June 2010 Archives
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Ring in Canada Day in Style | HEARTBEAT: U-Tern & Niña Mendoza at Shine Nightclub
By Kwaku Adu-Poku
Canada Day is upon us once again, which means its time to kick back, relax, and appreciate everything that this fine country has to offer. For anyone looking to ring in Canada's 143rd birthday in style, this Friday, July 2nd, marks the 2nd annual Get Up Get Down Canada Day BBQ Jam at Shine Nightclub. While the main room is gettin' up to the jams of resident Djs Seko, Arems, MC Freeky P & Friends, the back room will be gettin' down with Niña Mendoza and U-Tern. Both highly respected and talented individuals, Niña and U-tern will keep the fly beats coming all night long. If West is East was any indication, you already know Niña will show you a good time.
So while Chef Tanner delights your appetite with some of the tastiest (not to mention free) food you've ever had out on the street, Niña and co will feed your soul all night long in the club. Come down to Shine this Friday, July 2nd, sometime after 10pm, and feel free to stay until 3am when the club shuts down because this party WILL be that good. Good music and good food, what more could you ask for? Perfect way to kick off the long weekend.
In the meantime, check out some free mp3 downloads below for just a taste of what you are in for this weekend. See you there!
* The Dream x Kris Menace - Walking on Lightning (U-Tern Blend)
http://soundcloud.com/u-tern/kris-menace-the-dream-walking-on-lightning-u-tern-blend/download
* Kelis - Trilogy (U-Tern Synth Rock Remix)
http://soundcloud.com/u-tern/kelis-trilogy-u-tern-remix/download
* Body Work, Volume 1
Various Boogie, Disco, Electro & other funky old-school tracks.
http://soundcloud.com/u-tern/body-work-volume-1/download
* The Purple Mix (All Prince Mix)
'1h40m of my favorite Prince songs, unreleased tracks, demos, alternate versions, related songs and the HITS!'
http://soundcloud.com/u-tern/odl-15-purplemix/download
* Niña Mendoza - Sleep Over Party
Fun, 80's Pop Mix - Miss Jackson, Whitney, Cyndi, Bananarama, Debbie Gibson, The Jets, Tiffany, Madonna, Deniece Williams & more.
http://soundcloud.com/ninamendoza/aritziapresents-sleepoverparty/download
Tags: Advertisement, Event, Music
Redress Remix: A Multi-Media Documentary
By Justin Ko
For all of its lingering controversy and ambiguities, the formal apology issued by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2006 regarding past governmental discriminatory acts against the Chinese people seemed to finally put the issue of such injustices to rest. As the fourth anniversary of the apology passed on June 22nd, it was a relatively quiet affair, lacking in the gravity and emotion that the day of the initial apology conveyed. Chinese Canadians, after all, have long played an integral role in Canadian society, and possess a major presence along the West Coast and the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia in particular.
Indeed, many contemporary Chinese families immigrated to Canada after 1967, when much of the discriminatory legislation against the Chinese had already been withdrawn. Outside of history books, the days of the Chinese Exclusion Act seem distant and detached. It would be fair to say that the horror stories of a century of governmental abuse and racist policies have been left behind. But as Bill Chu of the Chinese for Reconciliation Society notes, "despite the 2006 apology," the endeavor to heal past wrongs against the Chinese is "an unfinished task." It is Chu's belief and the belief of his Society that "Canadians must see reconciliation as a continuum and not a past event, even when it might be as momentous as the 2006 apology."
Clearly, there are many Chinese Canadians today like Chu who continue to feel as though there is not enough being said or published regarding the aftermath of the redress movement. And so, to help commemorate and maintain the progress began in 2006, the Mandarin version of the documentary Redress Remix was broadcast on OMNI TV across Canada on June 22nd. In an attempt to shed some more light on the issue of past racism against the Chinese long after news agencies had moved on to other topics, the Redress Remix project interviewed many national key players in the redress movement a few years after the formal apology, gaining invaluable insight and perspective on the work that as Chu alluded is still unfinished and largely incomplete. The documentary was accompanied by an online segment, which enabled viewers and participants to engage in the dialogue and debate.
Demonstrating the support that the project had from the Canadian community, the documentary constituted a multi-million dollar collaborative effort, with support from Canada, Omni Television, Bell New Media Fund, and Stitch Media, among other companies. And Redress Remix is not solely concerned about illuminating past transgressions from the government and the controversial nature of the 2006 apology; Chu states that the project is also aiming to discuss "the road ahead, particularly for a new generation of Canadians....Both of these efforts will help Chinese Canadians to rediscover their identity in a province where their history remains unacknowledged."
Redress Remix from Stitch Media on Vimeo.
Posted by Justin Ko | June 30, 2010 | Comments (0)
Tags: Asian Canadian, Film
Wondergirls are not "Nobody" in Vancouver.
By Michelle Pham
The Wondergirls have been making a surge throughout the North American music market. These South Korean girls have been named by People Magazine as one of the "leading Asian pop stars to cross over to the states."
