Ginger Garden: Difference between revisions
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''Publications'' | ''Publications'' | ||
Dr. Mar is the author of the book, ''Brokering Belonging: Chinese in Canada's Exclusion Era, 1885-1945'' (Oxford University Press, 2010). Brokering Belonging traces several generations of Chinese "brokers," ethnic leaders who acted as intermediaries between the Chinese and Anglo worlds of Canada. Before World War II, most Chinese could not vote and many were illegal immigrants, so brokers played informal but necessary roles as representatives to the larger society. Dr. Mar's study of Chinatown leaders shows how politics helped establish North America's first major group of illegal immigrants. Drawing on new Chinese language evidence, her dramatic account of political power struggles over representing Chinese Canadians offers a transnational immigrant view of history, centered in a Pacific World that joins Canada, the United States, China, and the British Empire. | Dr. Mar is the author of the book, ''Brokering Belonging: Chinese in Canada's Exclusion Era, 1885-1945'' (Oxford University Press, 2010). ''Brokering Belonging'' traces several generations of Chinese "brokers," ethnic leaders who acted as intermediaries between the Chinese and Anglo worlds of Canada. Before World War II, most Chinese could not vote and many were illegal immigrants, so brokers played informal but necessary roles as representatives to the larger society. Dr. Mar's study of Chinatown leaders shows how politics helped establish North America's first major group of illegal immigrants. Drawing on new Chinese language evidence, her dramatic account of political power struggles over representing Chinese Canadians offers a transnational immigrant view of history, centered in a Pacific World that joins Canada, the United States, China, and the British Empire. | ||
Review of ''Brokering Belonging: Chinese in Canada’s Exclusion Era, 1885–1945'' by Lisa Rose Mar | Review of ''Brokering Belonging: Chinese in Canada’s Exclusion Era, 1885–1945'' by Lisa Rose Mar. Reviewed by | ||
Lawrence Lam | Lawrence Lam. | ||
From: ''Canadian Ethnic Studies'' | From: ''Canadian Ethnic Studies'' | ||
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Chapter 3—Popularizing Politics—examines the emerging new generation of Chinese brokers (charismatic brokers who’re intellectuals, labor leaders and civil rights activists) and how they, in addition to challenging the power of the traditional merchant brokers and legal interpreters, organized a year-long protest against the public school segregation and joined forces with other anti-colonial protests against the British colonialism in China and India. While the activities and organized and co-coordinated protests of these new Chinese had provoked backlashes from some Chinese and Anglo business leaders and elites, they had, nonetheless, effectively brought ordinary people into brokerage politics. | Chapter 3—Popularizing Politics—examines the emerging new generation of Chinese brokers (charismatic brokers who’re intellectuals, labor leaders and civil rights activists) and how they, in addition to challenging the power of the traditional merchant brokers and legal interpreters, organized a year-long protest against the public school segregation and joined forces with other anti-colonial protests against the British colonialism in China and India. While the activities and organized and co-coordinated protests of these new Chinese had provoked backlashes from some Chinese and Anglo business leaders and elites, they had, nonetheless, effectively brought ordinary people into brokerage politics. | ||
Chapter 4—Fixing Knowledge—provides a fascinating analysis of how these brokers managed to portray the Chinese as committed and dedicated to become settled and assimilated into the wider society. It reveals vividly how these new intellectual brokers attempted to reshape and reconstruct the discourse about the Chinese in Canada and the United States by taking an active role in the very first major academic survey of East Asian Immigrants’ opinion in 1924 conducted by Robert Park, Chicago School of Sociology, University of Chicago. These brokers organized in a community campaign to strategically place themselves as interviewees for the study, and successfully convinced the researchers to see the Chinese, not as sojourners per se, but as “a patient and diligent model minority” (8) and as “tragic marginal men” (8). | Chapter 4—Fixing Knowledge—provides a fascinating analysis of how these brokers managed to portray the Chinese as committed and dedicated to become settled and assimilated into the wider society. It reveals vividly how these new intellectual brokers attempted to reshape and reconstruct the discourse about the Chinese in Canada and the United States by taking an active role in the very first major academic survey of East Asian Immigrants’ opinion in 1924 conducted by Robert Park, Chicago School of Sociology, University of Chicago. These brokers organized in a community campaign to strategically place themselves as interviewees for the study, and successfully convinced the researchers to see the Chinese, not as sojourners ''per se,'' but as “a patient and diligent model minority” (8) and as “tragic marginal men” (8). | ||
Chapter 5—Transforming Democracy—examines the brokers’ continuing negotiations and interactions with Anglos during the Second World War. With the unpopular war policies, contested issue of conscriptions, the brokers lobbied and mobilized Chinese Canadians to take part in the Canadian labor unions. By joining forces with other labor unions to protest tax regulations and to demand equal pay, and to boycott military services, the combined efforts have resulted in persuading the Canadian labor unions to combat racial discrimination, and with the political changes in China (the rise of political power of the Communist Party), a new era of Chinese Canadians—aliens to citizens—was on the horizon. | Chapter 5—Transforming Democracy—examines the brokers’ continuing negotiations and interactions with Anglos during the Second World War. With the unpopular war policies, contested issue of conscriptions, the brokers lobbied and mobilized Chinese Canadians to take part in the Canadian labor unions. By joining forces with other labor unions to protest tax regulations and to demand equal pay, and to boycott military services, the combined efforts have resulted in persuading the Canadian labor unions to combat racial discrimination, and with the political changes in China (the rise of political power of the Communist Party), a new era of Chinese Canadians—aliens to citizens—was on the horizon. | ||
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'' Teaching Interests'' | '' Teaching Interests'' | ||
Dr. Lisa Rose Mar | Dr. Lisa Rose Mar taught at the University of Maryland about immigrants and Asian Americans, in the past and present. Her research interests are in immigration, politics, and culture. She often employs transpacific and transnational perspectives that bring together the United States, China, and Canada. | ||
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Lisa R. Mar | Lisa R. Mar | ||
The history of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Canada closely resembles that of the United States. Indeed, Canada can be seen as both within Asian Pacific American history and beyond it. The two nations share a closely-related culture, society and politics. Despite their similar paths, their histories diverge as well. At times they follow parallel paths. Other times they take different forks in the road. To what extent are they similar and why do they differ? How can we reconcile evidence of common history with international variation? | The history of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Canada closely resembles that of the United States. Indeed, Canada can be seen as both within Asian Pacific American history and beyond it. The two nations share a closely-related culture, society and politics. Despite their similar paths, their histories diverge as well. At times they follow parallel paths. Other times they take different forks in the road. To what extent are they similar and why do they differ? How can we reconcile evidence of common history with international variation? | ||
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As source material, this essay draws upon published scholarship in the field and the author's research. In the early 20th century, scholars often examined links within Asian North American experiences as a matter of course, though very few scholars published studies about Asians in Canada at that time.[1] During the past twenty-five years, Asian Canadian history has blossomed. Numerous community histories have been published in English, along with a growing number of academic monographs. These works provide reference points for exploring the relationship between the two nations. | As source material, this essay draws upon published scholarship in the field and the author's research. In the early 20th century, scholars often examined links within Asian North American experiences as a matter of course, though very few scholars published studies about Asians in Canada at that time.[1] During the past twenty-five years, Asian Canadian history has blossomed. Numerous community histories have been published in English, along with a growing number of academic monographs. These works provide reference points for exploring the relationship between the two nations. | ||
Shared Histories, Greater Visibility | ''Shared Histories, Greater Visibility'' | ||
Because of Canada's proximity to the US, the history of Asian immigration closely resembles American patterns. However, Canada's Asian population is more visible than its US equivalent. In 2001, Asians numbered 9.4% of Canada's population, 2.8 million out of 29.7 million.[2] This is double the percentage of Asian Pacific Islander Americans. They comprised only 4.5% of the US population, 12.8 million out of 281.4 million in 2000.[3] At present, half of Canada's recent immigrants are from Asia, compared with a quarter of those in the US. Asian Canadians also have been more "visible" because of Canada's historically less diverse population. In the 19th and early 20th century, Canada had many fewer Blacks, Latinos, Southern Europeans and Eastern Europeans than the United States. Unlike the United States where African Americans were a major focus, racial discrimination in Canada tended to develop on regional lines, with a patchwork of laws and informal practices targeted at specific minorities in particular locales. As a result, Asian Canadians have held a prominent position in the history of Canadian race relations. The prominence of Asians in Canada continues into the early 21st century. In Canada today, Asians are the largest racial minority population, with Native Indians second, and African Canadians a distant third.[4] | Because of Canada's proximity to the US, the history of Asian immigration closely resembles American patterns. However, Canada's Asian population is more visible than its US equivalent. In 2001, Asians numbered 9.4% of Canada's population, 2.8 million out of 29.7 million.[2] This is double the percentage of Asian Pacific Islander Americans. They comprised only 4.5% of the US population, 12.8 million out of 281.4 million in 2000.[3] At present, half of Canada's recent immigrants are from Asia, compared with a quarter of those in the US. Asian Canadians also have been more "visible" because of Canada's historically less diverse population. In the 19th and early 20th century, Canada had many fewer Blacks, Latinos, Southern Europeans and Eastern Europeans than the United States. Unlike the United States where African Americans were a major focus, racial discrimination in Canada tended to develop on regional lines, with a patchwork of laws and informal practices targeted at specific minorities in particular locales. As a result, Asian Canadians have held a prominent position in the history of Canadian race relations. The prominence of Asians in Canada continues into the early 21st century. In Canada today, Asians are the largest racial minority population, with Native Indians second, and African Canadians a distant third.[4] | ||
