Category Archives: Multicultural events

Vancouver Courier story on Joy Kogawa: Literary icons home faces wrecker's ball

Leave a reply

Vancouver Courier story on Joy Kogawa:


Literary icon's home faces wrecker's ball
By Sandra Thomas-Staff writer
http://www.vancourier.com/issues05/094205/news/094205nn11.html

Last
November city council passed a motion to plant a cherry tree propagated
from one growing in the backyard of the former home of author Joy
Kogawa.

But if a demolition application recently filed at the
city by the owner is approved, that tree could soon be one of the last
remaining tangible symbols of the home on West 64th Avenue.

Kogawa
lived there until she was six years old, when her Japanese-Canadian
family was interned in the Slocan Valley during the Second World War.
The Marpole house was then auctioned off at a bargain price by the
government's “Custodian of Enemy Alien Property” program. Her 1983
autobiographical work Obasan, named one of the most influential novels
of the 20th century by Quill and Quire, a monthly magazine of the
Canadian book trade, tells the story of the internment camp through the
eyes of a child.

Kogawa, who keeps small apartments in both
Vancouver and Toronto, noted the irony of receiving the bad news while
being honoured at several events across the city.

“It is how life operates,” said Kogawa from her children's home in Surrey. “It is the yin and yang of the world.”

Kogawa
was honoured last weekend at a One Book, One Vancouver event for her
novel Naomi's Road, the children's version of Obasan, at Vancouver
Public Library, and at a dinner for Ricepaper Magazine, during the Word
on the Street Book and Magazine Fair, and at the premiere of Naomi's
Road performed by Vancouver Opera.

Kogawa, who was named to
the Order of Canada for her writing and work with the Japanese-Canadian
redress movement, said she was “dumbfounded” by the news the home is in
danger. Two years ago Kogawa discovered the property was for sale and a
committee was formed in an attempt to purchase it. The home was
eventually bought by private owners. In December 2004 when the owners
started renovations without a permit, the Joy Kogawa Homestead
Foundation contacted both the city and the media to increase pressure
on the federal and provincial governments to save the home as a
historical and cultural icon.

The city issued a stop-work
order which the new owners followed. They also donated the three doors
and 12 windows they had removed to the city for safe keeping. The
owners, who have no messaging service, did not answer several phone
calls from the Courier.

“I don't want to be aggressive, I don't want to fight,” Kogawa said. “We'll see what friendship can do.”

Jim
Green, a city councillor and mayoral candidate for Vision Vancouver,
said he was at the house with Kogawa recently to look at the cherry
tree.

“This is too sad,” he said. “This is a historical place in Canada and it should be preserved.”

Green sits on the city's heritage committee but admits the city can do little to save the home.

“There
is very little we can do with the powers we have,” he said. “It will be
up to the will of council because I expect it to come before the
development permit board because it would have a significant impact
historically on Vancouver.”

Green said he and Kogawa expect to plant the cherry tree on the grounds of city hall within the next couple of weeks.

For more updates on the Kogawa Homestead status, please see:
www.kogawa.homestead.com
For more updates, articles on Kogawa Homestead and Joy Kogawa on this web site, please see:
Joy Kogawa's Obasan and Homestead

Rice Paper 10th Anniversary: featuring Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre & Gim Wong

Leave a reply

Ricepaper 10th Anniversary Celebrations: featuring Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre & Gim Wong


Ricepaper staffers greet guests at the door – photo Meena Wong

It was a love-fest as former editors and writers, + many featured
authors and performers + our favourite city councillors and community
organizers, all attended the celebration.  The Buzz about the Rice Paper Magazine 10th Anniversary Party,
organized by Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop, picked up speed late in
the week.  Numbers confirmed on Thursday night practically doubled
by Saturday night, as attendees “borrowed” extra chairs and tables from
the Tinseltown Food Court.

