60's at the time of the American civil rights movement and the rise of African-American studies and culture.  Both men forged their ways to greater acceptance of the American dream, breaking through barriers and claiming their places amongst the perceived White Anglo Saxon Protestants mainstream.

Both Sinatra and Jackson, had also been constant targets in the press and tabloids.  While Sinatra's supposed mob connections kept him out of purchasing a Las Vegas resort, Jackson was also the constant target for his court cases of child abuse and his plastic surgery.  But both men also were great philanthropists and addressed the greater good.  Jackson's songs "We Are The World," "The Man in the Mirror" and "Earth Song" are part of his legacy, as surely as Sinatra's work with Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Carlos Antonio Jobim.


1984 Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson at the recording session for Sinatra's last solo studio album  L.A. is My Lady (not including the duets albums), produced by Quincy Jones who also produced the Jackson albums "Off the Wall," and "Thriller."

From the intro:


I have just finished watching the Michael Jackson Tribute, and am remembering all the times I saw Michael, and was touched by his music. 
Here's a youtube clip of the television cartoon show:

I remember:

• Watching the Jackson 5 cartoon show as a kid, and listening to the Jackson 5, thinking... he's my age!
• Walking home from school and singing "Enjoy Yourself" with friends.
• Dancing to "Off the Wall" and "Rock With Me" during the days of disco, as well as the Jacksons songs "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel"
• Seeing Michael do the moon walk on the Motown 25th Anniversary show.
• Seeing the Jacksons concert in 1984 at Vancouver's BC Place Stadium.  We went to the 2nd concert. I still have the program and a t-shirt.
• Listening to "Bad" with college friends when it first came out.
  
• I remember dancing to "Black and White" on my Waikiki honeymoon with my then-wife.... in 1991.
• Watching Olympic skater Katerina Witt do an encore performance to "She Drives Me Wild"

Toddish McWong, telling stories at 2008 Celtic Fest for the Battle of the Bards, and reading Robert Burns poetry - photo D. Martin.

Vancouver Storytelling at Main St. Car Free Days, with Todd Wong

I have been asked by Vancouver Storytellers, to give a storytelling performance
Location: located on the West Side at 18th.; on a grassy island set back from Main Street.  We are beside a tiny mall with a Pizza Hut.

It is Car Free Days starts at 12 noon at the following locations.
Commercial Drive (between Venables and 1st Ave.)
Denman St. (between Davie and Robson)
Main St. (between 12th and 25th)
Kitsilano (various neighborhood block parties)
http://www.carfreevancouver.org/

I will tell stories of early Chinese & Scottish pioneers in BC,

I will look down Main Street towards Chinatown and tell stories about my great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, who came to Canada in 1896 as a lay preacher for the Chinese Methodist Church....  

I will tell stories about how James Douglas was born in Guyana to a Scottish father and a Creole mother, and came to BC to become the first governor of BC.

I will look south to the Fraser River, and recount how Simon Fraser was born in the United States, came to Canada with his Loyalist mother, and travelled through Western Canada, to explore this Westernmost land and named it New Caledonia.

I will the origins of Gung Haggis Fat Choy: 

• in 1993, when I first wore a kilt for the SFU, Robbie Burns Day celebrations
• in 1998, with a small private dinner for 16 people in a living room
• how it has grown into an annual Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner serving 550 people
• and spun off a CBC TV performance special
• The SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival, by SFU Recreation department.
  

Hapa Izakaya in Kitslano is one of my favorite restaurants.

It was a 3 restaurant Kitsilano weekend, last week for my birthday.  On Friday we went to Sunset Grill, 2204 York Ave.  On Saturday we watched the hockey game and had Slum Dog Pizza at Hell's Kitchen 2041 4th Ave. West.  But for the "Big Day" we suggested some names... and eagrely decided to go to Hapa Izakaya 1416 Yew St.

Everytime we go there, the first bite of each dish is either "Wow" or "yummmmmm."  A few months ago, we took a friend from Ottawa to Hapa Izakaya in Kitsilano for his birthday.  Good choice!  It's a cozy atmosphere with lots of wood, as opposed to the more high-tech "clubby" feel of the Robson St. location.  Modeled after Japanese bistros in Tokyo, owner Jason Ault returned from Japan to open up Hapa Izakaya with a fusion twist.  As sushi was supposedly invented as finger food to eat while playing games, Izakaya bistros appeared as cheap places to eat and drink after work - but Hapa Izakaya takes it to another level.  It creates a tapas style menu, with a cultural fusion twist, and sets in a glossy upscale setting.  The Robson Street location is always buzzing, while the Kitsilano location is more laid back - but the food is great in both locations.

