“May you live in interesting times.” Both a blessing and a curse in China. This saying captures the essence of China’s turbulent twentieth century. Victim and product of the whirl of revolutions and evolutions, music has been a barometer in China. It has championed political ideologies and signaled changes in the tolerance for dissent as the winds of history swept through the Middle Kingdom. On Inside the Music you'll hear the second in a two-part series called China's Long Song. Host Mei Han, a musician and scholar, takes us on a personal journey inside China’s twentieth century and through its musical revolutions. With additional narration from Vancouver music producer Matthew McFarlane.

Episode Two airs Saturday May 16th on Inside the Music on CBC Radio Two.

Jen Sookfong Lee will be Sheryl MacKay's co-host on North by Northwest Sunday May 10th. Jen will be profiling various Asian Canadians in the BC arts scene, including Rick Tae, the producer of a new all-Asian cast version of Flower Drum Song by Rodgers & Hammerstein, as well as photographers Ellen Ho and Ai Nagasawa who are on a quest to turn everyone into art objects. To find out more, tune in to CBC Radio One in British Columbia from 6am to 9 am on Sunday May 10th.

Roy Miki in the foreground, with others assembled at Spartacus Books to hear Miki read on January 31, 2007. (photo from Kootenay School of Writing.)

In addition to his academic and activist work, Roy Miki has been an active member of the Vancouver literary community for many years. Though he was never a member of the Kootenay School of Writing (commonly known as the KSW) Miki and the KSW occupy the same shared history of the west coast's literary world. For example, Roy founded the influential literary journal West Coast Line, which has published many KSW affiliated writers over the years.

The KSW's extensive online audio archives include the following readings from Roy, which you can listen to by accessing the links below to the KSW archives page:

• Thursday, October 29, 1992 - at the Vancouver Art Gallery, with Maxine Gadd and Catriona Strang.
• Thursday, March 28, 2002 - at the KSW headquarters, Miki reads to launch his book Surrender (Mercury Press 2001), which won the Governor General's award in 2002.
• Friday, January 12, 2007 - at Spartacus Books, Miki reads to launch There (New Star, 2006) **Note: the audio for this reading has not yet been added to KSW's online archives.**

Continue reading to watch a clip about KSW's early years

China Doll, aka Ed Kwan (Ming Wu / mingwuphoto.com)

Ed Kwan - better known to karaoke lovers as China Doll - is the karaoke drag queen on the Somerset Strip. She makes an appearance each Saturday at The Shanghai Restaurant. The restaurant was first started by the Kwan parents. Now the kids run it. A few years back, CBC network producer Bob Carty brought his own microphone to karaoke night to meet China Doll. More recently, China Doll stepped out of the Shanghai Restaurant to perform at The Chutney n' Chopsticks Cabaret at Club Saw in Ottawa.

CBC Radio's All In A Day spoke with China Doll ahead of the show. (runs 5:30)

In Ottawa, dhol players are often relegated to the basement or the garage when they want to practice - at least that's what happened to Inderpal Bal when he took up the Punjabi drum. He's played it for six years, now and performs with a bhangra team. Recently he took his instrument out of the basement and into Club Saw's Chutney n' Chopsticks Cabaret night.

CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning went down to capture the sounds. (runs 2:32)

It's the language of Bollywood and this month it's the language of All in a Day. CBC Radio's All in a Day has initiated language lessons for May. Leading them on this linguistic adventure is Kasturi Mishra, who teaches at the Saral Hindi School. spoke with Kasturi Mishra, who offered several lessons for would be Hindi speakers. (runs 12:35)

Hindi Lesson Part Two (runs 10:34)

Hindi Lesson Part Three (runs 10:36)

Contributor: Chris dela Torre

CBC Calgary Eyeopener's Chris dela Torre prepared a series of stories about the Asian experience in Calgary for Asian Heritage Month. In this last installment of his series, he gets personal and visits the Filipino Cultural Foundation to take a language class. (runs 4:05) Like 19,000 of Alberta's 36,000 Filipinos, Chris doesn't speak his parents' language.

Tonight's story in our "East meets West" series as part of Asian Heritage Month focuses on a local businessman from Indonesia who's making a difference for an orphanage back home.

