People of Chinese origin began migrating to Canada from San Francisco in 1858 due to the appeal caused by the discovery of gold in the Fraser River of British Columbia. Arriving in Victoria by boat, most of these immigrants continued on to the Fraser River, but some artisans, merchants and craftsmen stayed behind to set up stores and it is they who are responsible for the establishment of Canada’s earliest Chinatown. “Since Victoria was the gateway to Canada from China, its Chinatown prospered.” Almost sixteen thousand Chinese came to Victoria between 1881 and 1884. Victoria’s Chinatown acted as a distinct community in which Chinese immigrants were first exposed to the Western world. Here they learned the basic skills they needed to survive in Canadian society, such as speaking English, and it was here they r
eturned if they were unsuccessful at finding employment. It was this inner-city neighbourhood that was labelled as “the forbidden town” by British Columbia’s predominantly white population. In spite of this, or perhaps because of this, Chinatown became a safe haven for Canada’s Chinese population as it was a place where they could practise their traditions, speak in their mother tongues and foster a sense of belonging.
For more information see:
Lai, Chuenyan David. The Forbidden City within Victoria. 1991: Orca Book Publishers, Victoria.
eturned if they were unsuccessful at finding employment. It was this inner-city neighbourhood that was labelled as “the forbidden town” by British Columbia’s predominantly white population. In spite of this, or perhaps because of this, Chinatown became a safe haven for Canada’s Chinese population as it was a place where they could practise their traditions, speak in their mother tongues and foster a sense of belonging.For more information see:
Lai, Chuenyan David. The Forbidden City within Victoria. 1991: Orca Book Publishers, Victoria.
Image taken from: http://www.victoriabcguide.com/images/Pchinatown.JPG
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