Sojourners in the North - Softcover

Chow, Lily

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0920576621 ISBN 13: 9780920576625

Publisher: Caitlin Press Inc., 1996

Synopsis

Hua qiao they called themselves ― the Sojourners. Early Chinese settlers to BC lived a shadowy life. Sometimes feared, always misunderstood, these people farmed, mined, and lived in central BC with hopes of returning home rich to their villages. However, they were the victims of crime, beatings and death in a foreign land. Chow brings us forward from those early days of Chinese settlements to present day when Chinese citizens are celebrated for their role in BC's history.

Until Chinatown North, the impact of Chinese settlement on central and northern British Columbia has not been written about. Chow begins to fill that gap. She moves us from Barkerville during gold rush days to 20th century Prince George, where events in the "Middle Kingdom" often had disruptive influences on a small, isolated community half a world away.

About this title

From the Author

Lily Chow was born in Malaysia, but has lived in Canada since the mid-sixties. She has taught in the Prince George School District and at the University of British Columbia. She now devotes her time to research and writing. Her first book, 'Sojourners in the North', won the Jeanne Clark Local History Award and is used as a textbook in many colleges and universities. 'Chasing Their Dreams' is her second book.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Preface by Editor Ann McQuaid

Tracing the history of many of the early Chinese pioneers to northern British Columbia provides us with a fascinating glimpse of the life, culture, values and often strife that they left behind in China. However, their history in BC is also the history of our own development as a province. Through their stories, we catch a view of the heady days of the gold rush, the letdown when the gold was exhausted, the inevitable changes that brought to the economy, the development of more permanent northern communities, the uncertainties of the war years, and the gradual acceptance of the Chinese immigrants to British Columbia society.
Canada's immigration policies and attitudes towards visible minorities are also reflected in the lives of the early Chinese settlers. They were often discouraged from coming (one needs think only of the head tax imposed), and when they arrived, ghettoized and openly discriminated against. The early Chinese communities were almost all male because there was no way to afford the costs of bring over their wives or children. They were trapped here without the money to go home and without the comfort and support of a family to keep them here. Yet, eventually, the head tax disappeared, more Chinese immigrants were welcomed and families had a chance to thrive. Today, most the BC's immigrants come from Pacific Rim countries.

This book has been meticulously researched. A lot of archival evidence has been unearthed about how the Chinese miners and settlers were treated when they first arrived. Yet, the book is also full of human stories, some humorous, some overwhelmingly sad, about the people who came here hoping to find a better way of life. They defined a community for themselves and attempted both to maintain their ties with their culture and to fit into Canadian society. Luckily, there are still a few of the early settlers or their children around to tell their stories. They are stories of the survival of individuals, not all of them brave and noble, from whom extraordinary things were sometimes required simply to survive in a harsh and not always welcoming environment.

-Ann McQuaid
Introduction by Lily Chow

I left home a youngster,
returned an old man;
My local accent's the same
but the hair on my temples is thinner. The (village) children peep at me -
they do not know me;
"Where do you come from, stranger?"
they ask with a giggle.

-He Zhi Zhang. (Herdan, 1973)

This poem was written in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It describes the lonely feeling of a wanderer who returned home after his fortune-seeking journey. It indicates that even as early as in the seventh century many Chinese often left home for foreign lands and then returned when they were tired and getting old. They wanted to earn as much money as possible so that they could provide a better living for their families. Some achieved their goals of gathering enough wealth and going home with the hope of enjoying peace and security in their sunset years, while others returned home emptied handed. Frustrated and declining in age, they brought home with them nothing but bitter memories of their struggles and hardship in foreign lands. Quite often they felt lost and alienated after they returned because they were not recognized by the younger generation. Their home environment had changed - usually for the worse. The country often suffered from drought or flood, and famine and starvation were everywhere. The land was overpopulated and the production of crops was insufficient to support the population growth. Their dreams of enjoying happy and peaceful days were shattered and many were forced then to leave again.

History seemed to repeat itself many times for the lives of many adventurous Chinese. The early Chinese immigrants in Canada also came with hopes of gathering wealth and returning home later. There were many reasons why the early Chinese immigrants did not want to take root in this country. Their bond to their families and their homeland were so strong that they seldom thought of remaining in a foreign land. This country, particularly British Columbia, did not make the Chinese immigrants feel welcome. Although the Gold Rush in the Fraser River in 185Os had attracted many Chinese to British Columbia, they were badly treated. On an average they were paid $4.00 per day to work in a mine whereas the Caucasians were paid $7.00 per day to do the same job. Often the residences of Chinese miners in Barkerville were raided by white men under the pretence of searching for mining licences in their homes. Living quarters in mining areas were tiny and shabby. It was not uncommon to find five or six Chinese immigrants living in a shed 10 x 18 feet. There was no proper drainage and sanitation was inadequate. In addition, the Chinese miners were often labelled as heathen, semi-barbarous, and filthy people.

