May Ip of the Grey Bruce Chinese Heritage & Culture Association during her presentation to Northport students May 15.

Hub Staff

The history of Chinese heritage in Canada and their lives in Grey and Bruce counties was taught to students at Northport Elementary School by May Ip of the Grey Bruce Chinese Heritage & Culture Association (GBCHCA) May 15. Before getting involved in interactive activities, students learned about early discrimination, the history of the Canadian Railroad and how different tones have different meanings in Cantonese.

“This is my sixth, maybe seventh school now and they’ve all been very engaged in the activities,” said Ip who has been touring schools as well as libraries as part of the “Home in a Distant Land” project. The GBCHCA received a Community Foundation Canada 150 matching grant as a means to foster a greater understanding of Chinese heritage.

Ip said she does a presentation about Chinese heritage followed by activity stations including a two player game called Go, a station that teaches how to write Chinese characters, one for practising Cantonese conversation and one using a brush to do Chinese calligraphy.

According to Ip, the first Chinese arrived in Grey Bruce in 1896. “The history of Chinese being in Canada is way before confederation, the number of Chinese people are not that significant but the fact that they would travel that far from British Columbia and ended up in Grey Bruce, I think that’s quite remarkable,” said Ip.

She went on to say that they often worked in the laundry business as the start up cost was low. “Hand-laundry, the occupation is probably an invention of Chinese immigrants because at the time when they left B.C. they had very little money and they didn't have the language so they couldn't really find any employment,” she said, adding that there was racial discrimination that existed at the time.

“Home in a Distant Land” will be on display at the Port Elgin Library from May 13 to May 25 with a public presentation taking place on Sunday, May 28. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Go, or as its formally known, Pinyin; was a hit with Northport students during the “Home in a Distant Land” presentation May 15.

Made out of Bamboo, a flute known as Dizi was expertly played by May Ip during the cultural presentation at Northport Elementary School May 15.

The Chinese character station taught students the correct way to write by using numbered strokes.

Northport students were eager to take part in the activities that taught students numbers, how to speak in Cantonese and how to write Chinese characters.