Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns
What: Gung Haggis Fat Choy:
Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns
Chinese New Year Dinner
When: 6pm, January 22, 2006,
Sunday Reception at 5:30pm
Where: Floata Restaurant
#400 - 180 Keefer St.
Vancouver Chinatown
Tickets: Firehall Arts Centre
604-689-0926
Advance Premium price (until January 9):
$60 single / $600 per table. Includes wine and Ricepaper Magazine subscription
Advance Regular price (until Januray 9): $50 single / $500 per table - includes Ricepaper Magazine subscription
After January 9th - Premium price $70 each / Regular price $60 each. Children 13 and under 50% off (no Ricepaper subscription).
Hosted by Todd Wong and Prem Gill (City TV's multicultural director and host of Colour TV)
I can proudly say the our special performing guests are all my friends. I have scouted and reviewed their performances and they are all deemed Gung Haggis Fat Choy worthy. We are honoured by their participation:
Rick Scott & Harry Wong
creators of "5 Elements" children's cd and show - featured at Vancouver International Children's Festival in 2004
"Harry Goh Goh" (Harry Big Brother) is the affectionate term that Harry is know as on his "Bean Town" chinese languarge children's television show that is broadcast around the world. He is the "Raffi of Hong Kong" and Rick Scott and I watched children at Vancouver Children's Festival line up to meet "Harry Goh Goh" after their joint show. "He's their hero," Rick told me.
No slouch in the performing deparment himself, Rick Scott has thrilled children's audiences everywhere - especially with his fan favorite Rap song tribute to Mozard. "Yo Mo!" (Come on Amadeus, Whatcha gonna play us?" Scott has also thrilled adult audiences for decades as 1/3 of the accoustic folk trio Pied Pumkin with Shari Ulrich and Joe Mok (whose father is Chinese - making the Pumkin 1/6 Chinese??)
Joy Kogawa O.C.
Award winning author and poet, of Obasan (Vancouver Public Library's 2005 choice for One Book One Vancouver) and Naomi's Road (Vancouver Opera's production for Opera in the Schools)
Joy has become a truly blessed friend, as we have come together by crisis. I first met her back in 1986 at Expo 86's Folk Life Pavillion where she read from her newly written book Obasan. I was stunned by the beauty of her words, that always stayed with me.
In my support of Obasan as the OBOV selection and in joining the Save Kogwa House committee - we know regularly chat and share the ups and downs of the campaign from the tree planting at City Hall to the performances of Vancouver Opera's "Naomi's Road." She teaches me about forgiveness, healing and about the Japanese Canadian redress movement.
Joe McDonald & Brave Waves
Bagpiper, band leader, combining traditional scots, gaelic, celtic and Canadian songs with Asian and South Asian music and instruments.
Joe has become a great friend and Gung Haggis regular stalwart. I first met him in January 2001 and he first performed when GHFC dinner was only 100 strong. He participates in the GHFC World Poetry Night and the gives priority to the GHFC dinner. He has travelled often to China and Japan as part of Canadian "multicultural arts groups" and this summer he performed at the Expo in Japan. He plays at South Asian weddings, and Chinese Spring Festival events.
La La
Exciting blend of contemporary soul and hip hop music with Asian roots and traditional Canadian songs.
I first saw LaLa perform "Auld Lang Syne" in the CBC tv special Gung HAggis Fat Choy... she was selected as the "Chinese element" for the last segment of the tv special and has performed many years with Joe McDonald, singing at weddings, services etc. When we first met, we got along famously. La La has a great voice suited for traditional, hip hop or blues music. It is rich and soulful. Last year, we performed together for First Night Vancouver, and our friendly chemistry really put "The Haggis Rap" over the top. I still cannot believe 500 people punching air and singing "As langs my arm!"
Sean Gunn
Singer /Songwriter - Head Tax Redress activist and composer of "The Head Tax Blues"
Sean's poetry is included in the first anthology of Chinese Canadian prose and poetry titled "Many Mouthed Birds." He even invited me to play accordion with me one summer at the Powell St. Festival. His song, the Head Tax Blues, is a rallying call for redress of the racially discriminating head tax and exclusion act, suffered by Chinese immigrants to Canada from 1885 to 1947. It has been performed at GHFC dinners in 2000, 2001, 2003. The song is featured in the Karen Cho NFB documentary "In the Shadow of Gold Mountain," a moving story about the Chinese Canadian pioneers and the redress campaign for an apology and reparation.
Jeff Chiba Stearns
Classical Animator - creator of award winning animated film "What Are You Anyways?"
I met Jeff this past summer in the Vancouver Public Library promenade for the Japanese Canadian community fair. I was taken immediately by his drawings of his animated film "What Are You Anyways?" that described his adventures growing up Half-Japanese in a BC interior town. Right then, I invited Jeff to be a performer for GHFC. He is the first filmaker we have featured.
The Shirleys
Seven sassy soulful females singing accapella songs of protest and lullabyes.
I first met the Shirleys at a fundraiser event last year for then city councillor Ellen Woodsworth. I was amazed by the groovy chemistry that this acappella group radiated. I have known one of the group's leaders Karen Lee-Morlang for a few years, as Karen organizes monthly music programs at the Vancouver Public Library. The Shirleys sing lullabyes, they sing protest songs, they sing songs from around the world. They are hip, they are happening, and they give real good group hugs. You better believe it.