Furthermore, life was always at risk working in a mine. Many were killed by falling rocks or mud slides or mining tunnels caving in while they were at work, and others were reported drowned in the Fraser River or other creeks in the Cariboo. Some were frozen to death or killed by wild animals.

In the early 1880s the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway also brought many Chinese labourers to British Columbia. The influx of Chinese people provoked jealousy and fear among the whites that the Chinese would take away their jobs and eventually overrun the province. Their anxiety led to demands for legislation to restrict or prohibit Chinese immigration. A Royal Commission was set up in 1885, and again in 1902, to investigate Chinese immigration. The second Royal Commission Report stated that:

"... the importation into Canada of Chinese labour is not in the best interests of the country and should be prohibited... the head tax of $50.00 has proven wholly inadequate to effect the purpose for which said was imposed; that the large influx of Chinese to Canada is a serious menace to the prosperity and general welfare of this country and British Columbia in particular ... these Chinese are non-assimilative and have no intention of settled citizenship, are in moral, social and sanitary status below the most inferior standard of Western life...."

The Head Tax imposed on the Chinese was raised from $50.00 (1885) to $100.00 in 1901 and then to $500.00 in 1904. Consequently many of the early Chinese immigrants who came here were single men because they could not afford to bring their families to this country. The Head Tax, which did not apply to consular officials, merchants, clergymen, tourists, scientists, students and teachers, failed to deter the Chinese from coming. So the resentment against the Chinese continued to grow. In 1913, Premier McBride said that ". . . if practical the Dominion Government embargo on immigration in BC should include the Chinese."

Between 1884 and 1923 the British Columbia legislature successfully introduced several bills to take away the civic rights of the Chinese. For example, all Chinese were removed from the voters' lists in 18 75. A bill was passed in 18 84 disallowing Chinese the right to acquire Crown land. Finally, in 1923 the Dominion Government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, in effect excluding Chinese. Thus, many of the Chinese immigrants in this country lived in isolation and loneliness. Naturally those who had survived the humiliation and hatred, as well as the cold and harsh physical environment, wanted to return to China if they could afford it. This is why the early Chinese often referred to themselves as 'sojourners' because they felt that they could never take root in such an environment filled with prejudice and discrimination.

Many of the early Chinese immigrants were not able to achieve their dreams of returning to China to enjoy their sunset years. At the turn of the century China was ruled by a corrupt imperial government, headed by Dowager Cixi, and later was governed by an incapable republican government . China was torn by internal strife such as the Northern Expedition, struggles between Guomindang and the Communist Party, and threats of invasions by Japan and Western powers from 1920 to 1940. Only some fortunate sojourners could go home, get married, produce some children and then return to Canada. Many left China when Japan invaded China in 1937.

When the Second World War broke out Canada became an ally with United States and other western powers in the struggle of the War. Many young Chinese particularly those who were born and educated in Canada joined the Canadian forces in the war effort to fight against the Japanese. This indicates that the Canadian-born Chinese wanted to become Canadians and recognized their rights and responsibilities to their adopted country.

After World War II, the hostile attitude towards the Chinese decreased. It was noted that the Chinese Canadians had made important contributions during the war - volunteering service overseas, joining the Red Cross, and participating in loan drives for the war effort. It was embarrassing for the government to maintain a discriminatory policy toward the Chinese in Canada especially when China was recognized as one of the victors after the war. Also, Chinese Canadians continued to fight for their rights, through the mediation of political parties, church groups and civil-minded organizations. Eventually, the Chinese Exclusion Act was lifted in 1947. However, it was only when the economic situation in Canada improved that the Chinese Canadians and immigrants were treated decently.

