Category Archives: Literary Events

How I discover a distant family member, Janice Wong, who has just written a Chinese Canadian cookbook called “Chow From China to Canada: Memories of Food and Family”

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Funny how things happen… discovering distant family members you never
knew you had.  In 2000, we planned a family reunion for the
descendents of Rev. Chan Yu Tan, my great-great-grandfather who came to
Canada in 1896.  We discovered the descendents of his elder
brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai who had arrived in 1888, and their younger
sister Naomi – both whom had moved the United States.

Janice Wong introduced herself on e-mail to me last month, as the niece of my grandmother's cousin in Victoria.  She is a visual artist
and shares with me a deep interest in Chinese Canadian history. And…
she has written a cook book based on family stories and recipies. 
I can hardly wait to see the book… and to meet her too… of course!

Book launch will be October 12th at Sylvia Hotel, Vancouver BC.
For book details contact www.fireflybooks.com
or try the publisher Whitecap Books
Here's a link to find the book distributed in UK, USA, France, Germany or Canada

A cookbook and a fascinating glimpse into Canadian history.

Born a two-pound preemie in 1917, Dennis Wong may have begun his love
of food after spending the first months of his life keeping warm in his
mother's cooking oven.

Miraculously surviving his tenuous beginning, Dennis went on to
pursue an ambitious culinary career, opening two Chinese-Canadian cafés
in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to introduce countless adventurous
Canadian diners to Chinese food.

In Chow, Dennis's daughter Janice Wong tells her father's tale through heart-rending stories and traditional Chinese village recipes.

A collection of more than 50 simple family fare dishes, Chow
contains early photographs, immigration documents, 1940s restaurant
menus, and handwritten recipes that trace the history of some of
Canada's first ethnic restaurants. Written with refreshing sincerity, Chow is both a terrific cookbook and a detailed record of an intriguing chapter in Canadian history.

It includes recipes for:

  • Dungeness Crab with Black Bean Sauce
  • Steamed Chicken with Rice, Sausage and Mushrooms
  • Asparagus, Mushrooms and Pork
  • Chinese Barbecue Duck
  • Peking Doilies
  • Wong's Chocolate Chip Cookies.
About The Author: 

Janice Wong is a visual artist whose work has received numerous
awards. The daughter of a restaurateur, she was born in Prince Albert,
Saskatchewan. She now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Japanese-Canadian Cultural Fair and Joy Kogawa at Vancouver Public Library

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Joy Kogawa was a featured reader at the Japanese Canadian cultural fair
at the Vancouver Public Library on Saturday, August 6th – which also
marked the 60th Anniversary of Hiroshima. 

We had a lovely quick catch up chat, and Joy shared with me her concern
about the Japanese Chinese national tensions and wondered what we could
do.  We reply is to emphasize that we are Canadians first while we
embrace and recognize our Japanese or Chinese heritage.  Many of
my friends are of mixed Chinese and Japanese heritage – and we all
emphasize being Canadian or American.  Maybe it's time for an
anthology of Asian Canadian writing exploring the similar experiences
and issues of Japanese Canadian and Chinese Canadian writers.

Along the peace theme…. Joy introduced me to her friend Ellen Hayakawa
who is a real peace advocate.  She has come to my Church groups to
speak about her mission, and a few years ago organized a peace forum
and conference in Vancouver.

There were many displays from the Japanese Canadian Heritage Museum, a
demonstration of Ikebana, volunteers from Japanese volunteer society
Tonari-Gumi, Vancouver Opera had a display for their upcoming
production of Naomi's Road…. 

But what really caught my attention was  a display by Jeff Chiba Stearns,
who has created a short animated feature called “What Are You
Anyways?”  This is so cool!  Jeff explores his cultural
backgrounds growing up a mix of Japanese and Caucasion in a small
white-bred Canadian city (Kelowna).  Jeff created the character
“Super Nip” to deal with the racism he experienced growing up, and has
an epic showdown against the monster truck drivin' redneck crew. 
Included is his discovery of his girlfriend who is also half-Japanese,
as they embrace their Hapa-ness hapiness.

“What Are You Anyways” will be shown on CBC TV August 12th, Friday, 7pm.

It was a real pleasure to meet both Jeff and his real-life girlfriend
Jenni Kato.  They were both excited to hear about my experience of the
Gung Haggis Fat Choy CBC TV performance special.  Hopefully we can
have them as guests/presenters for the next GHFC dinner in 2006.

