Many people have said they relate to the film's stories and characters, regardless of ethnicity. The two sisters speak English to each other and the younger 9 year old Eve also narrates. Phoebe Kut stars as the central figure Eve, and Hollie Lo plays her older sister Karina. Their parents speak Cantonese Chinese to them, the kids answer in English. This is not a theatrical device - Julia Kwan says this is typical of many immigrant families. This could be any first and second generation immigrant group as they adapt to wherever they are now settled.   more »

Well they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Last week on CBC Radio's national program "Freestyle", I said that I would like to see Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners coast to coast across Canada, and that my friends in Victoria, Toronto, Winnipeg, Montreal and Halifax would be hosting their own forms of Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners, and hoisting a glass to "Toddish McWong." Adam Protter is a a caterer in Whistler (www.bigsmoke.ca) who insists on holding a Robbie Burns Day Dinner every year. He is also one of the founding members of the Whistler Slow Food Society. Adam sent me this report to share...   more »

Chinese Lunar New Year 2006 in Vancouver Chinatown

The Chinese New Year parade in Vancouve's Chinatown is now Vancouver's longest continually run parade, since the demise of the PNE parade.  Lots of action abounds as the many martial arts clubs all let loose their Lions to the streets.  Along the parade route, some of the Lions will approach different stores and restaurants hanging lettuce as an offering to the Lions.  After the parade, hang out on Pender and Keefer Streets afterwards as the Lions will roam the streets and even venture along Main St in search of lettuce and li-see (lucky red envelopes with money).  If you are lucky, you may see people lean out the 2nd or 3rd floor balconies with a lettuce hanging from a stick.  The lion may even try to climb up the building to get the lettuce to the loud applause of the crowd.

This year's parade featured the return of the Salvation Army Band, bangra dancing, the Carnival Band, and Brazillian dancers - but sadly no dragon boat.



I have never ever been a participant in the Chinese New Year Chinatown parade before, but this year I had 2 offers to join friends in Chinatown Revitalization Committee (Chair Glen Wong is an old childhood friend of mine), and the Dances With Dragons group (First Nations and Chinese supporters organized by Bill Chu).  I chose instead to just watch and enjoy the parade with my girlfriend.  It was amazing how many people we bumped into that we knew.


Todd Wong with friends City Councillor Suzanne Anton and dragon boater Patrick Couling - photo Deb Martin

First of all I bumped into Glen Wong with his young son - both dressed up in Chinese jackets.  Next was Patrick Couling, one of my early dragon boat mentors, then City Councillor Suzanne Anton - who had attended the previous week's Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.


"Eve & the Fire Horse" group promote the film, as actor Phoebe Kut hands out fortune cookies - photo Todd Wong

We walked past and through the parade assembly area and I greeted friends with their different groups.  I bumped into my 2nd cousin Nick with his two young sons and their martial arts club, as the club got ready to drum and do Lion Dances.  I met up with Wing Siu Wong, and young son Andy who came and greeted me saying "Toddish McWong!"  They were with the group for "Eve and the Fire Horse."  Producers Yves Ma and Erik Paulsson were there with the group holding up a big banner sign.  Young actor Phoebe Kut was there too!  After the parade I had a great chat with Yves and learned that we had other friends in common when his young daughter asked me "Are you Jessica's friend?"

Here I am with the parade crew from "Eve and the Fire Horse":  actor Phoebe Kut is delightful - she is on my right.  producer Yves Ma is on my left with his daughter - who remembered meeting me the week before at the Firehall Arts Centre.  What a small world! - photo Deb Martin.

- How to survive in the year of the Dog People are always asking for what it means to be born in the year of the dog. The standard answer is loyalty, friendship etc. etc. What does in really mean to be a dog? Could be positive... could be negative... Usually I look up some of the many Chinese Astrology books on my book shelf... but today I succumb to something I found today that is listed as author unknown and can be found all over the internet (trust me).   more »

John Rutherford: CHECK YOUR CHART for the Week of 30 January 2006.... It’s the Year of the Dog for Chinese New Year. Will yours be a greyhound or a mutt? Let’s hear it for: The Revenge of the Little Guy. More to follow this week, much more. Yeah, the little guy, the disadvantaged, and all those who feel that way. Jupiter represents the big, the bold, the grand, and those in command. Neptune represents the distant, the lonely and neglected, the disaffected, and too often “the little people”. The square between them shows discordance, a clash, between these two. The big guys and the little guys just aren’t getting along.   more »