We started with King Crab roll. "Yum" - Deb's favorite!

Smoked Tuna Macaroni with Ume/Seiso sauce. "Wow!"

Dynamite roll with spicy mango sauce "Yow!"

Creme Brule topped off the evening!

It's not everyday, you meet an important Canadian parliamentary leader in a pub on St. Patrick's Day...

- but Jack Layton was in Vancouver for Celticfest and the St. Patrick's Day Parade

We had spent 3 hours in the cold preparing and walking in the parade with the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Pipe & Drums, and Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, carrying a parade dragon, lion head masks and dragon boat paddles.  We were cold, and in need of warm food and carbohydrate replenishment.  Jack Layton, federal NDP leader had been in the parade too.  He often comes in August for Vancouver's Pride Parade. Jack said he was also in Vancouver to attend an event for Don Davies, MP for Vancouver Kensington. 

I've known Don for a few years, when he first introduced himself to me at one of Meena Wong's dim sum luncheons (coincidence: Meena had been an assistant for Jack Layton's wife Olivia Chow in Toronto). Jack's wife is Chinese-Canadian MP, Olivia Chow, and they are also friends of Canadian author Joy Kogawa. Wow... Jack and Olivia are a real inter-cultural couple on a national scale!  Very Gung Haggis!  I had dim sum with Olivia in 2007, at one of Meena Wong's dim sum socials with Chinese head tax activists, see: Dim Sum with Olivia Chow in Vancouver

I asked Jack, if he had Scottish ancestry, which he affirmed. It was on Robbie Burns Day, January 25th 2003, he became federal leader of the NDP (New Democratic Party"). If Robbie Burns was the ploughman's poet, then Jack Layton must be the workers' parliamentarian.

Layton's views of social democracy, probably best represent Robert Burns's similar views - more than the other federal leaders. Burns was such a progressive thinker of the Scottish enlightenment, that many of his views were not published until after his death - they would have been considered "that radical".  Remember that during Burns' time, happening around him was the American Revolution, and the French Revolution, as Modern Democracy emerged.  But 250 years later they fit very much into a social democratic world.   Layton's great-granduncle, William Steeves, was a Father of Confederation. Layton's own grandfather Gilbert Layton was a cabinet minister in the Quebec provincial government, and his father Robert Layton was a Member of Parliament and cabinet minister. 

Just as Jack Layton was preparing to leave the pub, our bagpipers started playing some songs.  Jack took out his cell phone and started videoing them, then recorded a Happy St. Patrick's Day message.  Maybe this will appear on his web page.  I used my camera to record the action. 

Check it this video:

We went to Hapa Izakaya Kitsilano on Thursday night.  My girlfriend Deb was entertaining her friend Peter and his girlfriend Emily from Seattle.  It was Peter's birthday.  We went to Deb's favorite new restaurant. 

Hapa Izakaya Kitsilano has only been open for about a year.  Owner Justin was there to greet us.  The original Hapa Izakaya is on Robson St. near Jervis.  And just like the original, almost every dish begs you to take a picture!  And it is ohhhhh.... so tasty.  Peter and Emily were very impressed.  They said, "Ahhhh...." and "Mmmmm" and "That is SO good!"  a lot.

Spicy Sockeye Salmon Sashimi,

Owner Justin and his wife are "Hapa."  Half Japanese-Cnaadian and Hafl Caucasian-Canadian.  They met while both were working in Tokyo.  Hapa Izakaya brings the "Izakaya"/ Japanese Pub food to Vancouver, but pushes it up a level with its fusion cuisine.  The Robson St. restaurant is very cool with its dark interior and club music.  The Kitsilano restaurant is more laid back.

Unagi (eel) cone.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy is always a wonderful event for photographs. Special thanks to our incredible photographers Patrick Tam, Lydia Nagai and VFK. If you like their photos, please contact them and purchase them. We have asked them to put "water marks" on their photos, so that we will advertise and promote them. They help us with our event, because they believe in the community work and social consciousness raising that we do. + PICTURES   more »

What Scottish clan is CBC TV News anchor Gloria Macarenko from?

