Celebrating 100 Years of Chinese community in Windsor

It has been 100 years since the first Windsor Chinese organization was founded in 1918.

Last Saturday on March 31, a special 100-year celebration was held in Windsor at the Giovanni Caboto Club with three local Chinese groups.

The event featured traditional Chinese culture including a display of art, tea ceremony and cultural performances. Many local Chinese Canadians took part, as well as other members of the community who are interested in Chinese culture.

“It is a great event to celebrate our heritage (and) our culture in the city for the past 100 years,” said Stephen Tsui, president of the Essex County Chinese Canadian Association since 2009.

He said Chinese immigrants have adapted well in Windsor and the Chinese community has also helped a lot in the transition for newcomers.

“In the early days, the Chinese always need to struggle a little bit intense to making a living in Canada, because they’re dis-communication in the early days. But in the last 50 years, Chinese start getting into professional fields, the Chinese communities offer many help.”

ECCCA mainly serves the Cantonese-speaking population. There are two other local organizations: the Chinese Association of Greater Windsor — whose members mostly speak Mandarin and come from mainland China, and the Chinese Benevolent Association, which formed 100 years ago.

“In the early days most people were coming from Guangzhou province and Hong Kong. (In) recent years more people coming from mainland China. Our purpose is to unite people together,” Tsui said, adding Chinese immigrants are adapting well.

Now, more than 10,000 Chinese Canadians live in Windsor, many working professional jobs as doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers and business people.

“It’s a nice city, the housing is reachable and there are many job opportunity here, so this is why Chinese people coming to Windsor,” added Tsui.