Watch Dane Liu's full report (Runs 2:08)

Our series continues with a look at fusion art where message is universal and the style is East meets West.

Watch the full story (Runs 1:35)

Yi Li moved here ten years ago as a student. Now she's a professor of English as a second language at the University of Alberta. Hear her story. (Runs 5:18)

The cultures of Asia have their own unique qualities. But they also have much in common: namely, a fondness for karaoke. During Asian Heritage Month,The Eyeopener's Chris dela Torre took listeners on a tour of the Asian experience in Calgary. In this segment, he tries to find out why singing in public is so popular with many Asian cultures.

Join Chris dela Torre on a visit to Superstar Karaoke, (runs 6:35) Calgary's only large-scale, alcohol free karaoke facility.

Muay Thai or Thai Boxing has roots that extends far into Thailand's history. It was first used in close combat on the battlefield and was eventually popularized as a spectator sport. Now recognized as Thailand's national sport, this fighting style is described as the most dangerous of all martial arts. It utilizes all parts of the body: hands, feet, shins, elbows and the head as weapons against one's opponent. Fast-paced and intense, Muay Thai is not for the faint of heart.

Watch Jayson Go report on this full-contact ultimate-fighting boxing style (runs 2:04)

Part of a tour spanning 40 countries, the Human Rights Torch arrives at the Vancouver Art Gallery

It began in August of last year in Athens and has continued through Europe, Australia and New Zealand, parts of South Asia, Africa and South America, finally arriving in Vancouver on Sunday, May 25 as its last North American stop. The Global Human Rights Torch Relay is aimed to raise awareness about China's human rights record before the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer. Scheduled to end in Hong Kong in July, protesters are trying to emphasize that the atrocities being committed in China are not in keeping with the spirit of the Olympics.

Read the full length article on the Global Human Rights Torch visit in Vancouver.

Watch Jayson Go report on the 'Global Human Rights Torch' in Vancouver (runs 1:47)

Kendo is a Japanese fencing martial art. During Asian Heritage Month, CBC Calgary Eyeopener's Chris dela Torre visited the Calgary Kendo Club and spoke with instructor Steven Moses and some of the students about Kendo class. (runs 4:08)

Listen to CBC Radio's Adrienne Lamb exploring Norman Kwong's life. (Runs 5:33)

The Asian community is the fastest growing community in Alberta, and we're featuring some of these immigrants in our series "East meets West."

Today we meet Noriko Yamamoto. Originally from Japan, she's called Edmonton home for almost three decades.

Noriko works as a cook at Glenora day care. CBC Radio's Dalia Thamin met up with her during busy lunch time at the daycare.

Listen to Dalia Tahmin's interview with Noriko Yamamoto (Runs 8:42)

The Calgary Eyeopener's Chris dela Torre prepared a series of stories about the Asian experience in Calgary for Asian Heritage Month. In this segment, he profiles Pacific Place Mall in the city's northeast — considered a cultural hub for many Asian Calgarians, especially new immigrants — and finds out what makes the mall so special for Asians and non-Asians alike. (runs 4:45)

Amy Loewan is a Hong Kong born artist who now lives in Edmonton. Her current art project is called The Peace Project.

It consists of floor-to-ceiling wall hangings made of rice paper strips woven in a simple, flat basket weave. Words of peace in many languages are interwoven, some legible and some obscured by other words. There are also faint charcoal markings and shadings on the hangings.

As part of our series East Meets West, CBC Radio's Dalia Thamin visited Amy in her studio, which is really a transformed garage behind her house in Edmonton's Ritchie neighbourhood.

Listen to Dalia Tahmin's interview with Amy Loewan (Runs 5:11)

We continue our series East Meets West, which celebrates the contribution of the Asian community in Edmonton.
Today we meet the Edmonton filmmaker, playwright and actress Mieko Ouchi.

She's been busy working on various projects ever since her career kicked off with the documentary Shepherd's Pie and Sushi, about her mixed family roots. And her latest acting role is in The Guard, a Canadian series that runs on Global TV.

CBC Radio's Dalia Thamin spoke with Mieko.

