Posted on: Tuesday July 30, 2024
The Museum has a rich collection of Chinese-Canadian artifacts that have been donated over many decades.
Manitoba Chinese Historical Society Collection
One of the largest donations, comprising 51 artifacts, came in 2005 from the Manitoba Chinese Historical Society (1987-2005). It includes everything from hats and shoes to lanterns, tea canisters, and even an acupuncture kit. Their archival collection was donated to the Archives of Manitoba.
Since then, the Museum’s collection has continued to grow, showcasing the complexity and variety of Chinese- Canadian history and experience in Manitoba.
The Ong Collection
This collection, donated in 2022-2023, spans about 80 years and three generations. Chronologically it begins with the story of Yee Chung Yen, who came to Canada in 1917. His story was outlined in my previous blog, The Story of Yee Chung Yen.
Mr. Don Wing Ong came to Canada after fleeing Communist China for Hong Kong in 1949, and he befriended Yee Chung Yen in Portage la Prairie. Don’s wife Anne (Yu Kwan Ying) and son Bill immigrated some years later. Bill Ong attended Grant Park High School, and went on to get his medical degree from the University of Manitoba. He was an anesthesiologist, and was married to Dr. Virginia Fraser. For our May “First Friday” event, we premiered video interviews with Dr. Fraser and son Thomas Rempel-Ong, where they talked about the artifacts and family history.
Chinese Alcove Bed
We are also conducting research on a Chinese “alcove bed,” which was purchased in the 1950s by a Canadian UN delegate who worked in China. She eventually brought it back to Winnipeg. A volunteer researcher is providing translation and interpretation. This stunning bed, which includes an entrance room (alcove), dates to the 19th century. It is a wonderful entry point to talk about Chinese traditions and symbols, and helps us bring the world to Manitobans. Click here to see a recent video about this artifact.
Chinese Laundries in Winnipeg
We have also updated the story of Chinese laundries in our 1920 Winnipeg Cityscape gallery, which now features the Sing Wo laundry, formerly located on Euclid Ave. The exhibit delves into the true history of the laundry trade and the incredible workload this entailed. To quote King Ho, the late Winnipeg laundry owner, “Words cannot adequately express how painful the work is.”
Little Restaurants on the Prairies
The Museum is currently in early production of a new Prairie Perspectives video with a rural Manitoban Chinese restaurant. From the perspective of the owner, we will learn more about this widespread Prairie institution and the role it plays in local communities. The video will be available for viewing in our Prairies Gallery, and released on our YouTube channel.
And of course there is so much more to the complexity of Chinese-Canadian history, from the traditions of the 19th Century, to the early immigration to the Canadian West, the disgraceful Chinese Head Tax and Chinese Immigration Act, and the consequences of the Chinese Communist Revolution of the 1940s, including increased immigration to Canada. All of these historical events are, though vast in scope, linked to the individual lives of people who have enriched the province.