Since they began touring with the Jonas Brothers in 2008, the catchy tunes of these five adorable ladies have been virally spreading throughout the world. YouTube is overflowing with homemade fan videos of the Wondergirls' dance moves for their hit single, "Nobody." With three hit singles in Asia, the Wondergirls are a household name for Asian teenagers. The sensational South Korean teenage girl group are coming back to Vancouver due to popular demand on June 29th for a performance at the Vogue Theatre.
For those less familiar with the Wondergirls&mdashthe five girls that make up the group are : SunYe, YeEun, SoHee, YuBin and HyeLim.The girls are signed under JYP entertainment and are another phenomenon that the South Korean company have produced.
Watch a recent interview with the Wondergirls on GOOM radio during their US tour.
Posted by Michelle Pham | June 28, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Asian, Culture, daily dose, Dance, Diversity, International, Most Popular, Music, People to Watch, pop culture
Tributaries: Reflections of Aiko Suzuki | June 30 - August 28
By Joy Inae Kim
A feminist, leader and educator in the arts until her death in 2005, Aiko Suzuki was a remarkable Vancouver-born visual artist of national significance. In honour of her and her work, the Powell Street Festival, the Deux Mille Foundation, and The Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation will pay tribute with Tributaries: Reflections of Aiko Suzuki.
Opening Reception
Wednesday, June 29, 2010
7:00-9:00pm (Talk: 7:30) |
National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre|
6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby
Tributaries Exhibition
Wednesday, June 30 - Saturday, August 28
7:00-9:00pm | National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre|
6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby
Special Speaker: Cindy Mochizuki
Thursday, August 19
7:00pm | National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre|
6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby
Aiko Suzuki (October 22, 1937-December 31, 2005) was originally born in Vancouver, and later was interned with her family in the Slocan region and then moved to Ontario. Aiko was a prolific artist who worked in a wide variety of media, ranging from textiles, to spray paint, to acrylic and oils, and monoprints. Her work extended beyond the canvas to include monumental sculptural fibre works, dance sets and smaller multimedia works.
In 1994, Aiko founded the Gendai Gallery at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto, a non-profit public art gallery dedicated to the promotion of excellence in contemporary art and design. For 25 years, she was a mentor to many artists, and was involved in arts education with countless students throughout Toronto. She received numerous awards for her contributions, and in 2005, she was elected to membership in the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
This exhibition will feature the life and some original works by Suzuki. In addition, there will be three multimedia installations in her honor. Each installation was created by artists who have been inspired by Suzuki, including: author Joy Kogawa, uprising composer Ann Southam, and visual artist Grace Channer. These works were in collaboration with Toronto filmmaker Midi Onodera.
Midi Onodera is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker who has been directing, producing and writing films for over twenty years. She has over twenty-five independent short films to her credit as well as a theatrical feature film and several video shorts. Midi's films have been critically recognized and included in numerous exhibitions and screenings internationally, such as the International Festival of Documentary and Short Films, Bilbao, Spain, the Berlin International Film Festival; and Toronto International Film Festival.
If you get the chance, please take a moment to be inspired, and pay tribute to this prolific artist of our generation.
For more info: Japanese Canadian National
Museum
Tags: Art, Asian, Event, Japanese Canadian, Tribute
OurTube #23 | Centre A | June 30, 2010
By Joy Inae Kim
It's a night of Art, Film, and Japanese History that you don't want to miss! This WEDNESDAY, June 30, Center A will be presenting their 23rd OurTube with two provocative Japanese films: YAMA-ATTACK TO ATTACK and Shinjyuku Street TV for their very first Canadian screenings! (And yes, there are English Subtitles).
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
7:00-10:00pm | Centre A |
2 West Hastings, Vancouver, B.C.
Admission: Free
Yes. It's FREE. Lucky you! Here's what you should expect:
Jun Oenoki, a media artist and the Artist in residency in Centre A will provide an introduction and a talk. Although Oenoki's base is in Tokyo, he was born in Saga, Japan and is currently residing in Vancouver, BC. He is a graduate from the Department of Human Relations, Wako University (Tokyo) and an Associate Professor at Tokyo Keizai University. Recently, Oenoki has also organized a Skype & Streaming event with Yokohama at the occasion of World Tea Party in March 2010 at Centre A. Also, as a member of free radio station Radio Home Run, FIU (Free International University), and Art Against the Occupation, Oenoki's talk promises to be engaging.
So what are these films all about?
YAMA-ATTACK TO ATTACK (Japan/ 1985/ 110 min)
This extremely powerful film documents the lives and struggles of Japan's day-workers' in the ghetto (Sanya). This film was directed by Mitsuo Sato who was assasinated by right wing Mafia soon after he had started filming in December 1984. The film was turned over to Kyoichi Yamaoka after Sato's death, and completed a year later; however, Yamaoka was also shot to death in 1985.
Shinjyuku Street TV (Japan/ 1995/ 20 min)
This documentary captures a local TV program run from 1994 to 1998 at the Homeless Village located at the underground of Nishi-Shinjyuku station in Tokyo. All actors and actresses were village residents and volunteers. By using a parody drama style, the program provided important information for their survival. These films not only reveal the hidden underground life of day-workers and the homeless in Tokyo, but also the dynamic power of film media reflecting the very reality of society.
