I meet Bertha Bay-Sa Pan, director of Face – review to come
I saw the movie Face last night at Pacific Cinematheque as part of
explorASIAN's film component celebrating Asian Heritage Month.
Pan is in town for a few days as the Western Canadian Premiere of Face,
and to give a short film making workshop on Sunday afternoon at
Vancouver Museum, plus Q&A sessions following each screening of her
movie.
It's a nicely crafted movie about 3 generations of Asian women in New
York City. The characters are each nicely developed and influence
each other directly and indirectly, even though Central character Kim,
left her mother and infant daughter behind to start a new life.
The story is told in flashbacks and begins as she is returning to
New York to visit them.
Bertha Bay-Sa Pan answered lots of questions from the audience, and
explained that while the film is “Asian” in characters and story, it is
universal enough that many Jewish people as well as gays, told her that
“It's my story!” The characters deal with not being able to
communicated and say what they feel to each other, and how they must
deal with the consequences of the actions and their inactions.
My question to Pan, dealt with the Asian-African inter-racial
relationship. I said that most films dealing with inter-racial
relationships have usually had white-Asian relationships such as Joy
Luck Club and Mina Shum's Double Happiness.
“It's not the first one on screen,” Pan answered. There was
also the movie “One Night Stand,” as well as the television show ER –
both with actress Ming Na Wen. Also Sandra Oh on Gray's Anatomy,
has become involved with a Black American.”
Pan has seen many of the Asian-Canadian and Asian-American films, and
counts Ang Lee's earlier films such as Eat Drink Man Woman as her
influences. She made her cinematographer watch In the Mood for
Love, to help demonstrate the lighting that she wanted to
capture. Asian movies do capture different colours as symbolic
metaphors that are important to telling the story she wanted, she
explained to the audience.
BERTHA BAY-SA PAN
Writer/Director/Producer
Face
is the feature film debut for writer-director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan. Born
in New Jersey and raised in Taiwan, Ms. Pan received her MFA in Film
from Columbia University, where her short film “Face” [from which the
feature is adapted] won numerous honors including the Polo Ralph Lauren
Award for “Best Screenplay”, the Director’s Guild Award for “Best Asian
American Student Filmmaker.” The feature film “Face” brought her
various awards including The Best Director Award at Urbanworld Film
Festival, The Critics Award for Best Director at CineVegas, an Open
Palm nomination from the Gotham Awards in 2002, as well as the Premio
Speciale Prize at Torino International Women’s Film Festival 2003.
a Bertha Bay-Sa Pan film starring Bai Ling – Treach – Kristy Wu
“Face”
– Winner of the Best Director Award at Urbanworld Film Festival, The
Critics Award for Best Director at CineVegas, an Open Palm nomination
from the Gotham Awards and the Premio Speciale Prize at Torino
International Women’s Film Festival.
Western Canada Premiere at explorASIAN 2006
Director in Attendance
May 13 – 7:30pm & 9:30pm
May 14 – 7:30pm (followed by explorFILM: Asian Canadian Short Films at 9:30pm)
May 15 – 9:30pm (after explorFILM: Asian Canadian Short Films at 7:30pm)
Special members ticket prices in effect for this event!
Single Bill: $9.00 (students/seniors $7)
Double Bill: $12 (students/seniors $9)
Membership
in Pacific Cinémathèque or the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society
required for this event. VAHMS memberships available at the door.
Location: Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver
http://www.cinematheque.bc.ca/
Language: English
Some coarse language and brief nudity
Runtime: 89 min
“Gracious”
is the word that comes to mind, whenever I describe Wayson Choy.
I got to know Wayson during the summer of 2002 when I was on the
inaugural One Book One Vancouver committee for the Vancouver Public
Library. It was an exciting time, helping to create the first
library “One Book” program in Canada.
Highlights
of the program included organizing a “Dim Sum with Wayson Choy and
Friends” at the Floata Restaurant where Larry Wong had secretly invited
some of Wayson's friends who had provided some of the character
inspirations for “Jade Peony” as well as a videotaped greeting from
Carol Shields, who was ill with cancer at the time.
