November 2010 Archives
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MTV Anime: Intersection | Human Trafficking
By Rob Parungao
Producing sexually exploitative guilty pleasures like Jersey Shore and The Hills, its difficult to believe that MTV does anything for the betterment of our species. Enter MTV EXIT, an MTV-led campaign to increase awareness around human trafficking. Starting in Europe in 2007, the project since spread to Asia where the registered charity has ran fund and awareness raising concerts in Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Nepal, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Now MTV EXIT has taken its next big step, and partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to put together Intersection, a haunting 30-minute anime told from the perspective of five individuals who all play a part in the trafficking chain.
This is an innovative approach to a very complicated problem. While some may throw their arms at the idea of the U.S. foreign aid being spent on cartoons, the impact of educating youth to the tragedy of human trafficking cannot be understated. Intersection provides an accessible way to speak to a community about a difficult issue. Much like Lucy Liu's Redlight and The Victims, Intersections is backed by a significant amount of star power, with a soundtrack featuring Radiohead and Theivery Corporation, Thai actor Ananda Everingham and MTV Asia VJ Taya Rogers lending their voice to the film. Already the film has aired in several countries, and is available online in at least 15 different languages. Better yet, the film was selected to receive Best International Human Rights Short at the 2009 Artivist Film Festival.
Posted by Christina J. | November 30, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Activism, International, Media, Television
"NMA" | A Taiwanese Twist on Celebrity News
By Kathy Ko
It was the video that started it all. Last year, Tiger Woods crashed his car into a tree during the middle of the night and some said that Wood's (now ex) wife Elin Nordegren smashed the car's window with a golf club. What really happened? What was the true story? As everyone speculated about the incident, an animated video from the Taiwanese company Next Media Animation (NMA) emerged; showing the possible cause of Tigergate. The video went viral with thousands of hits in the months that followed.
Mark Simon of NMA says:
Regular newscasts miss most of the story because when you show up it's over. You're taking a picture of the accident. Now the recreations allow us to tell people what happened. You can show people what happened. (Source: http://www.urlesque.com/2010/08/31/nma-news-taiwanese-animations/)
NMA has gotten the attention of North America with its take on popular tabloid news coverage. Since Tiger Woods, it has also covered celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Conan O'Brien, Eva Longoria, Charlie Sheen, Sarah Palin and Justin Bieber. The busy company has brought a refreshing and unique twist to standard tabloid news reporting. What new scandal will NMA animate next? Celebrities beware.
Posted by Kathy Ko | November 30, 2010 | Comments (0)
Panoramic Images of the World | 360 Cities
By Vinnie Yuen / Edited by Christina Jung
Picture from 360cities.net
The website 360 Cities offers images of places all around the world in 360 degrees. Photographers all over the world can post their panoramic pictures on the website.
Although it can be a little bit dizzying when you scroll up and down, the images are crisp and clear. With a click of the mouse, you can experience monuments from the Eiffel tower to the Great Wall of China from all angles. There are also photos of businesses such as hotels and tourist attractions such as museums and amusement parks.
However, the images are so clear, it brings up some privacy issues. Users can zoom in very close on people who unwittingly end up in these pictures. Unlike Google street view, 360 Cities does not blur out faces in its images.
Their treasure hunt contest included finding someone in their underwear. The answers to the treasure hunt, with the image of the person in their underwear, are posted on their website.
Tags: People, Photography
Jade in the Coal | A UBC Theater Production
By Justin Ko / Edited by Christina Jung
The history of Chinese immigrant miners in the West Coast of Canada has been fairly well documented over the years, but seldom has there been a work of art or literature which focuses on telling an entertaining and rousing story which takes place during such times.
With the world premiere by the UBC Theater Department of Jade in the Coal, a production which will be performed in both Cantonese and English, writer Paul Yee, composer Jin Zhang , and director Heidi Specht hopes to change this trend by fusing the popular genre of Cantonese Opera with a historical account of Chinese workers in Canadian coal mines.
Indeed, Cantonese opera troupes were known to have traveled from China to provide entertainment to Chinese laborers; the city of Cumberland, BC was in fact host to a 400-seat opera house for this purpose, located near one of the largest Chinatowns in North America. To that end, Yee's play will feature the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Academy First Troupe, the world's most renowned troupe of its kind. This will definitely add an air of legitimacy and authenticity to a tale which involves the tragic deaths of coal miners and the effects of their restless spirits on the living.
The play is being shown here at UBC, from November 24th to December 4th, at the Frederic Wood Theater, on 6354 Crescent Road. Curtains are from Monday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Regular tickets are priced at $35, while Senior tickets are from $22, and student tickets are $15.
Posted by Justin Ko | November 28, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags:
AsianSupper.com | A Solution to My Dinnertime Dilemmas
By Manori Ravindran/ Edited by Christina Jung
I'm sick of Mr. Noodles.
I've been a university student for a long time and in my years of living away from home, I still haven't mastered the art of dinner. You see, I never know what to make. My evening routine consists of swinging open the fridge door, staring blankly at the pickles and mustard inside and resigning myself to another night of instant noodles.
I'm a grad student, I think to myself, I'm supposed to be starving.
AsianSupper.com thinks otherwise.
Launched just a few months ago, the website contains authentic and modern recipes from a number of Asian cuisines including Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, Indian and many more. For people like me who never know where to look for dinner recipes, AsianSupper is a one-stop shop for good ideas.
Theresa Sim, one of the site's founders, says she and her partner started the website because they were tired of trying to locate a useful source of Asian recipes online and wanted an alternative.
Sim says many of their current recipes tend to be Korean or Thai but the site is working on building an inventory for all cuisines.
Visitors can browse AsianSupper by cuisine, dish, theme or ingredient. If you're feeling "adventurous" one day but are in the mood for rice and noodles the next, Sim and her site have you covered.
In addition to recipes, the website also features "Food 101" articles on etiquette, traditions and customs, holidays and How To's. Ever wondered how to get rid of that Kimchi smell from your fridge? You're not alone.
What users will appreciate best of all is a handy "Where To Buy" guide. American visitors can enter their zip code and the site produces a useful Google Map featuring the nearest locations selling Asian cooking supplies. Although there is no Canadian feature, Canucks across the border will surely benefit from knowing exactly where to find their chamkkae and kimchi.
Only a few months old, AsianSupper is a work in progress and Sim says they need contributors.
"We're looking for people to contribute both classic, time-honoured recipes as well as new takes on old classics," she says.
If you or your friends have an Epicurean touch, make sure to check out AsianSupper and start sharing your wisdom. And, hey, you know you've got at least one hungry graduate student eager to start cooking.
Posted by Manori Ravindran | November 28, 2010 | Comments (0)
Us and Them | An Evening of Intimate Theatre
By Devon Wong / Edited by Christina Jung
On Thursday, November 18th I was given the privilege of attending an intimate performance of Us and Them, a local production performed by the community-based, issue-oriented theater group, Headlines Theatre. You may recall the name after their recent 2009 production After Homelessness, which engaged homeless people to act out the issues on stage.
Us and Them was no disappointment in its similar vein of creating dialogue and pushing conventional topical boundaries. The premise of the performance is simple—What is it about humanity that compels us to create them? And who really is them? In light of Mclean's Too Asian article, which pitted Asian students against White students, the topic really resonated with me both a Sociology student as well as a visible minority.
The play is completely interactive in the sense that the actors are quite literally selected from the audience (voluntarily, of course), while artistic director, David Diamond, acts as a facilitator between the audience and actors as they explore the deeper dynamics of the staged conflict.
Everyone in the audience votes to direct the path of the performance. The whole evening is very Canadian, if you will, as every suggestion is acknowledged. The entire collaborative process is deeply provoking as we break down the true intent of the players on the stage and explore new character angles, via our perspective from the floor. You begin to realize that the intricacies of two characters, seemingly so divided at first, really carry the same underlying fears and desires.
On one hand, while the stage/audience interaction resembled a traditional performance at some level, I believe I also reaped the benefits of what seemed like an educational workshop. Not to discourage anyone away who actually enjoys watching movies like The Hot Tub Machine (I did), but this performance really makes you think. It was a comfortable arena to engage in a dialogue with people you may not necessarily interact with on a daily basis and a great discussion topic for the car ride home.
There are only a handful of shows left for this season's performance, so be sure to RSVP. Admission is by donation, but food (for thought) is completely free.
Posted by Christina J. | November 25, 2010 | Comments (0)
Red Letters Opens this Friday, November 26!
