123. 明州台美人百年大事/ Brief History of Taiwanese Association of America – Minnesota Chapter/ Chi-Ming Tseng

Brief History of Taiwanese Association of America – Minnesota Chapter

Author: Chi-Ming Tseng

 

When did Taiwanese people begin living in Minnesota? It’s hard to know exactly when they began arriving, but we do know that in 1960, there were approximately 32 international students from Taiwan. The Formosan American Club of Minnesota was established in 1966-67, with Ying-ming Shih as the President, Charles Song as the Chief Advisor, and about 114 members, whose names filled 8 full pages of a typed address book. The Formosan American Club participated in the Taiwanese Association of America national meeting for the first time in 1972.

According to the 2000 Census, there were 747 people in Minnesota who considered themselves Taiwanese, which is 0.4% of the Asian American and Pacific Islander population. This was the first time that Taiwanese people had been counted separately. According to the 2010 Census data, 1078 people in Minnesota considered themselves Taiwanese (1,375 people if multi-ethnic individuals are counted), ranking Taiwanese as the 14th largest group in the Asian category, and 22nd largest among Taiwanese populations across the United States.

The term length for the President of the Taiwanese Association of America – Minnesota Chapter is usually one year, with the term beginning in September of the previous year. The past presidents are listed as follows:

 

1966 Ying-ming Shih 1967 Ying-ming Shih 1968 Fu-chuan Liu 1969 Chen-chi Huang 1970 Ching-yao Wu
1971 Han-chin Liu 1972 Shu-mei Chang 1973 Chung-yuan Liao 1974 Cheng-hsing Chou 1975 Che-lang Chang
1976 Che-hsiung Tu 1977 Ta-chin Wu 1978 Adrian Lin 1979 Wen-chien Lin 1980 Ching-ping Cheng
1981 Le-chun Chen, Fred Juang, Edward Yu 1982 Ming-cheng Wang 1983 Chin-shan Wang、Cheng-Cher Huang 1984 Sung-Peng Hsu 1985 Chin-Hsin Jason Liu
1986 Yu Pai 1987 Edwin Hsu 1988 Chih-chung  Hsu 1989 Yi-fu Lin 1990 Rung-ji Liu、 John Ko
1991 John Ko 1992 George Lin 1993 Cheng-Cher Huang 1994 Wen-chien Lin 1995 Mei-you Ko
1996 Susan Huang 1997 Amy Hsu 1998 Juey-hong Lai 1999 Chuan-chieh Hsu 2000 Ching-chang Ko
2001 Ying-Yuh Lu 2002 Tsan-kuo Chang 2003 John Ko 2004 Ray Tsai 2005 Jennfeng Yan
2006 Raymond Lu 2007 John Ko 2008 Kuang-sheng Cheng 2009 Ying-Yuh Lu 2010 Mike Sie-tung Liu
2011 Charles Chiang 2012 Jennfeng Yan 2013 Kent Cheng 2014 Ying-Yuh Lu 2015 Cheng-Cher Huang
2016 Kuang-sheng Cheng 2017 Kuang-sheng Cheng

 

Aside from celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Lunar New Year, and welcoming dinners, and summer picnics, the association also regularly hosted visitors, politicians, scholars, experts, and various community leaders from other states or from Taiwan, as well as local Taiwanese Americans to give speeches or perform. The following list is a summary of these speeches and performances:

 

Visitor/Speaker Topic or Performance Content
1979 Ming Min Peng, Hamline University Professor: Richard Kagan Taiwan’s Political Situation
1979 Musician: Shu-te Li
1982 FAPA President: Tron-Rong Tsai
1983 Tangwai (“outside-the-party”) figure: Hsin-liang Hsu
1984 Writer: Bo Yang The Ugly Chinaman
1985 Writers: Wu Yung-fu, Li Kuei-hsien, Lin Heng-tai, Yang Ching-chu, Li Chiao
1986 Tangwai figures: Hsin-liang Hsu, Roger Hsieh, Sisy Chen, Ho Duan-fan, Chou Ching-yu, You Ching