On
the 4th Sunday of September, Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop created
the first ACWW Community Builder's Dinner, recognizing Wayson, Paul Yee
and Roy Mah – founder of Chinatown News.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
All That Matter: a Tribute dinner for
Wayson Choy
Toronto (May 12th, 2006) – Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS), in
partnership with CelebrAsian (formerly Gay Asians Toronto), is hosting a
fundraising dinner on Friday May 26th to pay tribute to Wayson Choy, renowned
award winning writer and an Order of Canada recipient. Featuring readings,
charity auctions and live entertainment, the 10-course Chinese banquet will be
at Bright Pearl Restaurant in Chinatown with
reception starting at 6:00 P.M. and dinner served at 7 P.M.
The proceeds from the fundraising dinner will benefit the participation
of ACAS in the upcoming XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto and the set up of Wayson Choy
CelebrAsian Writer’s Scholarship to support the development of queer Asian
Canadian writers.
Preparing for the International AIDS Conference (IAC) this August, ACAS
is planning a series of workshops, presentations and special international
forums for PHA (People live with HIV/AIDS) leadership to showcase our
innovative and important work and to share best practices with more than 20,000
delegates from all over the world.
An acclaimed Vancouver raised writer,
Wayson Choy is a Professor Emeritus at Humber
College in Toronto. His first novel, The Jade Peony,
spent six months on The Globe and Mail's national bestseller list, shared the
Trillium Book Award in 1995, and won the 1996 City of Vancouver Book Award. All That Matters, a
companion novel to The Jade Peony, was shortlisted for the 2005 Giller Prize and
won the Trillium Book Award in 2005.
Tickets for this event are $50 regular, $100 for patrons and $1,000 for
a sponsor table of 10, and must be purchased in advance. Partial tax receipts
are available for patron tickets and sponsor tables. To purchase tickets,
please call 416-963-4300 x 22 or email support@acas.org
. For further information and updates on the event, please visit www.acas.org/TributeDinner
– 30-
About ACAS:
Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) is a charitable, non-profit,
community-based organization in Toronto,
we provide HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and support services to the East and
South East Asian communities.
For more information on ACAS, please contact Duncan Lau, media
coordinator. Call 416-963-4300, email publicity@acas.org or visit www.acas.org
Hip, Hapa and Interculturally Happening – May 11 to May 18
Asian Authors Night – featuring Kevin Chong, Kuldip Gill, Lydia Kwa and Terrie Hamazaki
May 11, Thursday Alice Mackay Room
Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
350 West Georgia Street.
Celebrate Asian Heritage Month in a literary way! Join us for a panel
of local Asian authors as they read and discuss their work, and share
their experiences and perspectives on writing and culture.
Celebrate Asian Heritage Month in a literary
way! Join us for a panel of local Asian authors as they read and
discuss their work, and share their experiences and perspectives on
writing and culture.
Featuring:
Lydia Kwa: author of The Walking Boy and This Place Called Absence.
Kuldip Gill: Winner of a BC Book Award (2000), she is the author of Dharma Rasa and Kildeer's Dance.
Terrie Hamazaki:
her plays have been produced at the Fringe and Women in View Performing
Arts Festivals; her fiction and poetry have appeared in several
anthologies.
Kevin Chong: popular columnist and author of Baroque-a-Nova and Neil Young Nation.
May 13, 7 pm, St. Andrew’s Wesley Church.
Tix $10 at www.ticketweb.ca or at People’s Co-op
Bookstore, info 1-888-222-6608.
Scientist, environmentalist, and broadcaster launches his
new book, David Suzuki: The Autobiography, with a talk, multimedia
presentation, and book signing; proceeds to the David Suzuki Foundation. May
13, 7 pm, St. Andrew’s Wesley Church. Tix $10 at www.ticketweb.ca or
at People’s Co-op Bookstore, info 1-888-222-6608.