First Wave: Sojourners and Settlers in the West | ''First Wave: Sojourners and Settlers in the West'' | ||
Starting in 1858, Asian mass migration to Canada's West Coast followed a similar pattern to that of the United States, with male laborers from China, Japan and India arriving in thousands in the late 19th and early 20th century.[5] Many Canadians desired Asians as useful temporary workers and providers of services, but felt more ambivalent about the possibility of their permanent settlement.[6] Asians became prized as workers whose wage competition could be used to tame restive European workers in the lumber, mining, fishery, railways and agriculture industries. | Starting in 1858, Asian mass migration to Canada's West Coast followed a similar pattern to that of the United States, with male laborers from China, Japan and India arriving in thousands in the late 19th and early 20th century.[5] Many Canadians desired Asians as useful temporary workers and providers of services, but felt more ambivalent about the possibility of their permanent settlement.[6] Asians became prized as workers whose wage competition could be used to tame restive European workers in the lumber, mining, fishery, railways and agriculture industries. | ||
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Hawaiians, who began arriving in the 1820s to work in the Fur Trade, were the precursors to Asian labor migration. The presence of these Hawaiians, called Kanakas, has been documented from British Columbia to as far east as Thunder Bay, Ontario on Lake Superior, as well as in the US Pacific Northwest.[7] Since the Fur Trade, Pacific Islander migration to Canada has been negligible so this essay will focus on Asians.[8] | Hawaiians, who began arriving in the 1820s to work in the Fur Trade, were the precursors to Asian labor migration. The presence of these Hawaiians, called Kanakas, has been documented from British Columbia to as far east as Thunder Bay, Ontario on Lake Superior, as well as in the US Pacific Northwest.[7] Since the Fur Trade, Pacific Islander migration to Canada has been negligible so this essay will focus on Asians.[8] | ||
The 1858 Cariboo Gold Rush in British Columbia attracted a wave of Chinese from California and China. Chinese workers, many from the | The 1858 Cariboo Gold Rush in British Columbia attracted a wave of Chinese from California and China. Chinese workers, many from the U.S., built the transcontinental railroad through the Canadian Rockies from 1875 to 1885. After, Chinese arrived to work in the forests, canneries, mines, farms, ethnic retail, and service industries. Chinese men in Canada also entered "feminized" occupations—laundrymen, cafe owners, cooks and servants. A few more fortunate Chinese became successful entrepreneurs with European, Native and Asian clients, but most Chinese in B.C. remained workers. Lastly it should be noted that the Chinese population also included a small number of businessmen, students, religious leaders, political exiles, women and children.[9] The completion of the railway however, enabled easier British settlement, sealing British Columbia's destiny as a European province. | ||
In 1885, thousands of Japanese immigrants arrived. They worked mainly on farms, in lumber mills, canneries and railways, though like the Chinese a number eventually established their own farms and other ethnic enterprises. Many Japanese only passed through Canada on their way to the United States. Thousands also came from Hawaii, pushed by planter attempts to depress wages.[10] The Japanese migrants included both sojourners and settlers. Those who stayed arranged marriages by mail and brought their "picture brides" to Canada where they established families.[11] Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese were universally literate. Once women arrived, families became treasured. Japanese and Chinese Canadian children assimilated rapidly, though racial prejudice constrained their adult horizons to their parents' limited occupations.[12] | In 1885, thousands of Japanese immigrants arrived. They worked mainly on farms, in lumber mills, canneries and railways, though like the Chinese a number eventually established their own farms and other ethnic enterprises. Many Japanese only passed through Canada on their way to the United States. Thousands also came from Hawaii, pushed by planter attempts to depress wages.[10] The Japanese migrants included both sojourners and settlers. Those who stayed arranged marriages by mail and brought their "picture brides" to Canada where they established families.[11] Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese were universally literate. Once women arrived, families became treasured. Japanese and Chinese Canadian children assimilated rapidly, though racial prejudice constrained their adult horizons to their parents' limited occupations.[12] | ||
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All three Asian communities established a flourishing ethnic press, a variety of unions and political parties, and relations with their neighbors. Canadian scholars have examined these early communities as both Asian Diasporas and Canadian immigrant settlements. Still, much remains to be discovered about their lives, their social relationships and their ties to Asian places of origin. Gender, religion, class and youth experiences also could be further examined. A more copious literature examines racism in Asian-White relations. Alas, scholars know much less about how Asians interacted as members of the multiethnic communities in which they lived. Fortunately studies are in progress.[14] | All three Asian communities established a flourishing ethnic press, a variety of unions and political parties, and relations with their neighbors. Canadian scholars have examined these early communities as both Asian Diasporas and Canadian immigrant settlements. Still, much remains to be discovered about their lives, their social relationships and their ties to Asian places of origin. Gender, religion, class and youth experiences also could be further examined. A more copious literature examines racism in Asian-White relations. Alas, scholars know much less about how Asians interacted as members of the multiethnic communities in which they lived. Fortunately studies are in progress.[14] | ||
Interethnic Relations: Antagonisms and Alliances | ''Interethnic Relations: Antagonisms and Alliances'' | ||
All three Asian groups—Chinese, Japanese and Asian Indians—were part of migrations that extended to America as well. Indeed, many British Canadians viewed them as part of the same menace. Union leaders denounced Asians as threats to white workers' standard of living. Social reformers and the popular media branded Chinese and Asian Indians as immoral, diseased, perpetually foreign, while intimating that Asian immigration would lead to Asian "conquest" of the province. While Chinese and Indians were scorned, many white British Columbians saw Japanese as "the British of Asia" and feared their supposed superior abilities.[15] | All three Asian groups—Chinese, Japanese and Asian Indians—were part of migrations that extended to America as well. Indeed, many British Canadians viewed them as part of the same menace. Union leaders denounced Asians as threats to white workers' standard of living. Social reformers and the popular media branded Chinese and Asian Indians as immoral, diseased, perpetually foreign, while intimating that Asian immigration would lead to Asian "conquest" of the province. While Chinese and Indians were scorned, many white British Columbians saw Japanese as "the British of Asia" and feared their supposed superior abilities.[15] | ||
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Canada's British political system though created a different legal structure for discrimination than the United States. Shortly after British Columbia joined Canada in 1871, the provincial legislature disenfranchised Chinese and Native Indians, the majority of the population in 1875. Other Asian groups lost the right to vote in turn: Japanese in 1895 and Asian Indians in 1907.[16] The voting ban was racial. Neither Asians born in Canada nor those who became Canadian citizens could vote. At the time, Canada had no constitutional Bill of Rights so court challenges to discrimination repeatedly failed in the 19th and early 20th century. Not until popular opinion changed after the Second World War did Canadian minorities successfully use the courts to overturn discrimination.[17] | Canada's British political system though created a different legal structure for discrimination than the United States. Shortly after British Columbia joined Canada in 1871, the provincial legislature disenfranchised Chinese and Native Indians, the majority of the population in 1875. Other Asian groups lost the right to vote in turn: Japanese in 1895 and Asian Indians in 1907.[16] The voting ban was racial. Neither Asians born in Canada nor those who became Canadian citizens could vote. At the time, Canada had no constitutional Bill of Rights so court challenges to discrimination repeatedly failed in the 19th and early 20th century. Not until popular opinion changed after the Second World War did Canadian minorities successfully use the courts to overturn discrimination.[17] | ||
