Author Archives: Todd

Gung Haggis dim sum taste-testing a success!

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Gung Haggis dim sum taste-testing a success!



Here's a picture from our haggis won ton and springrolls from 2005, picture from 2007 will be available soon! – photo Todd Wong

We taste-tested the world's first haggis dim sum tonight.  
Floata served (to our specifications) deep-fried haggis won-ton, haggis
har gau (shrimp dumplings), haggis su mei (pork dumplings) + vegetarian
spring rolls.

The haggis shrimp dumplings was the best.  Very tasty… there
were positive compliments right away.  Haggis pork dumplings were
good too.  Har gau shrimp dumplings and su mei pork dumplings are
classic cantonese dim sum items.  They are not overwhelmed by the
addition of the haggis.  We asked the restaurant chefs not to put
too much haggis in – just enough to give it the taste.  People
will like these new additions to our culinary menu.

“Dim Sum” actually translates to “touch the heart” or “pieces of
heart”- meaning wonderful little morsels of food that are endearing to
the heart.  Even though traditional haggis is made from the heart,
liver of a sheep – this is all very coincidental that it should be
fused together for Gung Haggis Won Ton.

Unfortunately, it was a new chef and he didn't get the instructions to
make the haggis won ton with our secret ingredient of water
chestnuts.  This makes the item crunchy.  This will be fixed
for the January 28th dinner.

And the rest of the dinner was very good.  We had vegetarian Hot
and Sour Soup.  Shrimp balls with fruit salad, Ginger crab,
mushrooms + tofu + fresh vegetables, sticky rice with taro and chicken,
vegetarian lettuce wrap, traditional haggis (which we encourage
everybody to add to their lettuce wrap),  and pastry
desserts. 
We have trimmed our menu from a 10 course dinner to a 8 course dinner
because…. everybody at the past dinners said there was TOO MUCH food,
and the number 8 is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. 
And… we have also improved the quality of the food.  The Ginger
crab, shrimp balls, and sticky rice are traditional banquet food items.

For the first time, we invited our performers to the pre-event
taste-testing, and we invited our Gung Haggis Fat Choy event volunteer
coordinators from the GHFC dragon boat team.  Past dinners were
small and included GHFC dinner event coordinators + a food writer/
author such as Roland Tanglao (VanEats.com) or Tim Pawsey (The Courier)
or author/chef Steven Wong.  Usually, we are so busy with the
performances and so overwhelmed by the large crowd, we don't get to
relax and enjoy ourselves.  But we did tonight.  We explained
that this was like the very first (now legendary) Gung Haggis Fat Choy
dinner back in 1998 when we first served haggis with a Chinese New Year
dinner, and between each dinner course, somebody had to get up to read a poem, sing a song, or play some music.

During the course of our dinner, we sang Loch Lomand, performed the
Burns poem “Address to the Haggis,” Silk Road Music performed a
traditional “Happy Song,” then led a singalong of the famous Chinese song “Mo Li Hua (Jasmine
Flower)”.  We discussed the traditions of both Burns Suppers, and
the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners.   We also played the video
of the CBC Gung Haggis Fat Choy tv special.  We yelled out
whenever we recognized somebody on the screen that was sitting with us
at the dinner table.  “There's Deb!”  “There's
Todd!”   “Here's Silk Road with Qiu Xia and Andre!” 
“There's Joe McDonald with Brave Waves.”

It was a special dinner with all good friends from the Gung Haggis
dragon boat team, and our performers for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy
dinner event.  We discussed the intercultural points of music,
literature and culture.  This was also a good way to indoctrinate
some of our rookie GHFC paddlers and rookie performers such as Leora
Cashe into our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner traditions.  And to
close
the night, we all sang Auld Lang Syne – standing and holding hands.

We look forward to the January 28th dinner, knowing the entertainment
is going to be great, and knowing the food is going to be even better!

“All Mixed Up” – Book launch dedicated to creative Hapa (mixed race Asians)

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“All Mixed Up”
– Book launch dedicated to creative Hapa (mixed race Asians)

The editors of “All Mixed Up,” a chapbook dedicated to the writing,
art, photography, and social commentary by and about Hapas (mixed race
Asians), announce a celebration for the publication.