RICE ROCKETS & YACHT PEOPLE
To May 14, Wed.-Sat. at 8 pm (mats. Sat.-Sun. at 2 pm), Gateway Theatre (6500 Gilbert Rd.,
Richmond)
Tix $24/22, infowww.gatewaytheatre.com/ I
just saw this Simon Johnston’s
new drama about the clash of values between new Canadians and longtime
Caucasian
residents. It's great! It turns stereotypes on its head, as well
as presenting contemporary issues facing Vancouver area residents
today. Asian Canadians are no longer low income earners at the
bottom of the immigrant ladder, and sometimes they aren't even
immigrants = hence the term “yacht people.” “Rice rockets” is the term
used for souped up Honda Civics used for street racing in Richmond.
THE GULL: THE STEVESTON NOH PROJECT
To May 14, Wed.-Sat. at 8 pm (mats. Sat.-Sun. at 2 pm), Plaza at Richmond City Hall (6911 No. 3 Rd.).
Tix $25 at Gateway Theatre box office, 604-270-1812,
info www.pangaea-arts.com/.
Daphne Marlatt is hot! and she's cool!
Earlier in February she was made a member of the Order of Canada.
She read in support of Joy Kogawa at Chapters, and she is recently a
contributor of a anthology of Lesbian writing.
Pangaea Arts presents Daphne Marlatt’s new play about
Japanese-Canadian fishermen returning to the coast after the internment.
Featuring Japanese Noh performers and Canadian theatre artists.
What Are You Anyways? Jeff Chiba Stearns - film maker May 14th, 10:15am to 12:30 pm Vancouver Museum Workshop on Hapa Issues and animation
May 15th and 16th Sunday and Monday night 7:30, 9:30pm at the Pacific Cinematheque with the movie FACE.
Jeff is the award winning animator and film maker of "What Are you Anyways?" a short film about growing up Hapa or "Half Japanese/Half Caucasian" in Kelowna BC
Filmmakers Workshop with award winning Director/Producer Bertha Bay-Sa Pan (NY, USA) 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Scriptwriting Workshop with Grace Chin & Kathy Leung (BC) 2:45pm to 4:45pm
Bertha Bay-Sa Pan's FACE - Western Canada Premiere May 12-15
F A C E
Losing face. Finding soul.
a Bertha Bay-Sa Pan film starring Bai Ling – Treach – Kristy Wu
“Face”
– Winner of the Best Director Award at Urbanworld Film Festival, The
Critics Award for Best Director at CineVegas, an Open Palm nomination
from the Gotham Awards and the Premio Speciale Prize at Torino
International Women’s Film Festival.
Western Canada Premiere at explorASIAN 2006
Director in Attendance
May 12 – 7:30pm & 9:30pm
May 13 – 7:30pm & 9:30pm
May 14 – 7:30pm (followed by explorFILM: Asian Canadian Short Films at 9:30pm)
May 15 – 9:30pm (after explorFILM: Asian Canadian Short Films at 7:30pm)
Special members ticket prices in effect for this event!
Single Bill: $9.00 (students/seniors $7)
Double Bill: $12 (students/seniors $9)
Membership
in Pacific Cinémathèque or the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society
required for this event. VAHMS memberships available at the door.
THE MIKADO (OR THE TOWN OF TITIPU)
May 21, 27-28 at 3:30 pm),
Surrey Arts Centre (13750 88th Ave.).
Tix $23.50/19.50 (preview $16.50),
info 604-501-5566.
The Fraser Valley Gilbert & Sullivan Society presents a
traditional version of one of the pair’s best-loved romantic-comedy operettas.
May 18-20 & 24-27 at 8 pm (preview May 17 at 8 pm; mats.
EVENING OF ROSES
May 12, 8 pm,
St. Mark’s-Trinity Church (W. 2nd & Larch).
Tix $15/10, info 604-873-1372.
Okay…. I am including this event because Karen-Lee-Morlang
is a friend of mine.She accompanies
the the Vancouver City Singers conducted by Tom McPherson for a concert
celebrating love in its many forms.
OCEAN CROSSINGS
May 13, 8 pm,
Orpheum.
Tix and info 604-876-3434.
