GungHaggisFatChoy

Jadin Wong - pioneering Asian performer - dies

Todd — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:39:42 -0700

Jadin Wong - pioneering Asian performer - dies

It's been a nostalgic weekend for me, meeting the first Asian-Canadian NHL hockey player Larry Kwong, and re-reading a book about Ann May Wong.

Here's a link about a pioneering Asian-American performer, Jadin Wong. I wonder if she knew my grandmother's uncle Luke Chan, who also performed in some early Hollywood movies such as The Good Earth, The Mysterious Mr. Wong and many others.

from:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/11/BA5D1DA319.DTL#ixzz0ulQhdyiE

Jadin Wong was so devoted to entertainment that, in the throes of World War II, she jumped out of an airplane about to go down and into German territory, snuck across the Black Forest and made her evening appointment to perform with Bob Hope for U.S. troops, her family said.

Ms. Wong, who died March 30 at age 96, will be honored May 24 at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York, where she spent much of her life after launching her career in San Francisco.

"She was a real firecracker. She took that stereotype of the demure Asian female and turned it on its head," said Cynthia Lee, director of exhibitions at the Museum of Chinese in America. "She really felt she had a mission that went much beyond just a career for herself."

Ms. Wong was born in Marysville (Yuba County) in 1913 and moved to Stockton as a child. Her father worked for the railroads while her mother raised the family's six children.

As early as age 5, Ms. Wong knew she wanted to be a performer, her brother Wally Wong of New York said. Ms. Wong would go to the local park and sing and dance for nickels, which she saved to pay for dance and voice lessons.

"Jadin was really a born dancer, a born performer," he said. "She was always totally devoted to the art form."

Her parents, however, were not so enamored of her career choice, which they said was unbecoming for a young woman, Wong said. They forbade her from going into show business, and Ms. Wong ran away from home at 17 to pursue a performing career.

"At that time, there were almost no performing jobs for Asian Americans, so she had to make a stand in her own family as well as in Hollywood," Lee said.

She was caught by a truant officer after a few months and brought home, at which point she ran away again. This time she headed for Hollywood, with $45 secretly given to her by her mother, Wong said. Unable to find work, Ms. Wong slept on park benches and tap danced for spare change.

A producer for 20th Century Fox spotted her and she was cast in her first film, "Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation," Wong said. She went on to appear in dozens of movies, including "Year of the Dragon" in 1985 and, most recently, at age 92, "The Pink Panther."

She was also a star on the nightclub circuit, performing at San Francisco's legendary Forbidden City on Sutter Street, among other gigs on what was known at the time as the "Chop Suey Circuit."

When live theater began to falter with the advent of television, Ms. Wong opened a talent agency, specializing in finding jobs for Asian American performers in movies, TV and Broadway. She worked until she became paralyzed by a stroke four years ago, Wong said.

"She always told people, if you have talent ... and you're willing to train and work hard, you can perform any role you want," her brother said.

Undeterred by the often racist nature of early roles for Asian Americans, Ms. Wong believed that any role for Asian Americans brought diversity to mainstream entertainment and would eventually lead to better roles, Lee and Wong said.

In San Francisco, Ms. Wong was remembered for her independent spirit and for opening doors for other Asian Americans entertainers.

"Jadin Wong ... defied tradition and broke racial and gender stereotypes to pursue an unconventional path," said Sue Lee, director of the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco. "We owe much to her brazen nature for carving a path in show business for Asian Americans today."

Ms. Wong outlived two husbands. She is survived by her brother and several nieces and nephews.

Joe Wong is an immigrant American-Chinese comic....

Todd — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:34:05 -0700

or is Joe Wong a Chinese-American comic?

My friend Jim Wong-Chu just sent me some links to youtube videos of comic Joe Wong.

Check them out:

Joe Wong All American Immigrant Headliner Radio & Television Correspondents Dinner pt.1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j5fV4c9L8o&feature=related

Joe Wong All American Immigrant Headliner Radio & Television Correspondents Dinner pt.2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnLXFgh-24o&NR=1

Joe Wong on Ellen Degenerous show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF7O-AcY3Ao

Larry Kwong receives the inaugural Pioneer Award at the 2010 BC Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Todd — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:53:27 -0700

Great to WITNESS Larry Kwong awarded the inaugural PIONEER AWARD last night at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, last night in Penticton. July 23, 2010. This was a special award that was created so that the 82 year old Vernon-born hockey player could be honoured. It was sponsored by the Okanagan Hockey School.

Chad Soon has been leading the drive to have Kwong inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. I met Chad at Christmas time, and he was excited enough about Larry Kwong's place in hockey history, that he has been contacting hockey card companies, hockey teams, and other organizations that would support such a campaign. Chad contacted me two weeks ago and told me that the award would be presented to Larry. It was a coincidence that I was planning to be in the Okanagan that same weekend, so I purchased the ticket to the BC Hockey Hall of Fame.

Chad Soon greeted as soon as I stepped onto the event floor at the South Okanagan Event Centre, in Penticton. It is a hockey arena that also plays host to concerts. It was a wonderful setting with over a hundred tables set up inside the hockey rink boards. Banners from each year listed the names of that year's inductees. There were tables filled with silent auction prizes that ranged from gift certificates for restaurants to signed Vancouver Canucks jerseys by Trevor Linden and Roberto Luongo, to holiday getaways.

Larry Kwong's daughter and grand-daughters with Gavin Donald and his display about Larry Kwong - photo Todd Wong

I chatted with Chad's wife Zoe, while Chad helped Larry get settled with his daughter and grand-daughters at their table. Zoe pointed out a display about Larry Kwong that had been created by one of Chad's elementary school students, Gavin Donald, who had one a prize at the Vernon Regional History Fair. Kenda Gee, came by to say hello and ask me to sign a release document, as the Chinese-Canadian history activist is producing a documentary film about Chinese Canadians which will also feature Larry Kwong.

There was a 90 minute reception period during which Chad went around the room, trying to get the signatures of the inducted hockey players on a hockey stick to be gifted to Larry. Dinner was served around 6:30pm. Roast beef, chicken, roast potatoes, greek salad, spinach salad, pasta salad, steamed vegetables.... all good meat & potatoes food for hockey afficiandos.

Larry Kwong and his friend from high school - photo Todd Wong

When the awards portion began at 7pm, some announcements were made that recognized the hockey achievements in BC including the Canadian Mens and Womens Olympic hockey teams winning gold in Vancouver Olympics.

Before then new names could be inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, the following awards were presented:
BC Lifetime Achievement to Andrew Mustard
Patricia Carter Bursary to Madison Dias
Minor Hockey Player of the Year to Curtis Zazar

Emcee Bernie Pascall then asked guests to turn their attentions to the screens as a video titled "The Longest Shot" began. It told the history of a baby born born in Vernon to a Chinese Canadian family just days before Canadian Parliament enacted the "Chinese Exclusion Act". The audience learned that Larry Kwong played for the Vernon Hydrophone and won the midget and junior BC Championships in 1939 and 1941. He also played with the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Nanaimo Clippers where all the other team players were able to have jobs in the local factory, except for Kwong because he was Chinese.

The narrator told of every BC hockey playing boy's dream of getting called up to the NHL, as Larry was called up to the New York Rovers, the NHL farm team for the New York Rangers. Then during the 47-48 season he was called up to NHL. Larry suited up at the Montreal Forum March 13, 1948. He said that Larry sat on the bench for the first period, the second period and most of the third period... before hearing his name called. At the Montreal Forum, Larry Kwong stepped onto the ice for his first NHL shift. A minute later, it was over, and his name wasn't called again.

Larry didn't let the bitterness of a colour barrier stop him from enjoying playing hockey. He loved hockey. Kwong had an exciting and long amateur and minor league career with the Valleyfield Braves of the Quebec Senior League where he played against future NHL stars Jean Belliveau and Jacques Plante. In 1951, Kwong was the recipient of the Byng of Vimy Award for Most Valuable Player of the Quebec Senior League and as assistant captain, he helped to lead the Valleyfield Braves to the Alexander Cup, the Canadian Senior "A" Championship.

He also spent one season with the Nottingham Panthers in Britain before retiring in 1957. Kwong decided to go to Switzerland for a year, and became a hockey and tennis coach. He had such a wonderful time, it was 15 years before he returned to Canada to run the family grocery, formerly known as Kwong Hing Lung (Abundant Prosperity), Food-Vale.

Larry Kwong on stage as he received the inaugural Pioneer Award at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame - photo Todd Wong

When the film was over, Larry was on stage in his wheel chair. He uses a wheelchair because a few years ago his legs had been amputated for health issues. Our group of tables were the first to give Larry a standing ovation. Gavin and his mother stood up. Chad and his wife and father stood up. Larry's 2 grand-daughters and daughter stood up. And soon the entire audience was standing up clapping, while Larry waved to the crowd and gracefully accepted the appreciation.