Canada's early immigration policies towards Asians resembled those in the United States and Australia. In response to Asian immigration, Canada enacted severe restrictions that were not repealed until after the Second World War. Formal racial equality in immigration policy was not achieved until 1967.[18] In 1885, a | Canada's early immigration policies towards Asians resembled those in the United States and Australia. In response to Asian immigration, Canada enacted severe restrictions that were not repealed until after the Second World War. Formal racial equality in immigration policy was not achieved until 1967.[18] In 1885, a U.S.-style style exclusion law was not deemed feasible due to British Imperial relations with China, so the Canadian government instead instituted a deterrent: a head tax of $50 per entering Chinese, which was soon increased to $500. In 1924 Canada banned Chinese immigration outright. The head tax discouraged Chinese women and children, but not Chinese men. Thousands arrived and many crossed illegally into the United States. [19] | ||
Canada's role as a point of entry for Chinese and Indian immigrants to America caused controversy. In 1907, a mob of angry white workers expelled several hundred Asian Indians from Bellingham, Washington. The Indians fled over the Canadian border. Shortly afterward whites in Vancouver, BC protested for a "white Canada" then rioted, damaging Vancouver's Chinatown and Japantown. After the riot, Canada and Japan made a Gentleman's Agreement to reduce the immigration of Japanese laborers.[20] The federal government also passed a regulation in 1908 that barred Asian immigrants unless they had traveled via "continuous journey" from their homeland. This policy stopped the flow of Japanese from Hawaii and barred all immigrants from India. To challenge the "continuous journey" policy, Gurdit Singh chartered a boat, the Komagata Maru, to bring 372 immigrants directly from India to Canada. Canada forced the Komagata Maru back to sea. The migration of Asian Indians would not resume until India won independence in 1947, though to appease public opinion within India, Canada permitted a small number of wives and children of Indians already in Canada to come in the 1920s and 1930s.[21] | Canada's role as a point of entry for Chinese and Indian immigrants to America caused controversy. In 1907, a mob of angry white workers expelled several hundred Asian Indians from Bellingham, Washington. The Indians fled over the Canadian border. Shortly afterward whites in Vancouver, BC protested for a "white Canada" then rioted, damaging Vancouver's Chinatown and Japantown. After the riot, Canada and Japan made a Gentleman's Agreement to reduce the immigration of Japanese laborers.[20] The federal government also passed a regulation in 1908 that barred Asian immigrants unless they had traveled via "continuous journey" from their homeland. This policy stopped the flow of Japanese from Hawaii and barred all immigrants from India. To challenge the "continuous journey" policy, Gurdit Singh chartered a boat, the ''Komagata Maru'', to bring 372 immigrants directly from India to Canada. Canada forced the Komagata Maru back to sea. The migration of Asian Indians would not resume until India won independence in 1947, though to appease public opinion within India, Canada permitted a small number of wives and children of Indians already in Canada to come in the 1920s and 1930s.[21] | ||
Asians' presence as members of their communities also resulted in alliances. For example, Asian Indian military veterans found their British counterparts were sometimes sympathetic. On an individual ad-hoc basis, Japanese, Chinese and Native Indians cooperated in business and as workers even though they could also be competitors. Missionaries brought contact with white society.[22] Living in the same neighborhoods could create friendships among members of different ethnic groups, though relationships often varied by gender, age, and class. Sports such as baseball, soccer and field hockey provided a "level playing field" for players and spectators alike in an otherwise segregated society.[23] Chinese also co-habited with Native Indians, creating a tradition of shared Chinese-Native heritage.[24] | Asians' presence as members of their communities also resulted in alliances. For example, Asian Indian military veterans found their British counterparts were sometimes sympathetic. On an individual ad-hoc basis, Japanese, Chinese and Native Indians cooperated in business and as workers even though they could also be competitors. Missionaries brought contact with white society.[22] Living in the same neighborhoods could create friendships among members of different ethnic groups, though relationships often varied by gender, age, and class. Sports such as baseball, soccer and field hockey provided a "level playing field" for players and spectators alike in an otherwise segregated society.[23] Chinese also co-habited with Native Indians, creating a tradition of shared Chinese-Native heritage.[24] | ||
Despite alliances, antagonisms prevailed at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. In early 1942, the Canadian government sent all Japanese adult males from the West Coast to work on remote road camps. Those who refused were treated as "prisoners of war." Japanese Canadian women and children were then interned separately in | Despite alliances, antagonisms prevailed at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. In early 1942, the Canadian government sent all Japanese adult males from the West Coast to work on remote road camps. Those who refused were treated as "prisoners of war." Japanese Canadian women and children were then interned separately in B.C. interior ghost towns. Japanese Canadians were not permitted to return to the West Coast until 1949, so many never returned to BC.[25] Historians have debated reasons for Japanese Canadian internment, arguing that West Coast racist pressures, a desire to have "mutual hostages" to exchange for Japan's Canadian prisoners, and US influence played a role. Though security reasons were often cited at the time, no substantial evidence has been found of a Japanese Canadian security threat. In addition, under duress while interned, 10,000 Japanese Canadians of the total 22,000 interned had agreed that they would be repatriated to Japan. After the war, civil libertarians mounted a struggle against Japanese Canadian deportation, which was only partially successful.[26] | ||
Late 20th Century: Race, Rights & Recognition | ''Late 20th Century: Race, Rights & Recognition'' | ||
While the history of early Asian migration and anti-Asian racism in Canada appears similar to the United States, events in the postwar era would be remarkably different. Due to Canada's distinctive society, campaigns for domestic human rights and ethnic equality took an entirely different shape than in the US. Only in 1982 did Canada adopt a constitution guaranteeing human rights. Before constitutional guarantees of ethnic equality, parliament and the provinces could both establish rights and take them away. Defending Japanese Canadians against deportation became a signature event in the early development of human rights struggles in Canada. Also, many ethnic groups and organized labor combined to win the Asian franchise in | While the history of early Asian migration and anti-Asian racism in Canada appears similar to the United States, events in the postwar era would be remarkably different. Due to Canada's distinctive society, campaigns for domestic human rights and ethnic equality took an entirely different shape than in the US. Only in 1982 did Canada adopt a constitution guaranteeing human rights. Before constitutional guarantees of ethnic equality, parliament and the provinces could both establish rights and take them away. Defending Japanese Canadians against deportation became a signature event in the early development of human rights struggles in Canada. Also, many ethnic groups and organized labor combined to win the Asian franchise in B.C., to pass laws against discrimination, and to lobby against racial bias in immigration. Immigration advanced the cause of human rights as well. Great numbers of Southern and Eastern Europeans arrived after the Second World War, further diversifying the population. However, the geography of racial and ethnic issues continued to be regionally fragmented, so no one minority group became the public standard bearer for the cause.[27] | ||
French-English relations also strongly influenced the shape of future ethnic politics and identities in Canada. Particularly, the French Canadian "Quiet Revolution" of the 1960s helped shape the context for other ethnic movements. [28] When Canada instituted official biculturalism, other ethnic groups demanded to be acknowledged as well. As result, Canada started a multiculturalism policy in 1971. This policy encouraged voluntary private retention of ethnic cultures while stressing that French and English would be the official national languages. Public embrace of multiculturalism prompted a flourishing of community arts and writing, as well as the production of a considerable number of ethnic histories. The symbolism of the policy instigated fierce debate among critics about whether it went too far in eschewing an assimilation-oriented ethos. However, even after the flourishing of multiculturalism, social scientists have found that Canadian immigrants assimilated as rapidly as their | French-English relations also strongly influenced the shape of future ethnic politics and identities in Canada. Particularly, the French Canadian "Quiet Revolution" of the 1960s helped shape the context for other ethnic movements. [28] When Canada instituted official biculturalism, other ethnic groups demanded to be acknowledged as well. As result, Canada started a multiculturalism policy in 1971. This policy encouraged voluntary private retention of ethnic cultures while stressing that French and English would be the official national languages. Public embrace of multiculturalism prompted a flourishing of community arts and writing, as well as the production of a considerable number of ethnic histories. The symbolism of the policy instigated fierce debate among critics about whether it went too far in eschewing an assimilation-oriented ethos. However, even after the flourishing of multiculturalism, social scientists have found that Canadian immigrants assimilated as rapidly as their U.S. counterparts. Canadian immigrants also ranked higher on measures such as civic participation and living in ethnically integrated settings. [29] In late 20th century Canadian culture, Asians, Blacks and European ethnics appeared mainly as "immigrant" groups.[30] As in the past, race continued to be salient, but it operated in a profoundly different political context than in the United States. | ||
