Chinese New Year and the Robbie Burns Day: Gung Haggis dinner brings cultures together

by Benjamin Yong

“We
give substance — we don’t just pay lip service to multiculturalism,”
said [Todd] Wong, a fifth-generation Chinese Canadian. “You see the
musicians, the performers and the food, and everything flows so
naturally.”

The idea was born when Wong was still a student at
Simon Fraser University in the early 1990s and, as part of his duties as
a campus guide, was asked to carry the claymore (sword) in the Robbie
Burns (Scottish poet and writer) Day celebration. Since then, he has
championed all things Scottish and even joined a Celtic band called the
Black Bear Rebels who performed that evening.

Thank you everybody for performing / attending / volunteering at Gung Haggis Fat Choy

It was a really fun night… one of the most least stressed events…

And immediately after Carl Schmidt – who has been sound tech since 2005 – his 8th year in a row… said:
“This was the best one yet”

Great chemistry with co-host Tetsuro
wonderful readings by Fred, Larry and Jim (even though Jim didn't know we were going to be reading his poem!!!)
but hey – it's the 15th anniversary dinner. 

The introductions were less rushed… and very good.
It was great to segue from O Canada, to a parliamentary poet….
from counting down Chinese New year in a different time zone – to celebratory music.
stories about food in Chinatown, while ate food in Chinatown…
and so much more!

And the production would never have happened without volunteer and supporters….
Thank you for decorating the room
setting up the tables
hosting the reception tables,
seeing people to their tables
registering subscriptions
selling raffle tix
bringing up the prizes
carrying the dragon!

Everything seemed to flow well…
I saw people selling tix, carrying the signs
soooo… everything worked.

So many people came up to me, to say 3 things:
1) they loved/liked the event
2) they liked the information we gave out
4) they liked being par of a multicultural community

Thank you again for supporting this event
Believing in what we do
and investing your time and energy.

Much appreciation, cheers, Todd

The Firehall Box Office is now closed for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner event.

Thank you for purchasing your tickets in advance.

If you would still like to attend the dinner – You will have to contact event producer Todd Wong for a wait list, and purchase tix directly from him prior to the event – if there is room.   Contact Todd Wong at 778-846-7090

Our Box Office closes at 2pm Saturday, to help us facilitate seating arrangements for the event.  Priority seating is given in order of ticket purchase.  The earlier you purchased your ticket, the closer to the stage, your seats will be – then somebody who purchased tickets on the last day of sale.

All reserved tables of 10 will be included in the “Calling of the Clans”

Tomorrow night is going to be fun – see you there!

Lots of great raffle prizes for tomorrow's dinner event:

Vancouver Opera
Firehall Arts Centre – Leonard Cohen Play
Wild Rice Restaurant
Floata Seafood Restaurant
Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
Urban Ink Theatre – Confessions of The Other Woman
Chuck Davis' book “History of Metropolitan Vancouver” from Harbour Publishing
Daphne Marlatt edited book “Opening Doors” from Harbour Publishing
Lots of childrens books from Tradewind Books
new Paul Yee book from Tradewind Books
Lots of books from Arsenal Pulp Press including Charles Demers' “Vancouver Special”
Tix to new Royal BC Museum exhibit in Vancouver Chinatown
Tix to Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Classical Gardens
“How the Scots Created Canada” from Lone Pine Publishing
“How the Chinese Created Canada” from Lone Pine Publishing

15
copies of “How the Chinese Created Canada” have just arrived.

via UPS,
thanks to Lone Pine Publishing… and publisher Shane Kennedy.

destined as prized for Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner, as we like to promote both the Scottish and Chinese pioneer history in Canada.

How the Chinese Created Canada – Lone Pine Publishing

www.lonepinepublishing.com

How the Chinese Created Canada provides an in-depth look at the triumphs
and struggles of one of Canada's most vibrant communities.

It's possible that Chinese sailors landed on the shores of the country
that was to become Canada long before Captain George Vancouver set foot
on the west coast, if research proves to be true. But even if the impact
the Chinese had on this land was not felt until they came in larger
numbers to mine for gold or to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, their
influence is seen in every city from Victoria to Halifax. Chinese
culture has permeated the fabric of Canadian society with bold, exciting
cuisine, art, music and alternative approaches to medicine and healing.
Talented and creative individuals have made these concepts an integral
aspect of everyday Canadian culture.

Regardless of the hardships they endured–hazardous work conditions on
the railway line, the government-sanctioned racism of the head tax, the
lack of suffrage in a country where they were supposedly citizens–the
Chinese persevered and forged a new chapter in our collective legacy.
And some of Canada's most influential and interesting people have
emerged from the families of Chinese immigrants–Adrienne Clarkson,
former Governor General; Norman Kwong, lieutenant-governor of Alberta;
Alfred Sung, fashion designer; Stephen Yan, chef and TV host of Wok with
Yan; Patrick Chan, Canadian figure skating champion and so many more.

15 copies of “How the Scots Created Canada” have just arrived too.
destined as prized for Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
thanks to Lone Pine Publishing… and publisher Shane Kennedy.

How the Scots Created Canada – Lone Pine Publishing

www.lonepinepublishing.com

The Scots who populated the New World that became Canada brought
vitality and a unique character to a vast land. Adventurous, hardworking
and sometimes outrageous, the earliest Scots settlers were rejuvenated
by later waves of immigration. Their spirit epitomized a central theme
of progress and development that permeates our culture and sense of
home.

Some even believe the Scots from the Orkney Islands were the first
Europeans to land here. Or did they crew boats with the Vikings or St.
Brendan?

Their numbers filled every province, and we remember famous and familiar
names, such as Sanford Fleming, Hugh Allan, Alexander Keith, Robert
Service and Alexander MacKenzie. The rogues and scallywags might be less
well known, but their stories give great colour to our past. Even Sir
John A. MacDonald, Canada's first prime minister and the best-known
Father of Confederation, faced scandal and turmoil during his tenure.
Still, Canada's Scots brought you the RCMP, the telephone and standard
time.

Paul Cowan takes us on an insightful, often irreverent journey from the
earliest days of exploration and fur trading through the centuries of
Canadian history. Sit back and pour yourself a nip of Scotch while he
tells tales filled with bold and outrageous characters, the Scots who
really did create Canada.