Writers Fiona Lam and
Lydia Kwa sat at a table next to Faye Leung, Vancouver Librarian Ross
Bliss stated “I want to meet writers!” and was quickly introduced to
lots.  UBC professor Glenn Deere and wife Faye sat at the Joy
Kogawa table.  Writer and Artist Janice Wong, along with Capilano
College instructor and writer Crawford Killian joined friends at Scott
McIntyre's table. Citizenship Court Judge (and former City Councillor)
Sandra Wilking sat nearby Opera singer Grace Chan, and across from
writer SKY Lee. City councillor Ellen Woodsworth chatted with SFU
writer-in-residence Daphne Marlatt. City Councillor Anne Roberts
brought her mother Barbara.  Kelly Ip chatted with Lt. Col. Howe
Lee.  Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
producer Joy Lam hung out with CBC writer Charlie Cho, and scripting
partner Grace Chin.



Elwin Xie (ACWW Director) and Joyce Lam (VACT producer) share a smile and long friendship – photo Meena Wong


Joy Kogawa signs a book for one of the many event guests – photo Meena Wong

Whoops of joy were heard as it was announced that Vancouver city
councillor Sam Sullivan had secured his mayoralty bid to represent the
NPA party, as he made a surprise appearance fresh from the NPA
counting.  Even COPE city councillors Anne Roberts and Ellen
Woodsworth rushed to give him heartfelt congratulations.

And in the middle of this sat our featured guests: Joy Kogawa, Scott
McIntyre and Gim Wong.  Host and ACWW Vice President Don
Montgomery introduced each starting with Kogawa.  Joy said that
this year started off with the surprise of having Obasan selected for
the Vancouver Public Library's One Book One Vancouver program, and
described how wonderful the republishing of new versions of Emily Kato
(Itsutka) and Naomi's Road have been plus the delight of seeing Emily's
Road transformed into an opera by the Vancouver Opera.


Joy Kogawa holds
her ACWW Community Builders Award while Todd Wong (ACWW vice-president)
speaks about efforts to save the Kogawa Homestead – Event host Don
Mongomery (ACWW vice-president) looks on – photo Meena Wong

Joy called on me to speak about the developments of the previous 60
hours, as she had learned about the planned demolition of the Kogawa
Homestead and the efforts mobilized to save it.  I described the
seemingly impossible contradiction that while this week when Joy is
being celebrated at the Rice Paper Anniversary Dinner, Word On The
Street, Vancouver Public Library and Vancouver Opera… the proposed
demolition represents polar opposites that create a dynamic tension,
giving even greater emphasis on both positive and negative
aspects.  But it is because of her being celebrated, that reaction
to the proposed demolition, is even more sharply responded to – witness
the way that the Globe & Mail picked up on the story, that it was
announced and spoken about at the Vancouver Arts Awards by both Mayor
Larry Campbell and city councillor Jim Green.  And by the evening,
Scott McIntyre was volunteering his influence and suggestions to help
save the house. “One Million Dollars should be easy to raise,” he told
me.


Scott McIntyre
tells the audience about the pionneering nature of the books by Paul
Yee, SKY Lee and Jim Wong-Chu that he has published – photo Meena Wong

Scott McIntyre was jovial in his speech.  He spoke about the
achivements of Douglas McIntyre Publishing, in putting out Salt water
City by Paul Yee, Disappearing Moon Cafe by SKY Lee, and Many Mouthed
Birds edited by by Jim Wong-Chu and Bennett Lee – each the first of
their genres, pioneers in Asian Canadian literature.  Then Scott
said, “We haven't done enough.”  He talked about the fact that we
are all one family – no longer separated by clan or race
distinctions.  Chinese-Canadian literature and Japanese-Canadian
literature is all Canadian literature – We are all the same family, as
he spoke about how his own daughter-in-law is Asian, and they are all
one family.  I was so moved by his talk, that at the end of the
evening, I invited him to speak the same words for the 2006 Gung Haggis
Fat Choy dinner in January.  “I'd be delighted,” was his reply.


