Emily

When Indonesia left Dutch colonization and Malaysia left Great Britain…
what happened to the world?

After generations of cultural evolutions and lifetimes of acquiring wisdom…
is our world better than before?

Culture is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. A stereotype is a standardized mental picture that is held in common towards members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment. Both “culture” and “stereotype” are two words often used without consciously differentiating distinctions and because of Canada’s multiculturalism, our society is always facing these challenges. Re-think Asia aims to elevate the discussion on diversity in Canada through a dialogue between Taiwan and Korea; these conversations not only provide an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the complex evolution of arts and cultures in Taiwan and Korea but also encourage Taiwanese and Koreans to further examine the articulations of their own arts and cultures.

Civilizations progressed because people learned from the misdeeds of the past. What went wrong? Is our world a better or safer place today than pre-COVID-19? What went wrong? What does it mean to have survived the pandemic? Do we have the answers or are we still looking for answers?

When the world is paused, the best and the worst in people begin to surface. Asking difficult questions and owning mistakes help us clearly see the truth that we had refused to acknowledge for so long. Taiwan was insignificant in the eyes of many when the world was busy making deals with China. Today, can the story of Taiwan be a reminder of how important it is to stand tall for our core values and beliefs? Nothing is worth the consequences of lockdowns, shutdowns and the millions of lives lost.

So, we are “The Survived” and all of us are tasked to reset, restart and most importantly, rethink. We thought globalization brought people together like never before, but for what? Perhaps it is not “Gigabit” that we want in 5G or 6G world; it is the “Good” in humanity that we really need. Are we ready to welcome the new Good era?

Survival for many is an act of courage; to live is to find meanings in the suffering. When people are displaced and lives are detoured, the tenacity one demonstrates to survive is the essence of beauty.

Painters, musicians, poets and artists love to capture this quality in people and these works often inspire others to find the strength to continue their path.

Wars often show the worst in mankind, as violence is the most convenient way for power to be gained. Like many places in Asia, Vietnam and Taiwan shared chapters of histories resisting the intruders and living under the colonizers. Time and time again, the people rise to preserve their families, cultures and homeland; stories of remarkable women keeping families together resemble the very tenacity required in survival.

What is courage really like? When does survival become art?

What does it mean to be culturally diverse? What does it mean to be part of any one community? What defines who you are or what your community is? Does the community define Chinatown or does Chinatown define Chinese? Out of convenience in the globally interconnected conditions of today, we continue to sort people and communities; first we were stereotyped by those who did not know us, now we are funneled by algorithms and machine learning. Why can we not derive our own identities from our curiosity on our connections with others? How do we show respect without being corny? Why should we fear to learn the truth?

Martin Luther King’s 1968 speech inspired Americans to end racial discrimination; it wasn’t until 2008 that an official apology was offered to the victims of Residential Schools by a Canadian Prime Minister; Oprah Winfrey’s rousing speech during the 2018 Golden Globe Award ceremony is still calling for women to rise. When are people going to recognize the perhaps unintentional bullying on other people’s cultural identity? Engaging each new culture is a new opportunity to grow – to discover not only something you did not previously know, but also re-shape your understanding of your own past, present, and future. Growth can only happen when we dialogue from one heart to another heart, and as South African philanthropist Nelson Mandela once said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

The festive staple of toasting is ubiquitous and nearly every culture has its own variation on this gesture of goodwill. Whether it is the French “Santé”, German “Prost”, Scandinavian “Skål” or others, toasting and merrymaking go hand in hand.

But at that split second when the glasses clink, a solitary sound amidst the festivities, one moment is suspended in the air. It could be simple and it could be complex; it could be a tribute to the past or a dream for the future. It could be a hope, a desire, a wish shared by all who are present. It is a moment of inspiration.

Yet what are the influences that drive us to the toast? For what reason do we seek this unity, this inclusion in the collective? What is that something we strive for, so obviously bigger and better and grander than any one of us could achieve alone?

“Kanpai, Japan!” is an exploration of these influences, connecting the island nations of Japan and Taiwan, and again with Canada. Join us for a collective Kanpai!

A Cultural Tango － Appreciation of the roots and respect for the heritage has been probably one of the most important responsibilities given to anyone growing up in a Chinese-speaking society. While the concept is well intended, it is often considered a taboo for anyone challenging the notion. The sense of pride and the confidence of society seem to force every generation to adopt this thinking; however, the line separating “burden” and “responsibility” is gradually becoming a subject for everyone’s unique interpretation.

Today, any concept of “new culture” must come from careful examinations of our past and re-innovations of our traditions. Roots are not just about our past; they could be the start of a new society, the beginning of a dream or the inception of something deemed impossible.

The ability to appreciate our past seems to define the existence of humanity; however, has it also become our excuse for our idled progress? When we are immersed in the blessings of our ancestors, are we also perhaps being manipulated by the fanaticism? Our roots should be a mirror for our generation and we should have the courage to face our sorrowful past and to avoid the same mistaken path. Appreciating our heritage should never be about limiting our creativity for the future.

Living in freedom has finally lifted Taiwan’s historical constraints, allowed people to reconcile with their complex past and seen Taiwanese dare to envision a future for generations to come. Taiwan, the only Chinese-speaking democracy in the world, not only has transformed itself but has also become the beacon of other Chinese-speaking people.