Stephen Mirowski – our captain and drummer – photo Dave Samis courtesy of S. Mirowsk
Author Archives: Todd
in the attached picture – photo by Raymond Kwong:
Bill Martin (back view)
Hillary Wong
Pat martin (peeking – pulling a Sybor)
Wendy Lee
Craig Brown
Tzhe Lam
Jim Blatherwick
Todd Wong
Emma Hopkins
Stephen Mirowski
Jonas Ng
Steven Wong
Sandra
Jane Johnson
Dan Seto
Joanne Black
Gerry Black
Richard Montagna
sitting:
Ashleigh Dalton
Deb Martin
Sarah Wong (Remus' daughter)
Rebecca Wong (Remus' daughter)
Hyuma
Dave Samis
Remus Wong
Leanne Riding
Cheryl Howes
Holly Parsons
Bill Martin (back view)
Hillary Wong
Pat martin (peeking – pulling a Sybor)
Wendy Lee
Craig Brown
Tzhe Lam
Jim Blatherwick
Todd Wong
Emma Hopkins
Stephen Mirowski
Jonas Ng
Steven Wong
Sandra
Jane Johnson
Dan Seto
Joanne Black
Gerry Black
Richard Montagna
sitting:
Ashleigh Dalton
Deb Martin
Sarah Wong (Remus' daughter)
Rebecca Wong (Remus' daughter)
Hyuma
Dave Samis
Remus Wong
Leanne Riding
Cheryl Howes
Holly Parsons
Gold medals for Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in Vernon!
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Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team and supporters:
standing:
Bill Martin (back view) Hillary Wong, Pat martin (peeking), Wendy Lee, Craig Brown, Tzhe Lam, Jim Blatherwick, Todd Wong, Emma Hopkins, Stephen Mirowski, Jonas Ng, Steven Wong, Sandra, Jane Johnson, Dan Seto, Joanne Black, Gerry Black, Richard Montagna
sitting:
Ashleigh Dalton, Deb Martin (steers), Sarah Wong (Remus' daughter), Rebecca Wong (Remus' daughter), Hyuma, Dave Samis, Remus Wong, Leanne Riding, Cheryl McIntosh, Holly Parsons
Gold medals for Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team in Vernon!
Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team won Rec B in Vernon Dragon Boat Races today.
On Saturday – we races two 200m sprints + one 500 m race + a demonstration 1000m race – where we got knocked around by a rogue wave, which resulted in a collision. Another boat hit our drum broadside. Nobody was hurt.
We had a wonderfu team BBQ + swimming + canoes at Martin's Nest on Kalamalka Lake.
Sunday, we raced hard in the Rec B semi-finals with a time of 2:26. – securing a place in the final. Sunday afternoon we placed our best time of 2:23 – good enough for 1st place gold medal
pictures & more details to follow.
Generations: The Chan Legacy on CBC Newsworld. July 29th – 4pm and midnight
Generations: The Chan Legacy on CBC Newsworld.
July 29th – 4pm and midnight
The
Chan Legacy is the lead episode in the new documentary series
Generations on CBC Newsworld. It debuted on July 4th – my grandmother's 97th birthday.
How fitting! Because the show is about her grand-father Rev. Chan Yu Tan who came to Canada in 1896 as a Christian missionary.
Feedback
has been very positive. Family members are very proud. Friends are
very supportive. Historians are enthusiastic. Strangers are thrilled.
Listen to Auntie Helen and Uncle Victor tell stories about Rev. and Mrs. Chan, and about growing up in pre-WW2 BC, and facing racial discrimination. Uncle Victor Wong also tells about enlisting as a Canadian soldier to go behind enemy lines in the Pacific for suicide squadrons, fighting for Canada, even though Chinese-Canadians could not vote in the country of their birth.
The next generations assimiliated more easily into Canadian culture. Gary Lee became an actor and singer. Janice Wong became a visual artist and author of the book CHOW: From China to Canada – memories of food and family, which addressed the history of Rev. Chan coming to Canada, and how Janice's dad started a Chinese restaurant in Prince Albert SK.
Then there is Todd Wong – cultural and community activist who founded Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner – which inspired a CBC Vancouver television performance special. Todd is shown active in the dragon boat community, and speaking at a Terry Fox Run in the role of a 16 year cancer survivor. Renowned Japanese-Canadian author Joy Kogawa makes an appearance, as Todd was also involved in helping to save Kogawa's childhood home from demolition and to turn it into a national historic and literary landmark.
July 29th Sunday – repeats at midnight
| 4:00 p.m. | Generations: The Chan Legacy – Missionaries from China come to the West Coast help Westernize Chinese immigrant workers in the late 1800's. |
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J
Hip, Hapa and Happening: What to do in intercultural Vancouver this weekend.
Hip, Hapa and Happening: What to do in intercultural Vancouver this weekend
My computer mother board tanked my computer time yesterday… so articles are down to a bare minimum this week, as I also head up to Vernon for the 3rd Annual Greater Vernon Dragon Boat Races.