Celebrity Media co-hosts are confirmed!
Gloria Macarenko, CBC TV News anchor "Vancouver at Six"
Catherine Barr, Metro News / Radio 650 AM


Gloria Macarenko from CBC TV's "Vancouver at Six"
Gloria first got to learn about deep-fried haggis won ton when I brought some down to her newscast, when CBC was promoting the 2004 Gung Haggis Fat Choy television performance special.

View Clip

I'm really happy that CBC TV news anchor Gloria Macarenko is coming to co-host the 2009 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner with myself and Catherine Barr.  It turns out that Gloria and Catherine also know each other and are really looking forward to having some fun at the Gung Haggis dinner.

I looked in a tartan clan wesbite and found MacA'chailles, MacAchounich, MacAdam, MacAdie, MacAindra,  MacAldonich, MacAlduie,  MacAlex,  MacAlister, MacAllen, MacAndeoir, MacAndrew, MacAngus,  MacAra, MacAree, MacAskill, MacAslan, MacAuselan, and MacAy... but no MacArenko!

What clan is Catherine Barr from?  I found there are clans named Barrie and Barron, and of course there is MacNeil of Barra, or the Barra MacNeils.  I know that Catherine's family has a family tartan... In fact, it was her father Robert Barr that introduced me to the Burns Club of Vancouver about 5 years ago.  Last year Cat managed to get 10 kilted men on stage all singing a "Toast to the Lassies" - what will she lead us into this year?

Special musical performers:


Silk Road Music Ensemble:
Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault have become good friends since I first met them on the set of the 2004 CBC television performance special "Gung Haggis Fat Choy."  I really appreciated what they were doing musically, and they really appreciated what I was doing.  They have performed at the Gung Haggis dinner in 2004, 2007.  Qiu Xia plays virtuoso pipa (Chinese lute) and Andre can play fiery flamenco music - but they also play scottish and french-canadian reels and jigs too!  For their 2009 Gung Haggis performance they are adding a Scottish-Canadian percussionist, Liam MacDonald.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy Pipe & Drums
Last year, Bob Wilkins approached me with the idea of creating a Gung Haggis Fat Choy pipe band... with lion dancers and chinese drums.  Okay... I was hooked.  Our paths have crossed in our mutual appreciation of BC Scottish and Chinese pioneer histories, and Bob has a vision of a multicultural pipe band that could also incorporate BC's Chinese cultural history and traditions. Okay... we have the pipers but are still searching for Chinese lion dancers.


Heather Pawsey opera soprano
Heather sings in Mandarin, Cree, Italian, French, German, Spanish and probably Russian and Scottish too!  Heather has graced stages with Vancouver Opera, Vancouver Symphony and many other ensemble and chamber groups throughout BC. She always lights up the stage when she comes to Gung Haggis dinners, such as 2004 and 2007.  Heather grew up wearing kilts on the Saskatchewan prairies, and she really loves the Gung Haggis concept.  In 2008 she was paired with DJ Timothy Wisdom to create something new and exciting.  She called me up and said "Todd - I've got something for you and Gung Haggis!"

Timothy Wisdom DJ
I only met Timothy last week, when he came to the Gung Haggis Fat Choy rehearsal dinner on January 11th.  He brought with him a dvd of his performance with Heather Pawsey.  What was on it?  Opera with hip hop beats... Scottish and Chinese musical notes and references...  And hopefully Timothy will spin some tunes after the Gung Haggis dinner, so we can party until midnight for a countdown to Chinese New Year! "Best Party Rockin DJ in Vancouver…a sonic genius" - Vancouver Folk Festival  "so much exhilaration in his sets...slaying audiences" - E13 Records

Joe McDonald, our "rapping bagpiper"
I first met Joe McDonald when he performed with a South Asian tabla drummer in 2001.  I saw the kind of world music sounds they were creating and three weeks later, his music ensemble Brave Waves was performing at the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.  Joe has performed at every Gung Haggis dinner since, including the Gung Haggis Fat Choy CBC television performance special too!  A few years ago, we starting "rapping" the Robbie Burns immortal poem "Address to a Haggis."  We created an MP3 file with Trevor Chan of the No Luck Club... and it is going to be played on BBC Radio Scotland's Robbie Burns radio special on January 25th for Burns' 250th birthday - Woo-hoo!