This sounds interesting…. Lots of Asian Canadian musical
performers, an Asian Canadian conductor with works inspired by Asian
influences.Alexina Louie is a
Vancouver born composer now living in Toronto.
Ken Hsieh conducts the VSO, with guests Grace Lee (kayagum)
and Gui Lian Liu (pipa), in a concert of Eastern-inspired music by
Vivier/Rea, Simon Holt, Ray Zhuo, Grace Lee, and Alexina Louie.
DRUM ‘N’
DANCE II
May 13, 7:30 pm,
WISE Hall (1882 Adanac).
Tix $22 (plus service charge) at Highlife, Scratch, and Zulu
Records, info 604-408-8582, www.caravanbc.org/.
Caravan World Rhythms and Vancouver Rhythm and Dance present
performances by Thione Diop’s Senegalese band Yeke Yeke, Pepe Danza’s Drum
Prayers, and dancer Jacky Essombe from Cameroon.
Jean Barman – Vancouver Asians and Stanley Park May 15th, Monday
Alice Mackay Room
Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
350 West Georgia Street.
The author of Stanley Park's Secret will explore the shared stories of Stanley Park's forgotten past.
The author of Stanley Park's Secret
will explore the shared stories of Stanley Park's forgotten past. Early
Vancouver was an inhospitable place with the dominant society using
various means to segregate itself from racial groups it considered
inferior. One of the few locations where everyone could enter on a
basis of rough equality was Stanley Park.
Jean Barman is a founding member of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC and UBC professor emeritis.
Sponsored by
explorASIAN
http://www.explorasian.org
VPL Asian Heritage Month series
Judy Fong Bates & Janice Wong: Chinese Restaurants Real and Imaginary
May 16 Tuesday
Alice Mackay Room
Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
350 West Georgia Street.
The author reads from her novel, Midnight at the Dragon Cafe.
Set in the 1960s, it is a vivid portrait of childhood divided by two
cultures and touched by unfulfilled longings and unspoken secrets.
Judy Fong Bates reads from her novel, Midnight at the Dragon Cafe,
the story of a young girl, the daughter of a small Ontario town's
solitary Chinese family, whose life is changed over the course of one
summer. Set in the 1960s, it is a vivid portrait of childhood divided
by two cultures and touched by unfulfilled longings and unspoken
secrets. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe won the ALA Alex Award (2006).
Janice Wong is the author of Chow from China to Canada: Stories of Food and Family. Her father Dennis Wong ran his restaurants in Sasketchewan, but had grown up in Victoria BC.
Sponsored by
Canada Council for the Arts
http://www.canadacouncil.ca
NATALIE MACMASTER AND DONNELL LEAHY
May 17-18, 8 pm,
Orpheum Theatre.
Tix $38-60, info 604-876-3434.
Hmmm…. Cape Breton Scottish Canadian fiddlers meet the VSO
with Chinese-Canadian conductor.I love
MacMaster’s work.
Juno-winning Canadian fiddlers perform with the VSO,
conducted by Ken Hsieh.
OKINAWA CULTURE EXTRAVAGANZA
May 12, 7:30-9:30 pm, Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall
(475 Alexander).
Tix $10 adults/$40 group of five adults/$5 children/$20
group of five children, info 604-254-2551
Oklinawan culture is unique – not Japanese and not Chinese, even
though each country colonized it for periods of time. The Kogawa family name came from Okinawa, as David
Kogawa has told me.
As part of its centennial celebrations, the Vancouver
Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall hosts a celebration of Okinawan
music and arts, featuring a performance by the traditionally attired Okinawan
Children’s Choir, plus a demonstration and sampling of bukubukuu-cha,
Okinawa’s traditional tea.
KAZUMI TSURUOKA & SAGEEV OORE
May 12-13, 8 pm,
Vancouver Elks Lodge (1–2177 W. 42nd).
Tix from $20 to $50 at the door, info
604-683-8240. Singer-storyteller
Tsuruoka and pianist Oore use rhythm ‘n’ blues to tell the love story of a man
with cerebral palsy. Hmmm…. Sounds interesting. Japanese story telling and Blues music? Very folking… (Did you ever see the movie Mongolian Blues?”
