Robbie Burns Day in Canada
-by Todd Wong

It’s Robbie Burns Day in Canada
Celebrated like no where in the world
Bagpipes play and haggis is all served
The best supper ever to attend

It’s Robbie Burns Day in Canada
Wear your kilt and bonnet too!
Dance highland flings, squares and reels
Sing songs of old and songs of new

I like Robbie Burns Day…
It's
now been 13 years since I first wore a kilt for Robbie Burns
celebrations up at Simon Fraser University. That was the time that I
first coined the term Gung Haggis Fat Choy, and the first time that I
coined my alias “Toddish McWong”.  You can read about the origins here.

It
is indeed fun to bring cultures together, and to see them in new
ways.  That is why it is important here in Canada, for us to
explore the different cultures that make up our shared heritage. 
Travelling to Quebec City and Montreal, and learning to speak French,
really helped me to understand Canada better.  By exploring
Scottish culture and Robbie Burns Day, I have been able to explore the
importance and history of Scottish Canadians, particulary Simon Fraser.

I
enjoy exploring the South Asian neighborhoods along Main St. and Fraser
St., Powell St. Festival in old Japantown.  The Chinese shops in
both Richmond and Vancouver's Chinatown.  We are an immigrant
society, new and old.

But for Robbie Burns Day in Vancouver,
January 25th…. I will attend the Burns Supper for the Burns Club of
Vancouver.  I have gotten to know some of the members over the
past few years, since I bumped into then president Robert Barr. 
This year Ian Mason current president  was a guest speaker at both
the Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public
Library, and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner at Floata
Restraurant.  At the dinner, I also saw Scot Tony Breen and his
Chinese Canadian wife Laurie.  All great people… but not enough
time to chit chat.

After the Burns Club Supper, I may drop by at
Doolin's Irish Pub.  I had a great time there last year.
Promotions manager Christine Van, who is Vietnamese-Canadian, wore a
tartan kilt, and hoisted up drams of whiskey.  The Halifax Wharf
Rats played Scottish and Maritime tunes. And I was glad to have my own
kilt.

The official Doolin's Robbie Burns Day Celebrations take place on Thursday January 26th.