"Asian Canadian" as an intellectual and artistic identity unfolded in parallel with Asian American identities in the 1970s and 1980s, but pan-Asian frameworks were not as widely adopted in Canada. From the start, members of the Asian Canadian and Asian American movements directly interacted, a pattern that has continued today. Asian Canadians participated in the Asian American movement, interacted with the Asian American arts scene, and created parallel literary networks, most notably, the Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop in Vancouver and | "Asian Canadian" as an intellectual and artistic identity unfolded in parallel with Asian American identities in the 1970s and 1980s, but pan-Asian frameworks were not as widely adopted in Canada. From the start, members of the Asian Canadian and Asian American movements directly interacted, a pattern that has continued today. Asian Canadians participated in the Asian American movement, interacted with the Asian American arts scene, and created parallel literary networks, most notably, the Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop in Vancouver and ''The Asianadian Magazine'' in Toronto. Over time the US and Canadian movements sharply diverged. Asian Canadian networks continued but the identity of "Asian Canadian" lacked institutional support and broad adoption.[31] For example, the Asian Canadian Symposium at the Learneds, Canada's annual gathering of scholarly conferences, met in the 1970s and 1980s. It then discontinued meeting, apparently because of lack of funds.[32] As Asian American and Asian Canadian movements' first impulse faded in the 1980s, ''The Asianadian'' folded. Pan- Asian identity continued to be a minority position among Chinese Canadians. [33] | ||
At present, "Asian Canadian" as a category has not become a race-based political force, nor has any equivalent to Asian American Studies emerged. In Canada, policy makers have favored ethnicity as a category of political accounting. Race-based categories such as the | At present, "Asian Canadian" as a category has not become a race-based political force, nor has any equivalent to Asian American Studies emerged. In Canada, policy makers have favored ethnicity as a category of political accounting. Race-based categories such as the U.S. vision of an "Asian" race have been far from inevitable social constructs for Canadian Asians' individual or group identity. Consequently, Asian Canadian history has mainly been studied within the broader rubrics of Canadian immigration and Asian studies.[34] It is questionable whether an Asian race-focused approach to inquiry about Asian Canadian ethnic groups will emerge as a dominant focus.[35] | ||
At present, intra-ethnic struggles over identity often have been a more prominent theme within Canadian historical scholarship than "Asian Canadian" as a category of analysis about Asians themselves.[36] Pan-Asian networks of writers, artists, performers and professionals have influenced the arts and community heritage celebrations.[37] However, pan-Asian paradigms have had minimal political and scholarly impact on Canada as a whole. | At present, intra-ethnic struggles over identity often have been a more prominent theme within Canadian historical scholarship than "Asian Canadian" as a category of analysis about Asians themselves.[36] Pan-Asian networks of writers, artists, performers and professionals have influenced the arts and community heritage celebrations.[37] However, pan-Asian paradigms have had minimal political and scholarly impact on Canada as a whole. | ||
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By the late 20th century, Asians had reached the highest echelons of Canadian government, business and society. In 1999, Adrienne Clarkson, a Chinese refugee, became Governor General, the ceremonial head of state and Queen's Representative in Canada. Vivienne Poy was the first Chinese Canadian Senator in 1998. Many Asian Canadians have been elected to Parliament from parties across the political spectrum. The following have served as Cabinet Ministers: Herb Dhaliwal, Raymond Chan, Rey Pagtakhan, and Hedy Fry. Rahim Jaffer also served as interim Deputy Leader for the Canadian Alliance Party. Ujjal Dosanjh was Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001. Asian Canadian men and women hold prominent roles in the media as well. For example, Ian Hanomansing, an Indo Caribbean Canadian, anchors the CBC early evening news. David Suzuki, a Japanese Canadian internee, is now Canada's most popularly recognized scientist and conservationist. Now that Asians are nearly a tenth of Canada's population, their prominence is likely to continue. | By the late 20th century, Asians had reached the highest echelons of Canadian government, business and society. In 1999, Adrienne Clarkson, a Chinese refugee, became Governor General, the ceremonial head of state and Queen's Representative in Canada. Vivienne Poy was the first Chinese Canadian Senator in 1998. Many Asian Canadians have been elected to Parliament from parties across the political spectrum. The following have served as Cabinet Ministers: Herb Dhaliwal, Raymond Chan, Rey Pagtakhan, and Hedy Fry. Rahim Jaffer also served as interim Deputy Leader for the Canadian Alliance Party. Ujjal Dosanjh was Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001. Asian Canadian men and women hold prominent roles in the media as well. For example, Ian Hanomansing, an Indo Caribbean Canadian, anchors the CBC early evening news. David Suzuki, a Japanese Canadian internee, is now Canada's most popularly recognized scientist and conservationist. Now that Asians are nearly a tenth of Canada's population, their prominence is likely to continue. | ||
Asian Canada & Asian America as Sister Societies | ''Asian Canada & Asian America as Sister Societies'' | ||
What can scholars of Asian Pacific Canada and America learn from each other? Once the major differences and similarities are charted, the exchange can open up new vistas on familiar issues, giving research themes in both fields a more international, comparative focus. For example, the Canadian data suggests that much about early Asian migrations should be interpreted as part of a broader international pattern that involved both immigrant choices and white settler responses. The different emphases of the | What can scholars of Asian Pacific Canada and America learn from each other? Once the major differences and similarities are charted, the exchange can open up new vistas on familiar issues, giving research themes in both fields a more international, comparative focus. For example, the Canadian data suggests that much about early Asian migrations should be interpreted as part of a broader international pattern that involved both immigrant choices and white settler responses. The different emphases of the U.S. and Canadian fields regarding this era also highlight the broad historical contingencies that influenced each country. The Canadian field is substantially more closely integrated with immigration studies and Asian studies, with considerable strength in gender, interethnic relations, and Asian-language research about Asian Canadians. The Asian American field brings a copious published scholarship that analyzes race and examines many facets of U.S. Asian groups? experiences.[39] To an extent, each field's emphases complement each other. | ||
Above all, the case of Canada and America shows how Asian Pacific North America can be examined as simultaneously global, local and nationally-specific. Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Australia offer similar sites of analysis, though | Above all, the case of Canada and America shows how Asian Pacific North America can be examined as simultaneously global, local and nationally-specific. Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Australia offer similar sites of analysis, though U.S.-Canada links have the virtue of relative accessibility.[40] Knowing enough about both contexts to draw meaningful conclusions is a necessary first step. With background, we can discover links that enlarge Asian Pacific ethnic history. We can also explore the divergences that can show both countries' choices in a new light. | ||
I would like to thank my students in the "The Asian Immigrant Experience in North America" history course I taught at the University of Toronto in 2000, Troy S. Goodfellow, and Edgar Wickberg for their feedback on the ideas within this paper | I would like to thank my students in the "The Asian Immigrant Experience in North America" history course I taught at the University of Toronto in 2000, Troy S. Goodfellow, and Edgar Wickberg for their feedback on the ideas within this paper | ||
| Line 148: | Line 143: | ||
Buchignani, Norman,Norman, Doreen M. Indra, with Ram Srivastiva. Continuous Journey: A Social History of South Asians in Canada. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart in association with the Multiculturalism Directorate, 1985. | Buchignani, Norman,Norman, Doreen M. Indra, with Ram Srivastiva. Continuous Journey: A Social History of South Asians in Canada. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart in association with the Multiculturalism Directorate, 1985. | ||
Chan, Anthony. "The Asianadian: Conceptual Framework, Research Question," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/research.html, June 20, 2004. | Chan, Anthony. "''The Asianadian'': Conceptual Framework, Research Question," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/research.html, June 20, 2004. | ||
Chan, Anthony. "The Asianadian: History, Mission & Vision, Content Analysis", http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/history.html, June 20, 2004; | Chan, Anthony. "''The Asianadian'': History, Mission & Vision, Content Analysis", http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/history.html, June 20, 2004; | ||
Chan, Anthony. "The Asianadian: R&D, Product Line, Leadership and Organization", http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/collective.html, June 20, 2004 | Chan, Anthony. "''The Asianadian'': R&D, Product Line, Leadership and Organization", http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/collective.html, June 20, 2004 | ||
Chan, Anthony B. Gold Mountain: The Chinese in the New World. Vancouver: New Star Books, 1983. | Chan, Anthony B. Gold Mountain: The Chinese in the New World. Vancouver: New Star Books, 1983. | ||
| Line 328: | Line 323: | ||
[27] Backhouse, Colour Coded; Walker, "Race", Rights and the Supreme Court of Canada; Ross Lambertson, "Activists in the Age of Rights: The Struggle for Human Rights in Canada, 1945-1960." Ph.D. diss., University of Victoria, 1998; Mar, "From Diaspora to North American Civil Rights"; Carmela Patrias and Ruth A. Frager, "'This is Our Country, These Are Our Rights': Minorities and Origins of Ontario's Human Rights Campaigns," Canadian Historical Review 82:1 (March 2001): 1-35; Stephanie D. Bangarth "'We are not asking you to open wide the gates for Chinese immigration': The Committee for the Repeal of the Chinese Immigration Act and Early Human Rights Activism in Canada," Canadian Historical Review 84:3 (September 2003): 395-422.; Adachi, The Enemy That Never Was; Con et. al, From China to Canada; Buchignani et. al., Continuous Journey. | [27] Backhouse, Colour Coded; Walker, "Race", Rights and the Supreme Court of Canada; Ross Lambertson, "Activists in the Age of Rights: The Struggle for Human Rights in Canada, 1945-1960." Ph.D. diss., University of Victoria, 1998; Mar, "From Diaspora to North American Civil Rights"; Carmela Patrias and Ruth A. Frager, "'This is Our Country, These Are Our Rights': Minorities and Origins of Ontario's Human Rights Campaigns," Canadian Historical Review 82:1 (March 2001): 1-35; Stephanie D. Bangarth "'We are not asking you to open wide the gates for Chinese immigration': The Committee for the Repeal of the Chinese Immigration Act and Early Human Rights Activism in Canada," Canadian Historical Review 84:3 (September 2003): 395-422.; Adachi, The Enemy That Never Was; Con et. al, From China to Canada; Buchignani et. al., Continuous Journey. | ||