The next two awards to be awarded was the induction of hockey builder Frank Lento and hockey player Dallas Drake. There was a 20 minute break for Live Auction items. Then the next two inductees were introduced, hockey builder Bruce Hamilton and hockey player Trevor Linden.

There was a video that recounted Linden's career with the Vancouver Canucks, his time spent with New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals, as well as with the Canadian Olympic team in Nagano Olympics in 1998. Linden was introduced by Pat Quinn, the man who drafted him second over-all in the 1988 junior draft. It was very clear that Trevor Linden's induction was the highlight of the evening.

Trevor Linden is inducted to BC Hockey Hall of Fame. - photo by Todd Wong

So many people were moved to learn the "Larry Kwong Story" last night while watching the video about Larry. There was additional recognition from the stage from Pat Quinn, Stockwell Day and others...... Yes it was Trevor Linden's Night to be inducted to the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, but soon after Trevor stepped off the stage, and the event was over, Trevor was congratulating Larry Kwong.

2010 inductee Trevor Linden congratulates Larry Kwong - photo Chad Soon

Larry also came to Vernon Museum on Saturday July 24, for a special reception, to meet supporters.

Larry took a picture with us at the end of the evening. Todd Wong and Chad Soon are each beside Larry, as he holds his new Pioneer Award plaque. Chad's father Martin and wife Zoe stand behind us. Chad was instrumental in working with BC Hockey Hall of fame to initiate recognition for Larry Kwong - photo Todd Wong

Attending the BC Hockey Hall of Fame event was different for me. For the past few years I have been attending the BC Book Awards. I also attending the first two Vancouver Arts Awards. The last time I attended a sports award event was when I was at Carson Graham High School and on the wrestling and badminton teams. A few years ago, I was a recipient for a community contribution award at the Simon Fraser University Recreation Awards, http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2005/4/4/553636.html

Here are my pictures from the event.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/sets/72157624581716852/

Vernon student creates history project on Larry Kwong, and wins prize trip to Barkerville!

Todd — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:09:55 -0700

Larry Kwong: A Hero to Me

Here is Gavin Donald's winning display on Larry Kwong - photo Todd Wong

Vernon student Gavin Donald creates a prize winning history display about the first NHL hockey player of Asian ancestry

Silver Star school student Gavin Donald, with his project, Larry Kwong: A Hero to Me, one of the winners in the recent Vernon and District Heritage Fair.

Gavin Donald, 11, is a Grade 6 Silver Star student, that I sat beside at last night's BC Hockey Hall of Fame induction dinner.

I was surprised at how much compassion and information that Gavin conveyed when he talked about Larry Kwong. Gavin is passionate about his hometown of Vernon, and really wanted to choose a person from Vernon for his project. The young man beside me wore a tie, and was thrilled to meet Larry Kwong at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Dinner last night in Penticton. Even though the induction of Trevor Linden, one of the greatest hockey players to wear the "C" for the Vancouver Canucks, was undoubtedly the evening's highlight - Gavin was only there to meet his hero - Larry Kwong.

When MP Stockwell Day came over to meet Larry Kwong, it was Gavin who quickly had a pen in Day's hand to sign a petition to nominate Larry Kwong for the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. By the end of the evening, Gavin was proudly carrying a newly won silent auction prize of a goalie stick signed by Mikka Kipprusoff, and asking other of the inducted hockey players Trevor Linden, Dallas Drake to sign the stick. An evening highlight for Gavin was having Larry Kwong add his signature that same goalie stick.

Gavin did his history project on Larry Kwong, a Vernon native who was the first person of Asian descent to play in the NHL. Gavin is 1 of 4 Vernon students who went on to the Okanagan Regional Heritage Fair in Kelowna and four projects from Vernon students were selected for the prize of a trip to the Provincial Heritage Fair in Barkerville June 30 to July 4.

Here is a quote from the article:

Kwong, who was born in Vernon in 1923, played for the Vernon Hydrophones 1939-41. He played for the New York Rangers 1946-48 but due to alleged prejudice played only one minute in a game in 1948. “Many people in Canada were racist then but he never gave up on his dream. He was a good player. We have to learn from history. It’s sickening that someone would not have a chance because of their race. That should not happen anymore,” said Gavin, whose great-uncle, John Baumborough, played hockey with Kwong in Vernon

Read the original article:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/lifestyles/98887244.html

Todd in the Okanagan to vacation and meet Larry Kwong at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame event

Todd — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:56:51 -0700

I journeyed to Vernon for some vacation and to attend a historic event.

Larry Kwong the first non-white to play in the NHL, way back in 1948, will be honoured with the inaugural Pioneer Award at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Induction ceremony Friday July 23, in Penticton.

The Vernon-born Kwong, will also be in Vernon for a special reception at the Vernon Museum on Saturday, August 24th from 12 noon to 12:45pm.

Kwong played junior hockey in Vernon, then with the Trail Smokeaters, before joining the New York Rangers of the NHL. Due to racial colour barriers in North America at the time, he later played in England and Switzerland.

Check out this local Vernon news story
http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/news/99082069.html

"25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" delights!!!

Todd — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:51:36 -0700

: The marvelous cast of the Arts Club production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - photo courtesy of Arts Club

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Arts Club Vancouver
extended until August 25th.


I first became interested in spelling bees after my 2nd cousin Tracey won the inaugural Canspell regional spelling bee in the Vancouver region. At the young age of 14, she then went off to the Scripps National Bee in Washington DC, and the Canspell National in Ottawa where she placed in the top 5. I diligently followed the emails that her mother sent the family. Next I watched the movie Akeelah and the Bee, about a young child becoming involved in a spelling Bee, and being trained by Laurence Fishburne's character of Dr. Larabee. Richard Gere also starred in the movie Bee Season.

This play captures all the silly ideas of the importance of spelling bees as well as the serious undercurrents of perfectionism and high expectations placed on the young competitors of these contests. This is afterall a musical. And musicals are meant to be fun and light. And this musical delivers on all accounts... except I don't know if I can hum any of the tunes... but I was humming something when I walked out of the theatre.

The Arts Club has put a real effort into this production. I remember earlier in May, when Arts Club manager Howard Jang told me that this was going to be very enjoyable. He's right. You step into the theatre, and the set design accurately represents a high school gymnasium, right down to the lockers outside in the hall. You are indeed transported into a world of nostalgia as the musical begins with event host Rona Lisa Peretti entering the gym to set up. There is a flashback to when she is a little girl and she won the third annual spelling bee by correctly spelling syzygy. It brings a certain emotional induction to the theatre play, as I recalled watching the CBC documentary Generation: The Chan Legacy, that showed tv film footage of my young cousin Tracey spelling her word at the Canspell contest.

There are five contestants that are supplemented by four "contestants" chosen from the audience. This adds to a wonderful spontaneity for the play, as each night will be different with the audience members chosen.

This play is also a wonderful fit for multicultural Vancouver. Two of the characters are Asian. Chip Tolentino is a boy scout having issues with puberty. This returning champion of last year's contest is played by Vincent Tong. Marcy Park is an over-achieving recent transplant that sings "I Speak Six Languages" and played by Rosie Simon.

This is a fun play and perfect for a summer evening of fun. 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has been extended until August 25th.

More soon.....

Vancouver Folk Fest merges musical cultures in fun ways!

Todd — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 10:08:06 -0700

This year's Vancouver Folk Fest has some very interesting performers from around the world.

Some of the performers present traditional music in different settings, or create entirely new forms.

I dropped in on the festival on Saturday evening. I had really wanted to see Namgar at 4pm, but was still finishing up after the Richmond Dragon Boat Festival.

While parking my bicycle in the special bike lot (it's a tradition to bike to the festival), I heard my name called, and turned around to see Spencer Herbert MLA for Vancouver West End. Spencer is also arts critic for the BC NDP. He has always been an amazing activist and arts supporter, since I heard his mother Donna Spencer speak so highly of his activities back in 2002. Spencer had spent the day at the Festival, and told me he had also gone swimming in the ocean. The Vancouver Folk Festival's proximity to English Bay, is such as wonderful environmental ascetic.

The performances at dusk and in the evening take on a different atmosphere as the stage lighting now begins to make an impact. The lanterns from the Public Dreams Society are also gently paraded throughout the crowd. I saw lanterns made in the designs of fish and stars and other shapes, all adding to the wonderful magical atmosphere.

Fortunately I was able to see Sarah Harmer, whom I have really enjoyed listening to since I discovered her "I am a Mountain" cd. With her new pop sound, she really had the crowd moving. Her recent activism in helping to bring attention to stop development on the Niagara escarpement has really endeared her to the environmental crowd.

