Vancouver: Art

Love in stone

In 1995, Chinese-Canadian author Wayson Choy published his first book entitled The Jade Peony. A jade peony is a small jade amulet carved in the shape of the peony flower. The novel is named thus because the entire story revolves around one such amulet.


It can be said that the peony symbolizes the soul of grandmama, the true owner of the peony, and that of her true love. Grandmama believed that the colors of the peony, similar to the colors of the peony flower seen on the right, were magical. The pink center of the peony was in the "color of her spirit". The white petals were the color of her love, the albino actor who gave her the peony, who was "tall and pale as the whiteness of petals." Together, the peony symbolized them as a whole, soul mates together, like a personal yin and yang.

In China today, the peony is considered to be one of the national emblems of the country. It symbolizes beauty, romance and purity. Jade carved in the form of a the peony flower, such as the white charm on the top left, and the jade plant directly to the left, are said to bring love and good feng shui, or harmony with the environment.

In Vancouver, peonies are grown for their large, beautiful flowers, their pleasant scents and their various colors. Peonies live long, are hardy, and can resist wildlife such as deer, making them both beautiful and lasting.

In May, the Peony Festival is held in the Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese garden. This event is organized by the Canadian Peony Society, a group that promotes and encourages the growing of peonies within Canada. This festival showcases the best grown flowers in BC, and visitors have been dazzled by both the amazing colors and romantic smells of our very own flora.

Transcending cultures, carved in stone or grown to perfection, peonies serve as an amazing symbol of love.

Vancouver: A Scenic Oasis

Stanley Park: An Attraction for All Ages!

Vancouver’s Stanley Park has been a focal attraction of city since the early existence of this western Canadian metropolitan. This park is filled with lush statuesque trees, colourful diverse gardens, and wildlife natural to western Canadian forests. Stanley Park was named in honour of Lord Stanley who was the Governor General of Canada at the time the park opened in 1888. Roughly one thousand acres of land in the young city of Vancouver were dedicated to this park over one hundred years ago, and today it is the third largest urban park in North America.
Stanley Parks is a perfect attraction to visit for all ages. For younger children and families, they may enjoy visiting the Aquarium, the water park, the miniature train, the children’s farmyard, and/or many other kid friendly activities. Stanley Park can also be a romantic getaway for couples young and old. The park boasts many beautiful gardens, clean beaches, and picturesque picnic areas. Stanley Park has been a getaway to couples for centuries. In Pauline Johnson’s short story The Siwash Rock, the young native couple comes to Stanley Park to prepare for their child’s birth. Johnson writes, “ He took her very gently by the hand and led her through the tangle of wilderness down to the water’s edge, where the beauty spot we moderns call Stanley Park bends about Prospect Point” (Johnson, 17). The beauty of the park and its natural wonders makes it an ideal place for legends and native traditions to take place. Stanley Park is a great place for tourists and locals to enjoy some fresh air, get some good exercise, and to have some fun with others.

Welcome to Stanley Park. Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. March 20th, 2007. Retrieved March 25th, 2007 from: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/index.htm

Johnson, Pauline. The Siwash Rock. “Vancouver Short Stories” Ed. Carole Gerson. Vancouver: UBC Press, 1985.

Vancouver: A Home Away From Home

Not Just a Second Home for Humans: Have a "Wild Time" at the Greater Vancouver Zoo!