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Gong Xi Fa Cai! - means "wishing you prosperity" red is Cantonese - black is Mandarin   more »

"About 45 minutes ago, we recieved a phone call from Sundance," said Yves Ma, one of the producers of the independent film Eve and the Fire Horse. "You are the first people to hear this news, outside of us... We've won the Special Jury Prize." Phoebe Kut, who plays "Eve" in the film stood at the front of the theatre with produces Shan Tam, Erik Paulsson and Ma. They were taking part in a Q&A organized by Anita Adams for First Weekend Club at Fifth Avenue Cinemas in Vancouver. The 7:25 pm show had ended to audience applause, and all three people were very happy to share their news and stories from Sundance.   more »

This is a Vancouver Chinatown tradition that started in the 1970's to highlight Chinese Culture in Chinatown. The Parade has really grown as a combination of things happened: New waves of Chinese immigrants Acceptance of multiculturalism and going out to see and promote such events Revitalized parade reaches out to many community groups Expect to see Brazilian dancers, a dragon boat on a trailer, First Nations dancers... and of course the usual Lion Dances and a Dragon Dance.    more »

I do like to support films with Asian Canadian themes. Eve and the Fire Horse was filmed and set in Vancouver.... and it has been burning up the critic's rave lists. Gotta go see this one for sure. Real Chinese Canadians playing real Chinese Canadians, with a Chinese Canadian director and Chinese Canadian themes.... Oops!- excuse me... substitute "Canadian" for all of the above.   more »

Charlie Smith, news editor of the Georgia Straight, interviewed me last week for this week's story about how the head tax issue united multigenerational Canadian-born Chinese Canadians with first-generation Chinese Canadian immigrants, for a shared cause. This was a great learning experience for me, as my circle of friends really consists of mainly English speaking Canadians of many different ethnicities - but mostly caucasian and chinese ancestries.   more »

Charlie Smith, Georgia Straight news director, called me up last week to ask me about the Chinese-Canadian heat tax/exclusion act issues, and about working with the BC Coalition of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants.   more »

How did I celebrate Robbie Burns Day? I put my kilt on and walked through downtown Vancouver on my way to a meeting at the Royal Bank Tower for the Canadian Club committee meeting for our "Order of Canada / Flag Day" luncheon. A number of our board members had attended the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner, and they all asked me to stand up and display my kilt for their visual satisfaction.After the meeting, I walked up Burrard St, to the Sutton Place Hotel, site for the Burns Supper presented by the Burns Club of Vancouver. 130 men attended. No women as the tradition is that Burns Suppers were started by the Tarburton Bachelor Club. I had never before attended a Men Only club until I attended a Burns Club of Vancouver meeting two years ago. FYI - they do have other meetings and events where women are invited. But it is a historical tradition following the origins of all things Burns.   more »

I love Mozart's music. This morning I turned on CBC Radio Two - 105.7 FM in Vancouver. Playing was my absolute Mozart symphony. #40. I prefer it more than the more often played No. 40 "Jupiter" and the No. 25 Symphonies. Mozart also had to write his operas in Italian, since it was "the official opera language" of the day. And like many composers he also drew on folk and ethnic melodies. His Turkish Rondo is a good example of this practice. And Turkish Rondo is also one of my favorite pieces that I can play on my concert accordion. Oh... and I have a jazz inspired transcription of Turkish Rondo titled "Mozart Gets Around." Very cool!   more »

Here's a new article at The Scotsman about Burns Dinners Around the World.

Guess who they name?

http://news.scotsman.com/features.cfm?id=119992006

This is a very interesting story about Burns Day dinners in Paris, Hong Kong, and of course the infamous and internationally known Toddish McWong's Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner in Vancouver, Canada.