Raymond Chow celebrates latest artwork with May 11 presentation
Raymond Chow is a nationally recognized artist. I first became aquainted with his work in the early 1970's, when he painted older houses adding his own bit of humour to them. His painting of my grandmother's Chinatown Victorian style house now hangs in my grandmother's appartment, many decades after she left that home.
Raymond's family paid the head tax, and lived in Richmond long before the recent overwhelming Chinese immigration of Richmond of the last century.
"House of Joy" was a painting that Raymond did to celebrate and aid the "Save Kogawa House" campaign. He based the painting on paintings of the House, and of Joy when she was about 5 years old.
You are cordially invited to an exhibition featuring Raymond Chow's latest artwork!
Date: May 11, 2006 (Thursday) Time: anytime from 3pm to 9pm Place: Nikkei Place, 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby (604-777-7000) Theme: Women in Kimonos, Landscapes of France, Hawaii, Vancouver Inquiries: 604-274-3587 or clart@telus.net
* prize draws for original Raymond Chow's paintings * refreshments + fun * admission by donation
Raymond Chow's profile: Raymond Chow is an internationally renowned artist based in Vancouver, Canada. Graduated at UBC in Art Education, Raymond has been painting over the last 50 years. He won his first painting award when he was 12. He first became known in 1960s for his drawings of old Victorian homes and buildings. His drawings of Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles form a unique history of the heritage of the pacific coast. His range of art media includes watercolors, acrylics on canvas, limited edition lithographs and geeclay prints on canvas.
His paintings on canvas reached 15 galleries across Canada, Hawaii and the USA. Raymond travels extensively to his subject locations and he paints portraits on request of people as well as homes and buildings. He has painted and exhibited in many cities of Europe, USA, Hawaii and Canada. Collectors of Raymond's work have included Indira Gandhi, Paul Anka, Raymond Burr, David Lam etc. His paintings and drawings now decorate homes of prominent personalities, collectors and gallery owners.
Finding your head tax tax certificate documentation at the Vancouver Public Library.
The Vancouver Public Library's
History Division has created a wonderful information sheet on how to
search for your head tax documenation on micro film.
Many
Canadians of Chinese origin are interested in finding records of the
head tax paid by their immigrant ancestors. This guide is designed to
help in the search for this information.
Historical Background
The
head tax on Chinese Immigrants was introduced by the Dominion (federal)
government in the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885. Initially, an amount
of $10 was proposed, but due to anti-Chinese agitation, this was
amended to $50 before the bill's final passage. The Chinese Immigration
Act of 1900 (which went into effect on January 1, 1902) increased the
tax to $100, and finally, in the Chinese Immigration Act of 1903, it
was raised to $500. Some Chinese were exempt. For example, under the
1903 legislation, there were six classes of persons who did not have to
pay: merchants and their families, diplomats, clergymen, tourists,
students, and men of science.
Efforts
to control Chinese immigration, including the administration of head
tax, were overseen by a federal Chief Controller of Chinese
Immigration. The Chief Controller's Department documented Chinese
immigration in detail, generating a large amount of corresponding
paperwork, including certificates, registers and other records. These
are held by Library and Archives Canada. Copies of selected records are
also available on microfilm at a number of libraries and archives
across Canada, including the Vancouver Public Library.
Chinese Restaurants – BEYOND FRONTIERS:
Director CHEUK KWAN and Cinematographer KWOI in Attendance
Cheuk Kwan is a cool guy – so is his cinematogapher (camera man),
Kwoi. Last year I watched his incredible documentary series
Chinese Restaurants.
Cheuk travels the world checking out Chinese restaurants, and getting
the stories behind them. He is also an ardent support of Chinese
Canadian head tax redress.
I LOVE his “3 Continents” documentary. It includes a visit of
“Noisy Jim Cook” at his small restaurant in Outlook Sasketchewan, where
Cook was a beloved town institution and encouraged to run for mayor.