Adrienne Wong - Neworld Theatre actor/writer for "Mixie and the Half-Breeds"
Adreinne is a long time friend of Gung Haggis Fat Choy.  She co-hosted the 2004 dinner, and in 2003 she paddled on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.  Growing up with Chinese and French ancestry, heritage and culture, Adrienne knows what it's like to walk in both worlds, as well as in-between.  She's written a new theatrical play called "Mixie and the Half-Breeds."  We think it's perfect for a Gung Haggis Fat Choy world... and she's going to give us a sneak preview before the show opens later this year. I saw Adrienne give a stage reading of "My Name is Rachel Corrie" last fall - fantastic!

Special guests include:
Larry Grant, Musqueam Elder
Rita Wong, 2008 BC Book Poetry Prize winner "Forage"
Dr. Leith Davis, SFU Centre for Scottish Studies
Jan Walls, former SFU Director of International Communications
Tommy Tao, poet translator
Chuck Lew QC, keeper for the flame for 49 years of Burns Dinners for the Vancouver Chinatown Lions Club.
+ 1 bottle of 37 year old Famous Grouse scotch - one of only 250 made to be featured at Burns Suppers around the world.

Intercultural Love Stories... or almost-love stories do happen.

Once upon a time, I had a non-girlfriend who was half-Jewish, half-Caribbean.  Then we dated.  Then we didn't.

Today, I still listen to Leonard Cohen music.  I have friends who have Jewish ethnicity. And I have a girlfriend who claims we share the same cultural identity - multi-generational Canadian.  But she doesn't have any Chinese DNA.

Writer Kevin Chong has written an interesting Christmas time short story for the Georgia Straight that traverses multi-ethnic cultural definitions.  Afterall... Love knows no boundaries, right?  In the end, we are all Canadians in love... or out of love.

No Christmas at the Happy Panda

What’s an angsty Chinese guy to do when his wry Jewish non-girlfriend leaves him lonely during the holidays?

Ellie Simmons didn’t wear makeup and had thick, sideways-sprouting hair that was the colour of dark chocolate. She slouched around campus in a leather trench coat, smoked hand-rolled cigarettes, and drove an unreliable Mazda GLC. It was 1994. We were 19 when we first met outside the university library. She made fun of me for reading a collection of poetry by Leonard Cohen. “Guys only read poetry to impress women,” she said with her characteristic scorn. “You would do better if you wore a clean shirt and looked me in the eye.” 

Read the story at: http://www.straight.com/article-176244/no-christmas-panda

Barack Obama is now president-elect for the United States.  The media keeps saying that he is the first Black-American president.  But is this true?

The AFP printed this story  History as Obama elected America's first black president

If Barack Obama's mother was a White American woman from Kansas, and his father was a Black man from Africa - doesn't this make him a Black&White-American?

If American speed skater Apolo Ohno became U.S. president, would they say he was the first Eurasian president?  Or the first Asian-American President? Or the first President of Japanese ancestry?

Since Obama was raised in Hawaii, isn't he really the first Hawaiian President?  ....The way that George Bush was a Texan president, Jimmy Carter was a Georgian president, and Bill Clinton was an Alabaman president?

I think it is so fitting, that Barack was raised in Hawaii.  I have always found Hawaii to be a very inclusive multi-cultural society.  So many people from all around the world have settled in Hawaii, including Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Samoans, Portuguese, Caucasians... and Americans.... and Canadians too!

In Hawaii, if you are half-white, you are called a "Hapa Haole."  The term "Hapa" is now used to describe people who are of mixed Asian ethnicity. 

In Hawaii, there is the "Aloha Spirit."  "Aloha" is the Hawaiian word for "hello."  And it also means "Love."

Obama has a half-sister who is half-Asian.  In a March 17, 2007 New York Times story Charisma and a Search for Self in Obama’s Hawaii Childhood, she says:

“I think Hawaii gave him a sense that a lot of different voices and textures can sort of live together, however imperfectly, and he would walk in many worlds and feel a level of comfort.” said Ms. Soetoro-Ng, the child of Mr. Obama’s mother from another marriage, who remains close to him.  "People from very far-away places collide here, and cultures collide, and there is a blending and negotiation that is constant.”

Media commentators on CNN said that Obama did not make this election a race issue.  Instead he emphasized inclusiveness.  He spoke about hope, instead of fear.  He talked about working together.

It is now a time when people from all races must work together.  When people from all countries, and all continents must work together. 

To me... I think the issue is not that Obama is Black-American or Half-White American... but he is All-American.  Barack Obama is  striving to inspire all Americans, and all humans to be the best that we can be, and to work together by helping each other.