By Schema Magazine
The much-awaited musical Red Letters finally hits the Roundhouse Performance Centre on Friday the 26th. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $20 for students and seniors. All tickets are $35 at the door, cash only. Check out our write-up at schemamag.ca, as well as a recent photoshoot with the cast at www.vact.ca for a sneak preview...and don't miss your chance to see the real thing!
Showtimes: 8pm nightly with select matinee performances
November 26 - December 4 with Preview November 25 at the Roundhouse Performance Centre, Vancouver
December 30 - January 8, 2011 with Preview December 29 at the Gateway Theatre Studio, Richmond
January 13 - January 16 with Preview January 12 at the Metro Studio Theatre, Victoria
For sample tracks and more ticket information go to www.vact.ca.
"RED LETTERS is the moving story of Shen, an immigrant from China, who leaves his wife Mei to come to Canada seeking his fortune. Once established, he hopes to bring her over to join him. With the enactment of the $500 head tax and the Exclusion Act in 1923, the promise of Gold Mountain is betrayed. Harsh realities of life in Vancouver force Shen to take drastic action if he is ever to see his dreams fulfilled."
Tomorrow is your last chance to win free tickets to Red Letters at georgiastraight.com!
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | November 24, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian Canadian, Theatre
CNN | "Rent" a foreigner
By Michelle Pham / Edited by Christina Jung
Although China is transitioning into one of the major economic forces in the 21st century, controversial race issues with old origins are re-emerging as a new service in China — rent a Laowei (Chinese for foreigner).
CNN recently wrote an article exploiting the new trade in China, where Chinese companies are hiring white people to portray business executives to impress clients and officials. Often, these workers are out-of-work models, teachers and actors. CNN's Lara Farrar reports that, "To have a few foreigners hanging around means a company has prestige, money and the increasingly crucial connections—real or not—to businesses abroad."
Being foreign is a career advantage in China. Last year, Jonathan Zatkin, an American actor who lives in Beijing posed as the vice-president of an Italian jewelry company that had allegedly been in business with a Chinese jewelry company for nearly a decade.
Zatkin was paid around 2,000 yuan ($300 CAD) to fly to a small city in the province of Henan to deliver a speech in English.
Occasionally, these jobs can go awry. Brad Smith, who posed as an executive, said 18 months ago Beijing police showed up at his apartment after a financial company he worked for in Xi'an, a city in western China, allegedly swindled millions of yuan out of clients.
The whole concept reiterates days of colonialism and presumed status associated with race.
CNN: Chinese companies 'rent' white foreigners.
Tags: China, Commentary, Culture, International, Race
Sex Dolls and MaObamas
By Angela Jung / Edited by Christina Jung
What do shoes, handbags and Barack Obama have in common? They're all types of fetishes! Yes, even President Obama.
During the GuangZhou 8th Annual Sex Culture Festival, a blow-up doll with a dark blue suit and red tie sporting the face of Obama made his debut.
Amongst the Chinese, Obama is vastly popular -- even "Maobama" (a hybrid of Chairman Mao and Obama) t-shirts were made. Above all, the t-shirts have even become a best-seller!
What's your fetish?
Posted by Angela Jung | November 23, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: China
AIFF 2010 | War Don Don
By Guest Contributor Brendan Ghag
Saturday Nov. 20 1:45 pm matinee
Rebecca Richmond Cohen | USA-Sierra Leone | 2010 | 85 min.
Canadian Premiere
Hollywood has a tendency to romanticize real life events, spinning them into movies with the primary goal of generating revenue. This film does everything but romanticize the events Sierra Leone has experienced in the last two decades. Readers may remember the 2006 movie Blood Diamond, which revolved around the Sierra Leone civil war in 1999 and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) movement. Blood Diamond painted a stark picture of the RUF as a terrorist squad, only existing to spread fear and chaos. However, as is often the case this is not the full story.
Enter War Don Don, a film centred on the trial of Issa Sesay, a former commander of the RUF forces. War Don Don uncovers the moral, political, and legal complexities that exist in the Sesay trial. Challenging the viewer to critically engage with the story, War Don Don draws the viewer into Sierra Leone where real people have real opinions and experiences. One may not expect it, but by the end of the movie War Don Don effectively forces the viewer to question their own morality and assumptions concerning the life of Sesay, and what it is to be a man surrounded by a country in the throes of death. There is no doubt that the audience will leave with two invaluable lessons: an in-depth journey into one of the most horrifying moments in humanity's history, and the question of whether Issa Sesay is a protector of his people, or simply a mass murderer.
Amnesty International Film Festival 2010
Vancouver, November 18-21, 2010
Toronto, November 18-21, 2010
Victoria, November 19-21, 2010
Tags: Film, Film Festival
AIFF 2010 | War Don Don (2)
By Guest Contributor Hind Fathallah
Saturday Nov. 20 1:45 pm Matinee
Rebecca Richmond Cohen | USA-Sierra Leone | 2010 | 85 min.
Canadian Premiere
War don don, "The war is over"... After ten years of civil war in Sierra Leone, a trial begins.
Issa Hassan Sesay, former interim leader of the RUF (Revolutionary United Front), remains calm despite being indicted by the internationally organized Special Court for Sierra Leone. He disarmed the RUF and brought an end to the conflict, but is also accused of several crimes, including enslavement, murder, rape, and enrollment of child soldiers. Along with twelve other former commanders, the accused bears the responsibility for the awful crimes of the RUF--"the army of Evil"--between 1991 and 2002.
The rebels began their war with the aim of overthrowing the government of Sierra Leone. But in what they saw as an attempt to save the people, they eventually killed, raped and amputated their "own brothers."
Justice, then, should be done. "People should be punished," admits Sesay. But is prosecuting thirteen leaders enough? Is it what the population wants? Is an international court the best way to do it? And, is the trial fair and balanced?
All of these questions are raised by this movie which wonderfully alternates images of the war with interviews with the general population, Sesay and the lawyers, and images of the trial. War Don Don brings you to the heart of the reconciliation and peace process, with all of its obstacles and questions. It starts a debate about the international criminal justice system without giving any answers, letting you wonder about the guilt of Issa Sesay even after the movie has ended. Smart, moving, deep.
Amnesty International Film Festival 2010
Vancouver, November 18-21, 2010
Toronto, November 18-21, 2010
Victoria, November 19-21, 2010
Tags: Film, Film Festival
AIFF 2010 | Ghosts
By Guest Contributor Hind Fathallah
Friday Nov. 19 8:15 pm.
Double bill with The Trial and a panel discussion.
Morvay Samare | Canada-Norway | 2010 | 53 min
"Every State has within itself the ability to be an abusive State."
Ghosts tells the story of three Canadian Muslim men detained and tortured in Syria and Egypt with the complicity of the Canadian government. Once released, the three men begin a struggle to understand why they were detained. An internal inquiry is established but the process is kept secret. In 2008, a group of citizens decide to raise public awareness on Canadian involvement in torture by organizing a road trip across the country.
It is hard to associate Canada with torture, yet no state is immune to human rights violations. Ghosts is an intimate documentary which enables you to follow a struggle for civil rights. On their way to Ottawa, Abdullah Almalki, Muayyed Nureddin and Ahmad Abou El-Maati bravely talk to Canadians about their experiences, a scandal that few people know about. The film raises the delicate issues of democracy and national security threats. How secret should security policies be? Is the Canadian government regularly involved in torture? Watching Ghosts makes you feel moved and outraged at the same time. Not only a portrait of destroyed lives, it is a call for awareness and action.
Amnesty International Film Festival 2010
Vancouver, November 18-21, 2010
Toronto, November 18-21, 2010
Victoria, November 19-21, 2010
Tags: Activism, Film, Film Festival
AIFF 2010 | Welcome
By Guest Contributor Stephen Ullstrom
AIFF: Welcome
Saturday 5 pm.
Philippe Lioret | France | 2010 | 110 min
One of two dramas in the festival, and a box office hit when released in France earlier this year, Welcome serves up a brutal dose of injustice. This isn't a live action flick, but viewers' breaths will still be bated.
The film begins with Bilal, a seventeen-year-old Kurdish refugee, arriving on the French coast. For the remainder of the film, Bilal, often looking and acting like a deer caught in headlights, yet determined to reunite with his girlfriend in London, becomes ever more inventive in his attempts to cross the channel.
What I most appreciated was that Bilal's struggle is well-placed within the wider context of refugees in France. We are told Bilal's painful backstory, which includes torture and other hardships. The demands of the human smugglers are strict. The rationale behind France's seemingly inhumane legal responses to the refugees is explained. The clash of values revealed when Bilal's girlfriend is forced into an arranged marriage adds an additional dilemma and urgency. The decisions that ordinary French citizens have to make when confronted with the plight of the refugees, as well as by their own everyday problems, are detailed, reminding us that this isn't just about the refugees. Ordinary people can play a significant role, but they also have their own lives.