Gim Wong recalls
the sacrifices he made and the discrimination that he faced by choosing
to enter Canada's armed forces in WW2 – photo Meena Wong

Gim Wong, stood up shakily, his 82 years betraying his youthful heart
and still innocent demeanor.  Honest in his gratitude, and
eloquent in his politeness, Gim talked about how proud he is to be a
Canadian, and how he came to enlist and train in the Canadian armed
forces, when nobody wanted Chinese in the army, airforce or navy. 
“We couldn't even vote,” he exclaimed.  He described his unselfish
attitude, willing to make the supreme sacrifice for the country of his
birth, and how he has continued to sacrifice his time unselfishly to
champion for redress, for the Chinese head tax. “They told me it
couldn't be done,” he said of his motorcyle “Ride for Redress” from
Victoria's Mile 0, to Ottawa and Montreal.  His bravado had
revealed itself when he had threatened to ride his Harley up the steps
of Parliament to confront Prime Minister Paul Martin.  His son
Jefferey had accompanied him on the ride, and looked after him. 
This week, the Georgia Straight's “Best of Vancouver” selected Gim Wong
for the “Gutsiest Ride against Racism.”  I had talked with Gim
many times throughout the evening, and knew that he was both humbled
and tired by the evening's celebration.  The applause touched him
deeply.

Great appreciation to all the ACWW directors, Rice Paper staff and
volunteers for putting on such a grand event.  Special thanks to
organizers Jim Wong-Chu, Don Montgomery, Michelle Sui, and Jenny Uechi.
 

Joy Kogawa creates a presence at the Vancouver Arts Awards… and she's not even nominated or attending…

Leave a reply 
Joy Kogawa creates a presence at the Vancouver Arts Awards... 
and she's not even nominated or attending...

I attended the 2005 Vancouver Arts Awards Friday night, and the ripples 
of Joy Kogawa were felt throughout the evening.
I spoke to both Councillor Jim Green and Mayor Larry Campbell, and 
told them about the demolition for application of the Kogawa homestead.
A house acknowledged with heritage designation. They were both surprised 
and concerned, saying "Council had just passed resolution to save the 
cherry trees on Tuesday".
I spoke with City Librarian Paul Whitney, and briefly discussed the idea 
of creating a purpose for the Kogawa Homestead, as a residence/office 
for the Writer in Residence Program for the Vancouver Public Library
- of course we would have to develop this idea, and have the aggreement 
of VPL to proceed, which currently we do not.  But certainly an idea to 
propose the Homestead as a writers' retreat in general has been previously 
discussed in the media, and by the Homestead Committee 2 years ago.
(I just love the idea of saying... Obasan was the One Book One Vancouver
book for 2005 - the City of Vancouver loved the book so much - they bought 
the house!)
Mayor Larry Campbell told the audience that council on Tuesday passed 
the motion to preserve the cherry trees from the Kogawa Homestead 
and that a one year old graft from the tree would be planted at City Hall 
in October, in recognition of the the novel Obasan, and the significance 
of the Japanese Canadian internments.
Bill Richardson, MC for the evening, told the audience that he talked 
with Joy Kogawa earlier this week with regards to One Book One Vancouver 
and Naomi's Road opera, and then introduced Ramona Luengen, who
wrote the music for Naomi's Road opera.  Ramona is the recipient of the 
2004 Emerging Artist Grant from last year's Vancouver Art Awards.  The  
Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble performed a duet from Naomi's Road.

