2013-2014 School of Chinese Research Student Seminar

加拿大“唐餐館”：從圖像看身份認同
”Chinese Restaurants” in Canada: Identity through Images

周家建 Mr. Chow Ka Kin, Kelvin

December 6 (Friday), 5:30-6:45pm

Room 730, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus

Language: Cantonese

自19世紀中葉，不少華工因修築加拿大太平洋鐵路而移居加國。隨着鐵路竣工，大批華人流入主流勞動市場，白人勞工因感威脅而出現排華現象。加國政府亦在同時期通過了多條排華法規，故大部份商家拒絕聘請華人。再加上華人語言不通，普遍教育程度低，因此多只能從事洗衣店、雜貨店和餐館之類的工作。據1931年《加拿大普查》統計，從事餐館業者佔華僑華人總數的70%左右。華人經營的餐館亦普遍被認為帶有濃烈的中國色彩。本演講透過不同時期的檔案、圖片、明信片和一些“唐餐館”的圖像來分析此批早期華人移民的身分認同。

With a number of Chinese labourers moving to Canada for the construction of the Trans-Canada Railway since the late 19th century, the Chinese community had already existed in Western Canada. When the construction finished, many of these Chinese labourers became the inflow of migrants into the mainstream of the labour market hurled by the racial hostility. These Chinese labourers were also faced with discriminatory legislations against them. Due to lack of education and poor language skills, these Chinese immigrants could only be engaged in limited jobs such as running laundry shops, convenience stores, or restaurant businesses. According to the 1931 Census of Canada, more than 70% of the Chinese population was working in the catering business. Those restaurants run by the Chinese were stereotypically considered full of Chinese characteristics. This talk examines the identity of these early Chinese immigrants through various archival materials, photos, postcards, and images of “Chinese restaurants”.

ALL ARE WELCOME!