In recent years a large number of Chinese immigrated to Canada from China, Hong Kong and other countries in South East Asia. These newcomers plan to make Canada their permanent home but they tend to settle in large cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and other larger cities. They are business entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, scholars, trades-men, students and family members of these groups. Some came here as employees in grocery stores, restaurants, supermarkets, electronic shops, clothing manufacturing factories, and laundry shops, while others were sponsored by their family members or employers in Canada. Most of these new immigrants are fairly knowledgeable about this country. Many of them are doing very well. Some of them have participated in Canadian politics and been elected as councillors in municipal governments, as members of legislative assembly in provincial governments, and as members of parliament in the federal government. Their success stories are often published in newspapers, magazines and books.

However, little has been written about the early Chinese and their descendants in the Interior of BC, even though they were an integral part of Canadian history. These Chinese contributed to the economic growth in British Columbia and enhanced the diversity and multiculturalism in the Interior. Therefore, it is essential to record their history, especially when it reflects the development and progress of this province.

Historical facts and events do not exist in isolation or without causes and reasons. To a large extent, what we are today has been influenced by our past. Until 1967, many Chinese immigrants required their relatives to sponsor their immigration. In order to understand the lives of the Chinese Canadians in the Interior, their ancestors have to be traced. Therefore, this book begins with the Gold Rush in 1856-62, and then follows the routes the early Chinese took to get into the Interior. As indicated, many Chinese pioneers came with the beautiful dream of gathering wealth. In reality, most of them could not make ends meet, let alone go home with their fortunes. Thus, a great majority of these early sojourners or hua qiao had to settle in this land. So far, the records of the early settlements of the Chinese Canadians are scanty. Therefore, this book explores the lives of the Chinese pioneers in the various gold mining areas, and their struggle to survive in the presence of physical harshness, prejudice and discrimination.

In the early days, particularly during the era of the Exclusion Act, many Chinese immigrants lived in loneliness and isolation. No matter how strong the bond of kinship for one another, some of them could not suppress their feelings and fulfill their emotional needs. Therefore, some mixed marriages between the Chinese immigrants and other Canadians took place. Mixed marriages between early Chinese immigrants and First Nation Canadians have been recorded in Babine Lake and Fort St. James areas. This relationship has provided a rich resource for us to go into the past and has enabled us to appreciate the coexistence of their ancestors. These are the romances found along the "gold route."

Although most of the gold towns such as Yale, Lillooet, Lytton, Ashcroft and Barkerville still exist, many of the
Chinese settlements have disappeared. Many of the Chinese descendants and Chinese immigrants have migrated to more southern towns and cities where they can set up businesses or find employment. However, Prince George still has a fairly large number of Chinese people. The Chinese Canadians in Prince George include the Canadian-born Chinese, those who have acquired Canadian citizenship and new immigrants from China as well as those from South East Asia. The last few chapters of this book are devoted to the Chinese community in Prince George whose history begins in 1911 when the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was built.

In the early days Prince George was predicted to be a transportation centre with at least six or more lines of railways passing through it. The construction of the railways brought many Chinese labourers to this city. When the Gold Rush in Barkerville had passed its peak, many Chinese in Barkerville came to Prince George to find work and/or start businesses. Also, when the Chinese moved along the Fraser River and Nechako River to look for gold, they usually stopped at Prince George for rest and for social gatherings. These factors contributed to the growth of Chinese population in Prince George, and led to the formation of a number of Chinese organizations which had played an important role in maintaining the Chinese culture and language. Some of these organizations were established as early as in 1919 and looked after the welfare of their fellowmen. They acted as communication centres between the Chinese immigrants and their families in China. Their past activities certainly reflect the way of life of the early Chinese immigrants.

Between the years 1911 and 1978 the make-up of the Chinese population in Prince George was affected by the changes in immigration policy. For example, during the period of the Head Tax levy, the great majority of the Chinese in this city were single men and labourers. The first Chinese family, the Lai Cow family, in Fort George was noted in 1912. In 1978 when Chinese immigrants were given equal status as other immigrants, many professional and skilled Chinese Canadians and immigrants came to settle in Prince George. The change of the Chinese Canadian population in Prince George not only reflects the Chinese history in this region but also the development and growth of this city. Throughout these years Prince George has, indeed, evolved from a frontier town to a diversified modern city.
To many people, Chinatown is a commercial and tourist centre where exotic Chinese food can be tasted, and colourful Chinese arts and crafts can be obtained. In their minds, Chinatown is the place where Chinese culture can be perceived. But in smaller cities such as Prince George and Quesnel, where Chinatown is literally absent, one may wonder how the Chinese Canadians in these cities maintain their culture....

Edition details

• Publisher: Caitlin Press Inc.
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0920576621
• ISBN 13: 9780920576625
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272