There are no easy answers here on how to solve the refugee problem. Injustice compounds frustrations and hardships, and the viewer is left to wonder which of the competing rights should be prioritized, or if the entire system should be replaced. Still, for a thought-provoking analysis of a topic currently racking French and European politics (especially in light of the recent Roma evictions), this is a must-see film.
Amnesty International Film Festival 2010
Vancouver, November 18-21, 2010
Toronto, November 18-21, 2010
Victoria, November 19-21, 2010
Tags: Activism, Film, Film Festival
AIFF 2010 | The Trial
By Guest Contributor Charlyn Cruz
Friday Nov. 19 8:15 pm
Joan Robinson | Australia | 2009 | 52 min
North American Premiere
In a time when terrorism is one of the most persistent national security threats, governments in the western world have adopted strict anti-terrorism laws to prevent attacks like 9/11 and the 7/7 London bombings. The Australian film The Trial focuses on how these laws intended to be for the protection of citizens can instead work against them.
In February 2008, twelve Muslim men were tried for terrorist offences in Melbourne. Though it was considered one of the largest terrorism trials in Australia, none of them were actually charged with carrying out, or even plotting, a specific terrorist act. Instead, what brought the accused to trial were ancillary offences, such as being part of a terrorist organization and providing funds to the group. Stacked against them were secretly taped conversations.
More than just the fate of twelve men on trial, this film examines the dilemma of rigid anti-terrorism laws. While they are put in place to preserve public safety, some argue that they violate the most basic rights we have as citizens, such as the freedom of speech. In fact, when one watches The Trial, it is hard not to think of George Orwell's novel 1984, as the defendants are likened to perpetrators of 'thoughtcrime.'
The evidence is damning but one can't help but wonder if the laws are too Draconian. Anti-terrorism laws are exacting for a reason, but does it come at the cost of the basic freedoms of a liberal democracy? The film, though completely focused on the side of the defence, gives the perspective of the 'other,' a point of view we are often quick to judge. The Trial presents this conundrum that will no doubt plague western nations for as long as terrorism remains a threat.
Amnesty International Film Festival 2010
Vancouver, November 18-21, 2010
Toronto, November 18-21, 2010
Victoria, November 19-21, 2010
Tags: Activism, Film, Film Festival
1st Annual UBC-Laurier Human Rights Lecture, November 20 | How the West Can Support Human Rights
By Gayatri Bajpai
On this Saturday the 20th at 8 PM, Afghan activist Dr. Sima Samar will deliver the first annual UBC-Laurier Institution Human Rights Lecture at the university's Chan Centre. Dr. Samar is the inaugural chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. Her talk explores the question 'How can the West support human rights in the other parts of the world?' Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca, or at the Chan Centre Office on campus, open from 12 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Saturday.
Dr. Samar is a physician and advocate of women's rights. She was elected 1 of 5 deputy prime ministers in Afghanistan's new government of 2001, and Minister for Women's Affairs of Hamid Karzai's interim government. She is United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Sudan, another area experiencing political turmoil and extreme violence. She has been threatened for her views as an acitivist and writer by religious fanatics, and was forced to resign from her government post.
A woman who has been arrested, threatened with death, spoken out against the burqa publicly, and honoured as the 2008 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award Laureate no doubt has much to say on the subject of these rights that come from a unique perspective, rather than mere pontification. This lecture promises to be valuable to anyone interested in a contemporary take on a controversial topic of ongoing debate.
Also on the agenda for this week is the Laurier Human Rights Town Hall Meeting, which will centre around the topic 'Responding to Human Rights Issues: The Role of the Public University and the Public Intellectual'. Three speakers will address the issue at UBC's Robson Square campus on Thursday the 18th from 7 to 9 pm. The talk is free.
Globalisation, transnationalism, and international human rights are now buzz words for recognition of an increasingly complex set of political and social frameworks which shape the ways in which nations conceptualize justice and injustices and act upon them in diverse institutional environments. Yet, the terms of reference and social conditions which enable institutions to act or fail to act upon such injustices pose a range of challenges [...]In this special UBC Town Hall, three UBC professors working at the interface of university research , international human rights and public life [...] describe how they are responding to these challenges as urgent human rights issues.
Alfred Hermida, UBC Journalism Professor, as well as Benjamin Perrin, UBC Law Professor, and Jo-Anne Dillabough of the UBC Department of Educational studies, will be lecturing. The Honourable Stephen Owen, UBC's Vice President, External, Legal and Community Affairs, will moderate, while each speaker talks for 15 minutes, and then takes questions.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | November 18, 2010 | Comments (0)
The Chin Chens | TV's Newest Asian-American Sitcom
By Robert Parungao
It was announced recently that an Asian American sitcom is in development, entitled The Chin Chens. The show will focus on the Chens, an affluent family of Chinese-Vietnamese nail salon and restaurant owners, who don't know how to cope when the grandmother comes to live with them and insists on taking over every aspect of their lives, both at work and at home. Hilarity ensues.
Although it doesn't have big name actors for the show, it's already got a one year commitment to run on Colours TV on the Dish Network. Interestingly, while the show raised more than $3 million to support its first 13 episodes from a largely Asian base of investors, the project itself is headed by African American producer Will Hollins. This joins a growing trend of black producers developing Asian-centric shows such as Tyrese's spearheading the reality show, K-Town. And, while this project is clearly reminiscent of Margaret Cho's mid-90s sitcom All-American Girl, it is mainly being pitched as an Asian version of The Cosby Show.
But the real question at hand is will it be any good? With a name like Chin Chens, the show has already raised a few eyebrows from Asian American commentators who have expressed concern that the show will not be able to move beyond obvious race-driven comedy.
Further, the family-based sitcom has all but gone the way of the dinosaur (Modern Family being the obvious exception). The marked increase of Asian comedians on television in recent years, such as Aziz Ansari on Parks and Recreation, C.S. Lee on Dexter or Ken Jeong on Community, may mean that a show like this may already be past its due date. As Asian characters continue to penetrate the mainstream market will The Chin Chens be able to prove that an all Asian cast is still necessary in the 21st century without being gimmicky or trite? Only time will tell.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 19, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Asian American, Television
Granny Maid Café | A Twist On The Popular "Maid" Cafés in Japan
By Rosel Kim
Emerging from the anime and otaku subculture, maid cafés are a unique Japanese phenomenon that tries to recreate the cute and innocent female characters in anime as café servers. Dressed up in French maid costumes, the maids' main goal is to appear as fantasy-like as possible to pamper the patrons. (Needless to say, the maids are pretty much exclusively female.)
The types of pampering varies by café, but they include everything from stirring the cream into the patron's coffee, spoon-feeding the patron, or even writing on the patron's omelette rice plate with ketchup to make the food taste better.
Now, a performance artist is taking the maid café to a new level: Miwa Yanagi, a Kyoto City University of Arts graduate, is opening a "granny maid" café as part of Festival/Tokyo. Unlike the perpetually youthful and innocent-looking maids of maid cafés, the maids at Café Rottenmeier are diverse in age (from 24 to 77), and are modeled after Mrs. Rottenmeier, the stern older housekeeper figure from the popular Heidi, Girl of the Alps manga (adapted from Johanna Spyri's original novel Heidi).
The maids have been selected by the artist through an open call that asked the women to "see themselves as grannies." The maids wear custom-made 19th-century European-inspired costumes and wigs, and serve European-style food on period tablecloths and plates.
As a feminist, the idea of a "maid café" where the server's sole purpose is to be consumed and objectified by the public makes me feel nervous; however, a granny maid café that comments on the youth-obsessed, commodified nature of sexuality sounds intriguing.
Yanagi has been exploring women's relationship with age through her video series My Grandmothers (where young women imagine their lives 50 years from now) and Granddaughters (senior women remembering their own grandmothers). Now with Café Rottenmeier, Yanagi's exploration of women's aging process intersects with the fictional realm of anime.
Café Rottenmeier will be open to the public until the end of November, from noon to 10:00 pm every weekend and on public holidays. During the last week, the maids will perform a theatre piece written and directed by the artist herself.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 18, 2010 | Comments (4)Tags: Commentary, Culture, Ethnic Cool, Japan, Pop Culture
Holiday Gifts They Can't Re-Gift, Guaranteed
By Vinnie Yuen
Are you browsing the scarves section again when Christmas shopping? Put the scarf down. Trust me. They don't need another scarf.
If you can't think of a good gift to give someone, try giving a gift that can actually make a difference.