— Thursday, January 18, 2007, 6-8 pm, Centre A, 2 West Hastings Street
Vancouver contributors include:
Margaret Gallagher
Kelty McKinnon
Mark Nakada
Debora O
Haruko Okano and Fred Wah
Michael Tora Speier

Authors will read, perform, and sign chapbooks.  There will also be
performances and film screenings by special guests, including animator
Jeff Chiba Stearns and local band Mimi's Ami!

— If you are Hapa and would like to perform or read at Centre A,
please email mixedupbooks@gmail.com.
— Bookstore and Cafe owners, if you would like to hold a
reading/signing at your business, please email
brandylien.worrall@gmail.com.

“All Mixed Up” will be on sale for $12/copy.  “All Mixed Up” is a
limited-run chapbook collection, and each copy is handcrafted.
Proceeds from the sale of this chapbook go toward the publication of
the complete works of the “Mixed Up” series (three chapbooks total),
entitled, “Completely Mixed Up,” forthcoming in 2007.

For more information, email mixedupbooks@gmail.com.

Thanks to the following sponsors for their support:
Rhizome Cafe     http://www.rhizomecafe.ca/
Centre A     http://www.centrea.org
Powell Street Festival     http://powellstfestival.shinnova.com/
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC     http://www.cchsbc.ca
UBC Initiative for Student Teaching & Research in Chinese Canadian
Studies

***

“All Mixed Up”–Third and Final Volume of Mixed Up Hapa Chapbook Series
Released

Mixt Up Productions is proud to announce the release of the third and
final chapbook in the “Mixed Up” hapa chapbook series, begun in 1999.
The final chapbook has been six years in the making, and is a
compelling addition to the series devoted to the creative works and
social commentaries by and about mixed race Asian North American
writers, artists, and scholars.  Each limited-edition copy is
hand-sewn, embellished, and numbered.  All copies of the previous two
chapbooks were sold out, and the editors of this third one expect a
quick sell-out as well.

Nineteen writers, artists, and scholars are included in this volume:

Sumi Braun, California
Margaret Gallagher, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jeneen Garcia, the Philippines
Sherlyn Jimenez, Connecticut
Christian Langworthy, New York
Trina Mendiola, California
Kelty Miyoshi McKinnon, Vancouver, British Columbia
Rashaan Alexis Meneses, California
Dorian Merina, New York
Shyamala Moorty, California
Mark Nakada, Vancouver, British Columbia
Debora O, Vancouver, British Columbia
Stevii Paden, Pennsylvania
Haruko Okano and Fred Wah, Vancouver, British Columbia
Michael Tora Speier, Vancouver, British Columbia
Claire Tran, California
Brandy Lien Worrall, Vancouver, British Columbia
James Lawrence Ardena, Washington

To order a copy of “All Mixed Up,” or for inquiries, email
mixedupbooks@gmail.com.  The price of the chapbook is $12 plus
shipping and handling.  Proceeds of this chapbook go toward the
publication of the complete works of the “Mixed Up” series, entitled,
“Completely Mixed Up,” forthcoming in 2007.

Jan 15 – Sublime, entertaining, and full of surprises – Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night

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Sublime, entertaining, and full of surprises
– Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night


Thursday January 15th
7:30pm
Vancouver Public Library
Central Branch


Ariadne Sawyer and Todd Wong, hosts of the 4th Annual Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night – photo Stephen Mirowski

“Something
old, something new, something borrowed, something brewed,” is how I
always describe the GHFC World Poetry Night.  And then sometimes
we just make things up as we go along… that is how creativity
works.  What else could you expect when the host of Co-op Radio's
“Creativity Rocks” program Ariadne Sawyer gets together with Gung
Haggis Fat Choy creator Todd Wong?

A little bit of Scottish music on this side… a little bit of Chinese
poetry on that side… a little bit of Robbie Burns from Ian Mason, and
a strange hybrid Chinese/Scottish dragon dance to bagpipes in the
middle of the poetry readings.

But just prior to all the literary readings, I had to do a quick
interview with Erin Cebula of Global TV for her weekly feature “Global
Village.”  Erin asked me questions about the origin of Gung Haggis
Fat Choy dinner and how I came to create collaborative programs with
other community groups such as World Poetry Night, Vancouver Society of
Storytelling, and the SFU Recreation Department…. all to culminate
into an unofficial Gung Haggis Fat Choy festival of events.