Check out:
Enchanted Evenings summer concert series at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Classical Gardens in Vancouver Chinatown. This is a great way to spend a Friday evening with great musicians in an intimate setting.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Classical Gardens.
578 Carrall St. between Pender and Keefer.
July 27
Vancouver Chinese Ensemble
The Ensemble presents to the public an eclectic repertoire that
embraces popular and traditional Chinese music as well as Western
classical and contemporary compositions.
Go see COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI at the Firehall Arts Centre
July 20 – August 3, 2007
put on by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.
I went on opening night with 15 members of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team and we all really enjoyed it.
Cowboy Versus
Samaurai is a multicultural re-telling of the Cyrano de Bergerac story,
that was retold and reset in Nelson BC, in the Steve Martin movie
“Roxanne.” This time prepare for a Western setting of Wyoming –
complete with cowboys and samaurais. I will be writing a review from
the opening night performance. Check out the following press releases,
and check out the website www.vact.ca
ALL OVER THE MAP
Outdoor dance and music series
Ron Basford Park, Granville Island
Sundays at 2pm
FREE
July 29th
Feel it! Tango Paradiso and dancers
http://www.newworks.ca/alloverthemap.html
Last week I ended up on stage learning Celtic dancing to Punjabi-Celtic fusion music.
Barbara Clausen of New Works has created a wonderful culturally interesting summer series of dance, music and fun. Tango Paradiso is exciting… Wish I could be there… I started learning to play tangos on my accordion when I was 12 years old.
CUPE local 391 (City of Vancouver Library Workers) is on strike for the first time in it's union history!
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CUPE local 391 (City of Vancouver Library Workers) is on strike for the first time in it's union history!
Bad city management!!! Why don't they return to the bargaining table? Why don't they acknowledge union concerns instead of asking for concessions! This morning, I attended a CUPE 391 study session, with my fellow library workers, and learned why Vancouver City library workers are taking job action. The meeting was lead by union president Alex Youngberg, whom I have known for many years. She has always been supportive of my Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner events, and other community efforts. Today Alex and the bargaining committee explained why they are frustrated that the Library management has not acknowledged union concerns and issues, nor made counter offers. Instead they try to impose a contract with concessions. see: http://www.cupe391.ca Why has high priced PR firm Why is Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan (who has been a big supporter of Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner events) continually saying that the issue is about preventing a strike during the Olympics when the unions state “We have never said, will never say and have no intention of shutting the city down during the Olympics.”I thought the strike was for wage equity, fairness and other labour issues. Who cares about the Olympics? It will last for 2 weeks. Vancouver civic workers will continue to be here long after. But in the meantime, can we have a fair wage please? Gee… BC finance minister Carole Taylor gave unions financial bonuses if they signed prior to a certain date, and to keep contract disputes from disrupting the Olympics. I have been a CUPE 391 member since 1975, and received my 30 year pin Here's an article about Pay Equity: The following press release is from the CUPE website:
http://www.cupe.ca/media/Library_workers_seek Library workers seek positive resolution to avert full strike [July 25, 2007 05:44 PM] City encouraged to return to table immediately VANCOUVER – In a final effort to avoid a full blown strike at Vancouver’s libraries, CUPE 391 public library workers are encouraging their employer, the City of Vancouver, to return to the bargaining table to negotiate. Public library workers are cautiously encouraged by Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan’s move away from his ongoing demand for a 39-month contract earlier today, admitting the first step is returning to the bargaining table and seeing their local issues addressed, like pay equity, improvements for part-time and auxiliary workers, benefit improvements, and job security. Tonight (Wednesday) at 5:30 p.m. CUPE 391 will be making a presentation on pay equity, the library workers’ primary bargaining issue, to the Vancouver Public Library Board at the Central Library (350 West Georgia Street). “Finding a way to start addressing pay equity in Vancouver libraries is a high priority for our members in this round of bargaining,” said CUPE 391 president Alex Youngberg. “We need to make sure that the Library Board understands why pay equity is such a significant issue for us.” A recent pay equity report released in July 2007 by CUPE researchers affirmed that regardless of the equally valuable work that library workers contribute to society, traditionally female jobs in the library sector are typically lower paying than traditionally male jobs in the municipal sector. Vancouver Public Library workers are paid $7 an hour less than library workers in Toronto. Despite the City’s persistent refusal to return to the bargaining table, CUPE 391 remains open to meet and prepared to bargain. However it is anticipated that job action will escalate to a full strike by the end of the week if a fair agreement is not forthcoming. CUPE 391 represents the 790 employees of the Vancouver Public Library. Contact: Diane Kalen, CUPE Communications, 778-229-0258 |
Toddish McWong learns Irish Step Dancing on Granville Island
Toddish McWong learns Irish Step Dancing on Granville Island
I went paddling in a marathon canoe with Gung Haggis paddler Art
Calderwood. We heard celtic fiddle music as we paddled into Alder Bay
behind Granville Island. And of course I had to check it out.