The International Rescue Committee is offering humanitarian gifts that can make a difference in war or disaster refugees' lives. Gifts start at $18 for a mosquito net for a family of three threatened by malaria to $240 for furnishing a classroom.
You can dedicate distinct gifts for different family members. For mothers and mother-in-laws, give a $52 prenatal care kit that provides essential care to an expectant mother in a war-torn area. For teenagers and school-aged children, give a $20 gift of school supplies for a newly settled refugee in the United States.
The International Rescue Committee was founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein. It responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and works in 40 countries and 22 United States cities. For more information, please visit their website at fromharmtohome.org.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 16, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: International
Estee Lauder | Finding Inspiration in the East
By Kayo Homma-Komo
Finally. In an industry dominated by blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauties, Estee Lauder has taken a step away from the pack in an attempt to stand out from the rest. The well-established cosmetics brand recently announced the name of their latest global spokesmodel: Liu Wen. The fresh-faced, 22-year-old model comes from Yongzhou, China and recalls watching her mom use Estee Lauder products when she was growing up.
As the brand's first Asian model, Wen's role reflects the changes Estee Lauder sees in their future. China is their fastest growing market, where they are currently the #1 cosmetics brand. With Wen gracing billboards in Estee Lauder's newest ad campaign, one can only imagine how this will affect sales.
Sure, the move may be strategic, but I like to think that what we have here are racial stereotypes being broken down. Asian women can be beautiful, sexy, and the face of one of the world's top cosmetics brands. Not only that, but you may recognize Wen from another little modeling gig called the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She was the first model of East Asian descent to grace the show.
Hopefully, with the rolling-out of Estee Lauder's campaign, more cosmetics brands will take note and more opportunities will open up for Asian models in the industry. Until then, I can't wait to see where Liu Wen ends up next. You go girl!
Tags: Asian, Asian Women, Pop Culture
Paul Yee | Literary Ambassador to Chinese-Canadians
By Kathy Ko
Accomplished author Paul Yee's latest novel, I am Canada: Blood and Iron: Building the Railway, Lee Heen-Gwong is part of a series of fictional books for youth published by Scholastic Canada. It is about the country's past and the hardships of life that existed then.
The book tells a tale from a young boy's point-of-view regarding his new life in Canada with his father. Coming from a desperate need to pay off gambling debts, Heen's father aims to work hard as he partakes in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The story depicts the dangerous working conditions involved with building the railway that is worsened by the fact that the workers are at odds with one another. Old habits die hard as Heen's father takes up gambling again which pits the father and son's lives into further turmoil.
Now living in Toronto, Paul Yee grew up in Vancouver's Chinatown which inspired his life-long desire to write about Chinese-Canadians, often from a historical perspective. Upon obtaining his M.A. in Canadian History from the University of British Columbia, Yee worked as an archivist, an immigration policy government worker and volunteered at The Vancouver Chinese Cultural Center.
He published his first story in the 1980s and has written over 20 books since then. Of note is Ghost Train which garnered Yee with the Governor General's Award for English Language Children's Literature in 1996. He promotes cultural understanding as shown in the popular children's book Shu-Li and Tamara. Besides writing books for youth, he has also written short stories and non-fiction books for adults. In all, he seeks to educate everyone about Chinese culture and his books truly transcend generations.
The Chinese Canadian Historical Society and the Museum of Vancouver presents Blood and Iron: An Evening with Author Paul Yee on Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the museum. For more information about the event, visit the Museum of Vancouver's event page here. Learn more about Paul Yee by accessing his own website at paulyee.ca.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 15, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian Canadian, Books, Events
MTV International | Shibuhara Girls
By Angela Jung
I never caught onto the Jersey Shore craze -- first pumps, anybody? But I was a huge fan of The Hills and MTV never ceases to surprise me with what they come up with next. MTV International is launching their latest reality TV series, Shibuhara Girls in Japan this coming January 2011.
"Shibuhara" is blended from the two words Shibuya and Harajuku, the two major fashion and shopping districts of Tokyo, Japan. This fits in with the reality series perfectly because the show follows four girls as they try to make it big in the fashion and entertainment industries.
MTV International is keeping their lips seal. No promotional material have been released yet. I'm really curious as to how the cast looks like. The only mental picture I've painted is the stereotypical Harajuku girls, like the ones featured in Gwen Stefani music videos.
After the debut in Japan, the series will hit major countries in Asia. The UK, USA and Canada will have to wait.
I wonder if the series will be dubbed once they reach North America, or maybe there will be subtitles. Or maybe the cast members aren't even Japanese at all!
Posted by Angela Jung | November 17, 2010 |Tags: Fashion, Japan, Television
Nude Yoga Video on Playboy Website Upsets Hindu Leaders
By Vinnie Yuen
What if someone made a video of a Playboy model performing your spiritual practice naked and posted it on their website? Would you be offended?
Hindu elders are angered by a recent video on the Playboy website, which features Sara Jean Underwood, Playmate of the Year in 2007, doing yoga poses in the nude. They see the video as a commercialization of an ancient spiritual practice.
The video itself is not particularly sexual--well, except for the nudity component. It is literally Sarah Jean Underwood performing a series of yoga poses without a stitch of clothing on, with dramatic, and almost comedic, music playing in the background.
Nude yoga, however, is not a new practice. The craze has caught on in the Western world, especially in Hollywood .
Commercialization of yoga isn't just limited to this nude Playboy video. Yogawear and yoga merchandise have been a profitable business for the last several years.
Tags: Commentary, Sports
Red Letters | A Musical
By Kathy Ko
Directed by Andy Maton
Music and Lyrics by Alan Bau
Book by Kathy Leung
Musical Director: Yawen Wang
Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT) presents Red Letters, an original, touching musical set in the 1900s. The Gold Rush and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway brought thousands of poor Chinese immigrants to Canada. Red Letters tells the heartbreaking story of Shen, a man who leaves his wife in China in hopes of becoming wealthy. He works tirelessly in an effort to save enough head tax money to bring his wife over to the new country.
This dream was not to be as the Federal Government suddenly increased the Head Tax from $100 to $500 and implemented the Chinese Exclusion Act on July 1, 1923. This Act only allowed merchants, diplomats and foreign students to enter the country. The families left in China were forced to fend for themselves and the Chinese immigrants were overcome by loneliness, despair and discrimination. Shen and his wife's hopes are dashed and they are separated interminably.
The production of Red Letters is made possible by an incredible team of people. The talented Alan Bau has over twenty years of experience composing music and this is his first produced musical. Book writer, Kathy Leung was previously nominated for a Leo Award as well as two Gold Sheaf Awards for her script, Lily's Crickets. Musical Director, Yawen Wang is a Vancouver-based multi-faceted artist who was awarded the exlorPERFORMANCE Award in 2005 and was once nominated for the Future Generation Millennium Award. Director Alan Maton is a seasoned actor who has worked with celebrities such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt and James Caan.
Red Letters is opening at the Roundhouse Performance Centre in Vancouver with a preview of the musical on November 25 and will run from November 26 to December 4. Tickets are available online now. Upcoming performances include the Gateway Theatre Studio in Richmond from December 29 to January 8 as well as the Metro Studio Theatre in Victoria from January 12 to January 16.
Tags: Asian Canadian, Events, Theatre
Channel APA | Spreading the Word About Asian-American Talent
By Rosel Kim
It's a tough world for artists - and for artists of colour, the opportunities for gaining exposure are even more scarce. But one group is trying to change that. Run by a team of passionate volunteers from Los Angeles to Chicago, Channel APA is an Asian-American network devoted to promoting Asian-American artists and entertainers by giving them support and exposure. You can find everything from information on Mindy Kaling's new webseries The 3rd Floor to an interview segment with Mike Le (one of the producers of the Asian-American reality show K-Town).
Like what you see? You can support Channel APA by buying a Channel APA shirt at the Blacklava website (t-shirts are $25 each) and do two good things at once. Not only will you be promoting the Channel APA brand to the broader public, you'll also be helping the Susan G Komen for the Cure organization to honour Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month is officially over, Channel APA will continue to donate the proceeds from the t-shirts until the end of December.
Find Channel APA on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 8, 2010 | Comments (0)
Tags: Asian American
The Last Spike | 125th Anniversary of Chinese sacrifice to the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway
By Justin Ko
November 7th, 2010, marks an important date in the history of Canada and the Canadian Pacific Railway. 125 years ago today, the last spike of the railway was driven into the ground at the town of Craigellachie, which was located near Revelstoke, British Columbia. The railway, otherwise known as the CPR, played a quintessential role in the economic development and expansion of early Canada, fulfilling the ambition to truly connect the country from "sea to sea."