[28] For general overview of the history of the Quiet Revolution in | [28] For general overview of the history of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec, refer to Paul-Andre Linteau, Rene Durocher & Jean-Claude Robert with Franois Ricard, Quebec Since 1930 (Toronto: Lorimer, 1991). | ||
[29] Rasporich, "Ethnicity in Canadian Historical Writing," 152-178. The most notable set of community histories produced at this time was the Generations series, published by McClelland and Stewart under the auspices of Multiculturalism Canada, which resulted in a large number of monographs of varying quality about European and Asian immigrants in Canada. Many European ethnics had received little past attention under assimilation-oriented models of inquiry, so the development of ethnic studies in Canada blossomed along ethnic, rather than racial lines. The Generations series includes the definitive study of Japanese Canadians, Toronto reporter Ken Adachi's The Enemy That Never Was, the excellent Buchignani et. al.'s Continuous Journey, and one of the best joint academic-community studies of Chinese in North America, Con et. al's From China to Canada. On debates about Canadian multiculturalism, see Jeffrey G. Reitz and Raymond Breton, The Illusion of Difference: Realities of Ethnicity in Canada and the United States (Toronto: C.D. Howe Institute, 1994); Peter S Li, Destination Canada, 134-135; Will Kymlicka, Finding Our Way: Rethinking Ethnocultural Relations in Canada (Toronto: Oxford, 1998), 15-24; Anthony B. Chan, Gold Mountain: The Chinese in the New World (Vancouver: New Star Books, 1983), 183; Martin Loney, "A Political Economy of Citizen Participation," in The Canadian State: Political Economy and Political Power, ed. Leo Panitch (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988), 456, cited in Chan, ibid; Neil Bissoondath, Selling Illusions: The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada (Toronto: Penguin, 2002); Richard Gwyn, Nationalism without Walls: the Unbearable Lightness of Being Canadian (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1996); Kay Anderson, Vancouver's Chinatown. | [29] Rasporich, "Ethnicity in Canadian Historical Writing," 152-178. The most notable set of community histories produced at this time was the Generations series, published by McClelland and Stewart under the auspices of Multiculturalism Canada, which resulted in a large number of monographs of varying quality about European and Asian immigrants in Canada. Many European ethnics had received little past attention under assimilation-oriented models of inquiry, so the development of ethnic studies in Canada blossomed along ethnic, rather than racial lines. The Generations series includes the definitive study of Japanese Canadians, Toronto reporter Ken Adachi's The Enemy That Never Was, the excellent Buchignani et. al.'s Continuous Journey, and one of the best joint academic-community studies of Chinese in North America, Con et. al's From China to Canada. On debates about Canadian multiculturalism, see Jeffrey G. Reitz and Raymond Breton, The Illusion of Difference: Realities of Ethnicity in Canada and the United States (Toronto: C.D. Howe Institute, 1994); Peter S Li, Destination Canada, 134-135; Will Kymlicka, Finding Our Way: Rethinking Ethnocultural Relations in Canada (Toronto: Oxford, 1998), 15-24; Anthony B. Chan, Gold Mountain: The Chinese in the New World (Vancouver: New Star Books, 1983), 183; Martin Loney, "A Political Economy of Citizen Participation," in The Canadian State: Political Economy and Political Power, ed. Leo Panitch (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988), 456, cited in Chan, ibid; Neil Bissoondath, Selling Illusions: The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada (Toronto: Penguin, 2002); Richard Gwyn, Nationalism without Walls: the Unbearable Lightness of Being Canadian (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1996); Kay Anderson, Vancouver's Chinatown. | ||
| Line 334: | Line 329: | ||
[30] Kymlicka, Finding Our Way, 78-80. | [30] Kymlicka, Finding Our Way, 78-80. | ||
[31] Lisa R. Mar, "The Asian Canadian Movement," article in progress, 2004. Anthony Chan, Gold Mountain, 187-197; Anthony Chan, "The Asianadian: History, Mission & Vision, Content Analysis," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/history.html, June 20, 2004; A. Chan, "The Asianadian: R&D, Product Line, Leadership and Organization," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/collective.html, June 20, 2004; A. Chan, "The Asianadian: Conceptual Framework, Research Question," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/research.html, June 20, 2004. | [31] Lisa R. Mar, "The Asian Canadian Movement," article in progress, 2004. Anthony Chan, Gold Mountain, 187-197; Anthony Chan, "''The Asianadian'': History, Mission & Vision, Content Analysis," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/history.html, June 20, 2004; A. Chan, "''The Asianadian'': R&D, Product Line, Leadership and Organization," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/collective.html, June 20, 2004; A. Chan, "''The Asianadian'': Conceptual Framework, Research Question," http://faculty.washington.edu/chanant/asianadian/addendum/research.html, June 20, 2004. | ||
[32] Victor Ujimoto, one of the Asian Canadian Symposium organizers, gave the reason for discontinuing the Asian Canadian Symposium as "lack of funds." Author's conversation with Asian Canadian Symposium organizer Victor Ujimoto, Association for Asian American Studies Conference, Toronto, Canada, March 21, 2001. | [32] Victor Ujimoto, one of the Asian Canadian Symposium organizers, gave the reason for discontinuing the Asian Canadian Symposium as "lack of funds." Author's conversation with Asian Canadian Symposium organizer Victor Ujimoto, Association for Asian American Studies Conference, Toronto, Canada, March 21, 2001. | ||
[33] With the lessening of the political ferment of the 1970s, Asian North American culture was no longer what it once was. A. Chan, "The Asianadian: History, Mission & Vision, Content Analysis"; Ng points out though that pan-Asian identities were however a minority position among Chinese in Vancouver. Wing Chung Ng, The Chinese in Vancouver, 1945-80 : the Pursuit of Identity and Power (Vancouver: UBC Press, 1999). | [33] With the lessening of the political ferment of the 1970s, Asian North American culture was no longer what it once was. A. Chan, "''The Asianadian'': History, Mission & Vision, Content Analysis"; Ng points out though that pan-Asian identities were however a minority position among Chinese in Vancouver. Wing Chung Ng, The Chinese in Vancouver, 1945-80 : the Pursuit of Identity and Power (Vancouver: UBC Press, 1999). | ||
[34] The recent feminist anthology, Sisters or Stangers?: Immigrant, Ethnic and Racialized Women in Canadian History edited by Epp, Iacovetta and Swyripa, gives an example of how Canadian ethnic history tends to integrate the study of Asians, Blacks and European immigrants within similar thematic queries. | [34] The recent feminist anthology, Sisters or Stangers?: Immigrant, Ethnic and Racialized Women in Canadian History edited by Epp, Iacovetta and Swyripa, gives an example of how Canadian ethnic history tends to integrate the study of Asians, Blacks and European immigrants within similar thematic queries. | ||
[35] Very recent books in English that address Asian Canadian and Asian American history together and the anthologies following have mainly | [35] Very recent books in English that address Asian Canadian and Asian American history together and the anthologies following have mainly U.S. content, Josephine Lee, Imogene Lim & Yuko Matsukawa, eds., Recollecting Early Asian America: Essays in Cultural History (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2002); Patricia Wong Hall and Victor M. Hwang, Anti-Asian Violence in North America: Asian American and Asian Canadian Reflections on Hate, Healing and Resistance (NY: Altamira Press, 2001). While cross-border inquiry is more common in literary studies, here too the number of comparative studies is small, despite the presence of a number of creative writing anthologies that encompass both countries. Eleanor Rose Ty, Asian North American Identities: Beyond the Hyphen (Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2004); Rocio G. Davis, Transcultural Reinventions: Asian American and Asian Canadian Short-Story Cycles (Toronto: TSAR Publications, 2001); Sunaira Maira, ed. Contours of the Heart: South Asians Map North America (Asian American Writers' Workshop, 1996); Terry Watada, ed. Collected Voices: An Anthology of Asian North American Periodical Writing (HpF Press, 1997); Walter K. Lew, Premonitions: The Kaya Anthology of New Asian North American Poetry. (NY: Kaya Productions, 1995); Cyril Dabydeen, Another Way to Dance: Contemporary Asian Poetry from Canada and the United States (Toronto: TSAR Publications, 1996). | ||
[36] For example, Kamala E. Nayar, The Sikh Diaspora in Vancouver: Three Generations Amidst Tradition, Modernity & Multiculturalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004); Ng, The Chinese in Vancouver; Tomoko Makabe, The Canadian Sansei (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1998). | [36] For example, Kamala E. Nayar, The Sikh Diaspora in Vancouver: Three Generations Amidst Tradition, Modernity & Multiculturalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004); Ng, The Chinese in Vancouver; Tomoko Makabe, The Canadian Sansei (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1998). | ||
Revision as of 17:40, 29 May 2015
Montreal The following coordinate was not recognized: Geocoding failed.The following coordinate was not recognized: Geocoding failed. Academic and Education Academia/Research Arts Media Politics and Law Group
Welcome to Wikis Ginger Garden 2015
Asian Canadian Wiki in collaboration with Simone de Beauvoir Presents Wiki’s Ginger Garden
Thurs. August 27, 2015, 5 -9 pm, free Simone de Beauvoir Institute, 2170 Bishop, Montréal
Wikis Ginger Garden is an intimate public potluck gathering to eat, drink, and talk about burning questions and projects in arts, education, and community and sharing and exchanging information and ideas. Ten presenters who identify themselves as Asians/ mixed race present their most recent works in 5 minutes that is followed by a Q & A of 5 minutes. The event includes open time for public announcements, questions, spontaneous presenters, and discussion.