Bettye Lavette brought a lot of Detroit soul to the folk festival. Soul music and rhythm and blues are other forms of "people music"descended from the gospel chants of African Americans and merged with the origins of Rockabilly and country & western music. I decided to leave the festival and end the evening on a high note, as Betteye was performing a real bluesey version Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."

These are some of the performers that caught my eye from the lineup: http://thefestival.bc.ca/festival-schedule/line-up-2010

Pacific Curls (New Zealand)

Three gals from different backgrounds find common cause in crafting a musical fusion that comes together like it was waiting to be revealed. Pacific Curl members come from Scotland, New Zealand’s Maori people and from a volcanic island 465 clicks north of Fiji called Rotuma. Singing in Maori, Rotuman and English, Pacific Curls play the fiddle, ukulele, traditional Maori and other instruments. They’re sound incorporates the Celtic and the South Pacific in a beautiful and spirited whole. www.pacificcurls.com

Elisapie Isaac (QC)

For Elisapie Isaac, the North is not at the top of the world, it’s at the centre of her world. Born of an Inuk mother and a Newfoundland father, she was adopted at birth by an Inuit family and grew up in the community of Salluit, Nunavik. Elisapie sings in English, Innu and French. Her music is an inspired combination of the music and rhythms of her roots and more southerly folk and pop – and shows she has a deep respect for both the profound and the party. www.elisapie.com

Namgar (Moscow, Russia)

Namgar performs music steeped in the ancient nomadic traditions of Southern Siberia and Mongolia. You’ll hear the songs of the Burayts and Mongolians, dance songs and Mongol legends about fairytale beauties, epic heroes, and powerful horse racers hurling across the endless steppes. Namgar’s repertoire also includes more contemporary compositions. Named after the group’s extraordinary singer, Namgar Lhasaranova-Evgeniy Zolotarev, they perform on traditional instruments such as the chanza, a 3-stringed Mongol lute covered in snake skin, flutes and drums. www.khomus.com/music/group/buryatiamongolia/namgar

Eccodek (Ontario)

Weaving a multicultural tapestry of sounds, these critically acclaimed “sonic architects” from Toronto are grabbing the attention of the world music scene. Their potent brew of melody and afro-dub grooves serves up a diverse palate of hypnotising rhythms. While they integrate elements of ancient Africa and the Middle East into their music, the outcome is simply innovative, modern, progressive. Their performance is one the Huffington Post says, “You just have to – and should – experience…for yourself” www.eccodek.com

Peatbog Faeries (Scotland)

Channelling Celtic tradition through a passion for glorious experiment, the Peatbog Faeries meld a whole heap of styles and influences into a musical spree of sounds. They draw from rock, jazz, electronica, world and folk – but their main influence is traditional Celtic music. Programmed effects go hand in hand with traditional arrangements played on bagpipes, fiddles and whistles. The six-member group have received “Best Live Act” honours from the Scots Trad Music Awards (twice). For the dancers among us, consider the Faeries your invitation. www.myspace.com/peatbogfaeries ¦ www.peatbogfaeries.com

Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project

The Mississippi Sheiks were the most popular blues artists of the 1930’s. Their repertoire drew upon all facets of black and white rural music: hard-edged blues, pop music, hokum, white country and traditional songs. The Sheiks’ legacy has influenced legendary musicians like BB King and Bob Dylan among others. It’s also been a major source of inspiration for our own Steve Dawson. To pay them tribute, he pulled together a cast of great musicians to record and perform their music. At the festival, as part of the Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project, Steve is joined by Jim Byrnes, Bob Brozman and Alvin Youngblood Hart. www.blackhenmusic.com

Watcha Clan (Marseille, France)

Watcha Clan’s music sings with the spirit of traveling people. Powered by the riveting voice and stagecraft of lead vocalist Sista K, they juggle rhythms acoustic and electro rhythms and languages (French, Arabic, Hebrew, English) to the beat of the memories they have and the people and the places they visit. Musical nomads, their songs move from Eastern European melodies to the chaabi, the traditional music of Algiers to hip hop kicks. www.watchaclan.com

Gung Haggis dragon boat team wins silver in A Division a Richmond Dragon Boat Race + Challeng Race

Todd — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:10:24 -0700

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat comes 2nd overall at Richmond Dragon Boat Festival + wins next year's registration as winner of the challenge course

Medals for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in Richmond! - photo by Deb Martin

It was a beautiful day at the UBC Rowing Centre in Richmond, just east of the Dinsmore Bridge. The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team arrived early and set up their tents and readied their crew. This year there were only 12 teams entered in the Richmond race, compared to the 30 teams last year. People kept asking what happened? Why are there less teams? My reply is that there are many dragon boat options for teams, with races last week in Nanaimo and Kent WA. Next week teams will be going to Harrison. Vernon had originally be set for July 24/25, but was canceled due to low numbers, said the organizers. As well, last year's race grid eliminated the bottom teams that didn't qualify for finals. Only the top 16 teams competed for medals + 2 teams for the cancer survivor challenge + 4 teams for the junior challeng.

But the Richmond event went bravely on with 12 teams.

We were warmly greeted by Fred, of the Fraser Dragons teams, who explained to us how tents were being set up on the plastic floor segments that were placed on top of the renovated dike along River Road. With less teams, there was more room for each team. Last year there was fresh bark mulch dirt on the top of the new dike that had been raised. Last year there was long grass along a much lower dike.

The first set of races were head-to-head races with only two teams each. This meant 6 races. Teams watched each other race. Many of the races placed strong mixed teams against all-women teams, that were noticeably slower. It was a format that was being used to try to find a clear race grid to make sure all the teams would be placed within their level. Gung Haggis team raced against Richmond Survivorship. In the line-up were cheerfully talked with the team of female cancer survivors. We told our team to race their own race, and to get comfortable with the calls, the Millenium dragon boat, and the paddlers around them, as a few of the paddlers had not practiced with us.

Our roster was filled with many of our team's core paddlers captained by Jim Blatherwick who diligently worked out our lineups. Tzhe and Christine were our lead strokers with Karen R. joining Jim as mid-stroke. We also added two new paddlers such as Guillaume who is on a work visa from Belgium, and Chris who had only about 5 practices since joining us after the Rio Tinto Alcan Festival. Experienced paddlers such as Steve and Cristina joined us from Metro Vancouver 44 Cheeks. They had raced with our 49+ team at RTA. Lisa and Dominic are experienced paddlers on other teams, that raced with us last year at Richmond, and join us when they can because they enjoy our team's camaraderie. Dan first started on our team back in 2004, but joined other teams in the quest for higher competitive levels. But he always enjoys paddling with us and had also joined us in May for the Lotus regatta in Burnaby, as does Thony, originally from the Phillipine PYROS team, but has now started a team for Phillipine paddlers in Vancouver.

Dominic enjoys paddling with Gung Haggis so much, he turned a tartan sash into a tartan head wrap! - photo courtesy of Dave Samis.

Debbie was our drummer. Her calls were strong, as we had trained her for the RTA Festival. Todd was our steers. As coach for the team, he also looked to see how the team was working together and made changes and critiques where needed.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy had a good start and we quickly out paced the Richmond Survivorship before we paddled under the Dinsmore Bridge from the Finish Line. Throughout this set of six races, we watched the other team's times to see who were the fastest that we would meet in the A Final. Three teams had faster times than us.

The second set of races included 3 boats per heat. Each race featured one of the winning boats from the first set of 6 races. This helped to further sort the teams. We raced against two teams that we handily beat. We now put Keng on the drum seat, and Dave Samis as steersperson.

For the final race, we were joined by our "Buddy Team" Flight Centre, plus Booze Cruise, and the junior team Surgin' Sturgeons. The river was flowing down faster in the mid-afternoon. Booze Cruise had the outside lane, we were next. Flight Centre on our right, closer to shore, and Surgin' Sturgeons closest to shore. The horn sounded, and we all dug our paddles hard into the water. Booze Cruise jumped ahead with a mighty start. We moved into our power series, and started to leave Flight Centre behind.

Keng called some power series, as Dan called "Push" to the backs. We dug our paddles deeper. We reached for the front water to pull our boat up more.

We came 2nd. YAY!!!! Silver medals were headed our way. Much sweeter than the split-second lost last year when we came 4th in A Division. But last year being in A was an unexpected treat. This year we knew that we had to be in A - but where?

The team races during the figure 8 Challenge course. Debbie Drums and Todd steers - photo courtesy of Karen Ranelletta

Next came the challenge race. A course was set up, and teams had to make a left turn, then turn right around a far boy, then make a left turn on the far side, then come through the narrowly spaced buoys marking both the start and the finish. We saw the first teams out-shoot the turns and end up making really wide turns. We saw some teams disqualified because the turned around the wrong buoys or missed the finish gate completely.

