There will be lots of intercultural goodies at the 10th Anniversary Vancouver Asian Film Festival. I always particularly enjoy the opening night and the panel discussions. Check out the Festival events including great programs such as: Wed. Nov. 1st, 7:00 PM Mina Shum: A Writer’s Journey   more »

Welcome to Cafe de Chinatas a la Vancouver, courtesy of Mozaico Flamenco and Vancouver's renowned Chinese and New Music performers, the Orchid Ensemble. It is a musical collaboration created by producer project director Kassandra and artistic director Oscar Nieto. Guest dancer Pablo Pizano, provided an exciting male lead to the five company dancers of Spanish, Mexican, English, Chinese and Filipino heritage. Flamenco guitarist Peter Mole, flamenco singer Keiko Ooka and flamenco cellist Cyrena Huang provided dimension to the traditional and innovative music of Orchid Ensemble's Lan Tung on erhu, Gelina Tang on zheng and Jonathan Bernard on percussion.   more »

Mark Ferris delights with Mozart's Concerto No. 3
Review by Deb Martin

Sinfonia, Orchestra of the North Shore
October 28, 2006
Centennial Theatre
North Vancouver

Austria - Land of Song
Guest artists:
Lambroula Maria Pappas - soprano
Mark Ferris - violin

Graceful, elegant, transforming.

For just a few minutes on Saturday night, I could close my eyes and believe I was in a salon in Austria some 200 years ago. From the opening moments Mark Ferris took our breath away with a performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3,  that was pure, elegant and brilliant.

This violin concerto was composed while Mozart was living in Salzberg, Austria, and is affectionately known as "Strassburg," The movments as written are gorgeous, and Mark played credenzas of his own composition that demonstrated his brilliance as both a composer and performer.

Mark is better known as the concertmaster of both Sinfonia and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and as a composer, but he should definitely take this show as a soloist on the road. I would love to hear it again.

And now for the rest of the concert: Light, fluffy and easy to digest.

Sinfonia performed its annual Austrian themed concert on Saturday October 28 with a program called Austria, Land of Song. Conductor Clyde Mitchell has lots of material to choose from with  W.A. Mozart, Strauss Sr. and Jr. and Franz Lehar all being prolific composers of greatest hits.

The pool of vocal talent in Vancouver is wide and deep. Lambroula Maria Pappas sings with the best of them. She charmed the audience with her delightful versions of arias from The Magic Flute,  Die  Fledermaus and Merry Widow.

Kudos also go to Toni Stannick for her work as concertmaster in the first half of the program.

Almost two hundred people attended the book launch of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC's book launch for "Finding Memories, Tracing Routes: Chinese Canadian Family Stories." Family and friends + interested listeners all crowded into the Alice Mackay Room at the Vancouver Public Library to hear about how self-confessed non-writers helped create the most significant new book about Chinese Canadian stories. CCHSBC executive members described how the 6 week writing project took place and what its' significance means to how history will be understood.    more »

Vancouver Sun: 100 Influential Chinese Canadians in BC... agree/disagree?


The Vancouver Sun published its pick of 100 most influential Chinese Canadians today. 
They write that senior editors and writers created a preliminary list that was then scrutinized by their colleagues at Chinese newspapers who added more names.  Next they consulted with officials at Univeristy of BC and Simon Fraser University, then with "trusted community members."

My first reaction was.... this is cool.  It's great that the Vancouver Sun would choose to recognize Chinese Canadians, being the largest single ethnic group in the Lower Mainland.  However over the past few years I have also criticized the Vancouver Sun for not paying attention to issues in the same community.  I think the Vancouver Sun and other mainstream media have often relegated important Canadian issues (of Chinese ancestry) and individuals to the back pages, or often ignored them.

Witness the very same Saturday paper.  "The feature article 100 Influential Chinese Canadians in BC"is on the front page.  But one of the most important issues in Chinese Canadian history is relegated to the backwater of page B8 - with only a green headline banner on page B1 - the front page of the Westcoast section.  The Globe & Mail put head tax on page 1 of their BC section with a colour photograph, whereas the Vancouver Sun had only a black and white photo.

It's nice to see friends Sid Tan, Don Montgomery, David Wong, Roy Mah, Sandra Wilking,  Mary-Woo Sims, and many others that I have known such as Ray Mah, Raymond Louie, Jenny Kwan, Bill Chu, Milton Wong, Bob Lee, Lydia Kwa, Maggie Ip, Robert Fung, Andrea Eng, Paul Wong, and Eleanor Yuen.

My next thoughts were that the list was missing many people that have been my own role models amongst my influences.  People like Joe Wai architect of the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens and many other prominant projects in Chinatown, Beverly Nann OBC former social worker and former president of explorASIAN (Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society), Jim Wong-Chu, excutive director and founding member of Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop and tireless vice-president of explorASIAN. 

