2004 Gung Haggis Fat Choy poster.
Designed by Honey Mae of Azimuth Designs. Photo by Don Montgomery.
This poster is lots of fun. I think it really captures the essence of Gung Haggis Fat Choy. Definitely something old, something new, something borrowed, something wacky!
Yes… that is me, Toddish McWong, the man beneath the mask.
The “Address” or “Ode to the Haggis” is one of Burns most famous
poems, always read prior to the serving of the haggis. It is a
love poem to a cherished food dish. Although, most Canadians have
more fun reading the poem rather than actually eating the haggis.
For the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners. I have tasted many a
different haggis. The traditional lard recipes made me gag the
first and subsequent times. But I have found great pleasure with
a haggis from Peter Black & Sons, from Park Royal, West
Vancouver. Many a time has happened when people ask me where I
get my haggis because it is so savoury. In January 2003, I
managed to have Peter Black's haggis featured twice in one week on the
daytime cooking show CityCooks with Simi Sara.
For the reading of the Address to the Haggis, I have always given a
stanza for a different person to read. Group effort poetry
reading it is. It is always fun to hear how well or awful, each
person pronounces the Gaelic and Scots words. In 2002, we had
former federal secretary of state, Raymond Chan, reading Burns with
his Chinese accent. It made the local tv news.
In 2003, we had quite a collection of people: a doctor from Yellowknife, the president of Clan MacLeod Canada (Ian MacLeod), the First Nations Chief from the Qayquayt (New Westminster) Band (Chief Rhonda Larrabee), a visiting UBC student from Scotland, the noted UBC Scientist and Director of the Chan Centre speaking in a Yiddish accent (Dr. Sid Katz), and even an Sean Connery Impressionist (Philip Gurney of the comedy troupe Hot Sauce Posse)!
You just never know who is going to show up at a Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner!
Here is Burns' actual poem so you can practice yourself in case I pick you to come up to the stage at the dinner:
Ode to the Haggis
Fair fa’ your honest sonsie* face, (plump)
Great Chieftan o’ the puddin’ race!
Abbon them a’ ye tak your place.
Painch, tripe, or thairm*: (instestine)
Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang’s my arm
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdles * like a distant hill, (buttocks)
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’ need
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see Rustic labour dight*, (wipe)
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like oinie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm, reedin, rich!
Then horn for horn they stretch and’ strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-wall’d kytes* believe
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Fuidman, maist like to rise,
Be thankit hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio wad staw* a sow, (sicken)
Or ficassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect summer,* (revulsion)
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?
Poor deveil! See him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank a fuid whip-lash
His neive* a nit* (fish/nut)
Thro bluidy flood or field to tash,
O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his trea,
Clap in his walie* nieve a blade, (large)
He’ll mak it whistle;
An’legs, an’ arms, an’ heads will sned,*
(be cut off) Like taps o’ thristle.* (thistle)
Ye pow’res wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking* ware. (watery)
That jaups in luggies;* (milk-pails)
But, if ye wish her grateful’ pary’r
Gie her a Haggis!
Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year's Eve, and it is celebrated on New Year's Eve with a Grand Dinner. It can be very similar to Chinese New Year's in many ways:
1) Make lots of noise. Chinese like to burn firecrackers, bang drums and pots to scare the ghosts and bad spirits away. Scots will fire off cannons, sound sirens, bang pots and make lots of noise, I think just for the excuse of making noise.
2) Pay off your debts. Chinese like to ensure that you start off the New Year with no debts hanging onto your personal feng shui. I think the Scots do the same but especially to ensure that they aren't paying anymore interest.
3) Have lots of good food. Eat lots and be merry. Both Scots and Chinese enjoy eating, hosting their friends and visiting their friends.
4) Party on dude! In Asia, Chinese New Year celebrations will go on for days, lasting up to a week! Sort of like Boxing week sales in Canada. In Scotland, the Scots are proud partyers and are well known for making parties last for days on end.
Come to think about it… the above traditions can be found in many cultures… I guess the Scots and Chinese are more alike than different with lots of other cultures too!
Tickets will soon be available through the Firehall Arts Centre, after Jan 5th. You can use Visa or Master Card to reserve your tickets.
There will be a small service charge for this service. Your tickets will be reserved in advance and wating for you at the Will Call line at the Flamingo Restaurant on Fraser St. Be sure to arrive early before 6pm to avoid the line up rush so you can grab the best seats at your table and have a dram of Glenlivet in hand or Scottish lager while the latecomers gasp in amazement.
Phone Firehall Box Office: 604-689-0926
Firehall Arts Centre is a wonderful Vancouver Instituition dedicated to presenting theatre with an emphasis on multiculturalism. Executive Director Donna Spencer will also be donating 2 sets of tickets to upcoming shows for the raffle draws at Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner events.
This will include The Plum Tree, directed by Adrienne Wong – one of the co-hosts for GHFC Dinners. Adrienne was also a paddler and flag grabber on the Gung Haggis Dragon Boat team for 2003.