And all too soon, we heard the bagpipes calling.  I had to go join
the evening's performers for our traditional piping in ceremony. 
Piper Joe McDonald led us into the room.  Ariadne, myself, Fiona,
Shelly, Leon and Ian.  It's always a nice way to set the tone,
after Barbara Edwards, VPL librarian welcomes the audience to the
Vancouver Public Library.

Ariadne led off the welcomes, thanking all the poets for coming, then
she read her opening poem.  I also read a poem titled “My
Ancestors are hanging” about encountering a picture of my great-great
grandfather's brother “Rev. Chan Sing Kai” hanging in an photograph
exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1986.  I had written it in
1986 for a Canadian Literature course.  People liked it…  I
will print it here later.



Multi-instrumentalist Joe McDonald – with his flute and keyboard – photo Stephen Mirowski

Joe McDonald was next, and he played an original song on his Chinese
flute and
sang the words acapella.   Joe is truly a multi-talented
performing artist.  Throughout the evening he performed bagpipes,
keyboards, flute and harmonica.

Scottish-born Chinese Canadian Fiona Tinwei Lam read some selections
from her collection Intimate Distances.  Some drew on memories of
the distant land that she left while still a child.  Another
focussed on an intercultural relationship.



Fiona Tinwei Lam reading from “Intimate Distances” – photo Stephen Mirowski

I next introduced Dr. Ian Mason of the Burns Club of Vancouver, by
recalling our conversation earlier in the day that while Chinese had
invented the Ancient World, it was the Scots who  invented the
Modern World.  Burns was a philosopher ahead of his time, and Ian
was able to expand on these thoughts, giving examples of the life of
Robbie Burns.  While Burns died at the young age of 37 (a
collective sigh was ushered by the audience), he wrote about the
injustices of the tax and voting systems of the day – which could have
been considered treasonous.  Ian ended by talking about and
reading from “A Man's A Man For All That,” which asks for equality for
individuals, especially in the sense of voting privileges.  How
fitting a talk for Martin Luther King Day.

Leon Yang spoke about some customs for Chinese New Year, and read poems
both in Chinese and English.  Unfortunately, I didn't hear much
because I was outside in the hall helping to ready the evening's
surprise.  I had gathered six paddlers from the Gung Haggis Fat
Choy dragon boat team and some volunteers from the audience to assemble
beneath a long bolt of purple tartan plaid.  I gave Steven Wong
the large Chinese Lion head mask, and we quickly created the very first
Gung Haggis Fat Choy “Dragon Dance team.”

I returned to the stage and explained the differences between Scottish
dragons and Chinese dragons.  While European dragons are evil and
need to be vanquished, as in the picture of St. George and the Dragon,
Asian dragons are good and benevolent.  Being born in the year of
the dragon is considered very fortunate.  I asked the audience who
was born in the year of the dragon, and some people put up their
hand.  Audience members were quick to name that the coming Chinese
New Year on February 18th, would be the Year of the Pig / Boar.

“But not the Year of the Hog,” I remarked… as audience members
laughed.  And with that, I signaled to bagpiper Joe McDonald, and
he walked in piping, followed by the “Dream Dragon” which pranced into
the room and cajoled with audience members.  I explained how it is
good luck on Chinese New Year Day, that a dragon or Lion comes to your
store and accepts a lettuce hung from a stick.  And that since the
audience members didn't come prepared with lettuce they could hold out
money for the dragon to accept.  hee hee….

Poet Shelly Haggard read a Robert Service poem, and read her own in the
style of Service, the legendary Scottish-born poet who came to Canada
and wrote the immortal “Shooting of Dan McGrew” and the “Cremation of
Sam Magee.”  Shelly also read some original poems including one
with a Chinese theme of bamboo.

Our evening came to a close with a final poem reading of my friend Jim
Wong-Chu's poem “Recipe for Tea” – which describes how Tea came to
Scotland from China.  It is a poem for two voices for which
Ariadne read the voice describing a Chinese tea ceremony, and I read
the voice of social commentary.  It was warmly recieved by the
audience.

We came to a close with a singing of “My Haggis Lies Over the Ocean,”
sung to the tune of “My Bonnie” and a group circle of “Auld Lang Syne”
with everybody crossing their arms together in true Scots
fashion.  A little bit of Scots in every Chinese-Canadian
performer, and a little bet of Chinese in every Scots-Canadian
performer.  That was Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night.