“As you can see, I talk to dogs. All animals, really. They’re much more direct than people” (Coupland 52). As one of the characters in Douglas Coupland’s novel “Hey Nostradamus!,” Jason is, by nature, very shy around other human beings. However, he has a great affinity for members of the animal kingdom, and, in particular, his dog Joyce. Jason finds great comfort and happiness in her faithful presence and companionship. In fact, when the dog breeder suggests that he and Joyce have a love for each other, he readily agrees that this is indeed the case (Coupland 53). For travelers who share this admiration and interest in wildlife, a visit to Vancouver would not be complete without a trip to the Greater Vancouver Zoo. Just as the city provides a “home away from home” for the many people who visit and immigrate to its shores, the zoo is a second home for a plethora of animals that do not originate in British Columbia. The inhabitants consist of both traditional residents such as lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!), as well as many other lesser-known species, including the Addax, Nilghai, and Mara. In addition to seeing the many different types of animals, the zoo also offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about them. This is done through narrated activities that occur on a daily basis, and include attractions such as the safari miniature train, wilds safari bus, and lion and tiger feeding. Located in Aldergrove, the GV Zoo is open every day, all year long, and features very affordable family and children’s rates. As Jason of “Hey Nostradamus!” demonstrates, animals have the potential to be a very important and influential part of life. Vancouver in fortunate enough to host some very interesting members of the animal Kingdom, who have made the Greater Vancouver Zoo their home after traveling from all over the world. For those humans traveling to the city, the GV Zoo can be a great way to spend the day, develop a respect for wildlife, and learn about species from around the globe!

To learn more about the Greater Vancouver Zoo, visit their website at http://www.gvzoo.com/

Coupland, Douglas. Hey Nostradamus!. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing,
2003.

Vancouver: Filled With Tradition

Incorporated English Traditions

Reading a blog entry posted by a traveller to Vancouver, as in Rob’s Travel Blog (http://robertlist.travellerspoint.com/) is quite different to an entry posted by a local Vancouverite about Vancouver. In the blog titled Beyond Robson, Chickadee (pen name only displayed) writes about her impressions about an English inspired hotel restaurant in “Delightful Brunch at The Sylvia” (http://wwww.beyondrobson.com/food/2006/11/delightful_brunch_at_the_sylvia/). Located near English Bay in Vancouver, this place serves English favourites including “vegetarian Eggs Benny” in a classy, European style interior, as one person commented that it looked “almost like a glamorized movie version of England” (Chickadee para. 4, 8). Chickadee, who is a local, writes critically and reflectively about this place, noting that the “coffee … could have been a little warmer” but she should have “come by [the restaurant] sooner” (para. 4, 5). However, Rob List writes in this travel blog about his stay in Vancouver in a diary format. He details his day of events which includes taking the cable car to see the mountains, and shopping at an outlet centre. In addition, he references his English roots by mentioning that the Capilano suspension bridge “doesn’t seem quite as high as the one in the Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset,” located in south-west England (List para. 3).

These different styles of writing influence the structure of each blog entry. The quality of the writing, on the other hand, is affected by the time made to write these entries. List’s entry was written hastily “from an Apple Mac store” (para. 1). The simple word diction does not add any interpretive power to the writing itself, but Chickadee uses more powerful words such as “cackling” in her review of The Sylvia to make the entire article have better meaning (Chickadee, para. 2).

Vancouver: Art

Nature's Masterpiece: The Siwash Rock

The Siwash Rock is a gigantic 18-foot rock that is a famous Vancouver landmark. The rock is distinctive because of the Douglas Fir that stands atop this natural structure, and also because it is the only rock formation of its kind in the Vancouver area. The Siwash Rock is a basalt stack that formed from magma and volcanic eruptions that occurred almost 32 million years ago. Being made of basalt, Siwash is a lot more resistant to natural forces such as erosion and has managed to remain tall for millennia.

The word "Siwash" stems from the Chinook jargon word for a person of First Nations heritage. The illustration on the right was done by the then Governor General of Canada during 1888. He entitled it "Nature's Monument", because Siwash Rock was unnamed at the time. While "Siwash Rock" is in fact a name of European invention, the Siwash Rock has long been a part of the Native Culture.

In The Siwash Rock, Pauline Johnson tells the tale of the warrior who defies the Gods in order to protect the cleanliness of his child and as a result is transformed into a gigantic rock, the Siwash Rock itself, to stand as a symbol for generations to come. The Siwash Rock does indeed stand for many things in the Native culture. The plaque at the base of Siwash Rock says that the rock is a symbol of unselfishness. A trait different yet not too far from fatherhood because fatherhood in itself can be seen as an act of unselfishness. "Giving everything for your child."