Michael Tora Spier is a visual artist with a grand vision.  He
created “Hapa Board” – a gigantic skate board that features pull-out
boxes with address different aspects of being Hapa.  Hapa being…
the Hawaiian word for mixed race.  Michael believes that we are
ALL Hapa in some form or another, and invited me to make a Gung Haggis
Fat Choy contribution to the Hapa Board.  Definitely exciting and
eye-catching, Hapa Board got lots of attention from passer bys,
especially children, and a wedding party!

Pictures to follow soon!

Japanese Canadian Cultural Fair + Joy Kogawa & CBC Radio's Sheryl Mackay live on radio!

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This Saturday…
Check out the Japanese Canadian Cultural Fair in the Vancouver Public Library's
Central Branch promenade on Saturday. 
350 West Georgia Street.

Joy Kogawa will be interviewed by CBC Radio's Sheryl Mackay –
host of North by Northwest.

One Book, One Vancouver
Presentation  Japanese Canadian Cultural Fair
Program highlights  An interactive fair of Japanese arts, crafts, and culture plus book signings by Joy Kogawa. Held in the Promenade.
Date  Saturday, August 6th 2005
Time  11:00am – 3:00pm
Location 

Central Library
350 W. Georgia St.
Phone: (604) 331-3603
Admission  Free
Co-sponsor  One
Book, One Vancouver co-sponsors: CBC Radio One, CBC Radio Two, 32 Books
Co., Vancouver Opera, Penguin Group Canada, The Vancouver Sun, The Word
on the Street



One Book, One Vancouver
Presentation  Sheryl MacKay: North by Northwest
Program highlights  Join CBC Radio One's host Sheryl MacKay for North by Northwest live at Library Square! This program will be held in the Promenade.
Date  Saturday, August 6th 2005
Time  11:00am – 12:00pm
Location 

Central Library
350 W. Georgia St.
Phone: (604) 331-3603
Admission  Free
Sponsor  One
Book, One Vancouver co-sponsors: CBC Radio One, CBC Radio Two, 32 Books
Co., Vancouver Opera, Penguin Group Canada, The Vancouver Sun, The Word
on the Street
Co-sponsor  CBC Radio One


Joy Kogawa at VPL: Emily Kato preview (re-write of Itsuka) Aug 5

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Presentation  Joy Kogawa: Emily Kato Book Preview
Program highlights  Join author Joy Kogawa for a preview of her new book, Emily Kato (formerly titled Itsuka).
Politically charged and intimately poetic, this novel tells a story of
extraordinary commitment, profound hope, and one community's struggle
for justice.
Date  Friday, August 5th 2005
Time  7:30pm
Location 

Central Library
Alice MacKay room – Lower Level
350 W. Georgia St.
Phone: (604) 331-3603
Admission  Free
Co-sponsor  One
Book, One Vancouver co-sponsors: CBC Radio One, CBC Radio Two, 32 Books
Co., Vancouver Opera, Penguin Group Canada, The Vancouver Sun, The Word
on the Street



Joy Kogawa presents Emily Kato – the sequel to award winning novel
Obasan (actually a re-write of Itsuka).  This follows the Obsan
story many decades later when Obasan (“Auntie Emily”), asks Naomi to
join the redress movement.

Joy sent me these messages:

Hi Todd,

Just thought I'd let you know that Emily Kato

(re-write of Itsuka) is being launched August 5,

7:30 in the Alice McKay room at the main library.

Hope to see you then. And please let others know. I don't have my address list when I travel. But I have your
address.



 Joy


Hi Todd,

Nice to hear from
you.  It turns out that there's a glitch and the book is not at
the printers yet, so it will not be a book launch. A
sort of book preview. I was hoping we could cancel and join with the
Hiroshima Day commemoration ceremonies, but the librarian feels we
can't cancel.
Anyway, thanks for all you are doing. I'm feeling a lot of gratitude for the opportunity to help.

Joy


Pride Week featuring Queer Authors and the Pride Parade

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Celebrating Diversity in Vancouver this week is Pride Week. 
I have now been asked to join in two parade groups – maybe because they
know I am a fun guy, and have put dragon boats in the St. Patrick's Day
Parade.  Maybe next year I will have a Dragon Boat in the Pride
Parade.  And maybe next year I will organize a Gay Lesbian dragon
boat team…
called the Drag-ON! Queens

In the meantime…

The Vancouver Public Library features 4 authours for a program titled Queer Authors Night

Terrie Hamazaki
is a featured author at the Vancouver Public Library reading along with
Karen X. Tulchinsky, Charles Montgomery and Daniel Gawthrop.