Listen to Dalia Tahmin's interview with Meiko Ouchi (Runs 8:42)

Dr. Gilmour Becina in the town square of Santa Cruz. Becina, like thousands of other Filipino doctors, has retrained as a nurse in hopes of a job in Canada or another western country. . (Ann Sullivan/CBC)

It's a growing trend in the Philippines, where thousands of doctors are retraining as nurses each year, in the hopes of working in western countries like Canada.

CBC Radio’s Ann Sullivan met Dr. Gilmour Becina in the social security office in Santa Cruz, Philippines.

Listen to Ann Sulivan's interview with Dr. Gilmour Becina. (Runs 4:18)

Filipino food

This slideshow, narrated by Maj Yee, owner of Goldilocks Bakeshop in Vancouver, is a sampling of various Filipino foods.

Robert Chen is an engineer by training and a few years ago, he decided tinker with his spring roll recipe. He calls his invention Taiwan-a-kopita. CBC Radio's All in a Day joined Robert Chen in the kitchen. (runs 9:53)

People familiar with the Mandarin language could soon have their ears opened to a new side of Ottawa. The Bytown Museum will be offering audio guides in six languages, including Mandarin. It's fitting, perhaps, that during Asian Heritage month, Asians will have a new way to learn about their city's past. This week, a select group of volunteers donned the headphones to give the museum's new audio guide a test run.

CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning went down to capture the sounds. (runs 4:17)

Members of the public will be able to take an audio tour of the Bytown Museum in six different languages starting June 13. You can learn about the stories and exhibits of Ottawa in English and French, as well as Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, and German.

They fled in the thousands, packed into tiny ships searching for a life of freedom. Almost thirty years ago, people in Ottawa opened their homes took to a group of refugees known as the 'boat people.' They called their movement Project 4000 and it would change the face of the city, even the country. Brian Buckley was one of those people who volunteered to be a sponsor. And now, he's put all that history into a new book called Gift of Freedom: How Ottawa Welcomed the Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian Refugees. It's published by General Store Publishing House.

CBC Radio's All in a Day spoke with Brian Buckley (runs 12:35)

Dr. Gene Nisperos, with the Philippine healthcare advocacy group HEAD, in Manila, The Philippines. He's worried about the flood of health workers to Canada and other developed countries. (Ann Sullivan/CBC)

Two million Filipinos are expected to come to Canada for work in the next ten years. Many of them will come to Alberta to fill our desperate labour shortage, but with that growth comes concerns about brain drain. At issue is that we are taking their best and brightest, especially in the medical field.

Dr. Gene Nisperos is Secretary General of Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), a medical advocacy group in the Philippines. He calls the brain drain of workers leaving for Canada and other developed countries a brain hemorrhage. He sat down with CBC Radio's Ann Sullivan to talk about it.

Listen to Ann Sullivan's full story (Runs 5:29)

Listen to Ann Sullivan's extended interview with Dr. Nisperos (Runs 4:47)

Continue reading post to see more photos

Three videos from CBC Edmonton's television archives.

Edmonton's Chinatown Gate grand opening (Runs 1:14)
The official opening of the Chinatown Gate. The gate was a symbolic display of friendship between the people of the twinned cities of Edmonton and Harbin, China.

Mandarin language program one-of-a-kind in Edmonton (Runs 8:29)
Language is one of the strongest links to culture and community. For many Chinese immigrants, Edmonton's unique Mandarin school program is a way for their kids to keep in touch with their Chinese heritage.

Vietnamese restaurant Pagolac (Runs 2:48)
Thuan Ngo is one of many Vietnamese boat people who eventually found a home in Edmonton. Here, he managed to start over again, building a new life and the Pago-lacs--two of Edmonton's favorite restaurants.

Fifteen-year old Battle of Beethoven winner Jovian Cheng

The CBC Radio Battle of Beethoven was fought in Vancouver’s CBC Studio One. Students aged 13 to 18 from around BC competed for fame, glory and national broadcast exposure on CBC Radio Two. Competitors were asked to perform their most compelling rendition of music written by the brooding 19th century Viennese composer.

The winner of the contest was fifteen-year old Vancouver pianist Jovian Cheng. Jovian started piano lessons at six with Peggy Yip and now studies with Dr. Sasha Starcevich, Last year, he won first prize at the Canadian Music Competition (Piano 14 years and under). He recently had his debut with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra performing the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto. Jovian plans to continue his studies and pursue a career in music.