Tonight: Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at Vancouver Public Library

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January 15th, Monday
7:30pm
Central Library, 350 West Georgia St.
Alice MacKay room (lower level)

Celebrating Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year.
Featuring poets and performers:
Fiona Tinwei Lam (author of Intimate Distances – Vancouver Book Prize finalist for 2005)
Leon Yang
Dr. Ian Mason (president of the Burns Club of Vancouver)
Joe McDonald (bagpiper, and band leader of Brave Waves)
Ariadne's Dream Dragon Dance
+ special guest to be announced.

Hosts are Todd Wong and Ariadne Sawyer

This
is always a fun event.  I was talking with Dr. Ian Mason this
afternoon, and we talked about some of the things that poet Robert
Burns believed in – particularly equality for mankind.  When I
told him we would be reading “A Man's A Man For All That” at the
January 28th Dinner event.  He was particularly pleased, and
pointed out that it was published after Burns' death, probably because
it was such a controversial work.

Imagine… equality for all –
regardless of station of life, position of privilege, birth right of
colour.  What a radical concept for the 18th Century.

Here we are now in the 21st Century, and we are still struggling with these same issues.

Martin Luther King: a dream for peace and harmony beyond racism

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Martin Luther King:
a dream for peace and harmony beyond racism

Today is the first Martin Luther King Day following the death of his widow, Coretta Scott-King.

In
1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the
King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. Instead of a day
off from work or school, Congress asked Americans of all backgrounds
and ages to celebrate Dr. King's legacy by turning community concerns
into citizen action. The King Day of Service brings together people who
might not ordinarily meet, breaks down barriers that have divided us in
the past, leads to better understanding and ongoing relationships, and
is an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for your ongoing work.

This is a great way to celebrate a day dedicated to the memory of a man who wanted to improve the lives of all people.  And in particular, to imagine a day and a country without racism.  But we have to work for it – if we truly want it.  We have to provide service to help create the world we want to live in.

Today in Canada, we have a history of racism.  But the governments are acknowledging and making redress for some of the worst incidents such as Residential Schools, the internment of Japanese Canadians during WW2 and the confiscation of their property, the Chinese Head Tax and the Exclusion Act that tried to preseve a “White Canada.”

Bur fighting racism is an ongoing process.  The present Canadian government's action to redress the Chinese head tax is still challenged by community leaders who say they haven't gone far enough.  Redressing head tax certificates for only those head tax payers still living, or survived by their spouses, is a slap in the face and a denial of equality to those head payers who died waiting.  Those are the real pioneers who were old enough to face the active racism, confront it, or bury their heads to avoid it.

Here are some highlights of the famous I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out
the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of
their character.

“With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of
hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation
into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work
together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for
freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

CKNW radio interview for Gung Haggis Fat Choy

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CKNW radio interview for Gung Haggis Fat Choy

I just did a radio interview with CKNW AM 980 reporter Nafessa Karim.

Nafeesa was really interested in
learning how Gung Haggis Fat Choy began as a small dinner with friends,
and is growing into a festival. 

“It's all about community,” I told
her.  “The Gung Haggis concept resonates with people, and they
want to be a part of it.  In 2004, we paired up with World Poetry
Night at Vancouver Public Library, to create an event that celebrates
the poetry of Robbie Burns, the traditions of Chinese New Year, plus
sharing the work of contemporary Scottish-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian
poets.  We add in some bapipes and singalongs and everybody has
fun.

“So now we are celebrating the 4th
annual Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public
Library, 7:30pm on Monday, January 15th.

“In 2005, SFU Recreation department
approached me to help create a way to celebrate SFU's Scottish heritage
with the large Asian student population.  We came up with SFU Gung
Haggis Fat Choy Canadian Games, drawing on the idea of “Highland Games”
but with a Monty Pythonesque twist.  There will be “dragon cart”
races, “human curling,” and a haggis eating event.”

Nafeesa asked if there was something special that led to the pairing of Scottish and Chinese events together.

“Canada,” I answered.  The Scots
came from across the Atlantic, and the Chinese came from across the
Pacific.  They met in the middle, in this land called
Canada.  At first they had their differences, their clashes, but
they came around, started inter-marrying and having babies.  And
that is where we are today.

To find out exactly what I said, and what time allows Nareesa to edit into the story.  Listen to CKNW 980 AM starting
late tonight or early tomorrow morning.  Hopefully it will be a
slow news day… and more of Gung Haggis Fat Choy will be shared with
the CKNW listeners.