As a play on YouTube, OurTube is Centre A's monthly screening and talk at their lounge space on the last Wednesday night of every month after gallery hours. So if you can't make it this time- in which we really hope that isn't the case - keep your eyes open for the next event! Don't say we didn't tell you! See you there!
For More Information visit: Center A
Posted by Joy | June 28, 2010 | Comments (1)
Tags: Art, Community, Documentary, Event, Film, Japan, Vancouver
That's a Wrap! | iWriteAboutMe & ChannelAPA | Steve Nguyen & Kevin Hsieh
By Schema Mag
We at Schema would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Steve Nguyen and Kevin Hsieh of ChannelAPA for speaking at our final iWriteAboutMe workshop for the summer! Taking place at the Museum of Vancouver (MOV), the night was an intimate conversation with Kevin and Steve, two of the masterminds behind the entertainment powerhouse that is ChannelAPA. The guys spoke on the state of Asian Americans in the entertainment industry, and strategies for connecting trans-nationally for a united blogging effort. Steve and Kevin had so much to say, and we were all listening on baited breath. It was the perfect way to finish off our sixth installment of iWriteAboutMe workshops.
We'd like to take this time out to thank our continued sponsors and partners in crime, MOV, NAAAP Vancouver, The Tyee, Fresh Media, The Laurier Institution and Bing Thom Architects. You've all been there since the beginning, and have been integral in making iWriteAboutMe the huge success that it has become.
Also, thank you again to everyone who has come out to the workshops, past and present, because we do this for you as much as for ourselves. Your insightful questions are part of what makes this such a rewarding experience for us all.
For those of you who couldn't make it out, don't worry, we'll be back with another series of workshops in the fall, featuring a brand new line up of exciting and talented individuals from the blogging community.
Be sure to check out ChannelAPA as they take the world by storm!
See you in the fall!
Tags: Channel APA, iWriteAboutMe
Jun 25 | FRESH OFF THE BOAT COMEDY JAM | An EXCLUSIVE Interview with FOB ALLSTARS
By Matthew Tsang
Yep, it's a Friday night. There's absolutely no doubt you can spend it getting drunk with your friends and hitting up a club only to go home with memories you can only remember through photos on your camera phone. Sure, you could do that...OR you could spend the majority of your night laughing rather than puking by heading down to the FRANKLIN ROOM to see some of Vancouver's greatest comedic talents. Join DJ Ziatix and the talented Filipino comedy sketch team of David Dimapilis, VJ Delos-Reyes, and Christopher Casillan for a night of improv, sketches, and digital shorts! Partial proceeds are going to the Bulancan Community Project. So come on down, support a good cause...and laugh while you're at it.
All the rest of the event information can be found here.
*EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW*
I had the opportunity to ask the talented Filipino crew some questions - here are some of the highlights:
How did Fresh off the Boat Comedy Jam start?
We had been talking about doing a collaboration for a few years but it was difficult for all three of us to do it especially since Chris was working out of town. VJ and I (Dave) performed together regularly with "Sketch" comedy groups. Last year, we finally were asked to do a show at chapel arts for a festival. We had so much fun we decided to do more of them.
Where did each of you grow up and what is your definition of "home"?
Chris: Richmond
VJ: Toronto
Dave: North Van
Home is where you sh*t.
Who/What inspires your sketches?
We just sit and talk about what we think is funny and something always comes out.
What separates you guys from other comedy shows?
We are multi-talented comedians. We can all sing and dance and improv is our specialty. We think of ourselves as a bunch of talented peeps who happen to be Filipino.
How much does your culture and ethnicity affect your sketches?
We love to hit up on our culture. We poke fun at our sad attempts to hide our culture from our white friends in highschool. We also want to give Filipinos an identity in mainstream media. We want to be cast as a Filipinos who aren't janitors with an accent.
Anything else you guys want to add?
Watch the show. Check out our sketches on Youtube. Spread the word!
Tags: Comedy
NEW on Indepth's BWAYRF: Tahira Ebrahim
By Schema Magazine InDepth
This week's But Where Are You Really From? story features Tahira Ebrahim, with an insightful and honest look at "the dance" of casual acquaintances discerning heritage and identification, and how they relate to factors beyond outward appearance and the geographical history of the family tree.
Read the full article in Schema Magazine Indepth.
Posted by Christina J. | June 24, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags:
iWriteAboutMe.com: Channel APA's Steve Nguyen & Kevin Hsieh | June 24, 2010
By Schema Magazine's iWriteAboutMe.com
Mark your calenders folks! The time for our next iWriteAboutMe.com workshop has finally arrived. Once again, Schema Magazine and Museum of Vancouver (MOV) are jumping out of our seats for the arrival of this session's speaker, Channel APA's Steve Nguyen and Kevin Hsieh!
Thursday June 24, 2010
6:30-8:00 PM | Museum of Vancouver (MOV) |
1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, B.C.
RSVP required as seating is limited. Please visit NAAAP Vancouver's Website to reserve a seat.
This event is free and open to the public! Don't forget to RSVP.
Flying in all the way from San Francisco, California, Steve and Kevin will be honoring us with his presence at the MOV for an exclusive interview about Channel APA, Asian American identity and their work in the blogging community.
Yes, that's right. Steve Nguyen will be here live!
