Hope for COVID Times

Peering Into the Past and A Tale of Two Families

Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Curator of History

In the summer of 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, the Royal BC Museum delivered two small displays: a pilot pop-up exhibition called Peering Into the Past in Victoria, in Canada’s oldest Chinatown, and a Pocket Gallery display, A Tale of Two Families: Generations of Intercultural Communities and Family Lessons. The former was planned before we were aware of the pandemic, and the latter was developed after the pandemic disrupted the original plans. Currently, the possibility of taking A Tale of Two Families on the road is being considered by potential partners. The Royal BC Museum, the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society and the Salient Group signed the agreement to extend the Peering Into the Past exhibition until Spring 2022 in the hope that we can evaluate its educational impact when visits resume in a post-COVID time.

For me, as a curator who has worked closely with families and communities from non-mainstream community groups, both exhibitions conveyed the same message during uncertain times: through the intercultural understanding of communities’ struggles, contributions and perseverance, we persist through difficulty with hope. It is a hope that we as individuals and families can support each other as those pioneers before us did—they helped build this province and country with values of charity, kindness and education. It is also the hope that we as a society can do better and work to change systemic issues of discrimination, especially in challenging times.

The continuously worsening anti-Asian racism during the pandemic certainly has long historical roots, stretching back to the time before this land was called British Columbia or Canada. Behind the featured Chinese Freemasons lantern in Peering Into the Past and the Louie family history in A Tale of Two Families was the historical context of rampant anti-Asian racism in legislation and all aspects of society. We have yet to come close to understanding what that has meant for so many Asian Canadians, just as we have yet to fully understand the profound loss and hardships in the experiences of many other marginalized communities. What has survived for us today is a rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and the resonant Canadian values of kindness and charity. When we appreciate it today, it is important that we keep historical perspectives and lessons in mind.

For most of us, the experience of this pandemic is unprecedented in our lives. Many of us felt more isolated than ever before. This prolonged moment of uncertainty presents a significant opportunity for reflection. What would be our collective response to the times of crisis? How do we, as individuals and a society, honour the lessons of our predecessors and make this moment one that we can be proud of as we move forward? What actions can we take in shaping a better, inclusive future for all?

Please stop by 103-3 Fan Tan Alley in Victoria, if you have a chance, to see our outdoor popup exhibition in an unconventional space, and to support the Chinatown communities that have been an integral part of Canadian lives. We all have a role to play in making Canada a kind and safe place for everyone.