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Tuesday, March 9
"CHINESE VANCOUVER THEN AND NOW: 1972-2010" - Vancouver Opera Speaks
by
Todd
on Tue 09 Mar 2010 01:58 AM PST
"CHINESE VANCOUVER THEN AND NOW: 1972-2010"
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
7-9 pm
Alice MacKay Room, Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
OPERA SPEAKS @ VPL -
Admission is free.
An eminent panel explores the history of Chinese in Vancouver, with
emphasis on the Chinese communities' emergence and development since
1972, the year of Nixon's momentous trip to China. Discover how our
city has been shaped and transformed by Chinese culture over the past
38 years. This will be a fascinating evening. Speakers include eminent
architect Bing Thom, UBC historian Henry Yu, and filmmaker and writer Colleen Leung.
Presented in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library.
Opera Speaks @ VPL is sponsored by Omni BC Diversity Television.
http://www.vancouveropera.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=255&Itemid=15
Saturday, February 13
Todd Wong appearance on CTV Canada AM for Sunday Feb 14th
by
Todd
on Sat 13 Feb 2010 03:04 PM PST
Todd will be on Canada AM
on CTV, Sunday morning
- must be there at 5am so Toronto people can see
a brief interview between 8 and 9am.. I will do the interview at Robson Square, which is part of the the BC Canada Pavillion.
Then will do an interview and
filming at Chinese New Year parade with ZDF tv from Germany. We will meet at 8:30am, as the parade starts at 9:30am in Vancouver Chinatown.
Now....Must get
ready to attend the Women's hockey Canada vs Slovakia today at 5pm
Monday, December 21
Winter Solstice in Vancouver - Devon is fire-tossing at the Roundhouse
by
Todd
on Mon 21 Dec 2009 03:21 PM PST
I usually help organize a team social for attending the Winter Solstice events at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens - but this year I must attend AGM and Christmas Party at Joy Kogawa House.
Check out my past stories about attending Winter Solstice events here:
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog?cmd=search&keywords=winter+solstice
Check out the official Winter Solstice events here:
http://www.secretlantern.org/
My friend Devon Cooke is performing "Fire tossing" at the Round House Community Centre. Devon loves being involved in many cultural activities and also paddles on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. more »
Wednesday, December 9
TIX ON SALE: 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Dinner - January 31st.
by
Todd
on Wed 09 Dec 2009 06:36 PM PST
Now Available: Tickets for Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner
- It's the 12 Anniversary of the "little dinner that could."
January 31st, Sunday 2010
Floata Seafood Restaurant
Vancouver Chinatown
Contact Firehall Arts Centre:phone 604.689.0926
The Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Dinner has created an awareness of cultural fusion that has spanned international media, and been featured at the 2008 BC Canada Pavillion in Bejing during the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Royal BC Museum celebration exhibit of the 150th Anniversary of the province of BC, and a 2009 touring exhibition in Scotland titled This Is Who We Are: Scots in Canada.
 Gung Haggis Fat Choy creator Todd Wong at the Scottish Parliament exhibition of THIS IS WHO WE ARE: Scots in Canada. The exhibition featured a life sized photo of Wong and a video interview about the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner, which features the acknowledgement of Chinese and Scottish pioneer history in Canada and contemporary culinary and cultural fusions.Tickets are now on sale for the 12th Anniversary Dinner.January 31st, Sunday, 2010 Floata Seafood Restaurant Vancouver Chinatown Doors open 5pm Dinner starts 6pm $60 + $5 service charge or $600 per table + $20 service charge prices for students and children available. Raffle Prizes are featured, as this dinner has traditionally been a fundraiser for: Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop/Ricepaper Magazine and Historic Joy Kogawa House. Contact Firehall Arts Centre:phone 604.689.0926
Visit the Firehall Box Office, 280 E. Cordova Street.