And just as the CPR itself was important to the history of Canada, the contributions of Chinese immigrant railway workers were immensely critical to the construction of the CPR. Accepting any job and wage that was given, the Chinese workers were often placed in dangerous conditions and life-threatening tasks that resulted in many deaths and casualties. Given that without the railway, it would have been very difficult to imagine a Canada united from coast to coast, the Chinese workers were directly responsible for the national identity and interconnectedness that we now possess today.
As a teenage Canadian of Chinese descent, I have been born into a time where the railway was a thing of the past, a relic only present in Social Studies textbooks and the occasional landmark here in Vancouver. The burgeoning Chinese population across Canada, and particularly in the province of British Columbia, is largely composed of immigrants who came over in "waves" long after the Last Spike was hammered in. First generation Chinese often relate more to contemporary Hong Kong culture than the trials and tribulations of the old railway workers. Given the fact that Chinese contributions to the railway are not necessarily celebrated on a mainstream level in Canada, it is easy for today's Canadian-Chinese to focus more on a prosperous future than obsessing over the hardships of the past.
But I have also been fortunate enough to interact with a few descendants of the earliest Chinese immigrants to Canada, who, rightfully, proclaim with pride that they are more "Canadian" than nearly anyone here due to their long-entrenched roots in the fabric of the country. There is certainly a great deal of pride within the Chinese community, no matter which generation, that immigrant Chinese have played such a critical role in the founding of this country and others. With each passing year, however, the memories of the railway workers recede bit by bit from the minds of the local Chinese population, as stories of new and exciting developments in China and Hong Kong take their place. And many of the descendants of the original immigrants, while proud of their ancestors' accomplishments, are increasingly finding themselves unable to relate to the waves of immigrants coming over from Asia.
Given the timing of Remembrance Day this Thursday, I think it would be poignant to remember the sacrifices made by Chinese railway workers, which arguably were just as crucial to the history of Canadian national identity as the soldiers who gave their lives in war. Of course, whether we choose to remember such sacrifices or not is a personal decision.
Posted by Justin Ko | November 7, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags:
RAIFF 2010 | THE MOUNTAIN THIEF
By Film Festival Correspondent Manori Ravindran
The Mountain Thief | Canadian Premiere
Dir. Gerry Balasta | Philippines/USA 2009 | 78:00 | Tagalog w/ Eng. sub. | Rated: 14A | | Cast: Richard Casas, Randy Catonjay, Manuel Gonzaga | Director in attendance
Screens SAT NOV 13 | 5:00 PM at INNIS TOWN HALL > BUY TICKETS
Payatas is a garbage-dumping site on the outskirts of Manila. It is the main terminal for solid waste collected in the Philippine capital; 1000 trucks arrive in Payatas every day, each carrying two to three tonnes of waste.
Among the mountains of trash are families of scavengers. They sort through the waste and save the cans, bottles and scrap iron that can be sold. The scavengers live in villages lining the heaps of garbage.
They are also the stars of The Mountain Thief.
The film follows widower Julio (Randy Catonjay) and his handicapped son Ingo (John Richard Casas) as they flee a war-torn southern region of the Philippines and travel to Payatas to start a new life. Struggling to adapt, the pair comes up against territorial disputes and jealousies among villagers wary of outsiders. What follows is a horrific turn of events that leaves the father and son struggling to survive.
Anyone watching The Mountain Thief, which recently won the Special Jury Award at the 2010 San Francisco International Asian-American Film Festival, can attest to the haunting ease with which the actors deliver their lines. They are naturals in the mountains of garbage, effortlessly navigating their environment. At the end of the film, we discover that art is simply imitating life for The Mountain Thief cast: it is a heartrending revelation.
In what is the first narrative feature to be shot in Payatas, director Gerry Balasta's cast was selected from an acting workshop held for residents of the town in December 2004. Balasta, who grew up in a town in Manila, often smelled the wafting stench of garbage from Payatas. After moving to the United States, he decided to raise awareness about the plight of Payatas' residents.
The Mount Hope Project was created to raise funds for the actors in the film. To date, it has provided medical care for two of the children associated with the film. It continues to raise money to help several of the actors.
An exceptional undertaking that makes a difference with every scene, the award-winning Mountain Thief is a triumph.
Catch The Mountain Thief at Reel Asian on Saturday, Nov. 13. For more details, please visit ReelAsian.com.
Schema Magazine is proud to be a community partner and supporter of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
Posted by Manori Ravindran | November 9, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Activism, Children, Community, Film, Film Festival, Philippines, Reel Asian
RAIFF 2010 | SUITE SUITE CHINATOWN
By Film Festival Correspondent Manori Ravindran
Homegrown Suite Suite Chinatown is a collaboration of work from seven second-generation Chinese Canadian filmmakers who were each asked, "What is your Chinatown?"
Dir. Lesley Loksi Chan, Lillian Chan, Aram Siu Wai Collier, Heather Keung, Serena Lee, Howie Shia, Joyce Wong | Canada 2010 | 30:00 | Video | World Premiere | Project director/editor: Aram Siu Wai Collier
Directors in attendance | Preceded by live musical performances
Upcoming Screenings
FRI NOV 12 | 7:45 PM | THE ROYAL | RATED: G | BUY TICKETS
WED NOV 17 | 7:30 PM | Scarborough Civic Center | RATED: G | FREE
Four simple words have resulted in seven compelling representations of Chinatown neighbourhoods.
The 30-minute film features the contributions of Greater Toronto Area artists Lesley Loksi Chan (director), Lillian Chan, Aram Siu Wai Collier (director/editor), Heather Keung, Serena Lee, Howie Shia and Joyce Wong.
Their work is both confounding and illuminating: One segment focuses solely on a Chinese family eating dinner. Another tackles the role of Chinatown in an urban metropolis. Whatever the filmmaker's focus - past, present or future Chinatown - the dimensions presented in the film convene to give viewers an authentic experience of a cultural hub.
The premiere of the film at Reel Asian will also feature live music from composers Angie Molina and Arthur Yeung of Exercisers, Christian David Berube, Theo Mathien and the Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School Band.
Ultimately, whether you're a regular, a newcomer or a veteran in Chinatown, Suite Suite conspires to bring everyone into the fold.
Catch Suite Suite Chinatown at Reel Asian on Friday, Nov. 12. More details found on ReelAsian.com.
Schema Magazine is proud to be a community partner and supporter of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
Posted by Manori Ravindran | November 10, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: China, Culture, Film Festival, Reel Asian
RAIFF 2010 | ONE BIG HAPA FAMILY
By Film Festival Correspondent Manori Ravindran
Dir. Jeff Chiba Stearns | Canada 2010 | 48:00 | Director in attendance
In Canada, almost 100 percent of Japanese Canadians marry inter-racially—the highest out of any other ethnicity in the country.
With a massive family reunion in the background, Jeff Chiba Stearns' One Big Hapa Family tells the story of four generations of Japanese Canadians. The documentary, which took Stearns four years to complete, questions the Koga family's interracial marriages and mixed identities in a whimsical exercise in storytelling.
Colourful animation, telling interviews and decades-old photographs tell the stories of Stearns' Japanese and European background as the Kelowna-born filmmaker sets out to answer why everyone in his family married interracially after his grandparents' generation.
For anyone with a multi-racial background with questions about identity, or for those simply interested in race and ethnicity in Canada, One Big Hapa Family is not to be missed.
Catch One Big Hapa Family at Reel Asian on Sunday, Nov. 14. For more details, please visit ReelAsian.com.
Schema Magazine is proud to be a community partner and supporter of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
Posted by Manori Ravindran | November 10, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film Festival, Identity, Japanese Canadian, Race, Reel Asian
RAIFF 2010 | AU REVOIR TAIPEI
By Film Festival Correspondent Manori Ravindran
Au Revoir Taipei
Toronto Premiere | Dir. Arvin Chen | Taiwan/USA 2010 | 85:00 | 35mm | Mandarin w/ Eng. sub. | Rated: PG | Cast: Jack Yao, Amber Kuo, Joseph Chang, Lawrence Ko | Director in attendance
Screens as part of the CLOSING NIGHT GALA AND AWARDS CEREMONY | SUN NOV 14 | 8:00 PM at the THE ROYAL | Encore Screening in Richmond Hill on November 15 > BUY TICKETS
Taipei may just be the new city of love.
In writer-director Arvin Chen's Au Revoir Taipei, the Taiwanese capital lights up to the sound of Parisian love ballads and Lindy Hops in the park. Having recently won Best Asian Film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival, Chen's feature directorial debut makes us fall in love with the unassuming city and its eccentric residents.
