Taiwanese and Canadian arts and culture takes centre-stage in Vancouver on the long weekend. Beginning on Saturday (June 29), the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society will present an outdoor art and cultural carnival at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery) and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
One of the highlights of the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival will be performances from student groups from Taiwan.
The Taichung Hoping Elementary School Dance Troupe will be in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery for six shows: on June 29 at 12:25 p.m. and 3 p.m.; on June 30 at 1:30 p.m. and 5:40 p.m.; and on July 1 at 1:40 p.m. and 3:50 p.m.
Taichung Hoping students come from a remote primary school in Heping District, which serves Heping and Nanshi tribes. Moreover, the school belongs to the Atayal people, which is Taiwan’s third-largest Indigenous group. DNA research has shown that modern Polynesians and the Kakanaey people from northern Luzon share a common ancestry with the Atayal.
Meanwhile, the Taipei First Girls High School Marching Band, Honor Guard and Color Guard will be at šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn Square in front of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on July 1. These students will perform at noon and 1 p.m. on Canada Day.
The school established the marching band in 1959, followed four years later by the creation of the Honour Guard. The Colour Guard formed in 1998.
High-achieving students from the Taipei First Girls High School are invited to join the marching band. They have also gained fame for their imaginative formation patterns, as well as their rifle-manipulation skills.
Folk, taiko, and jazz included cultural festivities
They’re not the only groups from Taiwan. A professional dance troupe, MAD Theatre, will be in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery for three performances—at 2:30 on June 29, 5:10 p.m. on June 30, and noon on July 1. Choreographer Shih Gee-Tze (Jesse) established it in 1997 and it had performed more than 1,560 times in Taiwanese and international festivals by 2021.
In addition, the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival includes folk, taiko, and jazz performances, workshops, and free healthcare consultations. For more information on these events, visit the website.
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