Box Office hours are: 9:30am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. For media information - contact: Todd Wong 778-846-7090 - email: gunghaggis@yahoo.ca The origins of the dinner started with 16 people in a living room in 1998. The next year it expanded to 40 people in a restaurant. Soon it outgrew the first restaurant and expanded to 220 people in 2002. Moving to a larger restaurant for 2003, and expanding to a 2-night event in 2004, serving over 500 people. 2005 saw the move to North America's largest Chinese restaurant and present home of the dinner where 570 people were accomodated. A 2004 CBC telelevision performance special, Gung Haggis Fat Choy, was inspired by the dinner, and received two Leo nominations for best music performance, and best director of music performance. In 2007, a CBC television documentary Generations: The Chan Legacy featured interviews with dinner creator Todd Wong, and film clips of the dinner. A wide range of musical performers have been featured over the years including: fusion musicians Silk Road Music Ensemble, Dragon River Chinese Music Ensemble, Blackthorn celtic band, The Mad Celts, Chinese erhu master Ji-Rong Huang; opera singers Heather Pawsey, Veera Devi Khare; Jazz singer Leora Cashe. Featured poets have included: Joy Kogawa, Rita Wong, Fred Wah, George McWhirter, Fiona Tin Wei Lam, Jim Wong-Chu, Sean Gunn and Tommy Tao. The past 3 years have also featured sneak previews of Asian Canadian plays including: Mixie and the Half-Breeds, The Quickie, and Twisting Fortunes.
Todd Wong visits Scotland for Homecoming Year, the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns.
For the 2010 dinner, creator Todd Wong has just returned from Scotland after visiting the birthplace of Scotland poet Robert Burns, and researching the displays of Burns for Homecoming Scotland, and museum exhibits on Scottish history and emmigration to Canada. Wong is active in Chinese Canadian activities and visited Bejing and Xian in 1993. He hopes to combine a merger of Scottish-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian history and culture in the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. Another extravaganza of culinary and cultural fusion are expected for the 2010 dinner. Details will be released each week leading up to the event. Special guest speakers, media hosts, poets and musicians are confirmed or being confirmed. The 2010 dinner will feature old traditions and new surprises, something borrowed and something brewed - especially created for the 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Dinner. Tell your friends, and put a table of 10 together to enjoy the singalongs! or come as a single or a double, and meet 8 brand new best friends for the evening at your table! It's the most fun and intimate dinner for 500 you will ever attend!
Wednesday, December 2
Kilts culture in Vancouver: Kilts Night on Thursday + December ceildh on Sat night
by
Todd
on Wed 02 Dec 2009 01:17 PM PST
Every 1st Thursday of each month, I usually meet with my kilted friends at Doolin's Irish Pub at Granville and Nelson St in Vancouver. Free Music starts at 9pm with Halifax Wharf Rats - if there isn't a hockey game on. It's always lots of fun, and a great way to meet people. After attending the Homecoming Scotland ceilidh here in Edinburgh at The Hub. I am ready to go for another one. It's really easy to do, as the callers give a demonstration and tell people what to do. eg. turn left, grab the right hand, etc etc.
Big Secret: Wear a Kilt and ask for a free pint of Guiness Beer. more »
Saturday, October 3
Orchid Ensemble creates East meets Middle East featuring Jewish and Chinese music!
by
Todd
on Sat 03 Oct 2009 09:41 AM PDT
Here is the latest from my friend Lan Tung and Orchid Ensemble:
2009 Orchid Ensemble Concert
East meets Middle East in the Orchid Ensemble’s New Show
The Orchid Ensemble & Vancouver Community College present
Ten Thousand Miles to Kai-Feng more »
Thursday, September 10
2nd Annual Accordion Noir Festival happens this weekend Sept 11,12,13
by
Todd
on Thu 10 Sep 2009 12:14 PM PDT
ACCORDIONS TAKE OVER VANCOUVER for ONE WEEKEND.
It's the 2nd Annual Accordion Noir Festival
September 11,12,13  Here is information from Rowan LipkovitsExhaustive information about all three festival days should be up at http://bit.ly/ANfest , but to summarize: *
Friday night, Sept 11th, Geoff Berner will be a guest on the Accordion
Noir radio show at CFRO 102.7 fm from 9:30 through 10:30 pm.
