The Province

Hapa-Palooza showcases Vancouver’s 125 years of cultural passion

A four day-long salute to the city’s many mixed identity visionaries and the future

By Tom Harrison, The Province September 7, 2011

Photo from last year's Wreck Beach Butoh by group performing at Hapa-Palooza Photograph by: Jenelle Schneider, The Province

It’s been noted before, but it’s a small world after all.

This is especially true of Vancouver, where just boarding a SkyTrain is a multi-cultural experience, or walking the streets can be an eye-opening exercise in cultural diversity and acceptance.

Time, then, to celebrate this coat of many colours during Vancouver’s 125th birthday.

Today, the Hapa-Palooza Festival launches four days of tributes and salutes the city’s many visionaries of mixed identity, starting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Vancouver Public Library’s Alice Mackay Room with Mixed Voices Raised.

This is a gathering of writers and poets — Fred Wah, Joanne Arnott, Tanya Evanson — who make their own interpretation of Hapa-Palooza’s subtitle: A Celebration of mixed roots, arts and ideas.

“It’s definitely a festival born out of passion,” explains festival director Anna Ling Kaye. “There are a lot of artists, thinkers and writers who are of mixed origins. We thought it would be fun to do a festival like this. And it’s never been done before in Canada.”

From today until September 10, Hapa-Palooza takes place in venues from the public library to the Roundhouse to Robson Square. It’s a confluence of visual art, film, dance and all kinds of music (hip hop to native folk, from Celtic airs to taiko drumming, from mbira to jazz) that spans Africa, Asia, Europe and our home and native land. Most of the events, barring a cabaret at the Roundhouse, are free.

“One of the great things about Vancouver is the diversity of talent here,” notes Kaye. Hapa-Palooza had no trouble filling its roster. If anything, Kaye’s 10 person team struggled with the idealism of such an event while much of it was settled by scheduling: Who was availble, who wasn’t. Ultimately, all the artists shared Hapa-Palooza’s goals.

“One is the future,” Kaye says. Hapa-Palooza hopes to build a bridge for coming generations to find their own identity and acceptance within an ever-changing society.

“One is community,” Kaye adds. Hapa-Palooza seeks to create a sense that we are all one big family.

“One is awareness,” Kaye concludes.

The timing is right for Hapa-Palooza. The festival has been assisted by a grant from the city and falls within its own 125th birthday festivities. As Vancouver has grown so has it diversified, or the diversity of cultures has stimulated Vancouver’s growth.

“Being a part of that has given us so much energy.” Kaye exclaims. “The city is saying, ‘Yes, you are part of the community, yes, you are important, yes, let’s celebrate.’”

tharrison@theprovince.com