Post by NZBC on Nov 24, 2007 18:30:50 GMT 12
www.generasian.ca/roots1.html
My family originates from Kaiping (Hoy Ping in Cantonese) County on the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province, China. It was from this region that many early emigrants from China left their homeland to help build the new nation that is Canada. Throughout the late 1800's, members of my clan came to Canada to work on the railroad, and to this day, their remains are scattered across the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
At a young age, my paternal grandfather left his home forever to come to a strange land, then known as Gam Shan, [Gold Mountain]. Having paid the $500 head tax then unjustly imposed on all Chinese, he worked throughout western Canada and befriended a number of First Nations (aboriginal) peoples. Eventually becoming an accepted member of their communities. Grandpa Wong was one of 12 members of our family who paid the infamous Head tax
My family originates from Kaiping (Hoy Ping in Cantonese) County on the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province, China. It was from this region that many early emigrants from China left their homeland to help build the new nation that is Canada. Throughout the late 1800's, members of my clan came to Canada to work on the railroad, and to this day, their remains are scattered across the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
At a young age, my paternal grandfather left his home forever to come to a strange land, then known as Gam Shan, [Gold Mountain]. Having paid the $500 head tax then unjustly imposed on all Chinese, he worked throughout western Canada and befriended a number of First Nations (aboriginal) peoples. Eventually becoming an accepted member of their communities. Grandpa Wong was one of 12 members of our family who paid the infamous Head tax