As we climbed into the boat, I told our paddlers that Gung Haggis Fat Choy had been the first Canadian team to do dragon boat barrel races in Seattle, organized by Tacoma DBA. It was myself and Bob Brinson who brought the concept to the Taiwanese dragon boat races, and it spread to Harrison. I had steered those races and helped develop the concept, so some of our core members remembered those races and how we paddled to make tighter turns.

We did our start through the gates, banking left. I steered our boat wider to enter the turn, so we would have a better angle with the river's downstream current hit us. Debbie and I yelled turn, and our paddlers went into action, using a draw stroke to help us get around the turn. The far buoy turn was tough. The river pushed us down stream, and I had to turn us slightly upstream to cross the river and get around the final turn. I made a great turn, and we raced to the finish gate with the best angle that any boat had done. Our friends on the shore watching, later told us that the announcer had complimented our turns, as he gave us the best time, setting a record fastest time for the course. As we docked, lots of the fellow racers and dock volunteers cheered for us. We had the fastest time by 20 seconds. Wow!

They called up the winners from each of the C, B and A divisions. They called Gung Haggis Fat Choy and gave us the silver medals for A division. They asked us to wait, as they awarded us the prize for the Challenge race too. - Free registration for next year's Richmond dragon boat race!

Everybody on our team had a great day. We complimented each other, as well as our friends on other teams.

Great team mates, friends and paddlers - lots of smiles on Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team following the A Division Final - photo Deb Martin

Larry Kwong, 1st Asian-Canadian hockey player in the NHL, will recieve the first annual Pioneer Award from Okanagan Hockey School

Todd — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:53:16 -0700

LARRY KWONG - the first Chinese-Canadian NHL player, will receive the first annual PIONEER AWARD from the Okanagan Hockey School.

The award is being presented at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Penticton on July 23, 2010. For more details, including ticket info, click www.bchhf.com

Larry Kwong is one of Hockey's great trivia questions. Who was the first non-white hockey player in the NHL? He played one shift in the 3rd period against the Montreal Canadiens, in Montreal in 1948. - photo courtesy of Chad Soon.

During the 1947-48 season, Larry ('King') Kwong is the first Chinese Canadian to play in the NHL as a member of the New York Rangers Hockey Club. Also known as the 'China Clipper' during an illustrious juniors and seniors hockey career in B.C., Kwong went on to become Assistant Captain of the Valleyfield Braves in the Quebec Senior Hockey League where he led the team to a Canadian Senior Championship and received the Byng of Vimy award for sportsmanship. Kwong later accepted an offer to play hockey in England and coach in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Larry Wong Appreciation Society Face Book Page writes:

"In 1948, LARRY KWONG broke the NHL's colour barrier, becoming the first
person of Asian descent to play in the big league.

"Our goal is to see hockey hero Larry Kwong recognized for his pioneering achievements -- his contributions to the game and to our society.

"We hope his incredible story of perseverance will reach and inspire new generations of fans."

Tom Hawthorn wrote a story in the Globe & Mail: Larry Kwong Beat Long Odds

"The sportswriters called him King Kwong, a cheap pun and a subtle dig at a diminutive scorer who could stretch along the red goal line and still leave plenty of room for a puck to squirt in at either end.

"Sixty year ago, on March 13, 1948, in the cramped visitors dressing room at the old Montreal Forum, he slipped a blue sweater over his thin frame, the number 11 on its back, the letters RANGERS spilling across the chest.

"Little Larry Kwong, who had been born in Vernon, B.C., one of 15 children, who fell in love with hockey by listening to the radio in the apartment above the family's grocery store, who, in fact, carried the name of the store – Kwong Hing Lung (Abundant Prosperity) – rather than the venerable family name of Eng, was about to make his National Hockey League debut....

"The first player of Asian ancestry to skate in the National Hockey League had launched – and, though he did not yet know it, ended – his major league career."

Larry Kwong at the Homecoming Tribute Night in Vernon, BC, March 27, 2010. He was honoured by the Vernon Vipers before their BCHL (Junior A) playoff game. - photo courtesy of Chad Soon.

Here's some more information from the Larry Kwong Appreciation Society Facebook Group

May 26, 2010 - Hockey legend Jean Beliveau, who competed for two years
against Larry Kwong in the Quebec Senior Hockey League, is backing
Larry's nomination for induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame.

In a phone interview, Beliveau shared:

"I remember Larry Kwong very well....It brings back great memories. He was a very good player. You could see he enjoyed playing the game. He was a very smooth player -- very skilled, with a beautiful style. I support his nomination for the Pioneer Award. He deserves it."

On March 31, the Society of North American Hockey Historians and Researchers (SONAHHR) made Larry its first ever "Lifetime Honorary Member."

On March 27, Larry made a triumphant homecoming to Vernon, BC. He was honoured by the Vernon Vipers before their BCHL (Junior A) playoff game, and received a rousing three-minute standing ovation. The Vernon Vipers also issued a "hero" card of Larry.

Barry Marsman of SONAHHR presented Larry with a special Heritage Award in honour of the 60th anniversary of his breaking the NHL's race barrier.

click here to join the Larry Wong Appreciation Society Facebook Group:

Gung Haggis dragon boat team ready for Richmond dragon boat race

Todd — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:56:10 -0700

We had our last practice on Tuesday evening, to prime our team for the Richmond Dragon Boat races set for this Saturday July 17. It was the first time we had 20 people in the boat for awhile, since getting ready for the Alcan Rio Tinto Dragon Boat Festival on June 19 & 20.

The team is looking mighty nice. We worked on starts and transitions. We rotated 2 drummers Debbie and Keng, as well as 2 steers - myself and Dave.

Our first race will be at heat 2 @ 10:10 at the UBC Rowing Centre in Richmond, against Richmond Survivorship.

Our 2nd race should be at Heat 8 @ 11:30, 3rd race Heat 11 @ 12:45.
We hope to make it into the Grand Final at 2pm.

Last year we made it to the A Final, and were a split second from the bronze medal. This year we hope to medal in the A Final.

Read last year's story
Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team places 4th overall at Richmond Dragon Boat Races
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2009/7/18/4259565.html

Windstorm hits Vancouver on Monday

Todd — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:11:54 -0700

Kitsilano Beach, looking west along the seawall of the Kits Pool. Great sunset with roiling waters.

Monday's windstorm knocked out power in Kitsilano in the morning. My girlfriend and I went for a walk in the evening. We watched the white caps in English Bay, as the waves battered the sea wall at the foot of Trafalgar St.

White caps were coming through English Bay, and walkers along the sea wall were wary of getting wet.

Deb tried to write our initials in the sand, but the waves were big and quickly washed anything away quickly. It was a fun try...

Toddish McWong goes to Squamish Nation Pow Wow

Todd — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:06:28 -0700

Toddish McWong takes his kilt to
Squamish Nation Pow Wow

Here I am trying to learn a simple First Nations dance step from my 2nd cousin Shelley on my right, as we dance in the closing event at the 23rd Annual Squamish Nation Pow Wow.

I had never been to a First Nations Pow Wow before, so when my 2nd cousin Shelley sent me a Facebook message about the 23rd Annual Squamish Nation Pow Wow, and that she was going to watch her nieces compete in dance competition, I knew I had to be there.

The event was held at X̱wemelch'stn Park, also known as the Capilano Indian Reserve near the South end of Capilano Road in North Vancouver. I had grown up in North Vancouver since I was 14 years old, and have driven through the reserve many times going to Park Royal. I had only once before attended and event at the Capilano Longhouse once before in 1990, when the Squamish Nation presented David Suzuki with an eagle feather. Soon after, I visited Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) where I met carver Claude Davidson, father of renowned artist Robert Davidson, and also traveled to the ancient village site of Skedans.

When I was about 7 years old, my favorite book was titled "Indian Lore and Craft", I became enamored of creating buckskin clothes, moccasins, face paint, bows and arrows and other accessories. But I never followed up.

Here I am with my cousin Shelley Ferguson.

Shelley's mother is Rhonda Larrabee is Chief of Qayqayt First Nations, and the subject of the NFB documentary Tribe of One. I have often written about Rhonda and her courage to re-establish the Qayqayt First Nations in New Westminster.

Shelley's nieces danced in the "jingle dance" competition. Latisha is on the left in blue and Alyssa is in the middle in red. They both have been the Squamish Nation Princesses. :)

I found lots of aspects of interculturalism happening at the Pow Wow:
Click on each of the pictures for an enlargement on my Flickr account.

Here is a Japanese parasol being carried by one of the child dancers to keep the sun off.

The dancer on the left wears an RCMP serge tunic combined with leggings from an old Hudson's Bay Company blanket - very vintage. The dancer on the right has combined a red/green tartan cloth in both his hat and rustle.

These dancers' costumes are made from very colourful designs that resembled Tibetan designs.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the event:

This is the "Potato Dance Special" - you have to hold a potato between your forehead and your partner's. Then you are asked to keep doing dance movements, or lift your hands or feet into the air, or even jump! Last couple with a potato between their heads wins!