Since its birth in 2008, this culturally cool channel has been continuing the legacy of Asian broadcasters such as AZN TV and Imagin TV by hosting films for rising Asian-American talent and entertainment. By covering everything from the World Cup to the upcoming indie artists on Youtube, Steve and Kevin have been rocking up the Asian American broadcasting industry.
If you're STILL not convinced yet about coming...
Both these gentlemen have been challenging the Asian-American blogging scene through more than Channel APA. Recently they brought together influential Asian-American bloggers such as Angry Asian Man, 8Asians, and Hyphen Magazine for a panel discussion called BANANA.
In addition to all this, Steve is also a film producer/actor/ director/writer, entrepreneur, and manager, who magically finds time to frequently update his Youtube channel FlipHD, where he features rising artists. Did we mention that this super tech has also been been involved in productions such as Fast and Furious 3: Tokyo Drift, Jarhead, Scrubs, Freaks and Geeks, Dilated and Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Are you feeling the excitement now?
These two rising Super Asian-Americans are coming to MOV on Thursday, June 24th! This is a rare opportunity that you just can't miss. So save the date, prepare your burning questions and come join us at 6:30pm on Thursday June 24th.
Posted by Joy | June 23, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian American
Maggie Q is the new femme fatale, Nikita
By Michelle PhamStarlet Maggie Q has been cast as the new femme fatale, Nikita.
NIKITA is the new thrilling spy series on The CW, which will air @ 9PM ET/PT on Thursday nights after The Vampire Diaries. The series stars the dazzling Maggie Q as Nikita, Lyndsy Fonseca as Alex, Shane West as Michael and Aaron Stanford as Birkhoff.
Nikita has been traditionally portrayed by white actors—Anne Parillaud in the 1990 film, followed by Bridget Fonda in 1993's Point of No Return and Peta Wilson in the 1997 USA Network television series. However, for the first time, a woman of Asian-descent, Maggie Q, will be making history portraying the seductive bombshell.
Never heard of Nikita before? The storyline follows a beautiful, but deeply troubled teenager, otherwise known as Nikita—rescued from death row by a secret U.S. agency known as Division. Division faked her execution (how devious) and told her that she was being given a second chance to start a new life. It all sounds like a piece of cake until Nikita discovers that she was being trained as a spy and assassin. Ultimately, she is betrayed and goes into hiding for three years. Despite this, Nikita still seeks retribution and makes it clear to her former bosses that she will stop at nothing to expose and destroy the corrupt operation. That's when some serious action starts kicking in.
Check out the original trailer below (released in May 2010).
The latest trailer can be viewed below and on the Official Website. Just a warning, it is a bit violent. Stay tuned on Maggie Q.
Men, it's Not Foundation. It's BB Cream.
By Joy Inae Kim
Since I was younger I always wondered how Asian girls had the most flawless skin. It seemed blemish free, without foundation marks on the jaw-line. Lately though, even Asian MEN have been having flawless skin! As I did my research, I discovered Blemish Balm, or better known as BB cream .
While BB cream evens out skin tone, covers blemishes and adds a natural glow, it is not foundation. It won't clog your pores or damage your skin. In fact it's suppose to do wonders for your skin. Our friend Wiki mentioned the origination of BB Cream wasn't even for cosmetic purposes, rather it was for skin care:
BB cream started out as a therapeutic moisturizer in Germany used to treat the irritated skin of the patients who went under peeling, laser, or microdermabrasion.
Yet, The Korean Herald explains the transition from skin care to cover up. With its medicinal-like history, instant effects and overwhelmingly numerous celebrity endorsements, BB Cream shot out of South Korea like a virus through Asian female populations- and now into up and rising male lines.
How successful is it? At an affordable price range of $20-50, thousands of this product are sold daily. In fact, from the South Korean makeup brand Etude alone, 2000 female-based BB Creams are sold DAILY!
Although BB Cream is considered for unisex usage, there are male lines that are more MBA safe. No not Master of Business Administration, but Mountain, Bike, Activity. A product that caters to the active male by offering even skin tone, SPF protection and waterproofness.
If you are not active, they also have creams that cover pale, grey-ish, or red skin tones. Some brands even offer creams with healing abilities like tightening pores, lighten acne and scars, regulating oil sebum control. For ultra sensitive skin, there is dermatological BB cream.
There are ads for every type of man- sporty, sophisticated, rocker, rugged and more. Just to make sure you don't get the idea that this product is some branch of a woman's foundation. (Foundation is that colored cream or liquid people usually put over their faces before the rest of their makeup).
I don't know if you're convinced on buying this stuff or not. But Mr.M says, "There are no ugly men, only lazy men." What do you think?
Watch Paulo recently try Male BB Cream:
Posted by Joy | June 21, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian, Japan, Korea, Makeup Tips
WEST is EAST Video Highlights
By Schema MagazineAs most of you recall (since we blasted it all over twitter, facebook and on Daily Dose), a few Thursdays ago, we held our West is East Party at Fortune Sound Club. In the spirit of Asian Heritage Month and with Giant Robot in our hearts, we celebrated a fun night of all-Asian spoken word artists, singers, dancers, DJ's and more.