Terrie Has written & performed for the Fringe and Women in View Performing Arts
Festivals. Her writing has been published in various publications. She is a
member of the 2005 SFU Writers Studio & also works at a battered womens
shelter. She is a former newswriter for Kinesis (published by Vancouver Status
of Women).

Our paths have crossed in the Asian Canadian Writers Workshop world – and hopefully one day, we will have Terrie do a writing workshop for us.

Date  Thursday, July 28th 2005
Time  7:00pm
Location 

Central Library
Alice MacKay room – Lower Level
350 W. Georgia
St.
Phone: (604) 331-3603
Admission  Free
Co-sponsor  Vancouver Pride Society

Adrienne Wong's “Shoe Piece” on CBC Radio this Sunday morning

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Here's
a message from Adrienne Wong, my favorite Asian Canadian actor, writer,
director and producer…. also former dragon boat paddler and
flag-grabber… and simply involved in so many things in Vancouver's
theatre community.
Enjoy….

from Adrienne Wong:

If you missed my Shoe Piece last month, you weren’t alone. In fact, due
to a misunderstanding it wasn’t even aired! Lucky for us it will
be aired this Sunday July 24. Listening in requires some early morning
activity as it’ll be on the air around 7:30 AM PDT on CBC Radio One.

North by Northwest is a province-wide program aired in BC, but if you
are outside of the province, don’t despair! You can listen to the
program in real-time over the internet. Which means that if you are
further east, you don’t have to get up as early… Just go to
www.cbc.ca, click on Radio and follow the links.

All the best,
adrienne

One Book One Vancouver July events with Joy Kogawa and CBC Radio

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The Vancouver Public Library and CBC Radio have just announced some 
joint events for One Book One Vancouver.  All look very interesting.
Check them out!

Joy Kogawa will be Mark Forsythe's guest on CBC Almanac's Open Line 
(690 AM) from 1 p.m. to 2 pm, this Friday, July 15.  A few copies of Obasan 
will be given away to lucky listeners!

Joy Kogawa will be visiting library branches to read from Naomi's Road and 
more at Renfrew (July 20, 10:30 am), Hastings (July 21, 10:30 am), 
Fraserview (July 27 at 2 pm) and Oakridge (10:30 am).

Join Joy Kogawa at the Central Library on August 5 for the launch of
Emily Kato, which follows up on the life of Naomi's Aunt Emily from Obasan,
at 7:30 pm in the Alice MacKay Room.

The following day, August 6, Joy will be back at Central for a Japanese
Canadian Cultural fair featuring a recorded broadcast with Sheryl MacKay
and CBC's North by Northwest in the Promenade - we'll also be announcing
the winner of the Haiku Contest at this event. Check the OBOV page on our
website more more details as they become available.

Saltwater City TV: featuring Larissa Lai, Daphne Marlatt, Roy Miki, Ula Shines and Sean Gunn

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Here's the latest programming for Saltwater City
- courtesey of Sid Tan

Saltwater City TV:
Featuring Larissa Lai, Daphne Marlatt, Roy Miki, 
Sean Gunn and Ula Shines

Sunday July 3 at 1:00PM
Monday July 4 at 10:30PM
Thursday July 7 at 2:30PM
Saturday July 9 at 11:30AM

Larissa Lai reads from her novel-in-progress - The Corrupted Text - and
shares some thoughts on activism, criticism and creativity. Includes
introduction by Daphne Marlatt, Writer-in-Residence at Simon Fraser
University. Saltwater City TV premieres this broadcast Sunday July 3,
2005 with repeats (schedule follows) on $haw cable 4, the community
channel.

Taped June 23, 2005 during the transCanada Literature - Institutions -
Citizenship conference at Simon Fraser University. Volunteer-produced 
by Roy Miki and Sid Tan with many thanks to the volunteers, organisers and
participants.

Also on the show, Head Tax Blues (with new visuals) performed by Sean 
Gunn and Ula Shine. This music video is also on-line www.ccnc.ca courtesy 
the Chinese Canadian National Council Culture On-line youth project.

On $haw cable 4 - the community channel - in Greater Vancouver and
Fraser Valley. Saltwater City TV broadcasts thanks to ICTV exercising
its entitlement to access to Shaw cable 4, the cable community channel.

If you want copies, set your VCR to record it. Or ask a friend. It
takes alot of time to respond to requests for copies, especially since
this is volunteer community television and we have hard costs for 
tapes,transportation and refreshments. And yes, you are always welcome to 
sendin a couple of dollars to support ICTV and citizen-access to the public
airwaves. Make cheque out to ICTV but put transmitter fund on it.