"Jovian Cheng shows a musical maturity far beyond his 15 years. The power and elegance of his playing and the expression in his musical voice set Jovian apart from the other competitors. I'm sure we'll hear more from this fine young pianist in the years to come" - Matthew McFarlane, judge and producer, CBC Radio Battle of Beethoven

Hear Jovian Cheng’s performance of Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Sonata (last movement) (runs 10:33)

Organized in conjunction with the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festivals

The Flores children -- Cryljohn, Princess and Chris -- at their home in Manila. Merle sends $500 home each month, which pays for all their living expenses, including their university and school fees. (Ann Sullivan/CBC)

Each year Filipinos working in Canada send $600 million back home to support their families.

Merle Flores is one of them. She's a nanny in Edmonton. Her remittances support her three children in Manila.
Most of the money goes to their education. She spoke with the CBC Radio's Ann Sullivan.

Listen to Ann Sullivan's full story (Runs 5:42)

Listen to Ann Sullivan's extended interview with Merle Flores (Runs 4:47)

Continue reading post to see more photos

On Wednesday May 7th, CBC Radio's All in a Day spoke with Simmi Dixit, an Ottawa food lover who runs the catering business Simmilicious Sweets and Treats. Simmi Dixit just spent the past eight months overseas in the Philippines and during her visit to the the All in a Day studio, (runs 8:20) Simmi brought a bit of her travels home.

On Tuesday May 6th, Jill LaForty of CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning interviewed Yadong Guan, a virtuosa pipa (or Chinese lute) performer who's seeking a way to bring this ancient instrument to a western audience. Jill spoke with Yadong at her home in Gloucester last week. (runs 8:17)

On Tuesday May 6th, CBC Radio's All in a Day spoke with Yurika Murakami, (runs 9:01) a member of Oto-Wa Taiko, a Japanese drumming group. Murakami left her home in Japan ten years ago, but it was in Ottawa that she rediscovered a part of her Japanese culture through Taiko drumming.

For more information, visit Oto-Wa Taiko.

On Monday May 5th, CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning celebrated Music Monday, a day to celebrate the learning of music. As a part of its coverage that day, Ottawa Morning spoke with students and teachers (runs 5:01) at Mushfiq Arts Company, a performing arts society that specializes in classical and light classical Indian and Afghani folk music and arts.

For more information on the company, visit the Mushfiq Arts Company online

Smaro Kamboureli, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Critical Studies in Canadian Literature at the School of English and Theatre Studies, University of Guelph (Maria Gilli/Greece)

Smaro Kamboureli will give the keynote address at the closing of the Tracing the Lines Symposium. Here she reflects on Roy Miki's life, work and legacy. Video clips courtesy of CBC Archives.

Roy Miki is one of a handful of Canadians that I know whose life course and career path can be described accurately only by resorting to superlatives. What makes him so exceptional is that he exemplifies what Antonio Gramsci calls an organic intellectual: someone who, rooted in a community and its local struggles, also engages in an equally committed fashion with various institutions and the nation to effect change for society at large. Dr. Miki has done this through cultural and political activism, teaching, scholarship, and poetry.

Whether it is in relation to the Redress movement of Japanese Canadians, the Writing thru Race conference sponsored by the Writers’ Union of Canada, writing and editing in the areas of Canadian literature in general and Asian Canadian literature in particular, or pedagogy inside and outside the classroom, Dr. Miki’s publications, cultural activities and social activism have demonstrated, and have done so over a long span of time, a dedication and commitment to change that are virtually unparalleled.

For example, because of his fundamental belief in justice, especially justice as it pertains to the effects of racialization and racism, Dr. Miki took on two of the most significant struggles about race relations and culture in recent Canadian history whose outcomes have had, and will continue to have, a lasting impact on Canadian society and culture.

Continue reading to see video clips of Roy Miki from CBC's Archives

Host: Margaret Gallagher

On Monday May 12 The Early Edition launched its weeklong series Under the Radar: From Manila to Metro Vancouver. We celebrated Filipinos in the Lower Mainland - from challenges to change.