If you feel like you missed out, don't fret. We'll have another party somewhere down the line. For now, check out this video that Alex Yu, creator of Ragin Ronin Productions, put together. Special thanks to Judy for being one heck of a journalist, to Fortune for the awesome venue, Sammi Jo Productions for rounding up all the talent and to David Ko and Wilson Ching for providing what was probably the most popular feature of the night, Snapbox!
Posted by Joy | June 11, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: event, Fundrasier, video
Schema Goes to the Opera | Madama Butterfly
By Genie MacLeod
Last night I attended Vancouver Opera's production of Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, and I was awed by the performance. The set design, by Japanese-American sculptor Jun Taneko, was a visually stunning hybrid of 60s mod meets optical illusion, with its array of bold colours and geometric patterns. The quirky elegance of the set made a perfect backdrop to the glorious voices on stage. Japanese soprano Mihoko Kinoshita was heartbreakingly beautiful in the title role, and James Valenti was suave and seductive as Pinkerton, the callous American naval officer who loves and leaves poor Butterfly. It is hard not to get swept away by Puccini's soaring music and the tragic tale of lost love and broken promises, especially when the production value is so high. Despite all this sensory stimulation however, my thoughts began to wander.
Opera is a peculiar art form, not only because everyone sings, but because it unapologetically crosses boundaries in a way no other performing art can. Take Madama Butterfly for example. This opera tells the story of Cio-Cio San, a.k.a. Madama Butterfly, a young geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer. He marries her, but soon takes off back to America where he finds himself a real American wife. Three years later he returns with his wife, and asks Butterfly to give up the blond-haired, blue-eyed child she bore him. Tearfully, Butterfly agrees to give up the boy, but for the sake of her honour she takes her own life. The whole story takes place in Butterfly's house in Nagasaki, there is a mix of Japanese and American characters, but because it is Puccini, everyone sings in Italian. How's that for multiculturalism!
Unlike film and even regular theatre, opera is much more flexible in the casting of roles. The leading lady (or man) can be short or tall, slender or voluptuous, American, Chinese, or Greek, it makes no difference to the audience, as long as she sings the aria they want to hear, and sings it well. In fact, I was quite excited to see this performance, because I had never seen the role of Cio-Cio San performed by a Japanese singer.
Lately there has been a lot of uproar (and rightly so) about the questionable casting choices in the new Prince of Persia movie. While Jake Gyllenhaal may have the blue eyes and the good looks of the video game character on which the movie is based, a Persian prince he most definitely is not.
Prince of Persia?
In a recent article in the Globe and Mail David McGinn recalls some of the highlights, or lowlights rather, of Hollywood's long disturbing history of miscasting "ethnic" roles. For the up close and personal genre of film, the idea of casting a white actor to play a Persian or Arab, or Chinese character (I'm talking to you Rob Schneider), is offensive, especially since such cross-casting is usually played out as a stereotyped bit role.
But somehow opera is able to sneak past this kind of race-based criticism. After all, when Madama Butterfly premiered in 1904, the young geisha girl, and the rest of the cast for that matter, was Italian. Why is it that in opera it doesn't matter that Armenian-Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian sings the role of a mythological Greek heroine in the German opera Orfeo ed Euridice, or that South Korean coloratura Sumi Jo sings the role of Susanna, the very Italian heroine of Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart (an Austrian)? Surely it isn't just because when you're peering down from a top balcony seat they all look like ants anyway.
Sure, some people might enjoy seeing a Japanese singer portray Madama Butterfly or an Italian singer portray Susanna because somehow it feels more authentic. But when you go to the opera, with apologies to Jun Taneko, you go for the music. When you go to the opera, and you sit there and you close your eyes for a moment and let the music wash over you, it doesn't matter who is singing, or even really what they are saying (apologies to all librettists). The passion of opera is in the music, and that transcends all barriers.
Madama Butterfly runs May 29, June 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Posted by Genie MacLeod | June 9, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Art, Asian, Commentary, Culture, Diversity, Fusion, Japan, Music, Race, Theatre
Philippine Independence Day 2010 Events
By Adrian Bailon
The Philippines has a pretty crazy history that includes Spanish colonization (for 333 years!!!), American colonization, and Japanese colonization. If you think about it, since 1565, the Philippines really hasn't had a whole lot of time, well, being the Philippines. Needless to say, as it is with every year, the 112th Philippine Independence Day is definitely something to celebrate. Here are some of the events happening around Vancouver this month in honour of "Flip Day":
JUNE 4-6
DUKOT (Desaparecido) - Movie & Forum
DUKOT (Desaparecidos), a film about the worsening human-rights situation in the Philippines, screens in Vancouver on June 3 and 4 at UBC Robson Square and on June 6 at the Vancouver Public Library, Alma Vandusen & Peter McKay room on 350 West Georgia, Vancouver. DUKOT is based on true stories.
Tickets: $15. A public forum will follow each screening with special guests: Dennis Evangelista (producer), Boni Ilagan (scriptwriter), Allen Dizon (the lead actor) and Melissa Roxas, who survived her abduction and torture in the Philippines.