This young dancer is waiting for the Fancy Shawl dancer to begin

Male traditional dance

I love the expressions on these dancers with their painted faces. They are plains Indians.

Detail of a Rustle with eagle feathers.

Salmon dinner with traditional baked salmon, bannock and macaroni.

Here is a video of two of my favorite male dancers at the event. The dancer with the Purple top, has a green & crimson red tartan as a loin cloth and also on his hat. The dancer with the eagle head mask is wearing a vintage RCMP red serge tunic with HBC blanket leggings. Watch the background for a female dancer in a red & black jingle dance costume - that's the niece of my cousin Shelley. At the end of the video, watch for a young boy in a white tunic with a yellow porcupine headdress with 2 eagle feathers - pretty intense performance, eh?

This video is a very intense... This is the two finalists for senior male fancy dance. It was a great way for the dance competitions to end!

My Grandmother turns 100 years old today.

Todd — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:45:42 -0700

My grandmother turns 100 years old today.

Mabel Lee was born July 4th, 1910, in Victoria BC. Her grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan came to Canada in 1896 to serve at the Chinese Methodist Church, which had been co-founded by his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai in 1888.

Granny with our family:
Me Todd, Dad Bill, Mom Betty, Granny Mabel, brother Marke, niece Chloe, sis-in-law Shanda, nephew Cohen

My grandmother has lived through two world wars. She lived through the Chinese Head Tax era, and the1923 Chinese Exclusion Act.

She welcomed 3 brothers and a cousin home who served in WW2, who were first not allowed to join the Canadian Forces, even though they wanted to fight for the country they were born in.

She couldn't vote in the country she was born in until she was 37 years old, after the Exclusion Act was appealed in 1947 - because up until then, she was considered a resident alien.

She has watched her grand-children become: Miss Canada runner-up, TV news reporter, BC Lions Cheerleader, lawyer, RCMP officer, Calgary city councilor, killer-whale habitat warden, mining environment consultant, and then there's me... Toddish McWong,

One niece is Chief of the Qayqayt First Nations. And my Granny was interviewed for the the NFB film documentary Tribe of One, about Rhonda Larrabee.

My Grandmother had 3 siblings... 4 sisters and 2 brothers are still very much alive.

She has 22 great-grand-children, and 4 great-great-grandchildren...

She appeared with me in the 2004 CBC television performance special Gung Haggis Fat Choy, along with my parents, girlfriend and friends.

In 2007, CBC created a TV documentary about her grandfather and family descendant history titled Generations: The Chan Legacy. We used family home movies that showed my grand mother and her siblings at their mother Kate Lee's 75th birthday party.

Granny was always an inspiration and very encouraging of me for playing my accordion. She would even listen to me on the phone, while I practiced.

For Granny's 90th birthday, I organized a Rev. Chan Family Reunion in 2000. She joined our simulated Chinese Robbie Burns Day Dinner in the 2004 CBC television performance special: Gung Haggis Fat Choy... See more. I wrote about her influence on my cooking and heritage in the 2007 book Eating Stories: Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Pot Luck.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/21/3367190.html

Happy Canada Day! Joceylyn Petit... Scottish-Chinese-Canadian fiddle player!

Todd — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:15:50 -0700

Happy Canada Day!

I am listening to the cd music of 15 year old half-Chinese/half-Scottish 100% Canadian fiddle player Jocelyn Pettit. Perfect for the recognition of Pioneer Chinese and Scots who helped to build British Columbia.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jocelyn and her mother Siew, at the BC Highland Games last Saturday.

I had written:

Hello Jocelyn and Siew. I am really enjoying listening to Jocelyn's cd. I can remembering hearing some good fiddle music at the games, looked over at the stage, but didn't see my Blackthorn friends... but a small trio or so. I love the sound on the cd. I cranked it up in the car.

Great that you have been on CBC Early Edition with Rick Cluff. But I think Sheryl McKay's North By Northwest - would be perfect for you. I have played my accordion with Blackthorn, and the Chinese-fusion group Silk Road Music Ensemble. Hopefully one day, we can have you perform at my Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.

We have spun off a CBC Television performance special back in 2004, and I hope that it can be expanded for the future. I can be seen playing my accordion in the CBC TV documentary Generations: The Chan Legacy - about my great-great-grandfather and the contributions that his subsequent descendants have made to society. I would like to purchase additional cd's to give out as gifts. I will write up a review of the cd within the week. Please let me know when you are playing in the Vancouver area, and I will blog the events.

Cheers, Todd Wong

Her father replied:

Hello Todd,

Thank you very much for your very nice message. We really appreciate your kind words! I wish I had the chance to meet you at the recent BC Highland Games and Scottish Festival, as my daughter, Jocelyn, and wife, Siew, were delighted to talk with you. You have accomplished great achievements with your music performances, work with CBC, and special events production! Bravo for such fascinating and remarkable work! We are keen to know more and participate!

Thank you for enjoying our music at the BC Highland Games & Scottish Festival, as well as on our recent debut CD. At the Games, we performed a short set and came ready for much more, in case time allowed. We were excited to perform with our newly-joined pipes player (small/bellow pipes), and we had our guitar player as well (but no cello player for this show). The CD shows the diversity and versatility of Jocelyn's music. Her original compositions are complex and beautifully layered in sound texture, her arrangements of contemporary and traditional tunes are fresh and delightful, and her choice of tunes and melodies is interesting and engaging. Of course, I am a very proud dad, but far beyond my word, she is widely receiving praise for her ideas, innovation, and skills (especially for her young age).

Thank you for the ideas you have mentioned - preceding our (sold-out) North Vancouver CD Release Concert (Shaw Theatre), Sheryl McKay was kind enough to play Jocelyn's "Morning Glory" on her show. It was very much appreciated - Jocelyn is committed to making music her career, and along the way we learn of the many career-path challenges (such as gaining recognition and opportunities, with predominantly instrumental world/folk music). Definitely, thank you for your ideas!

Thank you for writing up a review of our CD! That is really excellent! We are very appreciative of the word getting out there, of Jocelyn's music and her music gift of exceptional talent.

Thank you also for wanting to purchase more CDs. This can be done at
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JocelynPettit

We hope to see you soon!

Cheers,

http://www.jocelynpettit.com/
http://www.myspace.com/jocelynmusicalive
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JocelynPettit

Globe & Mail: Head tax redress was not enough say Chinese descendants

Todd — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:08:05 -0700

Surviving sons and daughters need to be included for Chinese Head Tax settlement.

No other ethnic group was charged a head tax. The govt repealed the racist "Chinese Exclusion Act" in 1947 and also finally gave Canadians born with Chinese heritage the vote.

The Mulroney govt apologized for Japanese Canadians interned during WW2 in 1988. Four years earlier, Chinese Head Tax Redress had been brought to Parliament in 1984 by MP Margaret Mitchell, but rejected by the Trudeau govt.

An apology for Chinese Head Tax finally came 22 years later in 2006, but it was 86 years after the last head tax was paid in 1923, and 121 years after the first head tax was paid in 1885. Giving ex-gratia payments only to the few surviving head tax payers and widows while ignoring the other 99% of head tax certificates passed onto surviving sons and daughters is wrong.

It is impossible to expect my great-grandfather to live to be 130 years old to receive his "tax refund". The payment should go to his remaining 7 children who are 99 to 85 years old, all born in Canada and had to live through the years of The Exclusion Act until 1947.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/head-tax-redress-was-not-enough-say-chinese-descendents/article1624868/

Head tax redress was not enough say Chinese descendants

97 year old Thomas Soon (L) and 99 year old Charlie Quon hold government cheques, the first redress payments to Chinese Head Tax payers in Vancouver, BC, October 20, 2006. Lyle Stafford for The Globe and Mail

Canada Day rally planned for Vancouver’s Chinatown

Robert Matas

Vancouver — Globe and Mail Update Published on Wednesday, Jun. 30, 2010 5:05PM EDT Last updated on Wednesday, Jun. 30, 2010 5:35PM EDT

Canada’s apology to the Chinese community for the head tax from 1885 to 1923 was not enough, say descendants of those who paid the tax.

Ottawa said sorry to the Chinese community four years ago and gave $20,000 to those who had paid the head tax or to their surviving spouse.

But members of the Head Tax Families Society of Canada say the federal government excluded thousands of Chinese families who were affected by the historic injustices and Ottawa should rethink its approach to redress.

The children of those who paid the tax but did not live long enough to hear the apology received nothing and still feel left out, Sid Tan, head of the Head Tax Families Society of Canada, said Wednesday in an interview on the day before a “redress rally” planned for Vancouver’s Chinatown.

