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9 September
Toronto,
Prime “Through your dedication to family and community, solid work ethic and The Prime Minister made his remarks at the opening of Phase II facilities at Prime Minister Harper noted that the history of the Chinese community in “The Canada |
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http://www.news.gc.ca/cfmx/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=238189
Google Alert for: kogawa house – September 14
Joy Kogawa and her childhood home
in the city UPCOMING EVENTS inthecity@westender.com
Vancouver Westender – BC, Canada
… Homecoming: The Save Kogawa House Committee and the Land
Conservancy host a fundraiser and the first public tour of the Joy Kogawa
House (1450 W. 64th) on …
Joy of history
Georgia Straight – Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada
… racial discrimination. The open house happens on Sunday
afternoon (September 17), with Kogawa herself in attendance to
sign books.
Terry Fox is one of Canada's greatest heroes.
Terry Fox has a special place in my heart.
Every year since 1993, I am a Terry's Team member, cancer survivors who
serve as
living examples that cancer research has helped to make a
difference. This year, I am a guest speaker at the Richmond BC
run site.
Being a Terry's Team member is very special. I am glad to be a
cancer survivor, but I would prefer it if there were no more new
members.\
Todd with Terry's Best Friend – Doug Alward, and Terry's high school basketball coach – Terry Fleming. photo Deb Martin
In 1989 – I survived a near fatal cancer tumor behind my
breastbone. Without treatment, the doctors said, I might have
lasted two weeks. Instead, I was on chemotherapy for 5 months
from June 21st to November.
I speak at different run sites, and elementary schools each year
throughout Greater Vancouver. I have spoken at run sites in
Burnaby, Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, North Delta,
Kelowna BC, and even in Beijing China in 1993.
Wednesday evening I attended the planning committee meeting for the
Richmond run site, organized by my friends John and Joan Young, who are
avid runners. They introduced me to the planning team. It's
a good group. Last year the Richmond run site attracted 500
participants. The run starts at Garry Point Park on the
Southwestern tip of Richmond, right beside the community of
Steveston. We will run North along the dike. A 10 km run
will take you all the way to Westminster Hwy and back.
Please join me.
Sunday Sept 17 10am
Garry Point Park, Richmond
(Southwest of Steveston).
You can make an online donations to the Terry Fox Run Foundation can be
made with me as your own special “Terry's Team member” here:
https://www.terryfoxrun.org/
September 7, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chinese
Islanders
Making
a Home in the New World
by Hung-Min Chiang
Charlottetown. Chinese Islanders: Making a Home in the New World tells the story of some of Prince Edward Island's first Chinese settlers who came to the Island as early as 1850. They were
subjected to the infamous
“head tax,” as well as the more severe Chinese Immigration Act
(also known as the Chinese Expulsion Act). But through it all, they and their
descendants have largely
adapted to and succeeded in mainstream Island
society, and are proud today to be recognized as true Islanders.
Catherine G. Hennessey writes:
“From tenuous beginnings in the closing days of the 19th century
to the blossoming of a
vibrant new Chinese community in the 21st century, Chinese Islanders: Making a Home in the New World tells the story of one of
Prince Edward Island ’s
smallest immigrant communities.”
From the book’s foreword by John Cousins:
“Hung-Min Chiang set out to write this history of the Chinese
Canadian community in Prince Edward
Island because, as he was told, “no one else
would do it.” What a daunting task it must have been. No group of
Islanders would be harder to document than these few Chinese settlers, who, for
obvious reasons, preferred to remain anonymous, and to live below the social
horizon, leading “quiet inconspicuous lives.” There were few
records, fewer accurate ones, no personal biographies for guidance, negligible
letters, and no survivors from the
early days. Added to that was a “discontinuing of generations,” a period of decline
between the 1940s and 1960s when the community came close to disappearing.
Nevertheless, Chiang has accomplished a series of minor miracles. These were
the realities of the Chinese community and the author does not avoid
them.”
