Chinese Canadians commemorate pioneers
Few Kelowna residents know a Chinatown once existed near City Park. Once the Chinese population made up 15 per cent of the city’s population and provided much needed labour for the local economy. That’s why the Okanagan Chinese Canadian Association (OCCA) worked hard to bring the commemorative sign at City Park that was unveiled recently.
About 200 people gathered at the sign location with OCCA members and volunteers. Local, provincial politicians, representatives of MPs and civic organizations were invited to attend the ceremony which featured speeches and a dragon dance performed by the Dart Coon Club and students from Mar Jok Elementary School.
The OCCA’s undertaking of this sign project to commemorate Kelowna’s historic Chinatown was prompted by the 2014 provincial government’s apology for “historic wrongs to Chinese British Columbians,”
Dr. Hua Meng, the first president and the volunteer administrator of OCCA and this project, explained. She and a few others from the local community got together in September 2015 to discuss what should be done to bring the Chinatown history to light. Although the city had already placed a plaque at the corner of Leon Avenue and Abbott Street, the group felt that the existing plague was inadequate. A letter was sent to the Major proposing a new signage. The OCCA also promised to raise funds for the project.
The OCCA has paid $14,727 for a total cost of $36,727, thus far. It will also have to absorb extra costs because the signage is larger than the original engineering design. The City contributed $10,000. An additional $12,000 came from Community Fund for Canada’s 150th administered by Central Okanagan Foundation. The OCCA board of directors and members supported this project by volunteering their time, soliciting sponsors and donating money.
“Without the support from our board and members, we might not be able to accomplish this task,” said Meng.
The OCCA also played a major role in developing the content. Although its members are first-generation immigrants, many are well-educated and highly skilled. The new sign is derived from an original design by local artist Arthur Lo. Computer engineer Zhiyong Xia produced a digital Chinatown map with details and photos which is included in the sign.
Dr. Xiaoping Li, professor of sociology at Okanagan College, led the group that produced the content. She researched archives and wrote a background paper on the historic Chinatown and Chinese population. The sign content was developed from her research, with assistance from the Kelowna Museums Societies and Tun Wong, who was born and raised in Chinatown. His personal experience and knowledge of the historic Chinese community prove to be invaluable to the project.
Li emphasizes the importance of commemorating the Chinese pioneers.
“Chinatown had already existed before Kelowna was incorporated as a city in 1905,” Li said.
“The Chinese pioneers contributed to the development of Kelowna and the Okanagan region. It is necessary to recognize their contribution. Knowing this history will help recent Chinese immigrants become more connected to this land. For the larger community, this sign and the stories it tells will inform them of part of Kelowna’s history.”
So, after countless hours of volunteer work, the sign is now standing at the entrance of City Park, across the street from where Kelowna’s Chinatown once stood.
The new signage describes the triumphs and trials of the Chinese pioneers who lived here from the late 19th century to the 1970s, when the last few remaining buildings of Chinatown were demolished. Many of the Chinese pioneers arrived in the region during the 1858 gold rush or after finishing the construction of the transcontinental railway.
They became an important labour force in the Okanagan’s emerging agriculture sector. Facing both hostility from the dominant society and the need for mutual support, they settled in what was the outskirts of the city.
The new sign will for sure draw people’s attention to the existence of a cultural community. It mirrors traditional Chinese attributes, such as the swallowtail shape and porcelain-style shingles, Chinese calligraphy, complex carving and dragons.
“This is an example that diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism win the day every time,” Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran praised at the unveiling ceremony.
“It’s important that we recognize the people that helped build this country and this city. This sign is a proud statement of the Chinese community’s important place in Kelowna’s history.”
On each side panel, the sign reads in Chinese calligraphy, “To us Chinese, home is where we live and fit in,” and “Wherever we are, we happily contribute to the community.”
“History has shown that others have made it very difficult for Chinese Canadians to fit in, but we have persevered and we have succeeded,” Tun Wong said, referring to not only social exclusion, but the more than 100 anti-Chinese laws passed by the provincial government in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The most detrimental laws came from federal legislation, including what’s become known as the Chinese head tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act.
These laws took a heavy toll on the Chinese communities across Canada. Because it was near impossible for the men to bring their families overseas, in Kelowna, over 90 per cent of the Chinatown population was male. The various bills passed were a direct cause for the demise of Kelowna’s Chinatown.
Even facing discrimination, Tun Wong saw continued resilience in the Chinese people creating a home for themselves in this city. He stated that, “Chinese Canadians have continued to play an important and integral role in the economic and social development of Kelowna.”
From laundries to grocery stores to the restaurants they became known for, there was a thriving community at the beginning of the 20th century.
They were involved in the affairs of the larger community by buying war bonds during World War I and donating to the Red Cross.
The unveiling ceremony was followed by a panel discussion and celebration activities at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. The Okanagan Chinese Canadian Association put on a show of colorful Chinese dances, music performances, provided calligraphy lessons and Chinese food. The organization was happy and proud of its accomplishment.
The final remnants of historic Chinatown are on display at the Okanagan Heritage Museum in Kelowna. The museum encourages those wishing to further explore the Chinese history in Kelowna to visit their exhibit.
For details of the signage contents, visit: www.asianheritage.ca.