“The apology was not as meaningful to us as it was to other [Chinese families],” said Mr. Tan, the grandson of a head tax payer. “The federal government left out a large chunk of people and you have to find some way you can meaningfully provide redress for them.”

The federal government acknowledged less than one per cent of families who had paid the head tax, he said. Payments were made to about 800 people although more than 82,000 Chinese immigrants paid the tax from 1885 to 1923.

The rally on Canada Day is intended as a celebration of being Canadian while reminding the federal government that the issue is not closed, Mr. Tan said.

Victor Wong, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council, an umbrella group with 27 chapters across the country, said 3,000 families across Canada are still seeking to be included in the apology and payment that was made in 2006.

His grandfather, who immigrated to Canada in 1912, could not bring his wife and four children until 1947, he said. Mr. Wong said he is the family’s first Canadian-born grandson, born 47 years after his grandfather arrived on the West Coast. “Family formation was discouraged,” he said.

Redress that included the children of those who felt the impact of the discriminatory policies would set the tone for governments, prodding them to ensure that policies and programs are sensitive to the needs of minorities.

“For an apology to be meaningful, it needs to include [the children of head tax payers],” said Mr. Wong

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/head-tax-redress-was-not-enough-say-chinese-descendents/article1624868/

Open House Canada Day at sites for The Land Conservancy of BC

Todd — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:31:46 -0700

The Land Conservancy of BC is hosting Canada Day events at some of his historic and important sites throughout BC.

Here is a list of events created by TLC Director of Operations Kathleen Shepherd. I am on the board of TLC and have been involved with TLC, since they stepped in to partner with the Save Kogawa House campaign in 2005.

The Gorge Canada Day Picnic will include Craigflower along with other great things to do (and I’m sure, things to eat). http://www.gorgetillicum.ca/picnic.php

BC Binning House will be hosting their 2^nd annual Canada Day Open House: http://blog.conservancy.bc.ca/2010/06/canada-day-at-the-b-c-binning-residence/

For those in the Kootenays, TLC’s Associated Site, the SS Moyie will host Canada Day celebrations: http://www.klhs.bc.ca/events.htm

While not quite on Canada Day, Keating will open for summer teas on Sunday: http://blog.conservancy.bc.ca/2010/06/keating-farm-estate-summer-open-hours/

Abkhazi, Wildwood and Potholes are also open for their regular hours, check the TLC website for more information.

Happy Canada Day!

www.conservancy.bc.ca

Nancy Lee at Joy Kogawa House, final event of the writing for Social Change reading series and Kogawa House writer-in-residence program

Todd — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:50:01 -0700

Nancy Lee reading and interview at Joy Kogawa House on Monday, June 28

7:30pm
1450 West 64th Ave.
attendance by reservation
Please RSVP at kogawahouse@yahoo.ca

Nancy Lee, author of Dead Girls, is the 2nd Writer-in-residence at Historic Joy Kogawa House. She has hosted and interviewed 4 other authors during her 3 month stay, which were also recorded for CBC Radio.

The time with Nancy and her husband John has been a great experience, as she has brought her insightful thought, probing questions, and wonderful wit to Joy Kogawa House. Additionally, she hosted a memoir writing workshop on Saturday June 26th.

Please join us for the in the intimate living room at Historic Joy Kogawa House for the final event of a successful series of small salon gatherings with five writers who use literature to call for social change and justice and as a tool for social transformation. Five Mondays (and a Sunday) This Spring

Joan Macleod, Monday, April 19
Anosh Irani, Sunday, May 2
Steven Galloway, Monday, May 17
Karen Connelly, Monday, June 14
Nancy Lee, Monday, June 28

All conversations begin at 7:30 p.m. on a Monday, except the one with Anosh Irani, which begins at 3:30 p.m. on a Sunday.

Historic Joy Kogawa House is located in the Marpole neighbourhood of Vancouver at 1450 West 64th Avenue (two blocks east of Granville)

Admission by donation

Books will be available for sale and signing by the authors

Please RSVP at kogawahouse@yahoo.ca

Thanks to the Canada Council Author Reading and Author Residencies programs for funds to host these writers at Joy House

My grandmother is turning 100 years old

Todd — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:45:00 -0700

My grandmother was born July 4, 1910, in Victoria BC.

She has lived through two world wars, and seen China change from an imperial dynasty, to a republic, to a communist state.

She witnessed the Chinese Head Tax era, and the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act. She welcomed 3 brothers home who served in WW2, after they were first denied the chance to fight for the country they were born in because they were Chinese.

She was granted the right to vote when she was 37 years old, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was finally appealed in 1947 and franchise was granted to Canadians of Chinese ancestry - because up until then, she was considered a resident alien.

She has watched her grand-children become a Miss Canada 2nd runner-up, a TV news reporter, a Calgary city councilor, and a recipient of the BC Community Achievement Award.

She has appeared in an NFB documentary, a CBC television performance special, and CBC TV documentary about her grandfather and family descendant history.

In 2007, she received an ex-gratia payment for Chinese Head Tax settlement, because her deceased husband had paid the head tax, prior to 1923.

And in 8 days, she turns 100 years old.

BC Highland Games this Saturday June 26 in Coquitlam

Todd — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:38:16 -0700

BC Highland Games this Saturday June 26 in Coquitlam

Here is the Scottish Express message, that has taken the torch from Ron MacLeod, to send out news emails about events in the Scottish-Canadian diaspora in the Vancouver area.

---------------

This Saturday, June 26, 2010 marks the gathering of everyone that loves anything Scottish at the BC Highland Games. It’s a day to come and listen to the best piping and drumming, marvel at the dancing, stroll through the exhibits, have a bite to eat and immerse yourself in Scottish charm, goodwill and fun!! more details below

The BC Highland Games

Saturday June 26, 2010, Percy Perry Stadium, Coquitlam

http://www.bchighlandgames.com

15 Piping bands including the World Champion Simon Fraser University Band

220 Highland Dancing Competitors

30 Heavy Event Competitors (these are the caber tossers)

30 Venders (with all sorts of food and items galore with a Scottish twist)

21 Scottish Clans and Societies

Plenty of rides and activities for the children

And 16 Haggis

Yes, again this year those mythical Haggis will be hiding throughout the stadium grounds for the wildest hunt you have ever seen. Spot enough and you become an Official Haggis Hunter! They are elusive, fast, and can usually be found lurking around Tartan.

Highland Games are about competition and we are happy to report some of the best dancers, drummers, pipers and throwers are back to defend their titles. The caliber of sport is exhilarating!

Our entertainment this year includes the Jocelyn Petit Band and Blackthorn. Both will be playing on the main stage. They are the best of our local talent and showcase our deep talent pool here in BC.

The Beer Tent, British Car Show, Whisky Tasting, Sword Dancing, Cultural Tent and even a second Beer Tent are back!!

Gung Haggis races in B Division and receives Silver Medals for Senior B Race

Todd — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:43:41 -0700

Gung Haggis dragon boat team had their BEST placing at the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival ever.

Parks Commissioner Sarah Blyth was named Honorary Drummer for the 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team - photo Patrick Tam

We raced for medals in the Rec B Finals - making 6th place.

Our path was paved with friendly rivalries, beating our friends Metro Vancouver 44 Cheeks in the morning semi-finals, and just one second ahead of our friends Flight Centre Dirty Oars in the Rec B Final.

Gung Haggis paddlers were seen sporting silver medals from the Senior B 49+ years age category race. We put together Gung Haggis Friends including other paddlers from 44 Cheeks, Crusaders, Pirates, Ft. Langley and Swordfish + drummer from Killarney. We were second to Masters of D'Zone who were 12 seconds ahead of us and a Comp A ranked team.

Other news: The Killarney Cougar Dragons won Bronze medals in Junior C Division, coached by Gung Haggis paddlers Todd and Steven Wong. Killarney's teacher sponsor is Gung Haggis alumni Stuart Mackinnon.

Congratulations to all racers!

Gung Haggis dragon boat team paddles well for Saturday at Rio Tinto Alcan Festival: Gung Haggis Friends paddles to 2nd place in Senior B category

Todd — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:47:20 -0700

GREAT DRAGON BOAT RACING
BY GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY TEAM ON SATURDAY

our rookies performed well... thanks to Jennifer, Gena, Adam, Evan and Carson.
Nobody can tell they are rookies anymore, as they are now experienced at North America's biggest and best dragon boat Festival. Great kudos to Captains Jim, Keng, Steven and drummer Debbie.

We welcome Parks Commissioner Sara Blyth as our honourary drummer for 2010. Sara came out to cheer our 2nd race, and hopefully will be there for our race final tomorrow afternoon.

Congratulations to our senior B racers in the 49+ years category.
Todd, Keng, Joy, Georgia, Steven, Joe, Gayle, Dave Samis + friends from Pirates, Chilliwack Crusaders, Metro Vancouver 44 Cheeks, Ft. Langley all raced to 2nd place. Yay paddlers!