“Rather, he recounts them with a serenity that carries with it
the sublime sadness of the human
plight. And this, in my opinion, is the work’s great strength.”
About the Author:
Dr. Hung-Min Chiang, originally from Taiwan ,
came to Prince Edward Island
with his family in 1967. A student of Abraham Maslow, he taught psychology at
Prince of Wales College and the University
of Prince Edward Island
until his retirement in 1991. He is fondly remembered as a favourite professor
by many. A lover of nature, all his hobbies bring him closer to the earth.
-30-
For media interviews, please contact Dr.Hung-Min Chiang, at (902) 569-3959
or by email at mchiang@eastlink.ca.
Joy Kogawa – official Order of BC photo
Todd visits Kogawa House – inside and out
The
1915 house is modest, and now seems out of place beside the new larger
homes built on either side of it. There is a tall cedar tree and
a tall pine tree, and rhododendron bushes in the front yard, shielding
the house, as if it is hiding it from the street trying not to be
noticed. It is really a wonder that such a small house has
survived until now, with all the redevelopment in the Marpole
neighborhood.
I looked
carefully at the house that I have visited many times in the past year,
always veiwing from the outside. The front door was open.
Inside was a planning meeting organized by The Land Conservancy of BC –
the new owners of the historic house. We would be planning the
open house event on September 17th as the first public event at Kogawa
House.
Attending the meeting were staff and board members of The Land Conservancy of BC.
Heather Skydt and Tamsin have been working with us since December 2nd
of last year when the TLC officially stepped in to lead the fundraising
to purchase Kogawa House. Ann-Marie Metten is my colleague and
friend on the Kogawa House committee. Fran is the event chair.
Janet is a member. Rich Kenney is staff.
We are planning an afternoon that will include:
The house is in pretty good structural
shape. Past owners have renovated the house at different
times. An addition was created. But it looks like the
original wood floor and panels in some areas. Joy's desk from
Toronto and typewriter that she used to write Obasan is now sitting in
her former bedroom. A door from her childhood bedroom was created
into what used to be her parents bedroom, next door. Her older
brother Timothy slept downstairs.
It is a modest house, but a house that you could imagine a Canadian
family celebrating Christmas in. The father telling the children
that his sister will come look after them, while their mother has to go
to Japan to look after her mother. You can imagine the scenes
from the Naomi's Road opera happening in this house.
It is a house that a six year old would dream about in the years to
come, pining that she could return, after being shuffled from temporary
house to temporary house, in internment camps, and sugar beet farms
where they were forced to live and work because the Canadian government
had deemed this “Born in Canada” family “too dangerous” to live on the
Pacific Coast.
In the past
year, I have written much about the need to save this house on this
website, and even started up a new website www.kogawahouse.com. I
wrote up 20 Reasons to Save Kogawa House from Demolition on Oct 19th.
It had been
September 22nd, 2005 when Ann-Marie Metten informed me that an
architect was inquiring about a demolition permit for 1450 West 64th
Ave. Kogawa House. Anne-Marie and I had spoken earlier in
February, 2005 when I first wrote 20 Reasons why Joy Kogawa's Obasan is the perfect nomination choice for One Book One Vancouver 2005 program at VPL.
Later that same day, on Sept. 22nd Ann-Marie and I had sent out the following press release:
Kogawa Homestead threatened by Demolition Permit Application
– same week as Joy Kogawa is celebrated throughout Vancouver
This week, notice was received that an application for
demolition was made to Vancouver City Hall by the owner of the Kogawa
homestead. It is a house celebrated by the award winning novel
“Obasan,” and the childhood home of famed writer Joy Kogawa.
Kogawa's reaction has been of shock and dispair, as
she knew that efforts were being made to save the beloved cherry tree in the
back yard which figures prominently in the novel. COPE mayoral candidate Jim
Green is a founding member of the “Save the Kogawa Homestead”
committee.