Meanwhile, up Main street at Cafe Montmartre (4362 Main Street), Rowan
will be hosting a varied program of virtuous squeezebox players in
small groups from 8 pm through closing time (after midnight), featuring
the ivory-tickling of Joanna Chapman-Smith, Barbara Adler, Dawn Zoe,
Tina Tew, Andy Fielding, with Mezamazing and the Creaking Planks
closing things out. By donation. * Saturday, Sept 12th, at 4
pm, an accordion parade will be departing (weather permitting) from the
southeast corner of Grandview Park (Commercial Drive at Charles Street)
to squeeze along the seven blocks to the day's venue, the WISE Hall
(1882 Adanac Street at Victoria Drive). 45-minute workshops begin at
4:15 pm, starting with an accordion repair and maintenance session led
by Rickey Mann, then an accordion composing session led by Andy
Fielding, and closing with an accordion history talk by Bruce Triggs of
Accordion Noir! An accordion film festival of sorts should get
underway around 6:30 pm, and close to 8 pm, we should be beginning the
main evening performances: Story from the Maritimes, Jason Webley of
Washington State (though he does spend a lot of time touring in Russia)
and Vancouver's own Geoff Berner. The evening promises further
surprises and special guests, but you'll just have to come out to know
for sure what they're going to be! All-day tickets for Saturday will
be $20 at the door, or $15 for just the closing concert portion.
Friday, September 4
Final dragon boat races for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy team Saturday Sept 5th @ Science World/False Creek
by
Todd
on Fri 04 Sep 2009 07:41 PM PDT
It's the final dragon boat regatta of the 2009 season in VancouverLast Gasp dragon boat regatta Sep 5 Saturday @ Science World/False Creek This will be the first public dragon boat race in Canada that features 10 person dragon boats. These boats were first used in Vancouver for the World Police and Fire Games in August. The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team started their racing season with practices in the last week of February, the first race on May 2 in Burnaby's Barnet Marine Park, the Dragon Zone regatta on June 7th, and the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival on June 20 and 21st. We entered the Richmond Festival for our first time, and came 4th in the A division. We traveled to Vernon for July 25/26, as it is our favorite race of the year on beautiful Kalamalka Lake. We will next enter the UBC Day of the Long Boats and the Ft. Langley Cranberry Festival Regatta, to race in voyageur canoes. But first.... we have to race Saturday Sep 5th at the Last Gasp regata. Dragon Zone beside Science World, at Creekside Park, Vancouver BC. Please come cheer us on! Here's the message from our magnificient manager Tzhe Lam:
'ello Gung Haggis,
I have finally received the race grid from Dragon Zone and it looks like the first races of the day start at 9am.
Our
first race of the Day will be at 9:55am so we will need to marshall at
9:35 if they are on time which means I would like everyone to be at
Dragon Zone at 9am at the very latest.
This is so that we have
enough time to setup tents and get organized as well as make sure we
get the final roster into the Officials so that we can race.
If you have not signed the roster yet make sure you arrive early so that you can do so.
Also bring me your $20 race fee if you have not yet paid me!!!
Our second race will be between 12pm and 12:45pm depending on our placing in our first race
Race 3 will be most like between 2:15 and 3pm depending on our times
Race 4 1000m will be between 3:20pm - 4:20pm again determined by overall time.
These are rough estimates of time and can and will change on race day depending how quick/slow they get the races out.
As always bring food and drink of your choice to the event. Preferably something that won't make you sick while paddling.
Fans and supporters are welcome.
Tzhe
Thursday, August 27
2 more concerts of Enchanted evenings at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens - featuring Silk Road and Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
by
Todd
on Thu 27 Aug 2009 12:35 PM PDT
The final 3 Enchanted Evenings concerts at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens all feature musicians that have performed at past Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners.
 Silk Road duo Qiu Xia and Andrew performed last year with African dancer Jackie Esombe and percussionist Pepe Danza - photo T. Wong Last week celtic ensemble Blackthorn performed August 21. This Friday Aug. 28, Erhu specialist Ji-Rong Huang artistic director of Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble takes stage. On Sept 4, Silk Road Music performs as a quartet, led by Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault. Qiu Xia and Andre have performed many times at Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners since 2004. Silk Road Music Ensemble was featured in the 2004 CBC television performance special "Gung Haggis Fat Choy".