The film spans one night in the life of Kai (Jack Yao), a young man pining away for a Paris-bound girlfriend who has taken his heart hostage. While spending all his spare time in a bookstore studying French, he meets Susie (Amber Kuo), one of the store clerks who wants to be more than just friends.
Later, in exchange for a loan to go to Paris from his retiring gangster uncle, Kai has to retrieve a mysterious package. What ensues for Kai and Susie is an unforgettable night complete with everything from police chases to swing dancing. The kind of night that makes Kai wonder if love might have been waiting in Taipei all along.
California-born Chen delivers a charming film that's sweeter than creme brulee. A lovable band of characters, jazzy score and nighttime scenes of an effervescent city come together to bring Au Revoir Taipei to life.
Catch Au Revoir Taipei at Reel Asian on Sunday, Nov. 14. For more details, visit ReelAsian.com.
Schema Magazine is proud to be a community partner and supporter of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
Posted by Manori Ravindran | November 10, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Reel Asian, Taiwan
A Few Good Men: The Japanese "Herbivore"
By Manori Ravindran
They are called "herbivore men."
Gentle and cautious, these Japanese men prefer being friends with women, reject 70-hour work weeks and like spending time with their families. A recent Washington Post article described them as participating in dessert clubs, buying presents for their mothers and wearing flannel-patterned shirts.
They're also throwing a wrench in Japan's social landscape.
A 2009 survey by a market research firm showed that almost half of Japanese men aged 20 to 34 now identify as herbivores. Maki Fukasawa, a pop culture writer who coined the term, says, "The people of the older generation would buy things, consume things, even fall in love for status. However, these young people have no desire for status...."
The fathers of herbivores were the backbone of Japan's golden years. Working long hours, they rarely saw their families and worked for the same company their entire lives. Unlike their offspring, these "salarymen" cared about status and social standing. After all, times were good and Japan was coming out on top.
These days, things have changed. Japan's dwindling economy is the same size as it was in 1992 and an aging population has resulted in pressure falling on youth to steer the country into a brighter future. The only problem is a growing distaste for old-world ideals and a pursuit of alternative lifestyles.
Fukasawa, who first wrote about the changing Japanese male identities in 2006, says herbivores symbolize a shift towards a more "sustainable model," one that has young men seeking family time over finances.
But does the herbivore-lifestyle stem from frugal necessity? After all, as the Washington Post reported, "Only 3.5 percent of men ages 25 to 34 make more than the average workers' household income of about 6 million yen (or $73,600) per year, according to National Tax Agency."
Whether out of fiscal responsibility or a genuine rejection of their parents' values, the Japanese herbivores are pulling a gender bender for the ages.
Yasuhito Sekine, a self-described herbivore, recently told NPR.org, "Back [in the 1980s], Japanese men had to be passionate and aggressive, but now those characteristics are disliked. Our members have very mild personalities. They simply enjoy what they like without prejudice. They are not limited by expectations."
Though they are receiving their share of heat from bewildered elders, the herbivore men are challenging notions of masculinity in Japan. Rather than aspiring to the 70-hour work weeks of their parents, these men are happy to work fewer hours and focus on the sweeter things in life.
Besides, when it comes to saving Japan's struggling economy, it seems that women are stepping up to the plate. In October, the government released an unprecedented report showing that single women under 30 were earning more on average than their male counterparts.
One thing is for sure: Japan's herbivore men are contributing to a complete overhaul of a patriarchal system. They seem non-nonchalant whether society thinks they are avoiding male responsibilities or not. In what seems like a permanent Freaky Friday, Japanese gender roles are shifting and notions of manhood are quietly disassembling. As they look for alternative lifestyles that balance work and play, Japan's mild-mannered herbivore men are smelling the roses along the way.
Posted by Manori Ravindran | November 15, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Culture, Fashion, Gender, Identity, Japan, Sexual Stereotypes
Remembrance Day | 2010 Edition | Lest We Forget
By Justin Ko and Alden E. Habacon
Photo credit: militaryphotos.net
Today, November 11th, is Remembrance Day in Canada, all Commonwealth Countries and all countries where Canadians have sacrificed their lives (such as the Prime Minister Harper's wreath laying in South Korea).
It may in fact be the only annual Canadian ceremony—a yearly event where we pause to remember the soldiers and immense casualties suffered in the First World War, and all subsequent armed conflicts. Like all national holidays, however, it is up to the modern public to interpret and commemorate the day in the way they see fit. As you may have noticed, Canadians have been wearing their poppy for all of last week, as it is Veterans Week.
War, especially in Canada, is a touchy subject to discuss. As a nation prideful of its "peace-keeping" international policies, one which refused to send soldiers to Iraq at the request of our American neighbors, invocations of the horrors of the First and Second World Wars seem to conjure memories of a different world entirely from the one we are now used to. A world where war was not simply a far-flung escapade in the Middle East, a punchline that doomed George Bush's reputation and a quagmire that continues to plague Obama's, but a reality that every civilian in the world had to confront.
For many of today's youth, it is increasingly difficult to relate to the sacrifices that Canada's veterans made in the defense of our country and of other countries. Violence and war are prevalent in TV, movies and in video games. Meanwhile, the demographic makeup of Canada has changed drastically, with a growing proportion of immigrants and children of immigrants. At the time of the First World War, the majority of these immigrants were still residing in their native countries, and would not make their way to this country for a few decades yet.
For Asian Canadians and Aboriginal Peoples, however, Remembrance Day has a very special significance. Canada was a particularly racist place leading up to World War II. After an estimated 600 Chinese had sacrificed their lives in completing the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Canadian Government in fear of the impact that the 17,000 unemployed Chinese would have on Canadian society imposed the Head Tax and later the Exclusion Act. First intended to deter Chinese from coming and staying in Canada, and then later barring Chinese from immigrating at all. By far, Canada's most racist policy and the ultimate disrespect to those who helped to unite the country in completing the CPR.
At the time of WWII, Japanese Canadians living in British Columbia were interned, their businesses, belongings and homes auctioned. Their lives changed forever. Most of them, never to return to British Columbia. Neither Chinese nor Japanese Canadians could freely own property in the privileged neighbourhoods of Kerrisdale or British Properties ... actually anywhere other than Chinatown and Japantown. Many "Orientals" completed university degrees, but were not able to work as doctors, lawyers or architects, because one had to be a Canadian citizen to practice these professions. Canadians of "Oriental racial origin" and Aboriginal Peoples did not have civic rights, they were not able to vote.
WWII also saw the most racist rhetoric in Canadian history. MP Ian MacKenzie famously stated,
It is the government's plan to get these people out of B.C. as fast as possible. It is my personal intention, as long as I remain in public life, to see they never come back here. Let our slogan be for British Columbia: 'No Japs from the Rockies to the seas.'
Can you imagine something so racist and xenophobic coming from a decorated Canadian?
So what changed? How is it that thousands of Asian immigrants, in "waves" in fact, have come to Canada, and now enjoy the right to vote, own property, practice professions and even hold public office?
Chinese, Japanese and Aboriginal Canadians served in WWII.
Proud Chinese Canadian soldiers (WW II) earning respect for all Canadians. From: uglychinesecanadian.com
Neither Canadians of "Oriental racial origin" nor Aboriginal People were not called upon to perform compulsory military service, but many did so to prove their allegiance to Canada. Many WWII veterans, including those in the film Redress Remix, describe being treated as equals for the first time. Most Asians were sent behind enemy lines as Special Forces and as spies like Agent 50 (William Chong), never expecting to return alive.
Their contribution, and for many, ultimate sacrifice, moved Canada. And in 1947 the Exclusion Act was repealed and Chinese Canadians received the right to vote. In 1949 Japanese Canadians were given the franchise and the legal restrictions used to control the movement of Japanese Canadians were removed. Aboriginal Canadians received the right to vote in 1960.
As we, 1.5-, second-, third-gens and beyond, enjoy our intercultural existence in Canada and pride as the world's beacon of multicultural success, let us remember the thousands of Canadian men and women who served and sacrificed their lives for the democracy and human rights we enjoy as Canadians today. Let us never forget their courage in fighting the racism and xenophobia that existed in Canada. Start by making it a point to learn the history of how Asian Canadians served in both World Wars.
In the spirit of Remembrance Day, listen to Vancouver-born Leonard Wong's account of serving in WWII at the thememoryproject.com.
Lest we forget.