Our first race is 10:10   REC B/C Final

2nd race will be determined by our placment in the semi-final.
We would love to be in the Rec B Medal hunt,
We are seeded high in lane 4 - so we are a favored team.

1st and 2nd go to B Medal Final     2:03pm
3rd and 4th go to B Consolation   1:52pm
5th and 6th go to C Final                 1:41pm

Join us afterwards, and we can watch the Comp team finals, and the Guts & Glory Race, 18 boats on the course, doing 2 laps with 3 turns.

Gung Haggis dragon boat team racing Saturday 10am then betwen 1:50 and 4pm

Todd — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:59:02 -0700

Dragon Boat Festival Race times for Gung Haggis dragon boat team on Saturday

Hello friends and official members of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team cheering squad.

New team shirts available for cheering squad!

Here are confirmed race times for June 19th, Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

#12 10am Gung Haggis in Mixed Adult Division
#23 @ 12:22 Senior B 49+ Race as Gung Haggis Friends

then... sometime in the in afternoon...
On Saturday - we will introduce our Honourary Drummer for 2010 to the team, and race our 2nd race of the day!

#31 @ 1:50 - if we place 5th in our 1st race #12
#33 @ 2:12 - if we place 6th
#41 @ 3:40 - if we place 3rd
#43 @ 4:01 - if we place 4th

Sunday races will be determined by overall times. Expect us to be in Rec B/C/D/E semi-final, then hopefully into the Rec B or Rec C medal final.

Todd Wong and Steven Wong are also coaching the Killarney Junior dragon boat team.

Race #6 - 8:55am

Race 26 @ 12:55 if they finish 3rd, in Race #6
#27 @ 1:06 if they finish 4th

Gung Haggis dragon boat team is ready for upcoming Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

Todd — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:04:24 -0700

Gung Haggis dragon boat team practiced hard on the last Sunday before the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

Here is video from out last Sunday's practice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/4701299995/

Everybody who came out is paddling hard.

Our final practice before Festival is this Tuesday - tomorrow.

The June 19/20 Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival is the largest dragon boat festival in North America.

Last Tuesday we had a great race winning against GVRD 44 Cheeks - who usually beats us, and the previous Sunday, we placed in A Division for the first time at Dragon Zone regatta, and on May 1st, we placed in the top division at Lotus Regatta... which leads me to think this could be our best Gung Haggis dragon boat team ever.

We've worked hard to develop this year's team. We have amazing rookies. We have wonderful veterans. We are looking to improve on last year's results. We have been working hard to prepare the team for technique, endurance, strength and working together. These are all things paddlers said they wanted to improve on.

We are also applied to enter extra races in Dragon Zone race, and age category race, so our paddlers get more races and opportunities to have extra medals.

Vancouver Opera closes 50th season with colourful Madama Butterfly

Todd — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:12:10 -0700

Vancouver Opera's current production of Madama Butterfly is a showcase for the 21st Century.

Vancouver Opera Concert Master Mark Ferris smiles during the intermission. Mark has told me before that he likes Puccini, "Mozart operas can be so finicky, but Puccini is very deep." he told me for the 2005 production of Turandot.

Vancouver Opera has done a delightful job of bringing Madama Butterfly through the racism and political correctness of the 20th Century, truly into a post-colonial 21st century - ideal for the emerging intercultural global city of Vancouver, and hot on the heels of one of the Winter Olympics. It's a wonderful way to close out it's 50th Anniversary season, with one of the world's most popular operas, even though it recently performed it both in 2004 and a few years before that.

The music is timeless, the performances are strong, But more importantly, it is a showcase on how far opera has become both a global art form and technologically advanced since Madama Butterfly's 1906 debut in Italy. Vancouver Opera has brought together the most Asian singers in lead and supporting roles; Mihoko Kinoshita (Cio-Cio-San) from Japan, Joseph Hu (Goro) from Taiwan, and Zheng Cao (Suzuki) from USA along with Japanese-born Japanese-American set designer Jun Kaneko.

Kaneko's work is primarily as a sculptor and painter. He was commissioned to create a set design for Opera Omaha's Madama Butterfly production in 2006. It is a minimalist design with a raked stage and concentric circles, but it is full of colourful banners, kimonos and umbrellas in the in first act. The set design also includes the use of video projection, with abstract and minimalist designs. It never overpowers the singing, but helps to convey emotions, as if they were colour field paintings by Mark Rothko.

In decades past, Madama Butterfly suffered as an example of colonial attitudes. It is the sad story of a young Japanese teenage bride, that is married and abandoned by an American Naval officer. Lt. B.J, Pinkerton, strongly performed by American James Valenti, easily conveys the cavalier attitude of a man who is captivated by the exotic beauty of an Asian woman, but still believes he will return to America to marry an "American wife."

Cio-Cio-San is convincingly performed by Japan's Mihoka Kinoshita making her Vancouver Opera debut in the title role. Her butterfly's singing is light, and the necessary innocence is conveyed when she duets with Valenti. As well, Cio-Cio-San's duet with her maid Suzuki (Zheng Cao) is beautiful and received generous applause from the audience. Suzuki conveys the strong loyalty and support to keep Butterfly happy both in the first act of her marriage to Pinkerton, and the second act, after she is abandoned, and they become increasingly poorer.

Joseph Hu's Goro, is a sneaky matchmaker, and I thought I could see movement elements of Chinese Opera villainry as he played up to both Pinkerton and Prince Yamadori.

Opera is essentially a Western European art form, and over the years, it titillated its audience with stories of exotic places, set in foreign lands, such as Puccini's "Turandot" in Old Peking, or Rossini's "Italian Girl in Algiers," or in Bizet's "Pearl Fishers" set in Ceylon. Puccini achieved all of this with Madama Butterfly but combined it with and incredible score, a simple straightforward story of love and yearning, that oozes emotion. The aria "Un Bel Dei" / "One Fine Day" is one of opera's most famous arias.

Does it make a difference to have Asian singers in the correct ethnic principal roles, even while Vancouver native Andrew Greenwood plays Prince Yamadori? I think it does. Vancouver is a global city with large populations of Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Japanese populations. By having principals cast as Asians, Vancouver Opera sends out an important message. They recognize the importance of both recognizing and respecting their Asian-Canadian audience - which is the largest growing demographic ethnicity in the region.

Years ago, I saw Vancouver Opera's production of Turandot, which while set in "Peking" did not feature any Asians in principal roles. While I stated that "it didn’t matter how accurately reflective of Chinese culture", a Persian tale set in Peking was... I found it emotionally rewarding to see this new Madama Butterfly having so much Asian representation both in principal roles and in set design. See my review: Vancouver Opera's Turandot: a Canadian production of an Italian Opera of a Persian fable set in Peking China

Vancouver Opera has another winner for its half-century. Aside from the excellence in musicianship, performances, the set design and direction really work to pull it altogether.

See my 2004 review Madama Butterfly Review: Vancouver Opera Nov 27 to Dec 11

Check out the Manga cartoon specially designed for this production!
http://www.vancouveropera.ca/operalive/pdf/VancouverOpera_butterfly.pdf

Italian Day on Commercial Drive

Todd — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:11:36 -0700

Everybody's Italian on Commercial Drive for Italian Days.

I saw this fellow singing and playing electronic accordion. I want one!

Wonderful singing in Italian from Italian operas - I want to bring my accordion and return next year with some Asian Canadian musician friends and perform our repertoire of Italian songs and arias. We could call ourselves Ital-Asians Romanza!

Mike Lombardi, Vancouver School Trustee and Library Board - with some of the volunteers from the Italian Cultural Centre. I once played O Solo Mio on my accordion for Mike. He loved it!

One of my favorite places on the Drive for gelato and coffees.

There was a pasta eating contest. This little fellow got great mouthfuls... but he didn't win.

Outside the Portuguese Club, they paid special attention to the bbq herring.

But the line-up was longer for the bbq roasted half-chickens - check out this video.

Not everybody is DNA-Italian - but the Asian restaurants, Greek places, and even the Caribbean restaurants all go in the action. Here is a DJ and sound system blasting reggae tunes.