Councillor Jim Green told the audience, prior to his introducing an award, 
that the Kogawa Homestead was in danger.  He talked about the significance 
of the One Book One Vancouver program, Naomi's Road, and of Obasan... 
and the importance of recognizing the Japananese Canadian experience 
in Vancouver.
And a little bird - who said to me "I didn't tell you this" told me that we could 
propose to buy the house for $1, and have it moved, off the Marpole property. 
The city has property all over town, we could ask to store it there or on a 
private lot, until the time is right to do something with the house.  Which 
could be to find a private or city property to set it up on, or to integrate it 
into a city park or other feature.
This latest suggestion is very timely as the City of Vancouver is planning 
a park in the Marpole area as a dedication and tribute to the remembrance 
of the Japanese-Canadian Internment saga of Vancouver's history.  The cherry
tree graft from the Kogawa homestead WILL be planted there.  Imagine that 
the Kogawa Homestead will be planted there too... What a wonderful home for
a storied house - featured in the books Obasan, and Naomi's Road.
This proposal is so wonderfully simple - it could be a win-win-win situation 
for all involved.  
1 - The home and property owner gets rid of the house, and builds a new 
     single home on the property.
2 - The Committe gets to save the home, and create a new role for it for the 
     Arts community, on a new park complete with cherry trees.
3 - The city of Vancouver, gets to preserve one of its historic and cultural 
     treasure and pay tribute and rememberance to a historically significant
     time of its history.
So an important question is this... what is more important, keeping the house 
on the property... or finding a way to have the house safe, but on a different 
piece of property where iw would be safer.

Please sign the petition to preserve the Kogawa Homestead. 
Click on the white banner - this will forward you to an on-line petition.
Donations can be made in care of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation


Kogawa Homestead threatened by Demolition Permit Application- same week as Joy Kogawa is celebrated throughout Vancouver

Leave a reply


Kogawa Homestead threatened by Demolition Permit Application- same week as Joy Kogawa is celebrated throughout Vancouver

http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/oboc/readersguide.htm

This week, notice was received that an inquiry for application for demolition was made to Vancouver City Hall by the owner of the Kogawa homestead.  It is a house celebrated by the award winning novel Obasan, and the childhood home of famed writer Joy Kogawa, who describes the house in both the novel Obasan and the children's story Naomi's Road.
Kogawa's reaction has been of shock and dispair, as she knew that efforts were being made to save the beloved cherry tree in the back yard which figures prominently in the novel. COPE mayoral candidate Jim Green is a founding member of the “Save the Kogawa Homestead” committee.

This is a weekend when Joy Kogawa is being celebrated all across Vancouver… at the Vancouver Public Library for One Book One Vancouver, at the ACWW Sep 24th dinnner for Rice Paper Magazine's 10th Anniversary Celebration, on Sunday for the Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair, and next week for the Vancouver Opera Premiere for “Naomi's Road.”
A movement to buy the house, and to apply for heritage designation was aborted 2 years ago because of high costs to buy the house and resistance from the new owner to sell. The owner at the time said that she liked the house and did not intend to demolish it.

Now more than ever, it is important to preserve this house for the cultural heritage of Vancouver. There is not another house in Vancouver that is recognized for being confiscated during a dark time in Canada's history.

No other house in Vancouver could be turned into a bright spot on our cultural landscape as a writer's retreat, celebrating the work of a writer which has been called the most influential Canadian novel of the past 20 years. There is no other writer whose work helped fuel the Japanese-Canadian Redress movement, and has also received the Order of Canada.

In May, the Vancouver Public Library selected Obasan as the book chosen for all Vancouverites to read, as part of their award winning “city wide book club.” Earlier this summer, during One Book One Vancouver events Joy Kogawa held up a graft of the cherry tree that held such a revered place in the novel Obasan – studied by so many Canadians in high schools and universities across Canada. Both the novel and the homestead have a proven place in Vancouver’s literary history.

Please sign the petition to preserve the Kogawa Homestead. Click on the white banner – this will forward you to an on-line petition.

Donations can be made in care of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Special Dinner with Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre and Gim Wong celebrate Rice Paper Magazine's 10th Anniversary

Leave a reply




Here's a wonderful evening soiree that everyone will enjoy.

Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop
publishes Rice Paper Magazine, and works hard to promote Asian Canadian
writers and developing writers.  I am a vice-president and helped
to found our Community Builder's Dinners.


Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre and Gim Wong will be featured guests for
Rice Paper Magazine's 10th Anniversary Celebrations as part of the
continuing Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop Community Builder dinners.

