Search for:
ASIAN
CANADIANS
> Traditions
& Storytelling
Bernice Gei-ying Hune |
A storyteller and arts educator, she shares a legacy of stories
in performance. She tells traditional Asian folktales and immigrant
history stories to delight and inform audiences of all ages.
Her storytelling performances
have been featured at various conferences, museums and festivals
in Canada. Most recently, she was invited to the Singapore International
Storytelling Festival.
She grew up in Toronto and
studied painting and art history at university. 'All ears' as
a child, Bernice heard songs and stories in Cantonese that created
a magical world of rich traditions. 'All ears' remembers Chinese
elders talking of the railway, the head tax and the struggle
to overcome barriers. Stories of Chinese Canadians are called
"Gold Mountain Stories" for the gold rush of the 1850s
that brought Pacific immigrants to pioneer North America.
Fresh from university, Bernice
performed as an actor; then co-hosted a CBC radio program. Her
30 years of work in education as a visual artist and storyteller
is widely recognized in Ontario. She has made over 900 visits
to schools and libraries.
She is the recipient of awards
from Storytelling Toronto, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada
Council.
Bernice's storytelling programs
include:
- "The Magic Paint Brush"
and other Asian folktales | A selection of traditional tales
that resonate with listeners today that include the Autumn Moon
Festival, the Lunar New Year and Asian History month.
- "Ghost Train" and
other immigrant history stories | The building of the Canadian
Pacific Railway, the Head Tax, and the Chinese Exclusion Act
are stories of struggle and determination.
- Creatures, Big and Small |
Surprise, laughter and the chase as animals resolve rights and
wrongs.
- Travel the Silk Road | Journey
along the ancient trade route; listen to stories of discovery,
science and invention.
- Three Generations under One
Roof | Stories of transformation, old and new world ties are
renewed through family relationships.
For more information on Bernice's
storytelling:
Canadian Society of Children's
Authors, Illustrators and Performers; Inner
City Angels; and Storytelling
Toronto.
bernicehune@rogers.com
<<
top
The project was made
possible with the support of the
Department
of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Strategy
The Acrobat Reader
is available free from 