Funny Asians from LA are performing for Asian Comedy Night by VACT

Todd — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:35:59 -0700

18 Mighty Mountain Warriors HOOT CAMP comedy show Emmy Award Winning Asian Sketch Group from Los Angeles Coming to Vancouver - June 5 & 6 @ the Roundhouse www.vact.ca HURRY! Tickets only available for 2 remaining performances! 2 evenings: Saturday June 5th & Sunday June 6th Only 2 hilarious performances remaining at the Roundhouse Performance Centre 181 Roundhouse Mews (corner of Davie & Pacific Blvd) Vancouver, BC * $20 in advance – general admission * $25 in advance – reserved section (first 2 rows in raised centre section) * $25 at the door – general admission only * $108 in advance – SAVE! – group rate for 6 tickets (general admissions) Buy on-line at www.vact.ca or at the Roundhouse at 604.713.1800 18mmwtoservesouth.jpg Back by popular demand from 2009 for their very own show are: The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors (18mmw) from Los Angeles! This group has garnered three awards including the 2007 Emmy Award “Mighty Warriors of Comedy”, the 2006 International Sketch Comedy Championships, and the 2005 Bay Area’s Best Comedy Troupe award. They continue to rock the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose with their unique blend of Asian and political themed sketches. Visit www.18mmw.com or www.vact.ca for more information.

Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop Community Dinner

Todd — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:17:49 -0700

Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop Community Dinner

May 29th Saturday
Reception 6pm
Dinner 7pm

We will celebrate the book launch of Henry Chow and Other Stories

We will honour community builders:

Marty Chan, playwright, author and writer for radio and tv.

Marty is best known as a playwright for Mom, Dad, I'm Living With a White Girl as well as writing for CBC Radio's Dim Sum Diaries and appearing in CBC TV's Jake and the Kid. He is also the writer of a series of young adult novels.

Tradewind Books - publishers Michael Katz and Carol Frank

Michael Katz and Carol Frank have published many children and youth books addressing cultural diversity. Titles include Abby's Birds, The Jade Necklace, Bamboo, What Happened This Summer and Henry Chow. The Bone Collector's Son, by Paul Yee, is the only Children's book to receive the Vancouver Book Prize.

Both have made significant contributions to the Asian Canadian literary community.

Past recipients of ACWW Community Awards are:
Roy Mah, Wayson Choy, Paul Yee, Harvey Lowe, Roy Miki, Fred Wah, The Bulletin (National Association of Japanese Canadians), Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre and Gim Wong.

To attend the dinner, please RSVP
as seating is limited

For more information contact:

Todd Wong, ACWW vice-president
778-846-7090
gunghaggis@yahoo.ca

Chinese Laundry Kids @ Friends of Foo's Ho Ho dinner event

Todd — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:58:04 -0700

Chinese Laundry Kids grow up to be writers, professors and community activists:

Friends of Foo's Ho Ho launches another successful event combining Chinese Canadian history with local cuisine and issues of the global Chinese diaspora. When Committee member Elwin Xie discovered that author Judy Fong Bates was coming to speak at UBC, and that she was reading from her memoir about growing up in a chinese laundry - a light must have gone off.

Elwin quickly remembered that retired psychology professor Dr. John Jung had expressed interest in coming to speak to the Friends of Foo's Ho Ho committee, after learning about their effort to save Vancouver Chinatown's last restaurant serving pioneer style Cantonese cuisine. A community activist with an interest in Vancouver's Chinese Canadian history, Elwin had also ordered books by Dr. Jung about Chinese restaurants and laundries. It turned out that like Judy Fong Bates, Dr. Jung had also grown up in a Chinese laundry - but instead of Canada, Dr. Jung had grown up in Macon, Georgia - deep in the American South. Elwin's interest was keen, because he had grown up at the Union Laundry, owned and operated by his parents in Vancouver.

Event host Todd Wong, with featured guests Dr. John Jung, Judy Fong Bates and Elwin Xie.

Guests began arriving at the 6pm reception time. Books by Dr. Jung and Ms. Bates were for sale, and the authors were set up to sign copies for the evening's patrons.

The event started off with a 10 minute film about Chinese laundries in the United States. This really helped set the tone for the evening, showing pictures of laundries, the laundry machines, and even some of the racist cartoons and songs of the times.

Soon the first appetizer dish of deep-fried squid, pork and chicken wings arrived. Yum Yum, some good food to accompany the hearty conversations that filled the upstairs banquet hall.

Elwin Xie was the first speaker. He gave a power point presentation with pictures of his family's laundry that included himself as a little child. He described how he was encouraged to climb into the giant washing machines to find coins, only to figure out many years later that he was "exploited" because of his small size.

Dr. John Jung was the second speaker. He also had a power point presentation that featured pictures of both Chinese laundries and restaurants from across North America. It was really interesting to hear how he grew up in the only Chinese family in Macon Georgia. An especially amusing story was how the family became media stars one day. In 1943, they were asked to come out and attend a media photo opportunity with Madame Chiang Kai Shek, the First Lady of China, came to visit Macon. As the only Chinese family, they had been invited to help welcome the wife of the Taiwanese leader, who had grown up and attended Wesleyan women's college in Macon, before marrying Chiang Kai Shek.

My role as the evening's emcee, was to make sure the presentations flowed smoothly and try to keep the evening running on time. With John's stories, it was a good way to illustrate that no matter where Chinese had settled in Canada, USA or even Scotland, their stories all had universal themes. As John had talked about the influence of the Church during his growing up, I shared that my own family was descended from two Chinese Methodist missionaries Rev. Chan Sing Kai and Rev. Chan Yu Tan. While Yu Tan stayed in Canada and ministered in Vancouver, New Westminster, Victoria and Nanaimo, his elder brother had ministered in Oregon and Nevada, before settling in the Los Angeles area. Similar to John discovering that he had distant relatives operating a Chinese restaurant in Sasketchewan, my grand mother's cousin Dennis ran a restaurant in Prince Albert SK. John had even seen the CBC documentary about Dennis' daughter Janice Wong, returning to Prince Albert to sign copies of her book CHOW, about growing up in the restaurant.

Judy Fong Bates reads from her memoir "The Year of Finding Memory"

Judy Fong Bates was the final speaker of the evening. She remarked how a friend had described the evening's program as "sexy"! Judy read from her memoir about how her family had come to Canada, and how she had grown up. Like John and Elwin before her, she also commented about the racism against Chinese that had permeated the social issues of the day, and how growing up in a laundry also had a stigmatism.

It was a wonderful evening with an appreciative audience. The evening had unfolded with discovered stories that one attendee had had his wedding banquet at Foo's Ho Ho Restaurant 38 years ago. Another woman, my Aunty Sue, was also a Chinese Laundry Kid, with her family involved with Keefer Laundry in Vancouver.

TODDISH MCWONG'S BIG 5-OH! BIRTHDAY PARTY

Todd — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:24:55 -0700

TODD WONG'S BIG 5-OH!
BIRTHDAY PARTY

Toasts, Roasts, Music & Dance
It's been an incredible 50 years with many highlights from a Terry Fox Run in Beijing to a photo exhibit in Scotland and many things in between (cancer survival, Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners, TV documentaries and dragon boat festivals). Please come share stories and friendship with music, food and drink.

Admission by Donation for Historic Kogawa House Society
By Invitation Only - Private Event

Friday May 14, 7-10:30 pm
PAL Theatre - Performing Arts Lodge
300-581 Cardero Street @ Hastings
8th Floor Theatre, lobby and rooftop garden
Admission by Donation

DONATIONS
In lieu of gifts - donations accepted for Historic Joy Kogawa House Society. We saved Obasan author, Joy Kogawa’s childhood home from demolition in 2005 & 2006. In 2007, we received the City of Vancouver Heritage Award of Honour, and saw our dreams become reality with a writer-in-residence program in 2009. Now we need to restore the house and continue to build the writing programs.) Tax receipts available - call The Land Conservancy of BC, Tamsin Baker (604) 733-2313 or bring your cheque to THE PARTY!
Donations will be split 50/50 between writing programs and restorations - unless specified otherwise.

LOCATION:
Look for the Scotia Bank sign on Cardero St.
and the PAL awning on the west side of the street.
very distinctive.
Volunteers will be in the lobby to show you to the 8th floor.
if not - a sign should print my cell phone #, and we will send somebody down to greet you.

FOOD & DRINK
I am hosting so will provide beer & wine and non-alcoholic drinks + appies.
It is a challenge to my bank account - but I would like to be able to give you all a drink! contributions are accepted - if we run out, we will have to send people on a store run. (any scotch should be brown bagged)

PARKING
Street parking is metered... Cheapest parking lot is East side of Cardero, near the Bayshore $6 per evening or at corner of Georgia and Cardero beside White Spot. $12 in the actual PAL building which is used by the Bayhore Hotel.

MUSIC and Performances
Everything is a surprise... I don't even know what's happening.
But there will be a list, if you would like to perform, recite a poem, or make a toast / roast. We will try to keep things moving, and will HOOK people if they go too long, mumble and say inappropriate things. Children are expected to be present, and we expect all performers to be outstanding community role models.

Pacific Rim Magazine: "Todd Wong: A Cultural Revolutionary in a Kilt

Todd — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:43:13 -0700

Todd Wong: A Cultural Revolutionary in a Kilt" - pg 16-18 Pacific Rim Magazine - pick up Today's Globe & Mail. It's a nice"day-after-birthday" gift!