Blackthorn and Ji-Rong both came to the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner. Blackthorn has an incredible repertoire of Celtic songs that they kept pulling out of their hats. Ji-Rong and I performed 2 songs on accordion and erhu - Galloping Horse and Hungarian Dance No. 5 - which he also plays solo.
Summer Concert Series Doors open at 7:00pm, and all shows begin at 7:30pm
Tickets $18 for non-members,
$15 for Garden Society Members
VANCOUVER CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE- August 28
A rich showcase of traditional Chinese instruments
SILK ROAD- September 4
World Music with a Chinese flair
Tickets and info, contact 604.662.3207 ext. 208 or
email assistant@vancouverchinesegarden.com
reservations are recommended
Sunday, August 2
Blackthorn celtic music band at Fort Langley for BC Day!
by
Todd
on Sun 02 Aug 2009 02:51 PM PDT
Blackthorn is playing at Historic Fort Langley.
Blackthorn is comprised of some of my favorite musicians: Michael on guitar/vocals, Michelle on flute/pennywhistle/vocals, Tim on bass/bodrana and Rosie on fiddle/vocals. Blackthorn was our featured band at the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner.
Historic Fort Langley is the birthplace of BC, where Gov. James Douglas signed the proclamation almost 150 years and 9 months ago.
Monday,
Aug 03 | 6:30pm | Brigade Days
Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada, BCBrigade
Days is held every year over the BC Day long weekend in August.
Historically, Brigade was when the fur trappers came down from their
trap lines to the fort, to trade, some took their annual baths and
looked for a new spouse, and in general caught up with friends they
hadn't seen since the year before. Blackthorn will be bathed and on stage Monday evening. |
AND NOW WE HAVE OUR OWN CHANNEL ON YOUTUBE...
Friday, July 31
Powell St. Festival celebrates Japanese Canadian heritage - even if you are half-Japanese or non-Japanese
by
Todd
on Fri 31 Jul 2009 02:51 PM PDT
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.
 This year's Powell Street Festival will take place at Woodland Park - moving Eastward between Clark Drive and Commercial Drive, North of Venables St. - but South of Hastings St. - photo of 2007 festival by Todd Wong 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."
 Walter Quan and his sushi candles booth at the 2007 Powell Street Festival - photo Todd Wong  Check out the Powell Street Festival on Saturday and Sunday.Here's a great article in the Vancouver Sun by Kevin Griffin: Powell Street Festival: Metro Vancouver's Japanese Canadians celebrate a resilient cultureJulia Aoki, volunteer coordinator for the Powell Street Festival. Photograph by: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun. VANCOUVER — Unlike other festivals that strive ...
Thursday, July 9
Koto concert & Art of Taiko upcoming events at Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre
by
Todd
on Thu 09 Jul 2009 11:10 PM PDT
Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre is presenting a Koto Concert and Art of Taiko.
July 26th and July 30th.From the press release and website: http://www.nikkeiplace.org/upcoming-events/The Japanese Canadian National Museum Koto Concert - Chikako Kanehisa, a benefit concert for the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre Sunday, July 26, 2009, 3pm 
Chikako Kanehisa from Japan will perform a concert to help raise funds
for National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre. This will be a
captivating concert of traditional as well as contemporary and
improvisational music. A special guest musician will also perform.
Tickets $20 adults, $15 seniors & students. Register by phone (604)
777-7000 or by e-mail info@nikkeiplace.org.
Nikkei
Place Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday 11am-5pm at 6688 Southoaks
Cres, Burnaby (Kingsway at Sperling). For more information, call
604-777-7000 or visit www.jcnm.ca.
The second event is a taiko demonstration/lecture with
Kenny Endo. I don't have an image, but I do have a press release for
this event which I have also attached. The description is below: National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Centre The Art of Taiko with Kenny Endo - lecture/demonstration
Thursday, July 30, 2-4pm, 2009  Photo credit: Raymond Yuen Kenny
Endo will perform and speak about the traditions of taiko as well as
demonstrate his original work for this ancient instrument. He’ll
explain about the instruments, show how taiko is learned and
performance pieces are memorized. The historical and cultural context
of taiko will be discussed. The odaiko (large drum), taiko set,
tsuzumi, fue (bamboo flute) and various traditional percussion
instruments will be featured. Minimum donation of $10 per person.