September 24th
Saturday 6pm
Wild Ginger Restaurant (at Tinseltown)

PRIZES!
Lots of good prizes including lots of books +
2 tickets to "Naomi's Road" opera premiere - donated by Vancouver Opera
2 tickets to "Turandot" opera - donated by Vancouver Opera
2 tickets to "Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns 
Chinese New Year Dinner - donated by Todd Wong
"Chow: From China to Canada" - recipes and family stories 
- donated by White Caps books
+ lots lots more

Joy Kogawa,
of course, is the writer of Obasan – this year's choice for the award
winning One Book One Vancouver program by the Vancouver Public
Library.  Her children's novel “Naomi's Road ” has been turned
into a touring opera by Vancouver Opera, and premieres in
October.  She is a member of the Order of Canada, as her work
highlighted the internment ordeal faced by Japanese Canadians during
WW2.



Joy is a wonderful person, very concerned with peace and compassion for
all.  Her books have inspired many asian canadian writers, and
gave incredible support to the Redress  for Japanese Canadian
Internment camp survivors.

Gim Wong,
83 years old, rode his motorcycle to Ottawa and Montreal this summer to
draw attention for Chinese Head Tax Redress, and to try to meet with
Prime Minister Paul Martin. While the PM's office did not respond, Gim
did meet with NDP leader Jack Layton, and with Head Tax survivors and
descendents across the country.  Last year, Wong rode his motor
bike to Craigalllachie, site of the Last Spike for the Trans-Canada
rail road.  Gim has been part of the head tax redress campaign
since its 1983 inception.  He is a WW2 vet, enlisting in the
Canadian armed forces when Canadian born citizens of Chinese descent
weren't able to vote in the country of their birth.



Gim is a warm sweetheart of a man.  Compassionate about social
issues, and community.  He always has a big smile when I see
him.  Two years ago he was featured in the National Film Board
movie, “In the Shadow of Gold Mountain,” directed by Karen Cho.

SCOTT McINTYRE, co-found the Douglas & McIntyre 
Publishing Group where is he current President and CEO. 
Douglas & McIntyre has had a long-standing and continuing 
commitment to publishing the voices of Asian Canadian 
writers. In 1988, the company published Saltwater City: An 
Illustrated History of the Chinese in Vancouver, by Paul Yee
and followed up in 1991 with the first novel by a Chinese 
Canadian in English, Disappearing Moon Cafe, by S.K.Y. Lee.

Douglas & McIntyre also published the first anthology of Chinese
-Canadian writing, fiction and poetry titled Many-mouthed Birds: 
Contemporary  Writing by Chinese Canadians, co-edited Jim 
Wong-Chu. This was followed by The Jade Peony, by Wayson 
Choy. It was the co-winner (with Margaret Atwood) of the Trillium 
Book Award and the City of Vancouver Book Award. In 2002, 
The Jade Peony was chosen as the inaugural title for the Vancouver 
Public Library's "One Book, One Vancouver" reading program. 


To get tickets - call me at 604-987-7124 or e-mail me at gunghaggis
@ yahoo.ca

or drop by the Rice Paper Magazine office or the ExplorAsian office.

For more information check www.asiancanadianwritersworkshop.com



Please sign the petition to preserve the Kogawa Homestead. Click on the white banner – this will forward you to an on-line petition.

Donations can be made in care of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Rice Paper Magazine celebrates 10 Year Anniversary – Sept 24- with Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre and Gim Wong

Leave a reply 
Media Contacts:
Jenny Uechi and Michelle Siu
Telephone 604.879.5962
Email: info@ricepaperonline.com
www.ricepaperonline.com

For Immediate Release
MEDIA RELEASE

RICEPAPER Magazine Celebrates 10 Years of Publishing!

It all began 10 years ago, when a motley crew of artists, writers, and
would-be lawyers got together one night and decided to give a voice to 
one of the largest and most eclectic demographics in the nation--Asian
Canadians. Photocopied painstakingly on 8x11 paper and stapled together 
by a crew of volunteers, the original newsletter "Rice Paper" was born.