PIPING IN THE (CHINESE) NEW YEAR HOW VANCOUVER’S CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION IS PROMOTING INTERCULTURALISM IN CANADA’S WESTERN METROPOLIS http://www.maisonneuve.org/index.php?&page_id=12&article_id=2030 Christopher DeWolf writes about the different ways Chinese New Year is being celebrated in Vancouver - but I will just get to the good stuff here. Click on the links to visit the full article at Maisoneuve Magazine. GOOD ARTICLE!    more »

People have often asked "What would Robbie Burns think about Gung Haggis Fat Choy?" I am pleased to share that the Burns Club of Vancouver definitely approves of my combined Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. In 2006, Dr. Ian Mason of the Burns Club of Vancouver spoke at Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public Library, January 16th 2006. As well Ian also came to the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event at the Floata Restaurant on January 22nd, bringing with him his wife and Burns scholar Dr. Andrew Noble.   more »

Fred Wah, poet, winner of Governor General's Award for Poetry, acclaimed author of Waiting for Saskatchewan and Rattlesnake Grill.... is reading at Capilano College on February 6th. Monday. 12:30pm 12:30-2:30 in LB 321. Last year Fred Wah was our featured poet for both Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public Library, as well as Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner on January 30th, 2005   more »

Maiko Bae Yamamoto, Hiro Kanagawa, James Long and Manami Hara have been creating interesting theatre productions in Vancouver for the past few years. Hiro's well-received Tiger of Malaysia was presented at Richmond's Gateway Theatre last May during Asian Heritage Month. I have seen Maiko in numerous productions such as The Concunbine's Children and she has also read some of her works at readings organized by Asian Canadian Writers's Workshop. This one looks very cool.   more »

Stephen Harper just held a news conference where he announced that the new Conservative Government would be sworn in on Monday Feb 6th. He also took the occasion to acknowledge Chinese New Year (with Gung Hay Fat Choy to all Canadians) and recognize the contribution of the community and reiterated his pledge of an apology and appropriate redress. The BC Coaltion of Head Tax Payers, Spouses and Descendants will be making a response soon.   more »

Janice Wong featured on Fanny Kiefer Show Friday on Shaw TV Cable


In the Cowichan Valley on Shaw TV Cable 4 4:00pm Weekdays

It’s Robbie Burns Day in Canada Celebrated like no where in the world Bagpipes play and haggis is all served The best supper ever to attend Toddish McWong's thoughts on Robbie Burns Day, and his plans for the day....    more »

My friend Grace Chan has sent me this notice about her first one-woman musical drama. Grace is an incredible mezzo-soprano and helped to create roles in both Naomi's Road and Iron Road operas. Each were the first operas to ever present Chinese-Canadian and Japanese-Canadian historical stories. Hope you can attend...   more »

Chinese media carried the head tax issue almost daily since Nov. 26th, 2005. According to year end top ten lists. It was the number one issue in Chinese Canada, and it was included on top ten issues for Chinese around the world. As of Canada's election results, Raymond Chan the former Minister of State for Multiculturalism, and who introduced the ACE Agreement-in-Principle, is still trying to do damage control by stating that the Chinese Canadians still voted him in office and that the head tax issue wasn't that big an issue. But the numbers don't lie. The Tory polls swung upwards immediately after Paul Martin made what appeared to be an insincere personal apology for head tax redress. The Liberals are now out of office. The NDP led the charge for a proper apology and redress, and their numbers doubled in BC, and increased across the country. The Conservatives supported an apology and direct compensation for surviving head tax payers, and their numbers increased. The Bloc supported head tax redress and their numbers increased.   more »

Prem Gill of City TV, and Todd Wong, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, co-hosts for the evening - photo by Ray Shum~~~ The Calling of the Clans: Peter Black announces Clan Black and his merry band of haggis makers - photo Ray Shum    more »

VANCOUVER/TORONTO/MONTREAL, January 24, 2006: Chinese Canadian groups across Canada are asking Prime Minister Elect Stephen Harper to immediately make good on his pledge to apologize for 62 years of legislated racism under the Head Tax and Exclusion Acts by making a public statement on behalf of the government of Canada on or before Chinese Lunar New Year on January 29, 2006. This is to be followed by a Parliamentary Resolution once the House of Commons is recalled.    more »

It's important to vote in today's federal election. Last night at Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner, Faye Leung wanted to say a few words to acknowledge my grandmother, Mabel Mar, who I have always called Poh-Poh, or Granny. My grandmother was born in Victoria BC, in 1910, and she was not able to vote in the country of her birth until 1947 when Canadians of Chinese ancestry were given francise rights. This was due to the successful repeal of the racist Chinese Exclusion Act that had begun with the Chinese Head Tax, and was part of 62 years of legislated racism.   more »

