
Featured Exhibition
Where was China Town?
January 22 - March 29

The Invisible Majority
"My grandfather was a labour agent who brought men from China to work on the Canadian Pacific rail-road. That is why our store was so big; as many as one hundred men lived on the top story of the building. There was a kitchen, a big room where the men played cards and fantan [a game of chance] for a pastime, and a dining room.
When I was small, I remember some of the men smoking opium. They had no families or wives over in this country. I also remember that none of the men ever touched me. Chinese people respected women and children and there was no such thing as sexual assault.
The men used to go out in the early morning to work on the railroad and, at night, often only a handful of men would return. There was no compensation or recognition for the ones who were killed, and many of the wives and families in China were not even told of the loss of their husbands and bread-winners.
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There was another Fong family who arrived later, but did not stay as long as we did. There were two Chinese stores, and a shoe repairman. Many Chinese men later worked in the hopyards. There was also a beautiful lady, as I remembered her. She wore a lot of makeup and I later came to realize that she was a prostitute. I don't know how she came to Canada for, in those days, very few women were allowed in. Mother came because my father was a naturalized Canadian who married her."
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- Queenie (Fong) Pink
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On From
January 22
- March 29
Join us as we uncover and discuss this forgotten piece of history.
7011 Pioneer Ave., Agassiz, BC