Please register by phone 604.777.7000 or email info@nikkeiplace.org
For more information please call Nikkei Place, 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby 604-777-7000www.NikkeiPlace.org
Tuesday, June 16
Gung Haggis Fat Choy team prepares for last practice before the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festiival June 20/21
by
Todd
on Tue 16 Jun 2009 03:07 PM PDT
It's the last practice before the race: Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team Gung Haggis team line up at the Dragon Zone regatta on June 6th - photo Todd Wong
The Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival is the largest in North America. Dragon boat racing began in Vancouver BC, when the Hong Kong pavillion at Expo 86 donated 4 teak boats to the City of Vancouver. I started attending the festivals for the great entertainment and shows. It wasn't until 1993 that I first joined a team and started paddling.
The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team has been racing at Alcan Dragon Boat Festival since 2002. Prior to that I coached and paddled on many different teams at the novice, recreation and competitive levels. The Gung Haggis team emphasizes fun, fitness and multiculturalism. That's why we wear our kilts while paddling a Chinese dragon boat tradition.
We have been asked to participate in two film documentaries. One is a feature film titled "In the Same Boat", directed by Alfonso Chin and produced by Jacqueline Liu for Rosetta Entertainment. Alfonso used to paddle for the CC Riders team, and our paddler/drummer Keng Graal used to be one of his teachers.
 Katie, rookie Gung Haggis paddler is interviewed for "In the Same Boat" dragon boat documentary film - photo T.Wong
The second film is a multi-part series called "Chinatown Canada" produced by Kerri Beattie of Image Pacific. They will be interviewing me about Vancouver Chinatown, and filming our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in action, as one of the cultural off shoots of Chinatown.
We are having our final pre-race practice tonight 5:45 to 7:30pm at
Dragon Zone (50 paces south of Science World - at the Green Trailer
Building).
We will be working out our final race strategies, and finalizing seating arrangements. Some of the paddlers have been away, but have returned just in time. We have four brand new paddlers who raced their first races ever in May and June. We have two more brand new paddlers who have yet to experience a full race with 7 or more boats.
Our core veterans have been with the team for 4 years or more. We have added some paddlers who have experience with other teams. This could be the best Gung Haggis team ever. But our roles at drummer and steers are not settled yet, and we might be rotating people.
Tonight after a debriefing... we are having a team social at "The Clubhouse
Restaurant" on West 2nd - across from City TV, and on the same block as
Bazzaar Novelty.
There is a dvd machine in the upstairs party room.
I will be showing documentary footage of the team from
France 3 "Thalassa" 2005
CBC Generations: The Chan Legacy 2006
ZDF "From Toronto to Vancouver by Train" 2007
but not from the 2008 Global News "Best of BC"
Saturday, June 13
Vancouver Storytelling at Main St. Car Free Days - with Toddish McWong
by
Todd
on Sat 13 Jun 2009 11:25 PM PDT
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.
Thursday, June 11
Standing Up for Community: Readings and presentations by Shirley Chan, Hayne Wai and Larry Wong for Eastside Stories
by
Todd
on Thu 11 Jun 2009 11:30 PM PDT
Eastside Stories is an offshoot of the Heart of the City Festival,
3 community leaders will speak at Carnegie Centre June 21st at 3pm.
Shirley Chan, Hayne Wai and Larry Wong
Event 3. Standing up for Community with Shirley Chan, Hayne Wai and Larry Wong, Sun June 21, 3pm Carnegie 3rd floor (see below and http://www.heartofthecityfestival.com/news/eastside-stories/
Shirley, Hayne and Larry are contributors to the book EATING STORIES: A Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck
All three helped to fight against the freeway proposal that would have knocked a swath through Chinatown in the 1960's.
Shirley and her mother helped lead the protests against freeway development in Vancouver Chintown in the 1960's, and were the topic of the documentary film Mary Lee Chan takes on City Hall. Mother Tongue | chinese community http://www.mothertongue.ca/community.php?id=1093574665
Hayne
has been involved with many anti-racism programs, and has served on the boards of Chinese Cultural Centre and Dr. Sun Yat Sen
Gardens, and Saltwater City Vancouver Centennial Exhibition. He founding member of Chinese
Canadian Historical Society of BC. Hayne is also my cousin, role model, and one of
my inspirations in creating Gung Haggis Fat ChoyLarry
Wong is curator of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum, at the Chinese
Cultural Centre Museum and Archives. He is also childhood friend of
Wayson Choy, and founding member of Chinese Canadian Historical Society
of BC.