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JUNE 6
2nd Surrey Annual Philippine Independence Day Celebration
Guildford Recreation Center Gymnasiums 1 & 2
15105 105 Avenue, Surrey
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JUNE 9
SALAMAT PARTY
1st Love Weds @ TUNNEL NIGHT CLUB
9pm-3am
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JUNE 12
Pista Ng Bayan
Slocan Park (29th & Slocan), Vancouver
10am-5pm
Pista Ng Bayan is a Fiilipino community picnic. Set up your own tent and join the picnic!
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JUNE 13 (Day)
North Vancouver 2010's PHILIPPINE DAY
Waterfront Park, 200-Block West Esplanade, North Vancouver
9am-6pm
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JUNE 13 (Night)
SALAMAT LIVE
Filipino Independence Day Showcase
FORTUNE SOUND CLUB
147 East Pender St
9pm-12am
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JUNE 25
Fresh Off the Boat Comedy Jam
The Franklin Room - Franklin St., Vancouver
Any other Philippine Independence Day events happening around town that we missed? Let us know and we'll be sure to add it on. Otherwise, come out, have fun, eat some chicken adobo, and support your friendly neighbourhood Filipinos.
Posted by Adrian Bailon | June 5, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Events, Philippines, Vancouver
Draw My Voice: Angry Little Asian Girl [& More]
By Joy I. Kim
I first came across Lela Lee's comic, Angry Little Asian Girl, online when I was a teenager and a little less comfortable with the idea of being different. How I found it, I have no idea. But, those strips and I soon became friends and continue to be nearly 5 years later!
If you're not familiar with this web comic, you've been missing out. It averages 750,000 hits a month and has been getting attention from names such as AsianWeek, PBS, UCLA, KoreAm and more!
Using minimalism and iconoclastic drawings, Lela Lee plays on stereotypes- but not just racial stereotypes but gender and animals. And she is definitely not the nice, polite type. In juxtaposition with her cute and colorful drawings, the dialogue is witty and sharp. It's not all simple banter. According to PBS:
There's an aspect of Angry Little Asian Girl that all women can relate to... The stereotype affects all of us. All of us are socialized to be feminine, to be quiet, to be polite, to be nice. And our anger is denied us.
It has been breaking grounds on the voice of the ethnic woman in cartooning. Her characters represent more than the 1.5 generation Angry Little Asian Girl Kim. There are her girl friends Deborah the disenchanted princess, Maria the crazy little Latina, Wanda the fresh little soul sistah, and Xyla the gloomy girl. And none of them are quiet passive types. With the help of Lee's humor, they vocalize their thoughts and emotions.
Lela doesn't solely represent women though. She includes older generations by adding characters such as: Ogalog (Mom) and the silent reading father. She interacts with American boys through Bruce the meat-head and the very happy, feminine Pat. And she doesn't forget her animal friends like the cat, dog and cool chick.
None of them lack spunk. And, if you open your heart to Lee's Angry Little Asian Girl you'll be sure to come back for more. So take a try and visit the website for weekly updates or watch an interview between Kim and Lela on PBS.
Tags: Comics, Daily Dose, Funny, pop culture
New on In-Depth! Georgia Straight's Craig Takeuchi!
By Joy Inae Kim
This week's But Where Are You Really From? story from Release 1.2: Georgia Straight's film editor, Craig Takeuchi, shares his intimate experiences with identity tags, sexuality and food as he comes face to face with his Japanese roots.
Posted by Joy | June 3, 2010 | Comments (0)
New on In-Depth! Film Making Power Team Jean Yeo and Pedro Tan
By Joy Inae Kim
Join Justin Ko as he interviews Jean Yeo and Pedro Tan, the Singaporian director and producer of The Leap Years- the highest grossing film in box office history for a locally produced English movie in Singapore! With their national television and box office success, this power team is definitely one to keep your eyes on!
Posted by Joy | June 3, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian, Film, People to Watch, Singapore, The Leap Years
Shad Raps, People Listen
By Kwaku Adu-Poku
If you've never heard of Shad before, kill yourself! The Canadian hip-hop dynamo, who just dropped a new album and kicked off his summer tour in Winnipeg last week, will be schooling all of us Vancouverites at the Biltmore Cabaret TONIGHT! If you can't make it, don't fret. You can still catch him at Sugar Night Club in Victoria tomorrow. Trust me when I say he's worth the trek.
The new album, Tsol, contains 13 solid tracks made up once again of the fresh beats and masterful lyricism we've come to expect from the rapper. The album is amazing. Shad is one of those rapper's who genuinely seems to care about the message being conveyed through his lyrics, and can hit you with like 50 different shout outs and pop culture references before a track is done. He has a sincere reverence for those who have come before him, both musically and in his personal life, and genuine words of wisdom and optimism for those just now on the up and up. Each track feels like a conversation; like you're waxing poetic with a friend and confidant as he tells you what's on his mind. He's the kind of dude you genuinely want to have a conversation with, and he puts on a good show to boot. I saw him a year or two ago at the Biltmore, and a woman who mistook me for the rapper had absolutely no qualms about coming up and saying hi. But that's another story.
Shad's new vid, Rose Garden
Stay tuned to Schema's People to Watch section for a full feature on the man behind the music hopefully sometime in the next few weeks, but for now check out his new video for his latest single Rose Garden above. Also, do yourself a favour and come to the show tonight. You won't regret it. You might even learn something! And if you happen to see me there, and somehow mistake me for Shad like that woman did, feel free to come up and say hey. I don't bite, and I'm sure he doesn't either.