Fast forward to 2005. Lined up along the magazines at Chapters, 
Ricepaper has evolved into the authoritative chronicle of Asian Canadian culture: 
from Wayson Choy to Joy Kogawa, Kid Koala to Sook-Yin Lee, the magazine 
covers major and emerging artists, while its hard-hitting articles speak of 
the issues that are changing Canadian society as we know it. From 
interracial marriages to head taxes, Ricepaper leaves no stone unturned in the 
Asian Canadian experience.

Still driven by a crew of passionate volunteers, Ricepaper is proud to
celebrate its 10th anniversary this year.  

Join us on September 24, 2005 at Wild Ginger to celebrate
Ricepaper Magazine's 10th Anniversary along with some very
special guests - Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre, and Gim Wong

JOY KOGAWA, born in Vancouver in 1935, is a Nisei - a second-generation
Japanese Canadian and one of Canada's most significant writers. When 
World War II broke out, she, like the rest of her family, was forced from the
coast. Canada and its allies were at war with Germany, Italy, and Japan 
and regarded Canadians of Japanese heritage with suspicion. Due to these
circumstances, Kogawa had to attend grade school in the internment camp 
at Slocan, British Columbia. Joy has published numerous collections of 
poetry, essays, children's literature and the novels Obasan, Istuka, and The 
Rain Ascends. 

Her novel, Obasan tells the story of the Japanese Canadian
internment through the eyes of a child. Obasan has been named the 
eleventh most influential novel of the twentieth century by "Quill and Quire". 
Joy is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates as well as national and
international awards for her writing. She was awarded the Order of 
Canada in 1998. The clarity of her poetry and prose continues to influence a new
generation of young minds.

The Vancouver Public Library (VPL) selected Joy Kogawa's Obasan as its 
One Book, One Vancouver selection for 2005. One Book, One Vancouver is an
award-winning book club for the entire city, designed to create a 
culture of reading and discussion in Vancouver by bringing people together around 
one great book. The program aims to encourage people to read, create a 
common topic of conversation and create opportunities to engage people in 
reading and discussion about a variety of topics.

One Book, One Vancouver is presented by Vancouver Public Library with
support from Penguin Group (Canada), the Vancouver Opera, 32 Books, and
media partners CBC Radio One, CBC Radio Two, Word on the Street, and 
The Vancouver Sun.

"Obasan is one of the most powerful books about the Japanese Canadian
experience ever written," said City Librarian Paul Whitney. "The story 
and its message about the consequences of war and prejudice are as relevant
today as they were when this book was first released in 1981. We're
delighted to introduce Obasan to some readers for the first time, and 
give those who've read Obasan the opportunity to rediscover the novel 
again."

SCOTT McINTYRE, born in 1944 and raised in Vancouver, graduated from 
the University of British Columbia with an honours fine arts degree in 
1965. He entered publishing at McClelland & Stewart in Toronto in 1967, 
returning to Vancouver early in 1970 to join Jim Douglas and to co-found the next 
year what has become Douglas & McIntyre. He is Douglas & McIntyre Publishing
Group's current President and CEO. 

Douglas & McIntyre has had a long-standing and continuing commitment to
publishing the voices of Asian Canadian writers. In 1988, the company
published Saltwater City: An Illustrated History of the Chinese in
Vancouver, by Paul Yee-the first such illustrated history. This was 
followed in 1991 with the first novel by a Chinese Canadian in English, 
Disappearing Moon Cafe, by S.K.Y. Lee, which received critical acclaim. It was also
short-listed for the Governor-General's Award and won the City of 
Vancouver Book Award. The book is still in print and selling steadily. The next 
year,  Douglas & McIntyre published the first anthology of Chinese-Canadian
writing, fiction and poetry titled Many-mouthed Birds: Contemporary 
Writing by Chinese Canadians, edited by Bennett Lee and Jim Wong-Chu. 

