May is Asian Heritage Month!

What is Asian Heritage Month? Well, it is a month where we celebrate the art, history, culture, stories, achievements and social contributions of Canadian residents with Asian heritage! Learn more here.

The word 'Asian' can include people from many different countries:

• East Asia- China, Hong Kong S.A.R., Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan.

• South Asia - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

• Central Asia - Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

• Southeast Asia - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. 

• Western Asia - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,Yemen.

(Information from: Elementary Teacher's Federation of Ontario)

'Heritage' can mean the special traditions that are passed on to each generation within a particular culture (e.g. foods, beliefs, clothes, festivals, stories and much more). It can mean the country you were born in or where your parents and grandparents were born. You can have heritage from more than one country.

The Canadian Children's Book Centre put together this great book list of books by authors with Asian heritage.

Intermediate students, you might be interested in this interview with author, Julie Abe. Her book is called 'Eva Evergreen: Semi-Magical Witch' which comes out in August this year! I can't wait to get it for our Holly Library!

Do you like to cook and help in the kitchen? Food is an important part of many cultures - it brings us all together!

Watch author Dorina Lazo Gilmore read her book called 'Cora Cooks Pancit' about a girl who loves to cook and one day, she gets to help her mother make pancit, a traditional Filipino dish.

Here are some other recipe videos that might inspire you to cook with your family.

Malaysian Chicken Curry

Falafel

Did you know that the first Asian Marvel super hero movie is being made and it's called Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings? And it's starring Canadian actor - Simi Liu! Its due to be released in 2021! Click here to find out more!

Unfortunately, during this time while we are living in a global pandemic due to Covid-19, there has been a lot of racist behaviour directed towards people of Asian heritage and they are being unfairly blamed for the spread of the virus. This is due to fear, misinformation, racism and people like the U.S President Donald Trump calling it the 'Chinese Virus' even though other world leaders have agreed that the correct name is Covid-19. Scientists and medical doctors, like Dr. Bonnie Henry, have said that these myths are simply untrue. If you hear people saying these things, you can speak up and say that it is wrong and by spreading myths and saying 'Chinese/China virus' they are acting in racist way. Remember that, as Holly Hawks, we care for others.

This week's ebook recommendation is called 'Heart of a Champion' by Ellen Schwartz. It was inspired by the real life Japanese-Canadian baseball team that played in Vancouver from 1914-1941 called the Vancouver Asahi. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbour in World War II, many Japanese-Canadian families were sent to internment camps by the Canadian Government, even though many of them had spent their whole lives in Canada. Watch a book trailer here.

Click the picture below to borrow from Holly Library.

Keep reading and care for others, Holly Hawks!

Love, Mrs. Myles