Wiki’s Ginger Garden facilitates serendipity celebrating accidental discoveries and fortunate happenstance and where imaginations can be captured. Presentations are video documented with permission and contributed here. This website is a database of all things Asian Canadian. Advocating and advancing self representation, the Asian Canadian Wiki team is dedicated to working to end all forms of discrimination, including racism and stereotyping. Bring your plate, utensil, cup etc. to reduce waste.
Presenters
MC & Moderator, Kakim Goh, http://www.kakimgoh.com/
Emily Gan, http://www.emilygan.com/
Sam Lu, https://www.facebook.com/YellowNoiseMag?fref=ts
MC Kakim Goh-Visual Artist and Curator Born in Singapore; lives in Montreal Kakim Goh holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from Concordia University. As a visual artist who creates interdisciplinary painting, performance and video installations, Kakim has been exhibiting in Mexico and Quebec since 1993, most notably at MAI, the OBORO New Media Laboratory and la Maison de la Culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal. He is the Curator of the Visual Arts Program and Vice-President of the Board of Directors at Festival Accès Asie, an organization that promotes Asian arts, cultures and histories in Quebec and Canada.
Kakim Goh - Artiste visuel et commissaire Né à Singapore; vit à Montréal Kakim Goh détient un baccalauréat en arts visuels spécialisé en peinture et dessin de l'Université Concordia. En tant qu'artiste visuel qui crée des installations interdisciplinaires combinant peinture, vidéo et performances, Kakim expose ses œuvres au Mexique et au Québec depuis 1993, et plus spécifiquement au MAI, au Laboratoire des nouveaux médias OBORO ainsi qu’à la Maison de la culture du Plateau Mont-Royal. Il est le commissaire d'exposition du programme en arts visuels et vice-président du conseil d'administration du Festival Accès Asie, un organisme qui a pour but de promouvoir les arts, les histoires et les cultures d’Asie au Québec et au Canada. www.kakimgoh.com
Event Day Schedule
3 pm-set up room, check technical needs, computer, screen, projector, arrange tables, decorate, ensure entrance and exit are easily accessible, put up signs, volunteers are welcome
5-6 pm-welcome, visit, eat, drink
6-begin, MC intro
6:05-1st presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
6:15-2nd presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
6:25-3rd presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
6:35- 4th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
6:45- 5th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
6:55-6th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
7:05-MC-break, 20 mins.
7:25- MC, parking lot, spontaneous announcements
7:35- 7th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
7:45-8th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
7:55-9th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
8:05-10th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
8:10-11th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
8:20-12th presenter & 5 mins. Q&A
8:30 –MC, break, 20 mins.
8:50-MC, parking lots, spontaneous announcements, presenters, last words
9 pm-enjoy
9:30 pm-clean up
10 pm-clear out
Welcome to Ginger Garden 2014
Sponsor 2014
Mei Yuan Restaurant Add: 1425 Rue Mackay, Montreal QC H3G1R4
La version française suivra
Dear friends and curious ones, Ginger Garden 2014 is a potluck gathering to eat, drink, and talk about burning questions and projects in the arts, education and community building. Thirteen presenters, who identify themselves as 1st generation Asians/ mixed race in Canada, will present their most recent works. Each presentation will be followed by Q & A.
The intent of Ginger Garden is to create an intimate space for sharing information and exchanging ideas and to encourage self representations.
Date: Tues. August 19, 2014 Time : 5 -9 pm Place : Simone de Beauvoir Institute, 2170 Bishop, Montréal
You are encouraged to bring a plate, utensils, cup etc. to minimize the waste for the potluck of contributing and sharing food together. Ginger Garden as an event has replaced Chinese Tea Salon in Montréal.
To whet your curiosities, check out some of the presenters coming soon : http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org/w/Ginger_Garden
Feel free to contact us. See you at Ginger Garden!!
Cordially yours,
Ginger Garden Team team@asiancanadianwiki.org
La version française
Chers amis et curieux de nouveautés socioculturelles,
Bienvenue au Jardin de gingembre!
Le Jardin de gingembre est un collectif pour discuter de questions pressantes dans les domaines des arts, pour déguster de plats, pour boire, et aussi pour parler des projets d’éducation et de promotion d’activités communautaires. Treize conférenciers, qui s'identifient comme premières générations d’origines asiatiques ou de race mixte au Canada, présenteront leurs exposés. Chaque présentation sera suivie d’une séance de questions et réponses.
Le but du Jardin de gingembre est de créer un espace démocratique et ouvert pour le partage d'information, pour l’échange d'idées et pour encourager les innovations de façon indépendante.
Vous êtes invités à apporter un plat préparé, des ustensiles, des tasses, etc., afin de minimiser les déchets de ce repas collectif et pour contribuer à un partage de différents plats. L’évènement Jardin de gingembre a remplacé l’ancien évènement Salon de thé chinois de Montréal.
Date : le mardi 19 août 2014 Heure : de 17 h à 21 h Lieu : Institut Simone de Beauvoir, 2170, rue Bishop, Montréal.
Pour désaltérer votre soif de curiosité, veuillez consulter les biographies et quelques présentations des conférenciers au site web suivant http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org/w/Ginger_Garden
Pour toute autre question, n'hésitez pas à communiquer avec nous.
Bienvenue au Jardin de gingembre !
Cordialement,
L'équipe du Jardin de gingembre team@asiancanadianwiki.org
Sponsor 2014
Mei Yuan Restaurant Add: 1425 Rue Mackay, Montreal QC H3G1R4
Event Schedule
5 pm- greetings
5:30 pm-begin presentations, Tracy: moderator-5 mins.
5:35 pm- Shuibo Wang 6 mins.
5:41 pm-Q&A, 6 mins.
5:47 pm- Green Chinatown Montreal, Chao/Miaoyun
5:53 pm-Q&A
5:59 pm- Jie Wu
6:06 pm-Q&A
6:12 pm- Kiran Ambwani
6:18 pm-Q&A
6:36 pm- break-25 mins.
7:01 pm- Veena Gokhale
7:07 pm-Q&A
7: 13 pm- Xiao Dan He
7:19 pm-Q&A
7:25 pm- Sophie Gee
7:31 pm-Q&A
7:37 pm- break, 25 mins.
8 :02 pm- Satoshi Ikeda
8 :08 pm-Q&A
8 :13 pm- Mi Jeong Lee
8 :19 pm-Q&A
9:01 pm- break, open
9:30 pm-begin clean up
Presenters Descriptions and Bios
Tracy Zhang,Moderator
Tracy Zhang is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University. Her recent research examines international recruitment of Chinese acrobats. She is a member of Art Can Heal Montreal, a collective group of oncology patients and their loved ones, arts therapists, researchers affiliated with Cedars CanSupport.
Shuibo Wang
{{#widget:YouTube|id=0tyXTud3jtw}} Shuibo Wang is a Beijing/Montreal based artist and filmmaker, he is also a Guggenheim Fellow and Oscar nominee. He currently teaches at China Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Never Loose My Fist, is a feature documentary directed by Shuibo Wang, it tells the stories of a group of rebellions Punk Rock musicians from the industry city Wuhan in central China.