Posted by Justin Ko | November 11, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags:
Redress Remix Dialogue and World Premier | VAFF 2010 | Sunday Nov 7 2010
By Schema Magazine
Schema Magazine is proud to be co-presenting a special dialogue about the politics of apology in conjunction with the World Premier of the ground-breaking film Redress Remix this Sunday, NOV. 7th at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival.
presented by Stitch Media & Schema Magazine | sponsored by Fortune Sound Club
**THE 50TH PERSON TO RSVP WILL RECEIVE 2 FREE TICKETS TO THE PREMIER!**
Redress Remix is an interactive, living documentary on the Canadian government's official apology to the Chinese Canadian community for the Head Tax and Exclusion Act of 1923. The film will be screening from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at Tinseltown as part of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. Please check out the film's trailer.
Before the screening, there will be a dialogue exploring the politics of government apologies, the pursuit of justice, and the importance of closure (i.e. Is it over just because of an apology?) at Fortune Sound Club from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.
MEET THE FILMMAKER
We will be joined by Lesley Loksi Chan (Director) and Sonny Mchalsie of the Stó:lō First Nation (who talks about the relationship between Chinese Canadians and First Nations people in the film). Larry Wong of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society and Tony Penikett former Premier of the Yukon who now specializes in conflict resolution and negotiation will also be part of our panel of speakers. Alden E. Habacon (Schema Magazine) will be facilitating the dialogue.
Sunday, NOV. 7th
Dialogue (presented by Stitch Media and Schema Magazine)
1:00 to 3:00 pm
Fortune Sound Club
147 E Pender St. Vancouver, BC.
Screening at Vancouver Asian Film Festival
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Tinseltown
88 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC.
PLEASE RSVP TODAY! Seating and discounted tickets are limited.
Please reserve your spot today with misha@boldlovecmns.com
**Discounted tickets will be on sale at the Dialogue courtesy of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival
Posted by Alden | November 4, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian Canadian, Film, Film Festival
Archaeological Find has Potential for Chinese-African Relations
By Robert Parungao
History is an interesting thing. Take for example this story about new findings from Chinese archaeologists in Kenya.
It turns out that something as simple as a recently excavated coin could re-write how we understand Chinese-African history as it dates Chinese explorers in the area from far back as 1403. Likely it was brought there by legendary admiral Zheng He, who at his peak controlled a fleet of over 200 ships and made seven naval expeditions around the Indian Ocean. Amazingly, his flagship was a whopping 9-masted, 400 foot long juggernaut that carried over 1000 people. As a point of comparison, Christopher Columbus' ship was 70 feet long and had around 25 men.
More importantly, the presence of rare Chinese porcelain in the area indicates that Zheng He was a peaceful envoy bearing gifts from the emperor and treated the Kenyan leaders he visited as equals. This is a marked change from the current Chinese government's approach to the region as increasingly aggressive business tactics have caused many to accuse China of neo-colonialism in Africa.
The challenge that this archaeological find brings then is not only to re-write popular history to show China's exploration into Africa well before European powers, but also to spur the Chinese government to follow the footsteps of its ancestors and treat African countries as equal trading partners.
A Wedding To Celebrate You & You | Taiwan Bride Plans To Marry Self
By Vinnie Yuen
"Hallmark doesn't make a 'Congratulations, you didn't marry the wrong guy' card." -Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City.
What happens when you don't find the perfect man, but you want a perfect wedding? Simply throw a wedding for you, and you.
Chen Wei-yih is doing just that. The 30-year-old office worker from Taiwan plans to wed herself on November 6 with an intimate wedding of 30 guests. Her Facebook page has received tons of comments congratulating her. She has also uploaded wedding photos of herself in a white strapless wedding gown with vibrant red flowers. The page also states: "We must love ourselves before [we] love others."
Asian women are often stereotyped as more passive and traditional. Chen Wei-yih's strong declaration of independence shatters this stereotype. Her wedding makes a bold statement for single women everywhere. Celebrating yourself should be just as joyous as celebrating a couple.
Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City mentioned the same concept in the episode "A Woman's Right to Shoes" in Season 6 of the series. But she didn't actually throw a wedding for herself.
Carrie's gorgeous shoes were stolen from her at her friend's baby shower, where she was forced to take them off. The hostess wanted to compensate Carrie for them, but when she found out they were $500 Manolo Blahnik's, she "shoe-shamed" Carrie for her extravagant choices.
Carrie realized she had spent more than $2000 on gifts celebrating her friend's choices (marriage and three babies). So she registered for the same pair she lost. Carrie left a message with the hostess, told her she was marrying herself, and where she was registered. Carrie finally got her shoes (and pride) back.
For all the lastest news on Chen Wei-yih's wedding, you can check out her blog here.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 3, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Commentary
Bikini Envy | Transgendered Beauty Pageant in the Philippines
By Gayatri Bajpai
Photo: The Province
On the 22nd of October over 20 transgendered and transsexual beauties gathered for their first 'meet-and-greet' in Manila, according to The Province. The coronation event is on the 26th of November.
Check the photos out. Number 14 (above) has an enviable waist-to-hip ratio. Yes, I notice these things, but you can't accuse me of being shallow about a beauty contest. I have to say, though: everyone in this picture radiates confidence. The event is meant to 'promulgate and endorse camaraderie', quite the reverse of the usual sort of jealous hair-yanking, back-stabbing competition a pageant is supposed to be. If the photos are anything to go by, you can tell there is a sense of fun in the air along with the vanity. Hey, if walking the ramp can be this empowering and friendly, all the power to them.
According to this article on Business Insight, the 'primary objective [of the competition is] uplifting all appalling impressions of gay beauty pageants'. A worthy cause, with a good dose of glamour. What's not to like?
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | November 8, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Beauty, Gender, Philippines
The (Slowly) Changing Face Of Fashion
By Rosel Kim
It's an interesting time for fashion right now. After years of promoting white models on the runways as the "norm," the industry's homogeneity is slowly beginning to change due to a shift in consumer markets. CNN reports that China is gaining momentum to become the next fashion capital, thanks to the newly emerging upper-class that is interested in upgrading its image with luxury brands. Ermenegildo Zegna, Italian fashion powerhouse, chose to celebrate its 100th anniversary in Shanghai instead of Milan. Increasingly, brands like Prada and Hermes are concentrating efforts by launching brands and marketing campaigns specifically geared towards the growing Chinese market.
Liu Wen, a former tour guide-turned-supermodel from the Hunan Province in China, is one of the most sought-out Asian models. She was the second most booked model during Fashion Weeks in 2010. Her high-fashion ubiquity is also translating into commercial appeal - she became the newest and the only Asian Victoria's Secret Angel in 2009, as well as the first Asian face to represent the cosmetics conglomerate Estee Lauder.
All this new activity and interest in China as the new fashion capital is indeed exciting, but it remains to be seen whether this would actually have an impact on the overall diversity of fashion. According to Jezebel's report "Fashion Week Diversity by the Numbers," the percentage of Asian models used on the runway did increase to 7.1% - however, this hardly qualifies as breaking "records" as CNN reports, as it is a mere 0.7% jump from Fall/Winter 2010, and an overall 1.7% jump from Fall/Winter 2008 season.This increase is relatively minimal, considering that the number of black models used on the runway almost doubled from Fall/Winter 2008 (from 4.9% to 8.4%).
Even more telling is the fact that six shows during Fashion Week had zero representation from models of colour, and many included - among them well-known brands such as Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Narciso Rodriguez - only one or two models of colour among a sea of white faces. While it is nice to see localized efforts to attract a diverse consumer crowd, it would be great to see more efforts from the creative sides that represent the "ideal" consumer to reflect such diverse consumer identity better on a global scale.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 2, 2010 | Comments (0)
Vancouver Short Film Festival's Emerging Filmmaker Screening
By Vancouver Short Film Correspondent Devon Wong
As a height-challenged middle child, I can relate to the Vancouver Short Film Festival. Sure everyone's been going on about how amazing VIFF was this year, and we're all excited to see what cute little goodness VAFF is bringing in the coming week, but what about the VSFF? Fortunately I had a chance to root for the underdog this weekend, and catch the Emerging Filmmakers Program that screened nine short films by local film school grads. And let me just say, it is pretty evident that the love of a powerful short film is, well, growing.
While all the shorts were noteworthy and extremely varied in their style and tone, I picked out the following highlights based for various reasons.
Addict
Dir. Tyler Jinx Moore, Vancouver Film School
I was pretty blown away, first, by the makeup artist's ability to produce a completely believable portrayal of an addict (I'm a girl, that's what I notice). The protagonist (I use that liberally here) introduces himself in narration, and we learn what really goes through the mind of an addict as he explains how he is able to rationalize his lifestyle. There was a clear story arc that kept the audience skeptical, and yet sympathetic throughout the film. Imagine my amazement when it was revealed this short was shot with the purpose of being a Public Service Announcement to reach out to people with drug abuse - a truly effective example of drama and social values!