Today, the Siwash Rock stands as tall as ever within the beauty of the vast Stanley Park. Tourists and Vancouverites alike have stood on the cliffs overlooking Siwash Rock to admire the scenery. Besides being a tourist attraction, Siwash Rock has also served some interesting purposes. It was used for an artillery battery and searchlights during WWI, and became the living quarters for mountain goats! Tall, strong, clean and unselfish, the Siwash Rock is a great representation of both Vancouver and the wonders of nature.

Vancouver: Filled With Tradition

Incorporated Aboriginal Traditions

Pauline Johnson wrote aboriginal short stories including “The Two Sisters” which was a result of inspiration from her friend, Squamish Chief Joseph Capilano. Known by most people as The Lions, this prominent landmark located “towards the north[west]” of Vancouver, is the result of an immortalization ceremony of a band chief’s “two daughters” as told in this Indian legend (Johnson 12, 15). The re-mythologizing of this legend adds realism to the story, and creates a greater awareness of aboriginal traditions by adding a First Nations point of view to this Vancouver landmark. Similarly, conceptual artist Brian Jungen has a style of art fuelled by native Indian culture, as explained in an interview published as “Aboriginal Art Turned Inside Out” in the blog titled The Tyee (http://thetyee.ca/gallery/2006/01/26/AboriginalArtInsideOut/). Jungen’s art techniques include using “mass-produced consumer goods … [which are] crafted into works of art that examine cultural stereotypes.” Jungen is actually referring to native Indian stereotypes, as he uses these consumer goods to make “whale skeleton sculptures, bird aviaries,” and other traditional symbols important to the aboriginal people (Egan para. 3). Johnson and Jungen, who are both half aboriginal, incorporate their aboriginal traditions into Vancouver through creating works motivated by native Indian influences (Johnson 19; Egan para. 2).

Although these pieces both share a native Indian starting point, they both have a completely different frame of reference in terms of time. This notion of the perception of time in accordance to one’s point of view is known as relativity. Johnson writes “The Two Sisters” as a legend; something that has happened in aboriginal history. Thus, she writes about the past relative to her present point in time. Danielle Egan, the writer of the interview with Brian Jungen, points out Jungen’s aspirations of incorporating traditional native Indian symbols with modern consumerism in mind; the point of view in time is the present (rather than the past), as Jungen’s current objectives in art are articulated.

Vancouver: Multicultural City

Common Interest: Vancouver's Alternative

The one thing that most actively discourages unity amongst people of diverse backgrounds is the concept of preconceived ideas. An example of this occurs in The Innocent Traveller by Ethel Wilson when Rachel states, “I was rather amused at the church social when a Canadian lady admired my pound cake and said I was so capable you’d never think I was English” (Wilson, 107). Rachel goes on to give a few more instances where something along these lines had been said. She then states, “All these preconceived ideas! There seems to be more mixing-up of people here than in Ware, and I like it” (Wilson, 108). Rachel's gift is her ability to look beyond these preconceived ideas.

One thing that helps Vancouverites to overcome these preconceived ideas is common interest. For example, in The Innocent Traveller, Annie wrote to her son George, “You should see Stanley Park” (Wilson, 108). Rachel and Topaz also wrote about the beauty of Stanley Park. The reason I’ve used this as an example is that people of all backgrounds love to visit Stanley Park. Every summer, I love to go rollerblading around the Stanley Park Seawall, which is seen in the picture on the left. Another place I like to visit every summer is the annual Greek Festival, on the corner of Moscrop Street and Boundary Road. This event takes place in July, about a block from my house. The Greek Festival attracts visitors from all over the Lower Mainland. However, nothing brings me more joy than a trip down to GM Place for a Vancouver Canucks game. The origins of the players of the Vancouver Canucks are almost as diverse as those of the team’s fan base, a fan base that accepts each of these players as heroes in our community, regardless of a player’s origin.

Wilson, Ethel. The Innocent Traveller. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc., 1990.