David Suzuki Park? In Vancouver's Marpole neighborhood?

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David Suzuki Park?
In Vancouver's Marpole neighborhood?

Both David Suzuki and Joy Kogawa grew up in Vancouver's Marpole neighborhood, but their families were removed from their homes in 1942, because of the internment of Japanese-Canadians.  All the homes and properties of West Coast Japanese-Canadians was later confiscated and sold – without their permission.

Park Board Commissioner Spencer Herbert will bring an amendment to this coming Monday's Park Board meeting to name a new park at West 72nd and Selkirk after renowned Vancouverite and environmentalist David Suzuki.

The park site is in the neighbourhood where Suzuki's family, as part of a Japanese fishing community, lived bef or e being interned by the Canadian government during World War II.

“The opportunity to name this new park after David Suzuki would also be a way of recognizing the historic injustice that was carried out against Japanese-Canadians,” explained Commissioner Herbert, who in recent weeks has been helping to lead efforts to restore Stanley Park from severe storm damage.

“David Suzuki has been calling for serious action on climate change for many years, and that's just one of the countless contributions he's made to Canadian society. Naming this park after him would be a well-deserved recognition of one of the greatest Canadians ever, someone who has been key to spreading popular understanding of the natural environment.”

City Councillor Heather Deal, a biologist with the David Suzuki Foundation,  informed me that “David was very pleased and in fact quite moved by the idea.  He has many requests to have things like schools named after him and has always said no, but this one really resonated for him.”

Way to go David Suzuki!  Way to go Spencer Herbert!

I hope the motion passes.  There are very few parks named after Canadian-born Asian-Canadians… and David Suzuki has done much for the community.

2007 GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY press release January 12

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Here is my latest press release for Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2007

January 12, 2007 – for immediate release –

Gung Haggis Fat Choy
Toddish McWong's 10th Annual Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner Spectacular

January 28th, Sunday,
5:30pm reception and appetizers
6:30 dinner
Floata Restaurant
#400 – 180 Keefer Street

Ever had Haggis Dim Sum appetizers?
Expect the Unexpected!

Culinary
surprises await… the world's first haggis dim sum appetizer buffet will
greet arriving guests.  Imagine haggis shrimp dumplings, haggis spring
rolls, haggis-stuffed tofu??? in addition to the now famous haggis won
ton!

Sing
along to “Scotland the Brave,” and Burns' perennial favorite, “Auld
Lang Syne;” and the culturally fused “My Chow Mein Lies Over the
Ocean,” and “When Asian Eyes Are Smiling,” plus many more surprises!

Featured performers for 2007 include:
Silk Road Music, World fusion music
Heather Pawsey, Opera Soprano
Brave Waves – Bagpipes and tabla musical fusion band,
Leora Cashe – Jazz gospel singer
No Luck Club – Instrumental Hip Hop
 Dr. Ian Mason – Burns Club of Vancouver
Lensey Namioka – Author “Half and Half”
Margaret Gallagher – Writer “All Mixed Up” anthology
“Twisting Fortunes” – sneak preview of play

Co-hosted by Priya Ramu (CBC Radio) and Todd Wong

Gung
Haggis Fat Choy does more than mix East and West. It blends them
together and turns them upside down and shakes them out sideways. It
highlights Canada's Scottish and Chinese heritage and pioneers. It
breaks down barriers and is an impressive forum for the emerging
intercultural Canada where everybody can claim and celebrate Chinese
and Scottish culture and everything in-between.

Expect
great cultural fusion music between East and West, as Scots musicians
play Chinese music and Chinese musicians play Scottish music…
and everything in between and beyond!

Gung Haggis Fat Choy is growing into a Festival with 4 related events

Gung
Haggis Fat Choy started out as a small fundraiser of 16 people in 1998
in a crowded living room.  Ten years later it serves 500 people at the
biggest Chinese Restaurant in North America, and has spun off a CBC
television performance special, and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy
Canadian Games.

This
is the “Little Dinner that Could” which is now growing into a
festival!  Creator Todd Wong has been interviewed by BBC Radio
Scotland, plus local and national media.

Today
it is a major fundraiser event for Gung Haggis Dragon Boat team, Asian
Canadian Writers' Workshop, and Kogawa House Committee – helping to
create positive examples of inter-culturalism in our community!