BEYOND FRONTIERS Filmmaker Cheuk Kwan travel to
India and Brazil delving into Chinese communities who transcend geographical,
political and social frontiers.
THREE CONTINENTS Filmmaker Cheuk Kwan visits
Madagascar, Norway and Canada, exploring the meaning of “home” in Chinese
communities that have established themselves on three
continents.
Here's a message sent to me from my friend Joyce Lam, producer and president of Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.
Asian Comedy Night is a great way to celebrate being Asian Canadian, by
sharing a common mind set, poking fun at stereotypes of Asians,
Asian-Canadians, White-Canadians, etc. I have attended various
incarnations of ACN over the years, and many of VACT's
productions. They give great insight to the Asian Canadian psyche
and identity.
Your white boyfriend or girfriend, says she just doesn't understand your Asian sense of humor? Bring her/him down!
Your Asian girlfriend or boyfriend says they want to be more sensitive and supportive of Asian issues? Bring him/her down!
OPM
Part IV: Return of the Chung King
7th
Annual Asian Comedy Night
presented by
The
Show
Main
Course
Three-time
winners of the coveted Rice Bowl, OPM (Open
People’s
Minds) is back in town for only two
evenings of comedic aphorisms from an Asian slant
Featuring appearances by 50
Yen, Kimora Lee, Iron Chef Bobby Flay, North
Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il, and Savuri from “Memoirs of a
Geisha,” the night’s performance will be charged
with new sketches from OPM’s latest show, Get Laughs or Die Tryin’
Side
Dish
Local favourite stand-up
comedian and CTV comedy star, Jeffery
Yu, along with Seattle’s funniest comic, KermetApio, will kick-off the night tickling your
funny bones
Hosted by Tom
Chin, the night will surely have Auntie Mah shouting “Aiya!”
Dessert
Party
On!
Join the performers and producers at 2 AFTER
PARTIES:
è Friday
Night at SHIRU-BAY with fighting Chef, KodaiUno
è Saturday
Night at THE
DINER (both within steps from the
theatre)
$5
gets you in. You hang with the comics and have a fun night out!
Cash Bar.AFTER
PARTY Tickets available on-line
Show
Details
Location
& Dates
Return
of the Chung King –
7th Annual Asian Comedy Night
è at
the Roundhouse Performance Centre
è 181
Roundhouse Mews (Davie
& Pacific
Blvd, Vancouver)
For more information or group
rates, please visit www.vact.ca or call
(778) 885-1973
Note: 14+ years, some coarse
language and suggestive material
Other
Event
Public
Forum
Also check out the Dissection of
Comedy, a free public forum with demonstrations and discussions
on sketch comedy.OPM, Jeffery
Yu, and KermetApiowill share their insights on their
processes and careers
David Suzuki addresses environment and racism at CBC Book Club
May 7th, Sunday 1pm
CBC Radio One Book Club
written by Ian Hughes (special to www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com)
A lucky one hundred and twenty contest winners were fortunate enough to attend an intimate presentation of the CBC Studio One Book Club featuring Dr. David Suzuki reading excerpts from his latest book, David Suzuki: The Autobiography,
published by Douglas McIntyre books.
The format of the show was a combination of round-table discussion,
with hosts MacKay, Sheryl from CBC Radio One's North By Northwest, and
John Burns of the Georgia Straight. Don't miss the two part broadcast beginning on May 27th and concluding
on May 28th, broadcast in Vancouver on CBC Radio One 690 am.
“We’re living in a chemical soup!” he states at one point during the presentation,
but “Nature can be unbelievably forgiving if we give her a chance.” Anyone who has read Dr. Suzuki’s books A Sacred Balance and Good News for a Change knows that he is an expert at both sounding warnings and encouraging solutions.
When Dr. Suzuki wasn’t championing the environment, he was speaking
about how he was personally affected during his time in the
Japanese-Canadian Internment
Camps, and how institutional racism affects victims long after racist
legislation passes. He said that he still has a very hard time
watching himself on television because he is reminded of the hateful,
stereotypical, anti-Japanese propaganda that he witnessed as a child
during and after the Second World War. For a long time after the
war, he still had a problem looking into the mirror, and seeing a
Japanese face – even if it was his own.