Kiran Ambwani
Passionate about people, their lifestyle, and the arts, Kiran Ambwani is a professional photographer of Indian origin, now based in Montreal. Kiran's creative vision captivates the editorial and advertising worlds, with a versatile portfolio ranging from portraits to products, lifestyle to landscapes and architecture to abstract images. Kiran freelances for various publications, advertising and press agencies, and non-profit groups. Specializing in portraiture and editorial photography, Kiran's photographs have been published in Vogue, Geo Plein Air, MindFood (Australia), Travesias (Mexico), US Airways, IB World (UK), Le Devoir, Journal Alternatives, Metro, Mirror, and The Bombay Times (India). Kiran's images reflect a sensitivity shaped by her background in anthropology and environmental science and her numerous travels. Driven by a curiosity for the problematics encountered by marginalised populations, Kiran has explored, among others, the lives of Tibetan monks in exile, the survivors of child trafficking in Mumbai, the inhabitants of Asia's largest slum Dharavi, and the indigenous women of Nepal. She has collaborated on several humanitarian projects with NGOs in Canada, India, and Nepal. Apart from commercial work, Kiran has held several group and solo exhibitions of her personal work in Canada and abroad. Kiran is a graduate of McGill University and the Dawson Institute of Photography in Montreal.
Kiran is currently working on 'Objets Cheris'. A public art project, it aims at bringing art and life to the otherwise dull and impersonal walls of the oncology departments in Montreal's wellness facilities. Initiated at Montreal's Notre-Dame Hospital, this installation seeks to inspire people by showcasing patients who have found the inner strength to face the challenges of the disease by engaging in various hobbies and activities. Art is known to have potent therapeutic effects, therefore there is need for art in places of healing. Furthermore, engaging patients in the artistic process can have positive mental health benefits and help them to feel more connected with the hospital and broader community. Creating art encourages vision, hope and imagination, all of which nurture the healing process.
Xiaodan He
{{#widget:YouTube|id=jYyZ25b2L88}} Xiaodan He, born in 1975, has studied film production at the Beijing Film Academy in China from 1993 to 1997. In 2002, Xiaodan directed her first film, The Dance of The Star. In the same year, she moved to Montreal. In 2006, her first short film: Cairo Calling, has screenings in over 50 festivals around the world. In 2009, her documentary The Fall of Womenland is distributed in the TV of Canada and the other countries. Xiaodan is working on her first feature film, Pear Tree Blossoms.
Pear Tree Blossoms is a feature film of co-production between Canada and China. Li Fang, a Chinese immigrant has been living in Montreal for 10 years. Physically infertile and her violent separation from Eric, her québécois husband, has pushed her to the brink of despair. Escaping the chaos in Montreal, Li Fang travels to her birthplace and visits her grandfather in Dazu, a small district in south China. There, she hides the troubles she left behind but suffers from the sorrow and hate she keeps for her old love. The calmness of her granddad, the support of her childhood friends and being witness to their own problems and sufferings, helps her break the impasse in her life.
Jie Wu
Jie is doing his program of Master in Film Studies at the University of Montreal. His thesis work focuses on the impact of technological innovations on the film industry.
Veena Gokhale
{{#widget:YouTube|id=_8a_M6NNJV0}} Journalist, fiction writer, communications coordinator, project manager and educator. Worked in South Asia, Canada and Tanzania. Created issue-based, illustrated storybooks and developed and delivered workshops on “Using stories for social change.” Looking to build a professional team to apply the stories for social change concept in practice. http://www.veenago.com
My topic is called Using Stories for Social Change. I am going to talk about my own experience in this realm, it's going to be quite informal, and then ask people who may be interested in being on a team to take my project forward, to connect with me. Typically I'm looking for people with experience in video, film, radio, comic books and graphic novels, those who work in online or video games as also people who have started communications businesses. (But it could be others who are just inspired by my project and have some relevant skills.)
Sophie Gee
Sophie Gee is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Directing Programme. Born and raised in Alberta, Sophie spent many years in London, UK before relocating to Montreal where she presents creations under the name Nervous Hunter. Works include The Phaedra Project (No! I! Don't! Want! To! Fall! in! Love! With! You!) (MAI, Montreal), I Am Such a Small Container for All This (SEAS Festival, Iceland), Domestik (Eastern Bloc, Montreal), and Estate (Festival Occupe Bain St Michel). www.nervoushunter.com
Sophie is currently working on an adaptation of a play looking the effects a factory collapse has on a Chinese-Canadian family. This bilingual (English/Mandarin) play will be workshopped in Toronto late August/September under the guidance of Governor-General nominated playwright David Yee of Fugen Theatre Company.
Satoshi Ikeda
{{#widget:YouTube|id=TNqTs4QXuQM}} Satoshi Ikeda teaches sociology at Concordia University. Aside from his academic activities, he engages in community development initiatives on campus and in the community. The projects he has been involved include Green Chinatown Montreal, Concordia Food Coalition (Hive Café, Burritoville, Rooftop Garden, etc.), and Transitions NDG. His wants to create alternatives to the corporate economy through the promotion of social economy based on giving, sharing, and reciprocal exchange.
This presentation reflects on personal transformation from an academician to a community activist and artist. Following the images of a journey, the presentation traces major turns in his life that led to the current state. It will conclude with the works of art he is currently engaging in.
Miaoyun Zhou
Miaoyun Zhou is graduated from Concordia University, major in Urban Studies. Miaoyun loves traveling, photography and everything related to food. She joined in this amazing project Green Chinatown Montreal in 2013 and she helped to introduce fresh locally grown vegetables delivery service to senior residences first time in Chinatown. Now she is learning interior design at LaSalle College and she would like to combine the idea of urban agriculture into her design process in future.
Chao Zeng
{{#widget:YouTube|id=4JA4PP54V04}} Chao Zeng is a recent graduate from civil engineering of Concordia University. He was born in China and had studied at Concordia as an international student. He is interested in the urban agriculture and sustainable engineering design. He was a volunteer of Sustainable Concordia and Habitat for Humanity (Montreal, Quebec), and had joined many conferences and workshops about green engineering and food justice. He is a member of “Green Chinatown Montreal” garden. Green Chinatown Montreal garden existing for 4 years has been to create a community environment by exploring and developing urban gardening in Chinatown with locally alternative food culture.
Mi-jeong Lee
Mi-jeong Lee is an independent filmmaker, writer, video artist, and curator. She was born in Seoul, South Korea and began her professional career as a journalist from 1984, then her interest shifted onto arts and became a practitioner in arts since her migration to Montreal in 1991. She is currently completing her Ph.D research-creation in the department of Études et Pratiques des Arts at Université de Québec à Montréal and a member of Senselab - a laboratory for thought in motion - that is affiliated with Concordia University, where she works as an Asian cinema consultant. Her Korean-language novelization of the Luc Besson's film "Le Grand Bleu" was published in 1993 in Korea. Lee opened up her knowledge of world cinema by watching films and meeting Asian filmmakers at various international film festivals. Her first film script project, Naked Fish, was award to receive a script development funding from National Film Board of Canada in 1995 as a foreign student. This proposition influenced her to reside in Montreal and began filmmaking. Her independent film works are "I Am the Park", "Façcades", "Underground", "Breathe", as well as the video installation piece "Turn Around." Living in Canada as an Asian, she became intricately interest in the issues of Asian culture and identity, which resulted in her founding of Asian film-related festivals and activities since twenty years ago, as well as a non-profit organization: Ciné-Asie (www.cine-asie.ca), AmérAsia Asian Film Festival (www.amerasiafestival.com), Korean Film Festival (www.koreanfilm.ca), and production/distribution company CINEASIE Creatives (www.cineasiecreatives.com).
Subject of the presentation: I raise a question very often to myself, "Why am I struggling to keep on the 4th edition of AmérAsia Montreal Film Festival as a filmmaker? My presentation will be about my ongoing problem as an art practitioner.
Chinese Tea Salon in Montreal 2013
This event is a special occasion with a visiting professor at Concordia, Olive/Li Hui, who teaches in China about Chinese Canadian writers and exciting post doc pre doc and interested Chinese Montrealers working on engaging subjects. Some of the presenters are: Tracy Zhang, Alice Jim, Alan Wong, Cheryl Sim, Chen Fang, Joanne Hui, Parker Mah and Leslie Cheung.
Anyone can take the floor as an impromptu 5 mins. presentation. This gathering is inspired from tea house in China, (茶館, cháguăn or 茶屋, cháwū), traditionally similar to the American cafe but centred on tea and to chat, eat and socialize. As a potluck where each contributes a dish or refreshments to share collectively, please also bring your own plate, utensils, cup etc. to minimalize any waste.
You are most welcome to present for 5 mins. on your doc post doc or interests. Please contact us. Presenter descriptions and video presentations will be available on: http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org/w/Chinese_Tea_Salon_in_Montreal
Event Date: Wed. July 24, 2013 Time: 5-9 pm Place: Simone de Beauvoir Institute, 2170 Bishop
See you soon!!