Little Big Kid
Dir. Kathleen Jayme, University of British Columbia
On the local emerging filmmaker circuit, this film has garnered a lot of buzz, and it's pretty clear just why. The story is simple: Cute Kid and Old Man go on a play date shooting invisible guns through a playground. Really, what more could you ask for? The shots are beautifully crafted and make a rainy day in Vancouver look like, well, a stroll in the park. It's a short and effective piece that is worth watching if only for that subtle instinctive smile you're bound to pull when the credits come up.
Forgive
Dir. Tara Mahoney, Ryerson University
I am personally a sucker for documentaries, but this was by no means a conventionally 'dry, over-informative, life sucker' (my friend's words, not mine). The film literally transports you to Rome along with Phil Fontaine, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, as he prepares for a private meeting with Pope Benedict XVI. The invitation was to deliver an official apology from the Vatican for the tragic legacy of Residential schools in Canada. For those of you unfamiliar with this stain on Canadian history, the film offers an easy to follow '101' lesson of what exactly was experienced under these horrible conditions through the words of the victims themselves. It's a poignant piece that makes you appreciate documentary for its purest purpose, namely giving you access to people and stories that you probably would've never otherwise heard of. Also, it's fun to play Count How Many Priests You Can Spot on a Cellphone.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 1, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival
Sunghee Bang | Androgyny & Minimalism
By Kathy Ko
The world of fashion design is very cutthroat and competitive, a fact that fans of Project Runway are aware of. New fashion graduates often struggle for a long time before achieving success. This was not the case for Sunghee Bang whose career has risen meteorically in a short period of time.
Graduating from the top of the class at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Sunghee Bang then won competitions held by esteemed companies such as Vancouver's Lululemon Athletics. She was also privileged to intern at Donna Karan, J. Mendel, Jill Stuart and Peter Som. Her already impressive resume was further enhanced by being featured in Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2009.
Knowing that she has a ready market, Sunghee Bang immediately started her own line. The buyers lined up quickly, with the first being EVA, a New York Fashion store. Currently, her collection is also sold at Barneys New York, Oak and We the People. It is also available online through her own site and other sites such as Etsy.
Sunghee Bang dresses women who like androgyny and minimalism. Her 2010 Fall/Winter Collection includes reworked pants and shorts with zipper details in black, gray and copper. This tough-girl chic aesthetic is in the same vein as the "cool kids": Helmut Lang, Alexander Wang and Rick Owens. However, Bang's knitwear really sets her apart from other designers. Her masterful work in weaving together stylish scarves, hats and sweaters soften the collection and are must have items for this season.
Originally from Seoul, Korea, Bang is now based in New York. Her East Williamsburg, Brooklyn factory serves as an inspiration for her collection, resulting in this overall austere look. Women who wear her clothes may feel ready to take on a post-apocalyptic world and fight evil.
For more information about Sunghee Bang, visit her website at sungheebang.com and her blog
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 4, 2010 | Comments (0)
Insert Coin For Live Crab
By Kathy Ko
There are millions of people living in Japan and a majority of the workers put in long hours which result in them having no time to eat. Fast food takes on a whole different meaning in Asia. For Japanese people living in big cities, everyone is always on the go and no one wants to wait in long line-ups for a quick meal.
Needless to say, the vending machine business is booming. It is a cost-efficient and convenient way to buy popular products. There are vending machines for buying soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, coffee, cigarettes, key chains, toys, soups, pasta, instant noodles, eggs and ones for fortune telling. Recently, the invention of the fresh Dole banana vending machines in Japan made headlines. And now, China is entering this unique food market.
A man in Nanjing, China has invented a vending machine that keeps Shanghai Hairy Crabs at an optimum temperature for freshness. Based on the crab size, prices range from $1.50 to $7.50 per crab. What a bargain! This novelty is made more appealing by the guarantee that if a dead crab is found, the customer will get three live crabs for free. The owner of these live crab vending machines is eager to sell his product in Japan but he will have some competition. In Osaka, vending machines sell live lobsters for about $1.26 each.
North America has a long way to go in terms of developing technology that can equal to that of Asia. One can travel to the future by visiting Japan where engineers are already producing life-like robots. Old products are becoming obsolete. RIP Sony Walkman.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | November 2, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: China, Food, Japan, Technology
An Exclusive with MC Jin | Chanel APA interview
By Justin Ko
Chinese-American rapper MC Jin wowed millions across the globe in the early 2000's when he set the freestyle rap show 106th and Park ablaze with his battle raps and incredible wordplay. Videos of his performances have garnered millions of views on YouTube, and it's easy to see why - in each episode, he is confronted by wave after wave of challenger rappers, each trying to take his crown as the premier freestyle rapper in hip-hop.
Needless to say, Jin conquered every listener with his unfailingly witty lyricism and his simple refusal to back down in the face of racial stereotypes and perceived notions of Asian-Americans. But perhaps more surprising to people who have seen his prowess on the mic is the fact that since his years on top of 106th and Park, he has since relocated to Hong Kong and perfected his Cantonese, releasing two full-lengths albums entirely in the Chinese dialect.
Since his first album, ABC reached platinum status in Hong Kong within a week of its release, Jin has been unstoppable in the area, breaking into the genre of hip hop which had essentially no basis or popularity in Hong Kong at the time. Songs such as "Yum Dom Cha" played to his humorous side, paying homage to the dim sum tradition, while songs such as the title track "ABC" showed that Jin was willing to stand up to his Chinese critics who did not consider him a "true Chinese" due to his American upbringing.
Though he has faced skepticism for his American accented Chinese and his unconventional background, Jin has persevered through criticism the world over to succeed in releasing rap albums in English and Cantonese. He still has many fans in North America, however, despite his change of location and language. To that end, Channel APA has secured an exclusive interview with MC Jin for your reading pleasure!
Check out the interview for some great insights into the mind of one of the most dynamic and fearless Asian-American musicians around!
Posted by Justin Ko | November 9, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian American, Hip Hop, Music
Quidditch World Cup | November 13-14
By Angela Jung
Wonder what's sweeping Manhattan on Novemmber 13-14? The Quidditch World Cup of course! Yes, even muggles can have a dash of the wizardry world despite the non-flying broomsticks.
New York is hosting the 4th annual Quidditch World Cup, which means that quidditch is no longer just a novelty -- it's taken seriously and being taken over in 200 colleges and universities in the States.
Now if you're unfamiliar with the wizard world -- although I can't imagine why (grab a J.K. Rowling novel!) -- quidditch is a sports played by wizards and witches. It involves hoops (aka nets), balls, a snitch and brooms for flying. In the mortal world, the rules remain the same. However, the snitch is no longer a flying ball, but a cross-country runner dressed in yellow running around with a flag. The game is over once a seeker captures this flag -- exactly like the wizard's version of quidditch.
There is a technical dilemma with the abilities of a wizard and that of a mortal: humans can't fly on broomsticks! The solution? The players run around with a broom between their legs. Does this sound funny? It looks even funnier! Just watch!
I can't wait for Canadian muggles to start playing quidditch!
Posted by Angela Jung | November 10, 2010 | Comments (0)
David Hockney | Fleurs Fraiches Digital Art Exhibit
By Adrian Bailon
Considered one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, David Hockney, born in 1937 in England, gained popularity during the 1960's for helping usher in the Pop Art movement. These days, though, Hockney is once again helping bring in a new art movement: digital art.
Hockney's latest exhibit, Fleurs Fraiches, will be shown at Pierre Berge - Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, and will feature iPads and iPhones to show his new digital drawings instead of the traditional paint on canvas. The name of the exhibit translates to "fresh flowers" because of the nature and floral theme of some of the drawings, but also in reference to the immediacy of the digital world. To help strengthen this point, new images will even be emailed by Hockney so that the exhibit will be updated periodically, ensuring the exhibit is always fresh with new flowers, so to speak.
Some of Hockney's most famous works in the past include his Joiners photo-collages, where he used various Polaroid photos and arranged them in patchwork to make a larger image. Now, though, he's experimenting again with art through his iPad, in which he uses his own fingers as the brush through the Brushes app's virtual palette. "It started out as something that was strictly about communication, not about art," said curator Charlie Scheips.
While many young people certainly are familiar with digital art through sites like deviantART, it's not too often that we are able to see digital art in a gallery. The digital painting medium probably still needs to be refined a bit more before more artists replace their sketchbooks and canvases with iPads, but it's definitely great to see a prolific artist like David Hockney bringing the digital art movement to the attention of old school gallery-goers.
Posted by Adrian Bailon | November 1, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Art, iPhone, Technology
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