Where is Shirley Chan?  Where is her naturopathic/chiropractic brother Dr. Larry Chan who has done so much for alternative healing in Vancouver and BC?  Where is Simon Johnston, playwright and executive director of the Gateway theatre?  Where is Ken Lum, recently listed in BC Almanac's Greatest British Columbians.

Where is Gabriel Yiu, recently written up in the revised edition of Saltwater City?  Where is Thekla Lit, leader of BC Alpha?  Both of whom also helped to champion an apology for the Chinese Head Tax.

Why does the list include 16 year old golfer Eugene Wong and not Lori Fung OBC OC, the Olympic gold medalist for rhythmic gymnastics?  Why pick 16 year old skater Mira Leung, but not veteran Megan Wing who skates pairs with Aaron Lowe (They were both born in Vancouver, but are living in Windsor and training in Michigan - but I am sure they come back from every now and then...)

Why is World Journal editor-in-chief Han Shang Ping on the list when he has only been in BC for 1 year, and most likely is NOT a Canadian citizen?

Can you call somebody a valid Chinese-Canadian if they are NOT a Canadian citizen.  Certainly the Taiwan born Han Shang Ping is of Chinese ancestry, but I would argue that caucasian SFU professor Jan Walls has contributed much more to the Chinese-Canadian community and Jan is a valid Canadian.

Lists are often controversial and the Vancouver Sun has also asked readers for nominate their own influential Chinese-Canadians by e-mailing: influential@png.canwest.com

You can bet that I will be. 

Here's some of the introduction of the Vancouver Sun article.

"History lost track of what became of that first "Chinaman," but his pioneering footsteps cleared a path for innumerable others.

Today, people of Chinese ancestry are the province's most populous ethnic minority, numbering almost 500,000 in the Lower Mainland. They wield immense influence on every aspect of our shared society. In field after field -- arts, politics, law, medicine, science, finance, business, religion, community affairs, philanthropy -- Chinese-Canadians have taken their rightful place as leaders and innovators.

In some ways, this is Canadian multiculturalism at its very best, a colour-blind gathering of talent and shared purpose.

There's just one problem: For most of our history, we have been anything but colour-blind. It wasn't the Anglo-Europeans of British Columbia who had to fight for the right to belong, or who endured a century of racism of the most despicable and institutionalized sort. It wasn't the Anglo-Europeans who were reminded over and over, for generations, that they were different, lesser than other Canadians: required to pay taxes but not allowed to vote.

These dark facts make the contemporary accomplishments of Chinese-Canadians in B.C. all the more impressive. Not only have they distinguished themselves in so many ways, but Chinese-Canadians have done so against a background of racism and discrimination that only just began to abate in the second half of the 20th century.

Prejudice has finally given way to politeness, but our divisive history lives on in the way the Anglo-European majority and the so-called Chinese community (actually not one homogenous group, but many sub-groups divided along linguistic, political and cultural lines) continue to conduct themselves as two solitudes: nodding acquaintances who sometimes still ignore one another."

List 1
List 2

As a 5th Generation Canadian - who just happens to be blessed with beautiful Chinese DNA - I regard myself as 100% Canadian. I don't speak Chinglish, but understand some words and phrases in Mandarin and Cantonese. I am fluent in English and conversational in French. I was born in Vancouver - not Hongcouver. My parents and my grandmother were born in BC, not China. My cousin Rhonda is a First Nations Indian Chief - not a member of the Red Guard. I race dragon boats in Canada and the US - not in China. I couldn't recognize the Chinese national anthem - I sing O Canada. I am not a member of the Chinese National Congress - I am a director of the Canadian Club Vancouver. I don't eat chicken feet - I eat haggis with sweet and sour sauce. I AM CANADIAN!   more »

Tarun Nayar is one of the key people involved in "Beats Without Borders" which has grown into a musical cultural fusion extravaganza. Tarun has sent me the following information about some special events during Diwali - "the festival of lights" which symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. Here's Tarun's message: This is a little reminder of all the fantastic events happening over the next few days for the Indian Festival of Lights... From Bhangra dance classes to Indian Classical Music, the three events listed below are just a sampler of the many workshops and events happening around town. Check the http://www.vandiwali.ca website for more info.    more »

The Georgia Straight and CBC Radio One and CBC Television's Canada Now have combined for stories that explore how a multicultural / intercultural society lives together or lives separately in the same space. There is also a very cool contest - CBC is looking for a family that celebrates cultural fusion and diversity. Diversity can be interpreted many ways: ethnic backgrounds, age, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliations, political affiliations, and more.    more »

Annie Mae's Movement is a powerful two person play with strong acting from Michelle St. John, who plays Annie Mae, the MikMaq woman who travelled to Wounded Knee to become involved with the American Indian Movement (AIM). There is a reference to AIM leaders Leonard Pelletier, and Dennis Banks whom Annie Mae becomes involved with, but the play is really Annie's journey through empowerment, hope, resistance and her eventual death.   more »

Vancouver's Two Solitudes...
2001 Census: Scottish? Chinese? How many?