Friday, May 29
Final event for Montreal poet John Asfour at Kogawa House, with Gary Geddes and Ann Eriksson
by
Todd
on Fri 29 May 2009 03:40 PM PDT
MONTREAL POET WRAPS UP RESIDENCY THIS WEEKEND Historic Joy Kogawa House celebrates success of its first writer-in-residence
 On April 20, inaugural Kogawa House writer-in-residence John Afour welcomed Shelagh Rogers, Jean Baird, George Bowering and George Stanley to Kogawa House for a joint Purdy Party with three BC Book Prize Poetry nominees Daphne Marlatt, George Stanly and Nilofar Shidmehr - photo Todd Wong
Kogawa House writer-in-residence John Asfour leaves a trail of inspiration behind as he packs his bags to return to Montreal on Sunday, May 31.
Final reading with Gary Geddes and Ann Eriksson on Saturday, May 30th.
During
his residency in Vancouver Asfour has hosted a number of writers for
readings at the house, including Judy Rebick, Ann Diamond, and Daphne
Marlatt, George Stanley, and Nilofar Shidmehr—three poets nominated for
this year’s Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. On Saturday, May 30, Gary
Geddes and Ann Eriksson join him for a final reading. Asfour
has also welcomed visits from writing classes and he has coached
numerous individual writers. Following an evening class at the house,
SFU Writers’ Studio lyric poetry instructor Rachel Rose wrote: “John
has been so generous with his time, meeting many students for
individual consults.” Another writer said: “I had a very good,
productive meeting with John and learned more in meeting with him than
I had learned in a whole year studying creative writing at university.
He taught me how to edit.” Asfour’s frequent writing consultations did not keep him completing a book of poems entitled Blindfold,
which is partly autobiographical—born in Lebanon, Asfour was blinded at
age 13 during the Civil War in 1958. His poems explore feelings of loss
and displacement and suggest that the disabled often feel like
foreigners in their own land, hampered by prejudice (sometimes
well-meaning), communications barriers and the sense of “limited
personality” that characterizes the immigrant experience.
 John Asfour was featured at the Vancouver Public Library on May 19th with Neworld Theatre's Marcus Youssef and Adrienne Wong read his poems in English - photo Todd Wong While
in Vancouver Asfour also presented poetry readings to a variety of
audiences, including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind,
Christianne’s Lyceum of Art and Literature, the BC Muslim School and in
collaboration with Neworld Theatre at the Vancouver Public Library. On
Thursday, 58 students from Killarney Secondary School will practice
their creative writing while scattered over the lawns, patio, and deck
at Kogawa house. Asfour
is the author of four books of poetry in English and two in Arabic. He
translated the poetry of Muhammad al-Maghut into English under the title Joy Is Not My Profession (Véhicule Press), and he selected, edited and introduced the landmark anthology When the Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry, 1945–1987 (Cormorant Books). Further information can be found on the website of the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society at www.kogawahouse.com or by calling (604) 263-6586. ends/more Contacts: Kogawa House Society: Ann-Marie Metten (604) 263-6586 Notes to Editors: 1. Information on Historic Joy Kogawa House Historic
Joy Kogawa House is the former home of the Canadian author Joy Kogawa
(born 1935). It stands as a cultural and historical reminder of the
expropriation of property that all Canadians of Japanese descent
experienced after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Between 2003 and
2006, a grassroots committee fund raised in a well-publicized national
campaign, and with the help of The Land Conservancy of BC, a non-profit
land trust, managed to purchase the house in 2006. Together
with Joy Kogawa, the various groups decided that the wisest and best
use of the property would be to establish it as a place where writers
could live and work. Following the models of the writer-in-residence
programs in place at the Berton House Writers’ Retreat in Dawson City ,
Yukon , and Roderick Haig-Brown House in Campbell River , BC , the
Historic Joy Kogawa House writer-in-residence program brings
well-regarded professional writers in touch with a local community of
writers, readers, editors, and librarians. While in residence, the
writer works to enrich the literary community around him or her and to
foster an appreciation for Canadian writing through programs that
involve students, other writers and members of the general public. Beginning
in March 2009, as a partner with TLC, the Historic Joy Kogawa Society
will begin hosting writers to live and work in the house on a paid
basis. Funding is provided through the Michael Audain Foundation for
the Arts, the BC Arts Council, the Canada Council and through donations
from the general public.
