Premiere of Gum Saan to Golden Spike Comic Novella
On Saturday, September 30, OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates of Greater Seattle (OCA-GS), the University of Washington’s American Ethnic Studies Department, and the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods will debut Gum Saan to Golden Spike (GS2), a comic novella collaboratively written and illustrated by college students about Seattle’s early Chinese settlers, at the Rainier Arts Center, 3515 South Alaska Street. The program, part of the 55th Anniversary of the creation of the American Ethnic Studies programs, begins at 11:00 a.m. Free books (one per household) will be distributed to those in attendance.
Gum Saan to Golden Spike is the first book in the trilogy, “Passage Through Seattle: Wong Family Saga, 1842-2023,” that includes the sequel In a Yellow Tone: Seattle’s Chinatown International District During WWII (2021), and KingDOOM: How Asian American Protests Saved Seattle’s Chinatown International District, 1972-2023 (in progress). GS2 originally began as a film created in honor of Golden Spike Day in 2019, then recreated as a comic novella to better preserve and communicate the history of early Chinese Americans. Through the story of Wong Ho Ping and his descendants, the comic novella retells the story of why the Southern Chinese (Taishanese and Cantonese) departed South China for the United States, built the railroad, and fought for labor rights and against economic discrimination.
According to Dr. Connie So, teaching professor at the UW American Ethnic Studies Department and Advisor for the project, “The trilogy is our collective way to combat stereotypes and ignorance about Asian American history and contributions, and to allow young artists to express themselves – especially young people who became depressed during the pandemic – and help draw parallels between current-day events and the past. Our stories also address issues of masculinity, femininity, perseverance, and Asian pride. Our publications are intended to bring a stronger sense of belonging and self-awareness to all ‘marginalized’ communities.”
Along with the debut of the book and book signings, GS2’s student artists and writers will provide insights into their creative processes and the significance of the project. There will be a short book reading/art screening, along with discussions on the difficulties of converting a film to comic book during the pandemic.
There will be food, entertainment, musical performances, and a performance by Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon and Lion Dance Association. Free copies (one per household) are in limited supply, with priority given to early registrants. After the premiere, GS2 will be available through the Wing Luke Museum and OCA-GS website (ocaseattle.org).
The event is free to the public. For more information, please email info@ocaseattle.org.