Since then, the company has published Chinese Canadians: Voices from a Community by
Evelyn Huang and Lawrence Jeffery; Ingratitude by Ying Chen; Heartsmart
Chinese Cooking by Stephen Wong; and the much acclaimed best seller, 
The Jade Peony, by Wayson Choy. It was the co-winner (with Margaret Atwood) 
of the Trillium Book Award and the City of Vancouver Book Award. In 2002, 
The Jade Peony was chosen as the inaugural title for the Vancouver Public
Library's "One Book, One Vancouver" reading program. Future releases 
include a new updated and redesigned edition of Paul Yee's Saltwater City 
coming out in the autumn of 2005.


Eighty-two year-old GIM WONG, a World War II Air Force veteran and
Canadian-born son of two Chinese head taxpayers, set off on a 
cross-Canada motorcycle ride on July 1, 2004. Mr. Wong rode his motorcycle across 
Canada to call upon the federal government to redress the Chinese Head Tax and
Chinese Exclusion Act, sixty-two years of legislated racism endured by 
the Chinese in Canada from 1885 to 1947.

Gim Wong's neatly pressed RCAF uniform and glossy shoes are a 
not-so-subtle reminder that he was ready to put his life on the line for a country 
that denied him, a native son, the rights and privileges of citizenship 
until 1947. He trained as an air gunner for the war in Europe and as a flight
engineer for the Japanese campaign, both of which ended before he could 
be posted overseas. In 1941, when he was 19, he was riding his motorcycle 
with a friend in South Vancouver. The police confiscated his motorcycle, and 
that of his Japanese friend. "I had to prove I wasn't Japanese," he says.

Gim, a native of Vancouver, didn't have to pay the tax himself. But 
coming up with $500 in head-tax money meant his father had to wait 13 years 
before he could afford to bring his mother over from China after he had 
emigrated to Canada in 1906.

Gim Wong has been involved in the campaign for restitution since
it began in 1983 after the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was
passed.


Join us in honouring three community pioneers - Joy, Scott, and Gim - 
and hear their unique and fascinating stories.

Meet the talented Ricepaper crew, dedicated volunteers, contributors,
celebrities, artists, writers, and supporters.


When: Saturday - September 24, 2005 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Cash Bar Reception 6:00pm - Dinner starts at 7:00pm

Where: Wild Ginger - Tinseltown - 2nd Floor, 88 West Pender Street,
Vancouver
FREE Validated Underground Parking (bring your parking stub with you)

Advance Tickets: $30 each
At the Door: $35 each

Includes delicious Buffet Dinner and 1 Year Complimentary Subscription 
to Ricepaper (value $20)

Get your Advance Tickets from:

- Ricepaper Magazine 604.879.5962
- VAHM Society/explorASIAN 604.488.0119
- Wild Ginger Restaurant (in person only)
- Jim Wong-Chu 604.322.6616
- Don Montgomery 604.878.6888
- Sid Tan 604.433.6169
- Angela Leung angelal@alumni.sfu.ca
- Todd Wong 604.987.7124
- Marisa Alps 1.604.885.5185 (Sunshine Coast)

Come and reunite with old friends! Book Signings! Door Prizes!
Great company and terrific food! Please come to our celebration!
www.ricepaperonline.com

Rice Paper 10 year anniversary – ACWW Community Builder's Dinner

Leave a reply

Come
celebrate Community Builders of the Asian Canadian literary community,
such as Joy Kogawa, Scott McIntyre, Gim Wong, and the 10th Year
anniversary for Rice Paper Magazine.

Sep 24th
Wild Ginger Restaurant

go to www.asiancanadianwritersworkshop.com
more details to follow.

I am glad to be a part of this, in my role on the ACWW executive, and
following Joy Kogawa's involvement in One Book One Vancouver this year.