Last was indeed the best ever Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. Every year has a different quality, different performers, different guests, different co-hosts and different suprises... We celebrate the diversity of a "gung haggis" world - full of intercultural fusion, no longer confined to self-contained boxes of multiculturalism. Max Wyman, one of Canada's leading cultural advocates and critics, as well as head of Canada's UNESCO program, was very excited about last night's dinner event. He first told me, then shared with the audience, that it was wonderful to see Canada's amazing cultural diversity expressed through the arts. All the hard work setting the ground work helps to make it possible for us to show case our Asian Canadian and cultural fusion artists. PICTURES of Rick Scott, Harry Wong, LaLa, No Shit Shirleys, Joe McDonald & Bravewaves, Prem Gill, Mayor Sam Sullivan, Joy Kogawa, Faye Leung... LOTS of PICTURES!   more »

This is going to be the most exciting Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner yet. We have people travelling from Seattle, Vernon, Victoria, and Kelowna, specifically to attend. We have people who are in town from Toronto, Edmonton, and Scotland and specifically want to be at our dinner. For the first time - we are going to integrate video with the dinner's events... From the CBC Gung Haggis Fat Choy tv performance special, and the Jeff Chiba Stearns animated film What Are You Anyways? The program is jam-packed...    more »

This seating plan has changed!!! We are now using only the left (north) side of the restaurant. The tables have been re-aligned and recognized according to purchase order. Here is the revised seating plan for the GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY dinner at the Floata Restaurant, January 22, 2006. Premium tables are in PINK - they are closer and two bottles of wine are served at the table. REGULAR tables are uncoloured. YELLOW tables are for Head Tables, Performer tables, sponsoring and beneficiary organizations such as Save Kogawa House committee, Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop and Gung Haggis dragon boat team.    more »

For people wishing to come to Gung Haggis Fat Choy... there are still tickets available at the door. The Firehall Arts Centre has now finished their part in handling advance sales. We thank them for graciously handling advance sales for us. There will be tickets at the door. But there are only about 30 seats left   more »

As Canadians who believe in justice and human rights, we are calling on you to start the process of redress and reconciliation for 62 years of legislated racism under the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Acts. Head tax redress is clearly an election issue and may well influence the results in some key swing ridings. The issue has galvanized the Chinese Canadian community and youth across the country. Thanks to this grassroots pressure, all three opposition parties have called for a formal apology in the House of Commons and the Prime Minister has made at least a personal apology.   more »

January 21, 2006 (Vancouver). Redress-seeking groups including the Chinese Canadian National Council and the Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity (ACCESS) support the open letter written by Canadians for Redress to all 4 party leaders urging them to work cooperatively in the new Parliament to resolve the longstanding head tax redress issue. Canadian for Redress made up of prominent Canadians are asking all four leaders to start the process of reconciliation by jointly issuing an apology on behalf of the Canadian Government on or before Lunar New Year on January 29, 2006. This is to be followed by an all-party Parliamentary acknowledgement when Parliament is recalled.    more »

One year... maybe... Tiller's Folly will play at Gung Haggis Fat Choy. I have known Laurence Knight since 2002, when we met at a CAPACOA conference in Ottawa. We hit it off immediately, and I have been a Tiller's Folly fan ever since. TF has a penchant for BC history, and I have been encouring them to write a song about Chinese Canadian pioneers in BC... January 20, 2006 Greetings! BRUCELIVE The year 2006 is starting off on high for Tiller’s Folly’s Bruce Coughlan, Laurence Knight, Nolan Murray, and Eric Reed.    more »

My friend Victor Wong also happens to be executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council. This is the group that helped to start organizing head tax payers and descendants in the 1980's to appeal to the federal government for redress for the 62 years of legislated racism against ethnic Chinese immigration to Canada from 1891 to 1947. This systemic racism included not giving voting franchise to Canadians of Chinese ancestry born in Canada, such as my Grandmother who was born in 1910 in Victoria BC. Victor writes a very good rebuttal to people who say that the Chinese pioneers paid the head tax voluntarily and didn't have to come to Canada. I feel that his arguement is weak, because it ignores the fact that no other ethnic group had a head tax placed on them, and is and was, and still remains blatantly racist. - Todd   more »

Lots of people discover Gung Haggis Fat Choy through various means: on a website, on a poster, through radio, on television, in a newspaper or maybe through a friend. Here's a letter from somebody, very excited to becoming a Clan Gung Haggis initiate. "Dear Todd, My partner (who's actually Scottish) and I (grandson of a Scot) will be having our first GHFC experience next weekend, and as I Googled today I found this lovely article in The Scotsman:"    more »