Many people ask me why the fascination of Scottish culture, or the unlikely fusion of Scottish and Chinese traditions for Gung Haggis Fat Choy?

I usually reply that the Scots and Chinese are really Vancouver's earliest pioneering cultures, along with First Nations of course.  I regard the Scots and Chinese as British Columbia's "Two Solitudes," which  Wikipedia describes as "A phrase expressing Canada's bilingual and bicultural nature. Traditionally, French and English Canadians have had little to do with each other -- hence the "two solitudes", together but separate, alone but together.

The phrase originally comes from Hugh MacLennan's 1945 novel  "Two Solitudes" which the McGill-Queens University Press describes as "

Gee... it's kind of a love story similar to the hate between the Montague and Capulet families in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet story.  Maybe this is the reason there are so many people with Scottish  names in my extended family tree now.

According to the 2001 Census results for Vancouver. 

The top ten total responses for ethnic origins were:

Total population:  1,967,480

English                    475,075
Canadian                 378,545
Chinese                   347,985
Scottish                   311,940
Irish                        234,680
German                  187,410
East Indian             142,060
French                    128,715
Ukrainian                 76,525
Italian                       69,000


These results are for people who checked these responses in the ethnicity box.  In reality they could choose as many boxes as applied to them, or as they wanted.  But ideally, these are the people who most count English, Chinese, Scottish as the ancestry.

Of people who selected only one ethnic group the results are:

Total responses:   1,226,280

Chinese                   312,180
East Indian              123,570
Canadian                 141,110
English                    112,910
Filipino                     48,510
German                     44,470
Scottish                     41,920
Italian                        29,665
Korean                      27,745
Irish                           23,125
Dutch (Netherlands)  21,115

These are the people who chose only one ethnicity.  These numbers also would most likely represent the newest immigrant groups.  People who checked "Canadian" most likely did so, because they did not want to be defined by "ethnic origin" or simply didn't have a clue as to what to check.  Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson admitted that she checked "Canadian" even though it is documented and widely known that she was born in Hong Kong.

Now it gets more interesting with people who chose multiple ethnic boxes.  Groups below can be said to represent the groups that have inter-married most with a different ethnic culture.  Although this could be misleading if you lump English, Scottish and Irish together as "British"- just make sure you don't separate them into Catholic and Prostestant because some Irish Catholics would be more likely to marry a Filipino Catholic rather than an Irish Protestant.  But in Canada, we are all "Canadian" and the great thing is we are more likely to be open-minded about race, religion, and culture.... aren't we?

Total responses:    741,195

English                   362,165
Scottish                   270,020
Canadian                 237,435
Irish                         211,555
German                   142,945
French                     113,655
Ukranian                   58,375
Dutch (Netherlands)  46,050
Italian                         39,335
Polish                         36,760
Nowegian                  35,735
Chinese                      35,800
East Indian                 18,495

Announcement: John Oliver and Zhimin Yu are one of Vancouver's newest intercultural musical duos. I first met Zhimin Yu, master of the ruan (Chinese "moon guitar") back in 2003 when she performed with Silk Road Music for the CBC television performance special "Gung Haggis Fat Choy."   more »

What is a West Coast Thanksgiving? What foods are part of our local harvest and culture? My girlfriend and I cooked a dinner for my parents. We invited our dragon boat friend and team member who moved to Vancouver from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Turkey was familiar to him, but not a fully dressed salmon for Thanksgiving dinner. The salmon was caught up north near Haida Gwaii, and flash frozen. I bought it from a boat at Steveston's "Fisherman's Wharf." Go see Tony, on the Blue ?? and tell him Todd sent you. We shredded cranberries to make a fresh salsa with local BC hot house red and yellow peppers. I added in frozen blueberries and raspberries for sweetness. Mixed in with jalapeno pepper, red onion and cilantro, we continued to tweak it. This is a great appetizer served with chips for munching.   more »

Today's Vancouver Sun had an article about Roy receiving the Thakore Visiting Scholar Award at SFU tonight.... Here is the link to a similar article at www.nowpublic.com: Roy Miki Receives Award for Truth, Justice and Non-Violence ~~~~ Roy Miki to be presented with the Thakore Visiting Scholar Award on October 2, 2006 at Simon Fraser University   more »

There is a new quarterly e-magazine called Scotland Now created for Scotland’s friends, alumni and diaspora around the world. It can be accessed at www.scotland-now.com   more »