Chinese in Niagara Falls ON

When I left Niagara Falls in 1971 and entered the broader world of bigger cities and university, I’d encountered mostly non-Chinese university students. It was not atypical to be asked if I was Chinese or Japanese. Since I was not studying in a program for medicine or dentistry, Asians were rare. A few students inevitably asked, within our first couple minutes of introduction, if I knew so and so. It was not that the named person was famous, or also from Niagara Falls, but rather the named person (in their view) was Chinese. Being the outward quiet, reserved young adult I was, I responded with a polite, “No. I did not know so and so.” Inside though, smugness flickered as I thought about the naiveté of the inquirer. Having said that, it was not just the inquirer’s own knowledge and experiences (seemingly, presuming Chinese by virtue of common ethnicity must all associate together) that were limited. Mine were equally, if not more, deficit but in a different way. Th...

My mother did not ever learn to speak English or even favour a Canadian lifestyle, yet I was encouraged as a child to become as Canadian as I could. I am certain my parents linked adopting Canadian ways with school achievement and career success.  Consequently, I embraced the Canadian socialization that school, books, and television offered. At the time, it felt so natural. Outside of my Chinatown home, I was Canadian: after all, I had been Canadian born. However, if I had been as attentive to my Chinatown life and/or hadn’t been born in Niagara Falls, I wonder if I might have become a more confident bi-cultural woman like Helen Lew. I have only chatted with Helen once. In June 2017, Robert Wong had arranged for a small group of people who knew my parents to meet, share what they recalled about my family (Post #15) and the times. Helen participated in that meeting. HELEN (KWAI NGAN TAM) LEW came with her mother from Hong Kong in 1968. Helen’s sister, Fung...

Culture is a fabric woven from the yarns of tradition, beliefs and values. The fabric may fade over time as well as be altered when fashioned or worn by others. The fabric in this post is green . . . Green is the colour of kinships. March 8 th : International Women’s Day – jade green In Chinese culture, jade is an esteemed gemstone – the stone of heaven. My mother had a few pieces of jade jewelry: a bi   pendant, earrings, and a ring. Growing up, I saw her wear these pieces infrequently. They were special and only worn when going out for a festive occasion: a wedding or a celebration of a birth. Consequently, my understanding of what “dressing up” meant was informed by her example and that of the other Chinatown women: Put on a nicer dress, a bit of lipstick and most importantly, your jade jewelry. Dresses and make-up did not leave a lasting impression but apple green jade set in the crown-coloured gold did. Taste in jewelry was another difference bet...