New Calgary presentation ‘extremely important’ effort to highlight historical racism

The historical village is bringing visitors a new take on history at the Chinese laundry building.

Calgary’s Heritage Park is now exploring some serious social issues of life in the city more than a century ago.

The historical village is bringing visitors a new take on history at the Chinese laundry building.

The roving actors who portray characters from 1910 have just begun performing a scene that involves a new immigrant trying to get a job at the laundry.

“My character is Kwong, a recent immigrant from China,” actor Richelle Ho said.

Ho’s castmate Trevor Matheson, who also produces the various streets scenes around Heritage Park, says the new segment explores the discrimination that Asian immigrants often faced around 1910.

“(Kwong) has disguised herself as a boy, to fit into society,” Matheson said. “but unfortunately at this time the Chinese were not welcome.’

After hearing Kwong talking in Cantonese, a character calls out, “Don’t we speak English in this country?’

Ho feels it’s an important part of the scene.