Chow author was driving down Denman St. when she spotted her book featured in a window display. Very cool.... Chinese New Year is fast approaching! PICTURE!   more »

Here's a picture of me in today's Metro News for January 20, 2006 A friend just sent me this on e-mail - now I have to go out and find a copy. Story by Jared Ferrie.   more »

Funny thing happened as I was writing this article. Georgia Straight News Editor Charlie Smith phoned me. "Todd I've been seeing your face pop up on tv all over the place.".... The Georgia Straight includes the Chinese Head Tax redress amongst important elections issues such as the future of health care, child care, the cost of postsecondary education, crime, police surveillance powers, , immigration, Canadian military priorities, and the desire for less corruption in Ottawa. They also state that "it’s unthinkable to elect federal politicians who opposed ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and who are so threatened by gay and lesbian marriages that they feel they must be banned."   more »

I have known Bill Siksay since '88 to '90 when he was Sven Robinson's constituency assistant in Burnaby Douglas. At the January 16th press conference and Statement of Support signing by candidates supporting Head Tax Redress, I asked the candidates if any of them were direct head tax descendants or had family members who were. Bill Siksay gave this reply: "I had family who lived in Canada at that time, which means, in fact, that I had family who were head-tax collectors," he said. "This isn't just an issue for Chinese-Canadians, this is an issue for all Canadians to take responsibility for what happened in the past."   more »

Gabriel Yiu is a new friend whose thoughtful comments, insight to Chinese language community and presence I have enjoyed while working together on the BC Coalition for Head Tax Payers, Spourse and Descendants. He has been providing media commentary on current affairs since 1995. He provides the reasons and results of his recommendatesion for the past 10 years and gives his 2006 recommendation.   more »

Thursday afternoon I met with Metro News reporter Jared, Dragon Martials Arts store on Pender St. at the Chinese Cultural Centre. This is where I purchased my Lion Head mask. I never ever imagined that the combination of Chinee Lion Head maskwith a red kilt would become such an iconic symbol of "Gung Haggis Fat Choy" cultural fusion.... but it did. The image has become copied and blogged around the world... from Calfornia to Canton, from Nova Scotia to Scotland, from New Jersey to Simon Fraser University. Friday morning I am expecting a phone call from the hosts of the new CBC Radio program "Freestyle."   more »

Arrive Early: The doors will open by 5:15 pm. All seating is reserved, and all tables are placed in the order that they were ordered.... Expect the unexpected...   more »

I am really pleased the Urine Town has become a hit with Vancouver audiences. I have chosen Firehall Arts Centre to distribute tickets for Gung Haggis Fat Choy to help draw attention to the wonderful multicultural work that they do. Upcoming productions include Broken written by Chris Gatchalian, artist in residence for Firehall Arts Centre.   more »

Listen on Friday, Thursday Jan 19th, somewhere between 7am and 9am on 690 AM CBC Radio One for co-host Margaret Gallagher to give away tix as part of "690 to Go" as she gives away tickets to the "city's hottest events." This will be the third year Margaret has given away GHFC tickets to CBC listeners. We must be hot! We think Margaret is hot. Margaret has both performed and co-hosted for Gung Haggis Fat Choy in past years. Margaret guest paddled in our dragon boat entry in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2005. We always sing "When Chi-rish Eyes Are Smiling" - only for Margaret.   more »

Busy busy days leading up to Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event now. CBC Radio Freestyle called in the morning to find out more about the dinner and to set up an interview for Friday morning to be broadcast on Friday afternoon, January 20th. ~~~ We had taste-testing at the Floata Restaurant for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner tonight. Attending was Roland Tanglao of www.vaneats.com, chef Stephen Wong, dragon boat team members Dave Samis, Daming and Deb Martin. CBC radio reporter Margaret Gallagher also dropped in to pick up some haggis won ton to use in an on-air segment of "What's going on" and to give away 2 tickets for Gung Haggis Fat Choy on 690 to Go! More on our taste testing tomorrow.   more »

The Scotsman, international journal for the Scottish diaspora has published a story about Gung Haggis Fat Choy. Journalist Christina Harper interviewed myself and bagpiper Joe MacDonald. GOOD STORY with PICTURES!   more&n