Posted by Kwaku Marfo Adu-Poku | June 3, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Advertisement, Ethnic Cool, Event, Music, pop culture
We Couldn't Have Done it Without You!
By Schema Mag CrewMay was a big month for us.
On top of being Asian Heritage Month, we planned and implemented four major events:
Sunday, May 16th: Colour of Beauty Screening and Panel Discussion, in partnership with NFB's Work For All Campaign. We had anticipated maybe 30-50 people to show up and we ended up running out of chairs, because we had almost 100, we repeat, ONE HUNDRED, people come out to talk about race and ethnicity issues in the fashion industry, and on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, to boot! It was utterly amazing. THANK YOU ALL who came out to participate to the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) for facilitating such a great event. WE LOVE YOU!
Thursday, May 20th: Giant Robot iWriteAboutMe.com web-writer's workshop. As you know, we had the privilege to talk to Eric and Martin, creators of Giant Robot Magazine, via iChat on a Thursday evening and this was kind of an opportunity for Vancouver/resident GR fans to get to know their idols of such a pivotal Asian American magazine. Eric and Martin shared with us their insights on the how they see Asian pop culture today, how they have (and have not) struggled to write 80 per cent of the content that goes into GR and how they have yet to lose their drive and passion in making sure we get our dose of Asian American Pop Culture. Eric and Martin, YOU ARE OUR HEROES.
Thursday, May 20th: West is East Party and Fundraiser, for none other than, Giant Robot Magazine! Along with the help of some fabulous people in our city, including Sammie Jo Rumbaua of Sammie Jo Productions, Boombox Saints (who were off the hook that night, by the way), Style-O-Phonics, Hari, Ayex, House of Q, Jojo Zolina (thanks for the support, Jojo) and last but certainly not least, Fortune Sound Club (thank you Fortune for allowing us to use your venue, it was so fitting!), our WEST is EAST party was an incredible success.
Party photos taken by Aaron Richard Jay (our incredibly talented photographer) to come! STAY TUNED!!
Sunday, May 30th:The sponsorship of the New Asia Film Festival. NAFF has been amazing in supporting Schema Mag and this partnership, among many others, has been an absolute pleasure. We look forward to growing and developing with New Asia for years to come. (And if you missed out on this year's film fest, don't worry, we'll make sure we keep you informed and up to date!)
We go hard. At times it looked like we may have bitten off more than we could chew, but a genius blend of talent, drive, and raw determination saw us through, making sure that each event was a huge success in its own right. And we couldn't have done it without you.
We are re-energized and ready to face the challenges that may come as Schema continues to expand its horizons, and exceed expectations. While the summer will largely be a time of inward reflection and personal growth for the magazine itself, that doesn't mean that we are going anywhere. We will continue to go InDepth to bring you that Daily Dose of ethnic cool. We are all People to Watch, and trust us when we say you will be seeing a lot more from us.
Get ready, cause here we come.
Yours truly,
Schema mag
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June 5-6 | VACT's 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors HOOT CAMP
By Joy Inae Kim
Has this nasty West Coast weather been leaving you with a soggy mood? I know I was hoping for more cheer in June.
Luckily, it's time for the 11th Annual Asian Comedy Night! And from SUNNY Los Angeles, The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors (18mmw) are in town for their comedy show: "HOOT CAMP!" Their unique blend of Asian and political themes rocked the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose, and now is about to hit Vancouver HARD!
Their host? Elliot Chan, local actor, writer and comedian. He has been said to stir the pot with his edgy, walking and tripping over the line material. You may have seen him in 2009's Comedi-Chlorians at Etch-Your-SketchOFF!#$%!! And if you haven't, here is your chance to catch a glimpse of this spunky talent!
The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors are back by popular demand. They're award winning! And I don't mean "The Best Funniest Son/Daughter of the Year Award." This comic group garnered the 2007 Emmy Award "Mighty Warriors of Comedy," the 2006 International Sketch Comedy Championships, and the 2005 Bay Area's Best Comedy Troupe Award.
BUT HURRY! There are tickets only available for 2 remaining performances: Saturday June 5th & Sunday June 6th! And this event sells out yearly.
Roundhouse Performance Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews (corner of Davie & Pacific Blvd)
Vancouver, BC
$20 in advance - general admission
$25 in advance - reserved section (first 2 rows in raised centre section)
$25 at the door - general admission only
$108 in advance - SAVE! - group rate for 6 tickets (general admissions)
Buy online or at the Roundhouse or at 604.713.1800
For group rates or for more information call 778.885.1973
Visit 18mmw or Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre for more information.
Check out this sample of their performance.
Posted by Joy | June 4, 2010 | Comments (0)
2012 Olympic Mascots & Manga character | Long lost siblings
By Angela Jung
Behold! Daddy-Eyeball of GeGeGe no Kitaro, the protagonist of a Japanese manga TV series, has just found his missing twin siblings. They also happen to be the mascots of London's 2012 Summer Games. No biggy. Doubtful that Daddy-Eyeball will receive the same sort of limelight, unfortunately. Their resemblance is uncanny, all that's left is a DNA test...and maybe a lawsuit.
