Gung Haggis Fat Choy facts for kids

Gung Haggis Fat Choy is a fun cultural event from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its name mixes Scottish and Chinese words. Haggis is a traditional Scottish food. Gung Hay Fat Choy is a Cantonese greeting for Chinese New Year. This event celebrates both Robert Burns Day (January 25) and Chinese New Year. It brings cultures together in exciting new ways. In Vancouver, the event includes music, poetry, and performances. It ends with a big dinner and party. This unique celebration even inspired a CBC TV special.

How It Started

Gung Haggis Fat Choy began in 1993. A student named Todd Wong from Simon Fraser University was asked to help with their Robert Burns celebrations. Todd, who is a fifth-generation Canadian, learned about Scottish-Canadian traditions. He discovered things like men wearing kilts, playing bagpipes, and eating special foods.

In 1993, Chinese New Year was on January 27. This was just two days after Robert Burns Day (January 25). Robert Burns Day celebrates the birthday of a famous Scottish poet. Todd Wong thought, "Gung Haggis Fat Choy! I can celebrate two cultures at once!" This is how "Toddish McWong" was born. He became a person who loved both Scottish and Chinese cultures.

In 1998, Todd Wong hosted the first Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner. It was a private party for 16 friends. In 1999, the first public dinner was held. It was a fundraiser for a dragon boat team. Forty people attended this event.

Growing Popularity

In 2004, CBC television in British Columbia showed a special called "Gung Haggis Fat Choy." It was nominated for two Leo Awards. These awards celebrate excellence in film and television. The show featured music and dance. It also told the story of Toddish McWong and how Gung Haggis Fat Choy started.

By 2005, the dinner event had grown very big. It served 570 people and raised money for good causes. The dinner included Asian Canadian poetry and Scottish songs. There were also new twists like "When Asian Eyes are Smiling." Champion Highland dancers performed. Traditional haggis was served, along with new dishes like deep-fried haggis won ton and haggis lettuce wraps.

Also in 2005, the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival began. Simon Fraser University wanted a fun event for students. Todd Wong, an SFU alumni, helped create it. He invented the "Dragon Boat Cart." Six students "paddle" this cart across a mall. A seventh student steers it. In 2007, "Human Curling" was added as a new activity.

Spreading the Celebration

In 2007, the first Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner was held in Seattle, Washington. Toddish McWong hosted these dinners. They featured talented performers from both Chinese and Scottish communities.

A 2007 CBC documentary film, "Generations: The Chan Legacy," also showed parts of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner. This film told the story of a Chinese Canadian family. Todd Wong was part of this family's history.

In 2008, Todd Wong received the BC Community Achievement Award. This award recognized his work in community service. He was honored for bringing people and cultures together. The Royal British Columbia Museum also recognized Gung Haggis Fat Choy. A picture from the 2008 dinner was part of an exhibit about food in British Columbia's history.

January 25, 2009, was a special day. It was the 250th birthday of Robert Burns. It was also Chinese New Year's Eve, when the Year of the Ox began. The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner celebrated both. The next time Robert Burns Day and Chinese New Year will be on the same day is in 2020. That will be the Year of the Rat.

Gung Haggis in Scotland

Gung Haggis Fat Choy has even reached Scotland! Todd Wong has been interviewed by many news outlets. These include Sing Tao Daily, Ming Pao, CBC, The Scotsman.com, and BBC Radio Scotland. He has also appeared on cooking shows.

For "Homecoming Year Scotland," a photo of Todd Wong was featured in an exhibition. He was dressed in his "Gung Haggis Fat Choy" costume. This included a kilt and a Chinese Lion mask. The exhibition traveled all over Scotland. It ended at the Scottish Parliament. Todd Wong attended and met Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond.

Dragon Boat Team

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team is all about fun and multiculturalism. They host the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner. This dinner started as a way to raise money for the team. Now, it also helps other non-profit groups that Todd Wong supports.

The team competes in Dragon boat races and festivals. They travel to places like Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland. They spread their message of cultural fun. Their team uniform includes kilts with a special Scottish pattern. They also wear red shirts with Chinese "lucky" gold coins.

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team has been featured in TV documentaries. These include shows from France, Germany, and CBC Television. In 2008, they were on Global News. They were highlighted as an example of what makes British Columbia world-class.