Ten Thousand Things
Multicultural Webfinds

"Ten Thousand Things" is a Buddhist expression representing the dynamic interconnection and simultaneous unity and diversity of everything in the universe.

"The Chan Legacy" – Todd Wong's Vancouver Chinese-First Nations-European-Canadian Family Featured on CBC August 19 (RESCHEDULED)


From Vancouver, intercultural activist Todd Wong describes "The Chan Legacy,"a CBC special featuring the stories of his Chinese-European-First Nations Canadian family.


"Hello Friends, historians and cultural associates:

"How Canadian is a 7 generation family that fought in WW2, but couldn't vote in provincial and federal elections until 1947?

"How Canadian is a family that contains 2 Miss Canada contestants, a First Nations Band Chief and paid the Chinese head tax?

"How often does a family get to tell their story in a national television series?

"My maternal family – descended from Rev. Chan Yu Tan – is featured in the lead episode for the new CBC Newsworld series Generations

"With film clips from WW2,  Nanaimo Chinatown in the 1800's,Vancouver's 1936 Golden Jubilee celebrations, Vancouver Chinatown in the 1950's, Douglas Jung,  CBC The National with Peter Mansbridge, and the 2004 CBC Vancouver "Gung Haggis Fat Choy" television performance special – This documentary covers some of the history of Chinese Canadians in Vancouver and BC. 

"And look for a feature with Joy Kogawa, and archival news reel footage of me with Betty Fox and Rick Hansen at a Terry Fox Run press conference.

"As my multi-generational Caucasian-Canadian girlfriend says - "It's like any Canadian family - this one just happens to have gone through anti-Asian racism, the head-tax, and couldn't vote until 1947."

Cheers, Todd Wong
5th Generation Rev. Chan descendant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Generations is a 6 part series and the lead installment is The Chan Legacy – which is about my great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, and our family descendants who are committed to community service – like me! The episodes of the series are:

The Chan Legacy
The Blairs of Quebec
The McCurdy Birthright
The Crowfoot Dynasty
100 Years in Alberta
100 Years in Saskatchewan

"Watch The Chan Legacy on CBC Newsworld
July 4, 10 pm ET/PT, July 8, 10 am ET/PT, August19, 7 pm ET

"Producer Halya Kuchmij is very proud of her work, and that we are the first in the series. It must be a very strong, emotional, educational documentary. I have been an adviser and witness to many of the interviews, as well as some of the script. I have to say it made me very proud of our family, and the show is very emotionally touching.

"Many family members were interviewed:

• Victor Wong, grand-son, WW2 veteran and Victoria resident who visited his grandparents in Nanaimo BC.
• Helen Lee, grand-daughter, who lived with Rev. & Mrs. Chan Yu Tan in Nanaimo.
• Gary Lee, great-grandson who tells about some of the challenges overcome by the family.
• Janice Wong, great-grand-daughter, and award winning author of CHOW: From China to Canada, memories of food and family.
• Rhonda Larrabee, great-grand-daughter, and chief of the First Nations Qayqayt (New Westminster) Band, featured in the NFB film "Tribe of One."
• Todd Wong, great-great-grandson, community and cultural activist, creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.
• Tracey Hinder, 5th generation high school student who was the inaugural Vancouver CanSpell champion and went on to compete in Ottawa and Washington DC. Tracey is a member of her school's "multicultural club."

"Rev. Chan Yu Tan came to Canada in 1896, following his elder brother Rev. Chan Sing Kai who had earlier arrived in 1888 at the invitation of the Methodist Church of Canada.  These two brothers were later followed by sisters Phoebe in 1899, and Naomi who later moved to Chicago.  Throughout seven generations, the family has spread throughout Canada and the United States.  The Rev. Chan Yu Tan Family was featured in the photographic exhibition "Three Early Chinese Canadian Pioneer Families." 

"Read my blog entries about Rev. Chan Legacy Project which includes stories during the making of the documentary and events for Janice Wong's award-winning book C H O W: From China to Canada memories of food and family.

http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/RevChanLegacyProject
http://c-h-o-w.blogspot.com/

"Please tell all your friends and relatives about this upcoming documentary, very informative about the history of Chinese-Canadians, and the legacy they have built in Canada.

Check out the CBC Generations home page:
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/generations/

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