This is a weekend when Joy Kogawa is being celebrated
all across Vancouver… at the Vancouver Public Library for One Book One
Vancouver, at a Sep 24th dinnner celbebration for the Rice Paper
Magazine 10th
Anniversary Celebration, on Sunday for the Word on the Street Book
and Magazine Fair, and next week for the Vancouver Opera Premiere for “Naomi's Road.”
A
movement to buy the house, and to apply for heritage designation was
aborted 2 years ago because of high costs to buy the house and
resistance from the new owner to sell. The owner at the time said
that she liked the house and did not intend to demolish it.
Now
more than ever, it is important to preserve this house for the cultural
heritage of Vancouver. There is not another house in Vancouver
that is recognized for being confiscated during a dark time in Canada's
history.
No other house in Vancouver could be turned into a
bright spot on our cultural landscape as a writer's retreat, celebrating the
work of a writer which has been called the most influential Canadian novel of
the past 20 years. There is no other writer whose work helped fuel the
Japanese-Canadian Redress movement, and has also received the Order of Canada.
In May, the Vancouver Public Library selected Obasan
as the book chosen for all Vancouverites to read, as part of their award
winning “city wide book club.” Earlier this summer, during One Book
One Vancouver events Joy Kogawa held up a graft of the cherry tree that held such
a revered place in the novel Obasan – studied by so many Canadians in high
schools and universities across Canada. Both the novel and the homestead have a
proven place in Vancouver’s literary history.
By the next day we had a call from Alexandra Gill of the Globe & Mail, who put a small article in that weekend's edition.
Also
on the Friday night, highlights from the upcoming Vancouver Opera
production of Naomi's Road were performed by at the 2nd Annual
Vancouver Arts Awards. I bumped into then city councillor Jim
Green and mayor Larry Campbell. They asked
me about the state of the house, and I informed them. Both Green
and Campbell announced to the packed audience of Vancouver's cultural
movers and shakers that they were distraught to hear that Joy Kogawa's
childhood home was threatened, especially when city council had just
passed a motion to plant a cherry tree graft from the house at city
hall.
On
Saturday night, Joy Kogawa was celebrated with a Community Builder's
Award by the Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop at the 10th Anniversary
Rice Paper dinner. Joy asked me to speak about the campaign to
save the house.
On
Sunday afternoon, Joy Kogawa read from her novel Obasan, at the closing
event for the 2005 One Book One Vancouver program for the Vancouver
Public Library, held during the Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair.
It was a busy weekend –
but the word was out – Joy's childhood home was in danger of
demolition. Who people be willing to help save it?
It is now a year later. So much has happened.
Here are some of the highlights:
May, 2005 – Obasan named as the One Book One Vancouver 2005 selection by the Vancouver Public Library. Joy also is reunited with her brother Rev. Timothy Nakayama, whom she hasn't seen in 10 years.
September 27th,
Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop / Ricepaper magazine 10th Anniversary dinner honouring Joy Kogawa as a Community Builder
(left photo courtesy of Jessica Cheung – right photo courtesy of Vancouver Opera)
November 1st,
Obasan Cherry Tree Day,
declared by Vancouver City Hall. Event is presided over by then
Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell, and attended by Paul Whitney (City
Librarian), and James Wright (Vancouver Opera General Director).
November 3rd,
Vancouver City Council votes to delay processing demolition permit for 120 day, effective November 30th.
120 days given to Kogawa House, as demolition timeline extended
November 2005
December 26th,
Joy Kogawa featured on CBC Radio's “Sounds Like Canada”
interview by Kathryn Gretzinger
January 22, 2006
Joy
Kogawa is the featured poet/author at 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner. Kogawa
House is included as a recipient from annual fundraising dinner.
February 8th, 2006
Joy Kogawa House named to Heritage Vancouver's 2006 Top Ten list of endangered buildings.
February 11
Joy Kogawa & Friends – Emotionally and Truthful reading at Chapters on Robson, Saturday Feb 11
Joy is joined by Daphne Marlatt, Ellen Crowe-Swords and Roy Miki.