|
2010 GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY Dinner
January 31, 2010
Contact Firehall Arts Centre:
phone 604.689.0926
2010 prices
SINGLE TICKET
$60 + $5 service charge = $65
Student price is $50 + $4.50 = $54.50 (must show student high school or university ID)
Children's price is $40 + $4.00 = $44 (ages 13 and under).
Reservations for tables of 10
$600 + lower service charge
WHAT: GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner - 12th Annversary Dinner, celebrating 251st Anniversary of Robert Burns' birth + incoming Chinese New Year of the Tiger.
WHEN:
6PM January 31 2010, SUNDAY
doors open 5pm, Dinner 6pm
WHERE: Floata Chinese Restaurant,
#400-180 Keefer St.
Media Inquiries
Call Gung Haggis Productions / Todd Wong
direct: 778-846-7090
email: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca
CULTURE:
Our Performers
create something special for us every year with traditional and contemporary performances featuring everything in-between and beyond!
FOOD: A quirky fusion/mix/buffet of
Scottish Canadian and Chinese Canadian culture 10 course Chinese banguet dinner
2004 - The debut of Gung Haggis Won-Ton
2005 - Haggis lettuce wrap!
2007 - Haggis dim sum appetizer buffet
2008 - Scotch tastings! + debut of Gung Haggis parade dragon!
2009 - debut of Gung Haggis Fat Choy Pipes & Drums band + auction of 37 year old special edition Famous Grouse whisky + scotch tastings of Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park.
Watch for more surprises in 2010!
Description of 2009 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with CBC News anchor Gloria Macarenko and Media colunist Catherine Barr
featuring performers: bagpiper Joe McDonald and Mad Celts, Silk Road Music's Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault, Opera Soprano Heather Pawsey and DJ Timothy Wisdom, BC Book Prize winner Vancouver poet Rita Wong + poet traslator Tommy Tao, Playwright Adrienne Wong and a scene from "Mixie and The Half-Breeds"
Description of 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with Media colunist Catherine Barr
featuring performers: , celtic band Blackthorn, bagpiper Joe McDonald and Brave Waves, Ji-Rong Huang on erhu, Film maker Ann-Marie Fleming, Vancouver poet laureate George McWhirter, Playwright Grace Chin and a scene from "The Quickie"
Description of 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with CBC Radio's Priya Ramu,
featuring performers:
Silk Road Music,
Heather Pawsey,
Brave Waves,
Leora Cashe,
No Luck Club,
Dr. Ian Mason (Burns Club of Vancouver)
Lensey Namioka - Author "Half and Half"
Margaret Gallagher,
"Twisting Fortunes" (sneak preview of play)
Description of 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
with co-host with CityTV's Prem Gill
featuring performers:
Rick Scott & Harry Wong, The Shirleys, Joe McDonald & Brave Waves, Sean Gunn, author Joy Kogawa,
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Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team
for lots of summer fun, fitness and friendship. We are a social team full of cultural vigor, that likes to eat.
We have been featured on television, local, national and international. We have a unique and internationally famous fundraiser dinner event.
We practice starting March
Sunday 1:30 pm -3:30 pm
Tuesday 6pm-7:45pm
We meet at Dragon Zone clubhouse - just south of Science World in Creekside Park above the Aquabus and dragon boat docks.
Our coach Todd Wong has 15+ years of experience including novice, recreational and competitive levels, and both community and corporate teams.
Our 2008 season took us to races in Burnaby, Vancouver, Vernon, Vancouver Taiwanese race, UBC, Ft. Langley.
It was our strongest team ever and we are proud of our race performances.
For more information:
Click on
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team information
phone: 778-846-7090
e-mail: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca
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