Chinese-Canadian Storytelling

In celebration of May as Asian Heritage Month, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is hosting acclaimed Canadian storyteller Bernice Gei-ying Hune on Friday, May 25 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Born and raised in Toronto, Bernice heard songs and stories in Cantonese that created a magical world of rich traditions – elders sharing ancient folk tales as well as personal stories about the railway, the head tax and the struggle for the rights of full citizenship.
Bernice shares this legacy in performance. Her storytelling has been highlighted at many multicultural events at various conferences, cultural centers, festivals and museums, including the Singapore International Storytelling Festival. Bernice has made over 900 visits to schools and libraries and is the recipient of national and regional storytelling awards.

Join us for this engaging and entertaining evening of performance and hear stories from Bernice’s extensive repertoire. She will present from her collection of Gold Mountain Stories—named for the 1850′s gold rush that brought Chinese pioneers to Canada, this includes stories of the transcontinental railway, the Chinese head tax and other historical events. The evening will also feature Bernice’s original stories about cultural collisions between family members in our contemporary society, from her collection called Three Generations Under One Roof.

This event is free and will appeal to both adults and youth, age 11 and up. It is presented in English, in partnership with The Chinese Society of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Public Libraries.

You can also enjoy Bernice telling timeless folktales for the young and the young-at-heart at the Keshen Goodman Public Library on Saturday, May 26 at 2:30 p.m. For more information on this family event please contact Julie Woods at the Keshen Goodman Public Library, at 490-6441, or visit the library’s website at www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/.