Suzuki told the audience assembled that he still feels like an
outsider, and at one point actually considered entitling his
autobiography “The Outsider”. Reflecting on the current situation with
our First Nations peoples, Dr. Suzuki said he felt that it is no wonder
current generations grow up to feel like worthless second-class
citizens. Racism, especially racism experienced at an early age, is a
lifelong devastation that can never be fully reversed.
He told a heartbreaking story about one of his first encounters with
racism. It was in the internment camp. It wasn't from white
people. It was from other Japanese-Canadian children. And
it was because he couldn't speak the Japanese language. His
parents had always spoken to him in English, integrating into Canadian society.
I really can’t express how wonderful it was to hear this man – a man who we all grew up watching on CBC
Television's The Nature of Things
– attack each topic with such passion and conviction. It should come
as no surprise that the majority of the discussion focused on
environmental concerns. He frequently apologized for going overtime
with his answers, but anyone who has seen Dr. Suzuki on television or
at various events knows that’s just the type of speaker he is; more
than willing to express joy or astonishment or anger in front of any
group, usually at length.
The afternoon was amazing. Dr. Suzuki went wonderfully over his time
limit by about a half an hour, answered a considerable number of
questions at length, and after the show was good enough to sign
autographs and meet his fans.
This was my first time meeting him in person. My girlfriend
Venus, whose family is originally Japanese from Okinawa was also
thrilled to me one of the greatest living Asian Canadians.
Myself, I regard him as one of the greatest living Canadians, period!
When it came time for Dr. Suzuki to sign the book I presented to
him. I told him that it was for my friend, who had once given
David Suzuki a ride home from a Burrard Indian Longhouse ceremony,
where they had presented Dr. Suzuki with an eagle feather. Suzuki
smiled in rememberance as if recalling the event in his
mind.
“You had recommended to Todd to go visit Haida Gwaii. He did, he
loved it, and it changed his life.” I shared with Dr. Suzuki, as he
signed the book for my friend with a knowing nod.
My impression is that Dr. David Suzuki is really a wonderful warm man.
very giving of his time and his ideas. He knows what it takes to
change the world, one idea at a time… one person at a time.
Next on CBC Radio One Book Club – On May 17, Paul Yee,
presents his newly revised edition of the award winning Saltwater City,
in which there should be a picture of “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” (or so he
told Todd…)
HEAD TAX events: Friday May 5 8:30 CFRO
+ Community meeting Saturday May 6
+ Tuesday showing of Karen Cho's “Shadow of Gold Mountain.
The Following is from Sid Tan, long time head tax redress activist.
Tomorrow Friday May 5 at 8:30AM on CFRO 102.7 FM radio program Wake Up
with Co-op, head-tax redress will be the topic. Also on internet
www.coopradio.org and online radio streaming is
on right side of page.
There's also a comunity meeting Saturday May 6 at 2:00PM Saturday May 6
at SUCCESS called by ACCESS (Media Advisory follows). Speakers include
Victor Wong, CCNC executive director, and Libby Davies, MP for
Vancouver East. Vancouver Kingsway MP David Emerson
(Conservative) and Vancouver South MP Ujjal Dosanjh (Liberal) have been
invited to speak but no reply yet.
On Tuesday May 9 at 9:00PM, the Knowledge Network will be broadcasting
Karen Cho's In the Shadow of Gold Mountain (NFB). Vancouver connection
includes Charlie Quan, Gim Wong, Roy Mah and Hanson Lau. Well worth the
watch
We will need some volunteers to do translation and help set-up and
teardown on Saturday.
Please let me know asap to sidchowtan@gmail.com or call 604-433-6169
and leave message if you can put in a couple of hours in some capacity.
There will be an update and report of redress activities in Toronto and here but we mostly want to hear from the community.