Barack Obama is bringing the Aloha spirit to the American presidency and hopefully to the world.

Chinese and African dancing accompanied Silk Road Music's always entertaining world music concert at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Garden's final Enchanted Evenings concert series.


Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault of Silk Road Music Ensemble with their friends African dancer Jacky Essombe and percussionist Pepe Danza - photo Michael Brophy

It was a great concert to close out the Enchanted Evening series, Friday Sep 4th, at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens, by Silk Road Music, made more exciting by the presence of Cameroon dancer Jacky Essombe and the Chinese creative dance team of Jessica Jone and Cheng xin Wei, also known as Moving Dragon Dance Company.

Picture from Program.

The program opened with a traditional reel - not out of place in french-canadian or celtic circles.  Qiu Xia demonstrated esquisite picking skills on her pipa (Chinese lute), as Andre Thibault strummed furiously, and Pepe Danza played his drums.  Andre shared that they have played all over the world with Pepe, and they also perform together in the group Jou Tou where Andre is band leader (Qiu Xia leads Silk Road Music).

Qiu Xia invited dancers Cheng Xin and Jessica Jone out to join them, explaining that they would perform traditional Xingjian music from China, not often performed in Vancouver or Canada.  Next she invited African dancer Jacky Essombe, sharing that Jacky had been part of the Cultural Olympiad show that Qiu Xia had organized for Chinese New Year's earlier this year.

Clouds was a celtic inspired instrumental compsed and performed by Qiu Xia on her pipa, while Jessica performed a Chinese fan dance.  It was an unlikely but beautifully harmonious fusion of cultures, dance and song. Hmmm.... definitely something to consider for the next Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.

Andre and Pepe followed with a rollicking flamenco song, which Qiu Xia joined in on.  Andre loves playing flamenco, and it is amazing how Qiu Xia picks the melody on her pipa with her vituostic skill.

Jessica spoke to the audience about Moving Dragon's upcoming show at the Scotiabank Dance Centre for Sep 12/13, titled LuminUS.

Full of surprises, the rest of the program blended more chinese and african dancing with the Silk Road Music repetoire.  For the final song, Jacky invited audience members to the centre stage area to join her in African dancing.  She encouraged people to yell and make noise, as the room filled up with vibrant energy.  Canadian Africanized dancers young and old joined in the dancing.

Check out this links.

www.movingdragon.ca

Gravity is a wonderful "made in Vancouver" play that is going on tour to it's roots in the Carribean.  It is playing in Vancouver on Wednesday, August 13th.


Tricia Collins in her self-written play Gravity - photo courtesy of Urban Ink

Here was my review when I first saw GRAVITY.  I LOVED IT.
Review: Gravity astounds the senses - Tricia Collins takes the audience on a journey into her past and across two oceans

Check out more information about this very interesting one woman play about how she discovers her family roots in Guyana and the family secrets which helped shape her past, and influence her future.  Tricia Collins did a fine job writing and acting.

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"

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:

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'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.


http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx

Did the Chinese discover North America 1000 years before Columbus?

"Who were BC's first seafarers?" is the cover feature on this week's Georgia Straight?

Daniel Wood writes a very interesting feature that addresses the Chinese legendary land of Fu Sang, interviews underwater acheologist enthusiast Tom Beasley, and explores the Gavin Menzies book 1421, the Year China Discovered the World.

I have written about connections between First Nations and Chinese people when Storyscapes was exploring the oral history of such meetings:  Vancouver Storyscapes: Where the Chinese met the First Nations peoples
It's not unfathomable that the Chinese discovered North America first.  Afterall, ancient Chinese civilization and science was much further advanced than European civilization circa 500 AD.  According to Menzies, the Chinese had huge boats 5X the size of Columbus' flagship.  A lot of trade and knowledge migrated to Japan from China, and Japanese glass fishing floats have regularly made their way to BC's shores, due to ocean currents.

I have often spoke with BC's First Nations people about Chinese-First Nations connections.  Afterall, my mother's blood cousin is Rhonda Larrabee, chief of the Qayqayt (New Westminster) First Nations.  Larry Grant, Musqueam elder, is half Chinese, like cousin Rhonda.

When I was up in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), I spoke with Haida people about the shared "mongolian birthmark" that both Chinese and First Nations people are born with.
Check out my stories:

Check it out:
http://www.straight.com/article-152876/who-were-bcs-first-seafarers?