Spring Lecture Series: Home in a Distant Land, Chinese in Grey Bruce

Join May Ip. In 1896, two Chinese men arrived in Owen Sound and Meaford. Since then, more of their fellow countrymen have made their way to Grey Bruce. Chinese has never amount to a large percentage of the County’s population. However, their footprint in the past 120 years is undeniably of significance throughout the economic, political and social changes of the area - remember those Chinese hand laundries which provided supreme services to hotels, hospitals as well as individual customers? How about the Chinese take-out and dine-in restaurants which were the only affordable eateries for many during the depression? The demographics of the Chinese population in Grey Bruce has changed remarkably from when the migration first started. In the lecture Home in a Distant Land: Chinese in Grey Bruce, May Ip will share the findings of her research with her audience.

Kee May Ip, aka May Ip, was born and raised in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada on January 5, 1995. She and her husband have called Grey Bruce home since the summer of the same year. Founder of the Grey Bruce Chinese Heritage & Culture Association, May has been promoting appreciation of Chinese culture in the community since the early 2000s, and conducting research on the history of Chinese in Grey Bruce for the past 6 years. Under the leadership of May, the Association has been organizing Chinese New Year Celebration events with community partners including Grey Roots Museum & Archives, Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library and Tom Thomson Art Gallery since 2014. In 2017, the Association received a Canada 150 grant from Community Foundation Grey Bruce for May to develop her research findings into a travelling exhibit which she took to 13 communities throughout Grey Bruce between April and November. The funding also allowed May to do presentations at 15 elementary schools 4 public libraries. May is the recipient of 2017 Owen Sound Cultural Catalyst Award.

This presentation is part of our Spring Lecture Series taking place in our Theatre on Tuesdays March 20, 27, April 3 & 10, 2018 (series starts the Tuesday after March Break). Talks begin at 2:30 p.m., except April 10 presentation has a special start time of 1 p.m. Complimentary refreshments following. Free with admission. Members free as always. Check out the advantages of being a Grey Roots member.