Paul Yee and his book “Saltwater City” featured for CBC Studio One Book Club
I first met Paul Yee back in 1986. He was a very unassuming man
of quiet intensity. My older cousin Hayne had invited me to
become involved on a project celebrating 100 years of Chinese Canadian
history in Vancouver. It was to be the Chinese community's
contribution to the Vancouver centennial celebrations.
It was a
turning point in my life. I learned lots about Chinese Canadian
history, and it helped my own family history to come more alive for
me. There were mentions about my Great-great-grandfather's
involvement with the Chinese Methodist Church, Rev. Chan Yu Tan.
My cousin Joni Mar was mentioned as one of the first Chinese Canadian
television news reporters. And my Uncle Daniel Lee loaned his
Airforce uniform and medals for the exhibit.
I helped to paint some of the displays, bang nails, hang things up, and
I met some great people. Rah Mah was a graphic designer who went
on to found his own company, Leap Creative. Elizabeth Sheffrin
was a textile artist who became the event manager. Elizabeth
Johnson was a curator at the Museum of Anthropology. David Wong
was an architectural student who later founded his own company.
Joyce Lam was volunteer coordinator and later founded Vancouver Asian
Canadian Theatre.
During the exhibit I helped to provide information on the exhibit, and
give people tours. When nobody came through, I sat and read
Paul's books “Teach Me to Fly Skyfighter,” and “Curse of Third Uncle.”
In 1989,
Douglas McIntyre published Paul Yee's “Saltwater City.” I
remember attending the book launch at the Chinese Cultural Centre
boardroom. I have a picture of myself with Paul – my head is bald
due to the chemotherapy treatment I was going through at the time.
Over the years, I have attended many of Paul's readings and book
launches in Vancouver. He is an amazing presenter with a very
good speaking style. In September 2002, I was on the board of the
Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop, and we presented Paul with a
Community Achievement award.
On May 17th, Paul Yee will be presenting a newly revised edition of
“Saltwater City” for the CBC Studio One Book Club – see information
below.
CBC Radio One, The Georgia Straight, The Vancouver Readers &
Writers Festival, The Vancouver Public Library, and explorASIAN are
pleased to present…
Paul Yee with Saltwater City: The Story of Vancouver’s Chinese Community
Wednesday, May 17, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. CBC Radio Studio One 700 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Come
celebrate the completely redesigned and revised edition of this
best-selling landmark book, first published in 1988, which told the
epic story of Vancouver's Chinese community and its extraordinary
growth from marginal to centre stage in a new world order. The new
edition includes the years 1987 to 2001, when Vancouver’s Chinese
population grew rapidly.
The text
resonates with often painful first-person recollections and includes
200 photographs, most reproduced for the first time, to form a
chronological portrait of the community from its earliest beginnings to
the present. With the assimilation of its people into the mainstream of
Canadian life following World War II, Saltwater City, as early Chinese
immigrants called the community, was threatened, but changes in
attitude, government policy, and the opening of diplomatic relations
with China instead caused a renaissance. Now, Vancouver's Chinese
community enjoys considerable political and financial influence and has
matured beyond recognition into one of Canada's most successful ethnic
enclaves.
Paul Yee, a third-generation
Chinese-Canadian, was born in Saskatchewan, grew up in Vancouver’s
Chinatown, and worked for the Vancouver City Archives before moving to
Toronto in 1988. He has written several fiction, non-fiction, childrens
and young adult books. His latest books include Bamboo, Chinatowns in Canada, and Is This Screwed, Or What?.
The
CBC Studio One Book Club is an intimate gathering of ONLY 120 audience
members. It is hosted by Sheryl MacKay of CBC Radio and John Burns of
the Georgia Straight, and is recorded for broadcast on North by
Northwest and other CBC Radio programs. Microphones are set up for
audience questions. We encourage you to join in, your participation in
the CBC Radio Studio One Book Club is an important part of the
broadcast. This is your chance to talk to Paul Yee about his books,
fiction and non-fiction, his work as an archivist, his history and more!
The only way to get in, is to
win!
For
your chance to win two tickets to be part of this Book Club, tell us
(in 200 words or less) why you would like to be in the audience to meet
Paul Yee.
Come