But seriously, wow! Could the creators of the two latest mascots be more inspired by GeGeGe no Kitaro? At least it was smarter for Daddy-Eyeball to be seen nearly naked than to be sporting a space suit.
And who are the new mascots? Well, their names are Wenlock and Mandeville, the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, respectively. Hmmm, at least their names sound like they could be Hogwart students or Death Eaters (yes, I am a Harry Potter fan). This is the one thing "London" about them.
Of course, I should not judge so quickly. Remember when the Vancouver mascots were first unveiled? People bashed them right away. Maybe Wenlock and Mandeville will become a hit...one can hope, right? And one needs to hope real hard.
I'm not going to lie though. After being surrounded by the cuteness of Vancouver's Winter Games mascots (and sidekick) these two Summer Games mascots just don't do it for me.
Sincerely disappointed,
Angela
PS. Check out an oldie -- but goodie -- post about how the 2010 mascots are a ripe off of Sanrio. Goodness, what ever happened to originality and innovation? Judge for yourself, have the past couple of mascots been influenced by Japanese characters?
Posted by Angela Jung | June 2, 2010 | Comments (1)
Maggie Q to star as CW's 'Nikita' | Representing hot Asian girls who fight!
By Alden E. Habacon
According to The Hollywood Reporter, full-fledged Asian superstar Maggie Q is to be cast as the title role of the American broadcaster CW's pilot of Nikita, an extension of the spy-fi franchise of La Femme Nikita.
The CW pilot's premise of a new Nikita being trained to replace the original one after she goes rogue gave creator Craig Silverstein an opportunity to break the stereotype, and he wrote the lead as "beautiful and exotic."
Admittedly, this is four months old, but that doesn't make it any less significant as a breakthrough for television:
The pending hire of Maggie Q would mark the highest-profile series role for an Asian actress on a broadcast drama series and the highest-profile CW minority casting in the network's four-year history.
On other words, the first time CW has cast a non-white actor as the lead.
Of course keeping in mind that Maggie Q is American, first and foremost. She doesn't have an accent. She was born in Hawaii to a Polish-Irish American father and a Vietnamese mother. Her parents met in Vietnam during the (as the Vietnamese call it) the American War. The family moved to Hawaii and settled in Mililani.
The North-American-born-Euro-Asian-mix sounds like a pretty typical Canadian nowadays.
If you're new to Maggie Q, you guessed right. "Q" isn't her real last name. According to the bio on IMDB, she changed her name from Maggie Denise Quigley to Maggie Q to make her name easier to pronounce for Chinese audiences. She's a superstar in Hong Kong (perhaps that's what makes her "Asian") for her modeling and acting, but best known in the U.S. for action roles in Mission: Impossible III and Live Free or Die Hard.
Posted by Alden | June 23, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Asian American, Commentary, Diversity, Film, Television
Happy Belated Father's Day! | Thoughts on being an Asian dad
By Alden E. HabaconTo all the second- and third-generation Asian dads out there who wonder when their children will ever see an Asian man depicted as an everyday person on TV, this post is for you.
This past Father's Day we welcomed the newest member to the Schema family, my son Aiden, who was born just a few days before—also making this my first father's day as a father.
In the past week I've been wondering about whether Aiden will see a media landscape with real representation of diversity in film and TV. Afterall, it was in my father's era that Bruce Lee was considered "too Asian" to play the lead in the Kung Fu television series. It was in my father's era that we heard things like ... "The American public isn't ready."
To our generation's disappointment, things haven't changed all that much for the representation of Asian men in mainstream media. Asian-looking characters are still too Asian to be depicted as saving the world. We are all still left dumbfounded by the casting choice of Justin Chatwin as the hero Goku in Dragon Ball The Movie, the 2009 film adaptation of the manga classic Dragon Ball, where in the animated series the child hero is Asian. And now The Last Airbender a film adaptation of the popular animated TV series, Avatar. The rewriting of the original Asian lead as white is generating HUGE controversy and a call from many Asian American media organisations like racebending.com to boycott the film. More on that later.
On a lighter note, we have seen some change, but more in independent film and in advertising. As I have begun to daydream picking up Aiden from martial arts, soccer and hockey I remembered a Tim Horton's commercial from a couple of years ago.
To date, there hasn't been a commercial that has resonated amongst Asian Canadians as deeply as this tear-jerker.
This Tim Horton's coffee ad tells one of the most quintessential Canadian stories of a dad and his son's hockey team, but with a twist. By writing the story around a Chinese family, it also tells one of the other most quintessential Canadian stories: that of integrating into a community as an immigrant family.
Now that I am a father, the aspect of this ad that is even more relevant to me is that both generations of dads are portrayed as everyday Canadian men. In other words, it's cool to be an Asian dad. They have depth and character. A real first in many ways. Kudos to Tim Horton's and to the creative team that made this! You made my Father's Day for years to come. Ironically, by the time Aiden is old enough to watch this, who knows how we'll watch video online.
Posted by Alden | June 28, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Advertising, Canadiana, Children, Diversity, Identity, pop culture, Television
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