There has never been a better time to get into Chinese genealogy. More and better records are being digitized, found, and released as privacy laws and resources permit. I'm excited to see what the future holds and I can't wait to teach more people how to find their own families. The fact that I, a non-Chinese speaker, can do what I do is testament to titanic changes in genealogy. As well, the story of Chinese settlement in Canada has all the hallmarks of a great novel: enormous sacrifices against overwhelming odds, generations of time, and oceans of distance. All it needs now is us to find and interpret the hidden stories and tell them to our kids.
Finding my family: Chinese graves at Ocean View Burial Park, Burnaby, BC
The Mongolia/Willow area is a segregated Chinese section. (On the map it's at 3:00 o'clock.) Today the sections near Willow are called Elks (north) and Hope (south), therefore I reason that the section now called Elks was once called Mongolia. This is where Won Alexander Cumyow (d. 1955, age 94) and his wife Eva Chan Cumyow (d. 1939, age 68) are buried, just east of ...
True crime, the Wing Sang Co., and police records: A trip to the City of Vancouver Archives
Once you're on site, my best tip for getting the most out of an archives visit is asking for a quick tour. Most times the archivist will ask you what area, subject, or time frame you're researching. They will also show you how to fill out a record retrieval slip and while I am an experienced researcher, I always appreciate the reminders. Every archive follows archival best practises, which means...
A trip to the United Church of Canada Archives, Vancouver
After census records and vital statistics (birth, marriage, and death records), church records are some of the most important fonds in a genealogist's toolkit. For the Chinese, however, it was a circuitous path to worship and so it appears relatively few Catholic or Protestant records exist. I am working on understanding better how the Methodist Church ministered to the Chinese populations in Canada. My research shows they established missions for non-white congregants and it was the Vancouver and Victoria mission fonds I wanted to explore.
Asian History Month – What’s on?
May is Asian Heritage Month. There are events across Canada and the United States, virtually and in person. Here's a selection.
How to read an original record for evidence
In this post I share my thoughts on some confusing concepts in genealogy - original and derivative records; negative evidence; primary, secondary, and indeterminable information - all by looking at one original record from the BC archives. Genealogy Search - BC Archives Those of us fortunate to research in British Columbia rely on the Royal… Continue reading How to read an original record for evidence
Over 5K new Chinese Canadian records are now online at Héritage Canadiana
In this post I will discuss the new release of digitized records at Héritage Canadiana, show you how to access them and then share some thoughts about what the aggregated collection can teach us. What is a C.I.9? A Chinese Immigration Certificate no. 9 is a Canadian reentry certificate. They were official government documents issued… Continue reading Over 5K new Chinese Canadian records are now online at Héritage Canadiana
Wing Sang: a house of memory
The committee chose Wing Sang at 51 E Pender Street to be the new museum. This iconic building, the first of its kind in Chinatown, the mythical touchstone of dreams for so many immigrants, and my family's historic home, will now be the house of our collective memories.
Celebrating Chinese New Year with Po Po’s Famous Pork Belly, Potato and Taro Dish
Now we can order wo tao kow yuk any day of the week, but this New Year's dish made from a pig's belly was meant to be a once-a-year treat: the ultimate marriage of layers and layers of pig fat with two starches to soak up all the yummy goodness.
Gong Hey Fat Choi, Year of the Tiger (恭喜发财 虎年吉祥)
Very happy Year of the Tiger to everyone! Join me as I talk about the new edition of my book, Getting Started in Chinese Genealogy while snacking on some delicious New Year delicacies.