Cordially yours,
Tea Salon team and "Asian Canadian Wiki" <asiancanadianwiki@gmail.com>,
This Montreal tea salon was inspired by the many tea houses by Mary Wong. http://www.asiancanadianwiki.org/w/Mary_Sui_Yee_Wong
Event Schedule
5 pm- sharing potluck meal and chatting
6 pm- presenters: Olive, Alice (no video), Tracy, Alan, Cheryl, Leslie (5 mins. presentation + 5 mins. Q&A x 6 presenters = 60 mins.)
7 pm-break
7: 20 presenters: Parker, Fang, Joanne (no video), Rajee (no video) (5 mins. presentation + 5 mins. Q&A x 5 presenters = 50 mins. + one impromptu presenter @ 10 mins.
8:20 pm-break
8:40 pm-2 impromptu presenters & Q&A = 20 mins.
9 pm-break
Presenters Descriptions and Bios
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Olive Li Hui
Associate Professor, The Canadian Studies Center, College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Sichuan University Chinese Canadian Women Writers
Ever since the emergence of the Chinese Canadian literature more than 100 years ago, the Chinese Canadian women writers have been writing actively about their unique living experiences and spiritual quest. My research is about the major Chinese Canadian women writers to highlight their contributions not only to the Chinese Canadian literature but also to the Chinese Canadians’ history.
File:A CV from Olive.pdf
File:Chinese Canadian Women Writers.pdf
Alice Ming Wai Jim, Moderator
Performing Asian/Americas To think of Asian/Americas is to question how diasporic identities can be rendered beyond nation-state, global north, third and first world paradigms, and divisive dichotomies, I.e. East/West, North/South. I will present our call for workgroup participants in upcoming Encuentro in Montreal organized by NYU’s Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics and Concordia University, June 2014.
Alice Ming Wai Jim is Associate Professor of Contemporary Art at Concordia University, Montreal. Recent publications and exhibitions include ‘How to Occupy Retreat: dOCUMENTA (13) from Kassel to Banff’ in the Journal of Curatorial Studies and ‘Yam Lau: A World is a Model of a World’ at the Darling Foundry.
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Tracy Zhang
Tracy Zhang is a post-doctoral fellow in the department of Geography, Planning, and Environment at Concordia University and holds a doctorate in Communication Studies from Simon Fraser University. Most of her research explores the changing experiences of life and work in the cultural industries. The objective of her on-going research project is two-fold. First she examines the modern history of acrobatics in the People's Republic of China. Second, she investigates Cirque du Soleil’s recruitment strategies in the case of Chinese acrobats, including the implications of that strategy for the Montreal cultural sector and institutions.
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Alan Wong
My research focuses on activists in Montreal whose bodies are marked by the intersections of sexuality, race, ethnicity, colonization, gender, and class, paying particular attention to their deployments of subjectivity in seeking ways to belong and, consequently, perform their activisms in the face of the discursive violence enacted upon them. Alan Wong
Alan Wong is a teacher in the English department at Vanier College. He recently celebrated the successful defense of his dissertation and will receive his PhD this fall. His research interests include race, sexuality, activism, and community-based performance. He is also a community organizer in Montreal.
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Cheryl Sim
The Fitting Room: Canadian women of Chinese Heritage and the Cheongsam This research-creation PhD explores the relationship between the cheongsam and Canadian women of Chinese heritage born between 1965 and 1985. The final project will be an installation that responds to two inter-related questions; what are the current attitudes, ideas and wearing practices of the cheongsam and how can the richness of these responses be presented as an installation?
Cheryl Sim is Curator of research-creation projects at the Phi Centre as well as Associate Curator at DHC/ART Foundation for Contemporary Art. She is currently a PhD candidate in the études et pratiques des arts program at UQÀM. In a parallel life she is a
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Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology at McGill University, with previous degrees in Public Policy and Social Work. Her dissertation looks at the intersection of race and language in the negotiation of competing host identities among second-generation immigrants in the Quebec context. She is currently doing her fieldwork in Montreal, seeking to interview second-generation youth (born in Quebec or arrived in Quebec before the age of 5, with at least one immigrant parent) between the ages of 18 and 35 from Filipino, Vietnamese, Anglo-Caribbean, and Haitian backgrounds.
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Parker Mah
Parker will briefly present the feature-length film Être Chinois au Québec (Being Chinese in Quebec), a documentary presenting the young generation of Chinese in Quebec through reflections and interviews on issues of identity, integration and the impacts of discriminatory policies such as the Chinese head tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada.
Parker Mah was born in Vancouver in the year of the Rooster. A trained jazz pianist, he also counts photography and multimedia installations among his creative endeavors. His artistic involvement in the Asian community began with the New Voices Project, aimed at promoting the distinct cultural identity of the new generation of young Asian-Canadians. He is now based in Montreal and recently participated in a feature-length documentary exploring the identity of young Chinese-Quebecers.
Parker Mah est né à Vancouver durant l'année du coq. Formé comme pianiste de jazz, il compte également la photographie et les installations multimédias parmi les cordes à son arc créatif. Son engagement artistique dans la communauté asiatique a commencé avec le projet Nouvelles Voix, qui visait à promouvoir l'identité culturelle distincte d'une nouvelle génération de jeunes Asiatiques canadiens. Il vit maintenant à Montréal et a participé récemment à la production d'un documentaire long-métrage sur l'identité des jeunes Sino-québécois.
http://www.eyedea.ca
http://twitter.com/thought_cast
Joanne Joe Yan Hui
Thesis Title: Fluid Terrains: Mobile Subjectivity in the Graphic Narrative Travelogue
Joanne Hui is an artist and doctoral student in the Humanities PhD Program at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture at Concordia University. Her research investigates concepts of identity in comic art, particularly how graphic arts addresses culturally-specific and historical conditions of migration and immigration.
Research Interests
Comic Art and the Graphic Novel Travelogue
Ethnocultural Art History
Asian North American Literature
Post-Colonial, Diasporic and Transnational Studies
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André Ho
André Ho is currently a master student in social work at UQAM. Since the last 15 years, he helps and is involved among organizations helping people with (mental and social) problems. His interests are in mental health, inter-cultural issues and contributions to the communities. For his master project, he will produce a documentary called Banane et bambou about how immigrants from China build their identity. One of the goal of his project is to study identity-related issues in a highly diversified and complex social context. The beginning of his project will be in October 2013. If you are interested to be part of the project, email him at : andre.ho82@gmail.com.
Rajee Paña Jeji Shergill
Rajee Paña Jeji Shergill is an interdisciplinary artist and current Master’s student in Art History at Concordia University. Her thesis examines artworks that engage with family accounts of trauma and personal memories related to the Partition of the Indian subcontinent. She is interested in transgenerational transmission as a key interpretative lens and investigative focus within the study of historical trauma associated with the Partition.
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kimura byol-nathalie lemoine
kimura byol-nathalie lemoine (a.k.a kimura byol) is a multimedia artist and curator, born in korea (south), raised in belgium, and immigrated to canada. "zer" visual work was exhibited solo and in group (seoul, tokyo, kyoto, hong-kong, taipei, berlin, brussels, lille, grenoble, montreal, vancouver, los angeles, new york). her poems, essay and critics have been published in the u.s., south korea and Japan. her videos were screened in korea, japan, hong-kong, tunisia, belgium, france, canada and the u.s. kimura works on diasporic identity, question gender and play with words. kimura believes in social justice and therefore dosn't like capital letters.http://starkimproject.com
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Henry Tsang
Henry Tsang is a visual and media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally. His projects incorporate digital media, video, photography, language and sculptural elements in the exploration of the relationship between the public, community and identity through global flows of people, culture and capital. Examples include video installations Orange County, 2004, and Olympus, 2006, shot in California, Beijing, Torino and Vancouver, demonstrating a complex understanding of overlapping urban and socio-political spaces; Napa North, 2008, exploring the relationship between wine, real estate and cultural translation in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley; and the Maraya project, with M. Simon Levin and Glen Lowry, that investigates the uncanny similarities between Vancouver’s False Creek and the Dubai Marina in the United Arab Emirates. His public artwork, Welcome to the Land of Light, is a 100 metre-long installation located on the seawall handrail along Vancouver’s False Creek. Comprised of fibre optic cable lighting and marine-grade aluminum lettering, it literally underscores Chinook Jargon, a 19th Century local trade language, and the English that replaced it, to speak about the promise of technology and how different cultures have come to live together in that part of the world.
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Day’s Lee
Day’s Lee is the author of the children’s picture book, "The Fragrant Garden," which was named “Our Choice” by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre in 2007. Her latest book is a young adult novel entitled "Guitar Hero." Her short stories which have appeared in anthologies including "The Ladies Killing Circle," have been nominated for the Arthur Ellis award for the Best Mystery Short Story of the Year, won honourable mention in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s short story contest, and placed third in Storyteller Magazine’s annual short story contest.
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