February 15,
Joy
Kogawa is keynote speaker for the Canadian Club's annual “Order of
Canada / Flag Day” luncheon – welcoming BC's newest recipients of the
Order of Canada. Joy recieved the Order of Canada in 1986.
February 27th,
“Emily
Kato” Book launch at Vancouver Public Libary – it is a rewritten version
of Itsuka, the sequel to Obasan and focusses on the Japanese Canadian
redress process.
March 9th,
Joy Kogawa fundraiser in Toronto, at Church of the Holy Trinity.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/11/1816004.html
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/16/1823641.html
March 26th,
March 30th,
TLC negotiates a 30 day extension for the demolition permit with the owner of the house.
April 25th,
Joy of Canadian Words
– fundraiser event in Vancouver, at Christ Church Cathedral. Special
speakers include CBC Radio's Sheryl Mackay, actors Joy Coghill, Doris
Chilcott, Hiro Kanagawa, Maiko Bae Yamamoto, Chief Rhonda Larabee.
Hosted by Todd Wong (Save Kogawa House Committee) and Bill Turner (The
Land Conservancy).
April 30th,
TLC exercises their option to purchase historic Joy Kogawa House.
May 15th
Naomi's Road at Seattle Public Library – seen by Joy Kogawa's brother Rev. Timothy Nakayama
May 18th,
Joy Kogawa named to Order of BC
May 30th,
TLC officially purchases Kogawa House – mortgage free!
TLC becomes proud owner of historic Joy Kogawa House
June 22nd
Joy Kogawa goes to Victoria to recieve Order of BC
http://www.protocol.gov.bc.ca/protocol/prgs/obc/2006/2006_JKogawa.htm
June 23
Gung Haggis Fat JOY KOGAWA HOUSE celebration dinner.
Joy returns from Victoria with Order of BC
PNE visit on Labour Day
It was lovely summer Labour Day. I was fatigued after racing dragon boats for two days. What do do? Go to the Pacific National Exhibition!
It's very intercultural, as people can have their choice of Chinese
food, “Curry in a Hurry,” Japanese sushi and other dishes, “Hunky
Bill's” perogies, “Belgian Waffles,” “Bavarian Sausage,” and even
“Beaver Tails.”
We first walked into the Marketplace, checking out all the vendors
selling their wares. We liked a little miniature toy car
display. We checked out the Hawaiian style shirts.
In the animal buildings, we went to the petting farm where little
Vietnamese pigs, miniature goats, and lambs rubbed against people for
attention. We also saw friend Melissa Issac, who does location
management for CTV reporter/ weather person Tamara Taggert.
Melissa told us to come back for 6:30pm, as Tamarra would be racing
pigs.
Also in the Safeway Country Farms, we saw a calf who had just been
born, only 90 minutes earlier. The calf was standing on wobbly
legs and tried to suckle for milk. Mommy cow licked her baby,
cleaning the calf of birth residue. Then we watched a ferrier
fashion a horseshoe for a horse.
It was fun to walk past the amusement park rides of Playland.
We didn't go on any rides, but enjoyed watching the people on the Drop
Zone, Hell's Gate and others. You will never catch me on the Revelation ride. Moving to the ground face first at speeds up to 100kph from a height of 160 feet, does not interest me.
Last month I spent a day at Playland with an autistic boy that I work
with. We rode on Break Dance, Scrambler, Wild Mouse, and lots of
rides at the Bumper Cars.
A woman complimented me on my t-shirt. I was wearing a cotton
Gung Haggis Fat Choy t-shirt. I explained that it was for our
dragon boat team, which also hosts a Robbie Burns Chinese New Year
dinner.
“Are you Mr. Gung Haggis?” she asked, standing next to her husband. “We've heard you on CBC Radio.”
I gave her my business card, and invited her to come and try dragon
boat racing, as well to come to the dinner next January. Hmmm…
we might have a new paddler.