Here's what we covered:

Monday May 12

Margaret Gallagher goes to Goldilocks. To Filipinos, Goldilocks is more than just a fairytale - it's an extremely popular bakery chain in the Philippines. We talk to Maj Yee (runs 7:01), whose family started the business and who owns the flagship shop in Vancouver.


The Filipino-Canadians are a well established thriving community here in Vancouver. But how long have they been here? And why did many of them come? We'll get the bigger picture from Aprodicio Laquian (runs 7:39), a UBC professor who's about to launch a book about the history of Filipino-Canadians in Canada.

The book launch for Seeking a Better Life Abroad: A Study of Filipinos in Canada is on May 20 at 5:00 p.m. at the UBC Centre for Asian Research.

The big question we're trying to answer this week is why we don't hear more from the Filipino community in Vancouver. We'll talk to Carmelita Tapia (runs 5:17), a businesswoman and the president of the Southeast Asia Canada Business Council. She's trying to forge stronger ties between Vancouver and the Philippines - while encouraging others in the community to get involved.

Continue reading Under the Radar: From Manila to Metro Vancouver

Stanley Jones Grocery in Calgary (Derek MacDougall/Calgary)

Stanley Jones Grocery is a Renfrew/Bridgeland landmark in Calgary. It has been in the neighbourhood for a long time - a hundred years. While it was built by pioneers, like many cornerstores in Calgary, it is now run by new immigrants.

The Chaw family came from South Korea nearly five years ago. They work around the clock making homemade food and serving their community. And while the work is hard, the Chaw's say they do it all for their children.

The Eyeopener's Carla Turner dropped in on the family. (runs 4:38)

Continue reading this post to see more photos

With the opening up of China, it's become a destination for parents in Alberta who want to adopt. CBC Edmonton's Dane Liu looks at the changing face of families in Alberta -- a Caucasian mother, her Chinese daughter, and what it means to be a non-traditional family.

Watch Dane Liu's full report (Runs 2:36)

New Face of Fiction: Padma Viswanathan

Studio One Book Club: Padma Viswanathan

North by Northwest
CBC Radio One 690 AM

Listen this year's New Face of Fiction, Padma Viswanathan and her riveting debut novel The Toss of a Lemon on CBC Radio Studio One Book Club

This book club was hosted by Sheryl MacKay and special guest co-host Jen Sookfong Lee (last year's New Face of Fiction).

Still image from Continuous Journey

Still image from Shadow of Gold Mountain

CBC Film Screenings for Asian Heritage Month

Friday, May 23, 2008 | 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
SFU Harbour Centre
515 West Hastings St., Vancouver

Significant stories on the history of Asian Canadian communities in Canada. This film screening will include Q&A with Ali Kazimi, filmmaker. Moderated by Gordy Mark, president of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC

Continuous Journey
(Ali Kazimi, 2004)

Shadow of Gold Mountain
(Karen Cho, 2004)

Seating will be extremely limited, so please RSVP early to North American Association of Asian Professionals (NAAAP) Vancouver.

In partnership with NAAAP Vancouver | DOXA Documentary Film Festival | SFU Canadianized Asian Club | Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC

With thanks to the National Film Board.

Continue reading for film synopses and to hear an interview on As It Happens with Filmmaker Ali Kazimi

“ÉCLATS NOCTURNES” A multi-disciplinary performance

Thursday, May 1 to Saturday, May 3 | 8 p.m.
MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels)
3680, rue Jeanne Mance
Tickets: regular price $20,
reduced $18, student $15

Featuring Khosro Berahmandi - Paintings, Shahin Parhami - Video projections, Shuni Tsou - Chinese bamboo flute,
Nicolas Caloia - Bass, Ziya Tabassian - Percussion, Geneviève La - Dance.

Did you know that Montreal has the longest running Asian arts festival in Canada? It's called Festival Accès Asie and it runs May 1 to 24.

Flautist Shuni Tsou joined CBC Radio One's Homerun in studio to discuss her music and the festival. She also improvises on a traditional Taiwanese folk song. (runs 7:06)

CBC News: Vancouver Saturday
Saturday, May 3 | 10:30pm (after Hockey Night in Canada)

Feature: CBC News: Vancouver Saturday with host Rosa Marchitelli. Watch CBC's special segment on what Asian Heritage Month is all about, and why it matters.(runs 1:47)