January 15th, 2007. Gung Haggis Fat Choy World Poetry Night
Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver
– featuring bagpipes, Scottish born Chinese-Canadian poet Fiona Tinwei
Lam, Dr. Ian Mason (Burns Club of Vancouver), Leon Yang, Shelly
Haggard, Joe McDonald and Bagpipes + singalongs.

January 21st, 2007. Haggis and Rice – Cric Crac
presented by Vancouver Society of Storytelling
Hodson Manor, 12254 West 7th Ave. Vancouver, 
Todd Wong will read poetry + tell stories

January 25th, 2007. SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Canadian Games
SFU Convocation Mall, Burnaby Campus
– Look for Dragon Cart racing, Haggis eating contest + World's first human curling event.

January 28th, 2007
Catch the infamous Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.

Tickets now available at Firehall Arts Centre
604-689-0926.
Call Monday to Frieday – 9am – 5pm

Early bird tix available until January 21 $60 adult,  $70 for premium seats.
Children 13 and under 50% off.
After January 21st – prices go up to $70/$80

Book a table of 10 and receive a gift basket (value $50)

For more information contact
Todd Wong
Phone: 778-846-7090
Email gunghaggis@yahoo.ca
www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com

2007 Menu for Gung Haggis Fat Choy

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2007 Menu for Gung Haggis Fat Choy

I've always liked watching Monty Python.  And it was great to see the CBC tv special Gung Haggis Fat Choy take on a Monty Pythonesque animated sequence when telling the history of Robert Burns.  This will be part of the program on January 28th, as we will show excerpts from teh CBC tv special.

As for the dinner menu… we will NOT be serving SPAM. 
But look for plenty of haggis…

Haggis won-ton, bagpipes, Silk Road Music, Robbie Burns poetry,  Haggis dim sum, Heather Pawsey opera soprano, Chinese banquet food, Haggis lettuce wrap, Leora Cashe jazz & gospel, Scottish singalongs, Haggis spring rolls, lots of surprises, traditional haggis, co-hosted by Priya Ramu (CBC Radio On The Coast) and Todd Wong himself and more haggis… .

for all the non-haggis lovers there will be:
lots of vegetarian food…
tofu appetizers, deep-fried tofu, tofu with vegetables, tofu hot pot, tofu with taro, tofu-stuffed haggis, and tofu pudding…

If you don't believe me, check out last year's dinner menu
Scottish Canadian and Chinese Canadian culture 10 course Chinese banguet dinner

I am presently working on upgrading the menu from last year – there will be crab, chicken, haggis and tofu… but not so much tofu…

Roy Miki reads from new book “There” – Jan 12 at Spartacus Books

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Roy Miki reads from new book “There”
– Jan 12 at Spartacus Books

image

Here's a 2005 picture of Roy Miki (centre left) with Rev. Tim Nakayama (left), Joy
Kogawa (cenre right) and Todd Wong (right), at the One Book One Vancouver launch for Obasan,
at the Vancouver Public Library – photo courtesy of Todd Wong

Roy Miki, poet, author,
Order of Canada
recipient, and friend of historic Joy Kogawa House launches a new book, There, tomorrow evening,

Friday,
January 12, at 8:00 pm.
Spartacus Books,
319 West Hastings Street

This is a free event.

Roy Miki is an award-winning writer, poet, editor, scholar,
teacher, and activist in the movement for redress for those
Japanese-Canadians interned during the Second World War.

This year Dr. Miki’s achievements were recognized with three major
university awards (Gandhi Peace Award, Thakore Visiting Scholar,
Sterling Prize) for his 2004 book REDRESS: INSIDE THE JAPANESE
CANADIANS CALL FOR JUSTICE (Raincoast) and his work in the movement and
commitment to the ideals of truth, justice, human rights, and
non-violence.

In August he was made a member of the Order of Canada.


His work as a scholar and editor includes a prize-winning bibliography
of poet George Bowering, and a collection of critical essays, BROKEN
ENTRIES (1998); he has also edited the collected poems of Roy Kiyooka;
and the collected critical essays of bpNichol. He is the founding
editor of WEST COAST LINE magazine, and the author of several books of
poetry, including SAVING FACE (1991), RANDOM ACCESS FILE (1995), and
SURRENDER, which in 2002 won a Governor General’s award.



Check out the many articles on this website featuring Roy Miki

roy miki on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com