I had really wanted to watch the Rod Stewart tribute performance.
This was fun. I have been a Rod Stewart fan since 1975, and even
had tickets to his 1977 concert. I last saw the real Rod Stewart
in concert at GM Place back in 2000. And he did play one of my favorite
songs – Rhythm of My Heart – but they didn't have an accordion for the
introduction of the song.
We finished off the evening watching the Rollin' Thunder Revue
show. It was an exciting performance of fireworks, flash pots and
country music.
Here are some pictures of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team taken by Lawrence Lu
For more pictures of other teams at the festival – check out http://www.dragonboatwest.net/forum/index.php?topic=3754.msg37500#msg37500
More pictures by Lawrence on Sunday:
http://www.bcphotoforum.com/tempest/090306_LL/
Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in the barrel race event.
Dave Samis steers, right side from back: Dan, Teresa, Deb, Steven, and
Todd: Left side from back: Jonas, Stephen, Anne-Marie, Ashleigh
and Jim. Julie is drummer – photo Lawrence Lu.
Gung Haggis paddlers getting ready to go to the dock, giving high fives to paddlers who have just raced.
(left to right): Stephen, Joe and Ernest. – photo Lawrence Lu.
Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in the middle of the pack on
Sunday morning. We are in Lane 6. We needed to finish 1st,
2nd, 3rd or 4th to make it into Division D final for medals. We
came 5th. – photo Lawrence Lu.
Todd Wong doing race commentary on Sunday afternoon for the Taiwanese Dragon Boat Races.
Gung Haggis sport kilt is the Fraser Hunting Tartan. – photo Lawrence Lu
Yaletown String Quartet at Our Town Cafe this Friday,
Sept 08 – CANCELLED!
Sorry – this performance is now canceled
Mark Ferris sends this message:
My friend Mark Ferris is a wonderfully talented violinist.
Okay… he is also concert master for the Vancouver Opera and
Sinfonia. Mark also has a string quartet that specializes in
JAZZ! Check them out this Friday. Here's the message from
Mark.
Friday, September 08 from 8:30pm on.
The Cafe is conveniently located at 245 E Broadway (at Kingsway),
serves excellent food and is licensed.
Admission by donation (now that's a great deal!)
Come on down, bring some friends and we'll see you there!
visit our website at www.yaletownstringquartet.com for more information.
Yaletown String Quartet
e: info @ yaletownstringquartet.com
w:
604-669-5730
cel: 778-883-5731
406-1155 Homer St.
Vancouver, BC, V6B 5T5, Canada
www.yaletownstringquartet.com
Kilts Night at Doolin's Irish Pub – September 7th
– 1st Thursday of every month.
Doolin's Irish
Pub
654 Nelson Street at Granville Street Vancouver BC
September 7th, Thursday
Music starts at 9pm.
This Thursday, we shall wear our kilts and hoist of dram of Scotch to
the end of a grand dragon boat summer. Yes… sadly the dragon
boat season has come to an end for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat
team. But kilts night lives on.
We have now passed kilts on to Gerard and Keng, who will wear kilts for
the very first time! Last month, we put the kilts on Stephen
Mirowski and his visiting father – who had travelled all the way from
Thunder Bay, Ontario.
And we look forward to seeing Christine wearing her new yellow tartan
kilt – without wearing blue jeans underneath them. She's a bit
shy… and the “Good Chinese Girl” side of her sometimes is averse to
showing off her legs while wearing a mini-kilt.
We will also welcome Lorna, who will wear her mini-kilt out in public
for the first time, and celebrating her combined Scottish and First
Nations heritage.
I shall join my friends Bear, Raphael, and members of the Gung Haggis
Fat Choy dragon boat team. We shall wear our kilts and recieve a
FREE pint of Guiness for our fashion choice.
Live music is performed by the Halifax Wharf Rats – a lively band
specializing in East Coast maritime tunes plus some great Celtic tinged
surprises.
See below for Kilts night related
stories on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com