Imagine our surprise to discover the Violet Moore Irish Dancers on stage with Delhi 2 Dublin – with Kytami fiddling away!
I
had attended the first Delhi 2 Dublin event at the 2006 Celtic
Festival, and loved the energy that Kytami brought to the stage. Delhi
2 Dublin blends celtic fiddle tunes with bhangra beats, and they performed at the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival in 2006. Here's my story about my first Kytami/Delhi 2 Dublin experience:
my first Kytami/Delhi 2 Dublin experience on St. Paddy's Eve.
When
they asked for audience volunteers to learn ceil dancing for Bridge of Athlone…. I was there! So was Gung Haggis paddlers Steven Wong who
had been sitting in the audience. It was great fun, learning to Irish
step dance. We shall have to organize a ceil dance party for Gung
Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, food and social club.
After I stepped off the stage and outside the Performance Works building, I met the New Works producer Barbara Clausen, who had hired dancer/choreographer Andrea Nann to do some workshops in Vancouver last year. I love Andrea… She worked with author Michael Ondaatje and choreographed some dances based on his works for explorASIAN in 2003. Andrea came and performed a dance for the Save Kogawa House Nov 12 Special Concert awareness event at the Vancouver Public Library in 2005. I think it would be fun to work together with Barbara Clausen on a Gung Haggis Fat Choy type of project.
Barabra hasput together and incredible array of Sunday events at Ron Basford Park on Granville Island as part of New Works “All Over the Map” Dance and music series. Two weeks ago our dragon boat team paddled by Granville Island and hear the Japanese Taiko drums of Uzume Taiko.
Next up for “All Over the Map”:
July 29th – Feel It!
– Tango Paradiso Ensemble with Dancers
August 12th – Shake it!
– Guinean Dance and Music with Kocassale Dioubate and friends
August 19th – Hit it!
– Traditional Indonesian Dance and Music in partnership with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia.
Gung Haggis dragon boat team races Harrison…. cancels Sunday practice
Gung Haggis dragon boat team races Harrison…. cancels Sunday practice
Hi everybody….
Gung Haggis paddlers agreed to cancel Sunday's practice for July 22nd.
If
people would still like to do something… such as paddle canoes… or
watch a movie, or rollerblade or go for lunch…. – I will be there.
1pm Sunday as normal.
We raced today July 21st at the Fraser Valley Dragon Boat Races, at beautiful Harrison Lake, set beside the town of Harrison Hot Springs. Everybody had lots of fun. Good cameraderie all around. Lots of compliments from team paddlers, and other teams.
We are very tired from a very long day at Harrison.
We raced 4 hard paddled races.
We were up early by 4am to arrive by 7am
There were long delays and the races weren't finished by 7:30 when we had left.
We made it to Rec B division Mixed
There was Comp, Rec A, Rec B, Rec C
We had some great races.
first race – came 1st against lower Rec teams
2nd race – came 4th against higher Rec + Comp teams
3rd
race – very solid race in Rec B semi ( we were 4th in our race) tough
competition – good compliments from people watching the race.
4th race – very tired race in Rec B consolation – we came 3rd…. and have the ribbons to prove it!
Must go to bed now…
See you tomorrow…
We will prepare roster for Vernon July
28/29
and car pools for Vernon etc.
Cowboy Versus Samurai: Vancouver Asian Theatre is the winner as play beats up on Asian stereotypes
Cowboy Versus Samurai:
Vancouver Asian Theatre is the winner as play beats up on Asian stereotypes
Lots of laughs in the right places greeted the opening night for Cowboy Versus Samurai. It is a witty and funny play that explores Asian stereotypes… and stereotypes of Caucasians who date Asians!
We had a group of 15 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boaters go out to dinner at Wild Ginger restaurant then attend the “Cowboy Versus Samurai” play, produced by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre. The play is performed at Firehall Arts Centre, due to the impending City of Vancouver civic workers strike. Our group really enjoyed the play – which itself is multi-cultural, full of Chinese-Canadians, Caucasian-Canadians, Mixed Race couples and politically and community active individuals – All topics related to the play's content.
Cowboy Versus Samurai places three Asian-Americans in a small town in Wyoming, forced to deal with the racism of being a non-white minority. They explore their identities, through a Love Quadrangle where the two Asians must compete with a White Cowboy for the affections of the only Asian woman in town. Hilarious situations occur, because one of the Asian fellows secretly aids the letter writing campaign of the White cowboy, a la Cyranode Bergerac or the Steve Martin movie “Roxanne.” It's a great situational set-up that allows identities to hide each other like costumes or envelopes. Well… actually they are like love letters or “scratch and win” cards that hint of hope and pleasure while unopened, but can only reveal truth of happiness or disappointment when opened or scratched.
A more comprehensive review to follow…. with pictures!
I have to go to sleep now, because I have to wake up early to go to dragon boat races at Harrison Lake.
Photos from opening night reception party!
