A theatre performance was held last Thursday in Richmond to celebrate more than 150 years of Chinese-Canadian history, followed by an awards ceremony to commemorate Chinese-Canadian veterans who fought in World War II.
Five Chinese-Canadian veterans, including Richmond’s 99-year-old veteran Tommy Wong, were granted “The Glory of Chinese” award by the Richmond-based Canadian Community Service Association (CCSA) in recognition of their contribution towards winning full citizenship for all Chinese-Canadians.
About 1,000 guests, including MP Joe Peschisolido and Mayor Malcolm Brodie watched the show at the River Rock Theatre, which covered the founding of Canada to the present day, using a combination of dance, mini-plays, monologues and videos, taking the audience on a journey through time.
“Through the show, we hope more people will understand the history of Chinese-Canadians, and understand that Chinese-Canadians are not outsiders; we are one of the builders of this country,” said CCSA President Hua Niu.
“We also hope for more Chinese immigrants to understand that we are held accountable for the country and should continue to work together with other ethnicities to make Canada a better place,” said Niu.
The vignettes were set in key periods in Chinese-Canadian history. Beginning with the early wave of Chinese immigration during the gold rush in Barkerville in 1863, the performance then moved on to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s by thousands of Chinese workers, many of whom lost their lives.
Artists also reproduced the scene when Chinese-Canadians fought for the right to serve in the armed forces during World War II and new immigrants’ visions in modern times.
The show is the culmination of a two-year effort featuring about 150 amateur and professional artists.