Battery Opera AGM + Bob's Lounge performance with homage to Kate Bush

Leave a reply 
Battery Opera AGM + Bob's Lounge performance with homage to Kate Bush

Here's a message from friends Lee Su-Feh & David McIntosh	

this friday, september 16, 2005
battery opera respectfully requests your presence at

our town café
245 east broadway (just east of main street, adjacent to kingsway)

for the annual general meeting and event!
(another business/pleasure occasion for battery opera performing arts 
society)

battery opera performing arts society is a non-profit organisation and 
as such needs your support! 
your membership and your attendance at our annual general meeting makes 
a difference to us.  it shows our funding bodies (in a measurable way) that there is 
community support for the arts and support for companies such as 
battery opera.
without it, our work would not be possible.

so, we invite you to join us for the AGM and stay for The Event. last 
year's AGM/event was swell and featured BOB's Lounge (aka the battery 
opera band), lederhosen, and guests. This year, watch out for more 
special guests (including a lederhosen redux) and Bob's Lounge homage 
to Kate Bush (!).

friday, september 16, 2005
6:30 pm	registration
7:00 pm	AGM business
7:30 pm	the event!

the event features:
BOB's Lounge: two men, one horn, many drinks
with special guests

$10 (includes membership)

to RSVP, or for more information
contact us at 604.688.8583 or info@batteryopera.com

if you are unable to attend the AGM but would like to become a member 
anyway, please contact us or send $5 (cheque payable to "battery opera 
performing arts society") to:
battery opera performing arts society
#712 - 207 west hastings street
vancouver, bc
canada   V6B 1H7

donations are also very welcome (via our secure website, or by mailing 
a cheque as above).
battery opera is a non-profit society and a Canadian registered 
charity.
tax receipts will be issued at your request.


About battery opera

The work of battery opera comes out of a dynamic dialogue between two 
artists from different disciplines, cultures and histories. The 
encounter between opposing tensions creates work that is beautiful, 
jarring, sacred and profane. Winner of the 2003 Alcan Award for Dance, 
battery opera has received international acclaim with its sometimes 
challenging, always thought-provoking work.

Why battery? Because it is small, practical, yet contains within it the 
polarities of positive and negative, male and female, yin and yang.

Why opera? Because it is big, impractical and contains within it the 
polarities of life and death, love and fear, hope and despair.


thank-you.

Lee Su-Feh & David McIntosh		
Artistic Directors

Joyce Rosario					
Communications and Administrative Coordinator

This week on Saltwater City TV Sep 11 – Sep 15

Leave a reply
Here's
a message from Sid Tan about his community TV show Saltwater City which
highlights events in Vancouver's Chinese Canadian community.



Karin Lee, Wayson Choy, Rita Wong, Sean Gunn with musical group Running Dog Lackeys are featured.



Cheers, Todd
 
A fimmaker, two writers and three musical lackeys.
 
Saltwater City
Television this week on $haw cable 4.  
1:00pm
Sunday September 11 
10:30 pm Monday September
12 
2:30pm Thursday September
15 @
11:30am
Saturday September 
 
1. Karin Lee talks about Comrade
Dad, an experimental documentary film about her father Wally Lee and the
communist bookstore he ran in the downtown eastside. The film is
very enlightening on the waxing and waning of ideas,
revealing glimpses of the filmmaker and an inside look at
our Saltwater City. We hope our presentation does
too.     
 
2. By
request, a repeat of Rita Wong talking with Wayson Choy about queerness and
activism. There's good chemistry as they talk about outing “isms” and how outing
one can help out them all. Rita took on interviewin Wayson just minutes prior to
tape. Terrific job. 
 
3. The Running Dog Lackey with
Total Mess to close the show. Taped at the Interurban Gallery, the
Lackeys are Sean Gunn on electric bass, Wayne Soon on drums and Keegan Chen on
electric guitar. Rock and roll at its rawest.
 

For
more about ICTV and to volunteer, go to www.vcn.bc.ca/ictv or call 604.254.5844.
Both ICTV, a co-operative, and ACCESS, a society, are volunteer
managed and operated so please have a little patience.

Take
care.    anon   Sid