Writer: Wang Tuoh

1987 Writer: Sung Tse-lai
1988 Writer: Lin Yang-min “From Central Daily News Reporter to Tangwai Writer”
1988 Artist: Chen Lai-hsing “Problems in Taiwan’s World of Fine Arts”
1990 Former Magistrate of Yilan County: Chen Ding-nan Outdoor speech and picnic
1990 Local Taiwanese American, Scholar of economics: David Dai-sheng Hong “Environmental Protection in Taiwan”
1991 Kansas State University Professor: Liang-Shing Fan “The Economy and Independence”
1991 Folk music composer and traveling musician: Chen Ming-chang Concert
1991 University of Wisconsin Madison Professor: Hung-mao Tien “Taiwanese Politics”
1991 Intellectual: Dr. Jer-Shung (Hon-Tze) Lin Forum
1991 FAPA President: John Chen Speech
1991 WUFI: Bei Hung Kuo Speech
1992 Local Taiwanese American and philosopher: Sung-Peng Hsu “Divine Nature, Buddha Nature, and Human Nature”
1992 Li Hung-hsi, Lung-Chi Chen, Fang-Ming Chen, etc Midwest Taiwanese Summer Conference Speeches
1992 Rui Mu Lee Speech, fundraiser for the Taiwan Nation-building Research Institute
1993 Legislator: Annette Lu, National Assembly Member: Chang Fu-Mei Attended the “China: A Turning Point in History” Seminar at University of Minnesota, gave speeches for the Taiwanese American community.
1994 Local Taiwanese American: Wen-po Su Speech
1996 Folk music composer: Ming-che Wang Concert tour
1996 Professor of Dentistry at University of Minnesota: Ching-chang Ko “Oral Hygiene”
1996 Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Minnesota: Wei-Shou Hu “Artificial Livers”
1996 WUFI: Professor Chao-tang Huang Speech
1996 Taiwan Independence Party: Professor Lin Shan-tien “The Constitution”
1997 Sociologist: Shen Hsiu-hua “Women in the Wake of the 228 Incident”
1997 FAPA President: Wen Yen Chen Speech
1997 Folk Artist: Mynor King Speech
1998 Local community member, Legislator: Sing-nan Wang Taiwan’s Political Situation
1999 Singer: Chris Hung and his Wife Gospel Concert
2001 Local Taiwanese American and retired structural engineer: You-ren Tsai Reported on his experience participating in the Taiwan 921 earthquake rebuilding mission
2001 Deputy ROC Representative to the United States: Lee Ying-yuan “Diplomacy with America and More”
2001 Minister of the Council of Labor Affairs: Joyce Chen Chu Dinner talk: “Difficulties and Prospects for the New Government”
2003 Ph.D. Candidate for Environmental Conservation Research at the University of Minnesota: Mei-hsiu Huang “The Life and Death of Taiwan’s Black Bears”
2004 Examination Yuan member: Professor Chen Mao-hsiung “An Analysis of Taiwan’s Presidential Elections”
2004 FAPA: Michael Fonte Taiwan Presidential Election Post-election Analysis
2005 Ambassador-at-large and Chairman of the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center, Sun Ming-hsien Accepted the “Outstanding International Leader Award” from the University of Minnesota Alumni group, and gave a speech introducing the history and Achievements of the Asian Vegetable Research Center.
2009 FAPA: Coen Blauuw and his wife, Iris Ho Introduced Taiwan-US Relations and FAPA YPG (Young Professional Group)
2010 Local doctors: Dr. Jerome Siy and Dr. Albert Tsai “Stroke Prevention and Treatment”
2011 Local Taiwanese American, retired economics professor: Wu-tien Peng “Taking Care of your Health”
2015 Local Taiwanese American, retired economics professor: Wu-tien Peng Farewell speech on health – Challenges in Adapting to the Minnesota Environment《惜別養生座談會》- 兼談移居明州面臨水土不服的嚴重考驗

 

Promoting Taiwanese culture to the American public is one of our main activities. In 1977, the Association held its first Taiwan Day event at the University of Minnesota. The Association participated in the 3- to 4-day long event, Festival of Nations, for the first time in 1979. This has become the Association’s most important annual event, which consumes more time and resources than any other of our activities. As of today (2017), the association has participated in this event for 39 years. In 1987, Festival of Nations evaluated exhibition booths and presented awards for the first time, and the Taiwanese booth won first place. The theme that year was Festival, and the association created an exhibition about the Lunar New Year and the story of the 12 zodiac animals. In the 31 years that awards have been granted to participants, the Taiwan booth has won 29 prizes. In 2017, the Association was invited to host the “Urban Expedition to Taiwan” event in the historical Landmark Center in St. Paul. Listed below are the Festival of Nations cultural exhibition themes and the contents of the Taiwanese booth.

 

Year Festival of Nations Theme Taiwanese Exhibition Booth Contents Interactive Project
1987 Festival The Lunar New Year, the story of the 12 zodiac animals
1988 Tradition Traditional Living Room
1989 Costume A collection of clothing of the common people and various ethnic groups
1990 Wedding Traditional wedding customs, dress, and a sedan chair
1991 Fable, Fairy Tales and Folklore Year of the Ram and the story of the 12 zodiac animals Paper mâché sheep for visitors to sign, find your own zodiac sign
1992 Flower Flowers and a sedan chair Orchids in petri dishes
1993 Festival Temple Festival Parade
1994 Tapestry Traditional Embroidery Golden thread metallic embroidery demonstration
1995 World of Children Children’s Growth Carrying a baby doll on one’s back, bamboo cradle, paper windmill
1996 Ethnic Market Traditional Street Market, Snack Stall, and Herbal Medicine Shop
1997 Ethnic Celebration Celebrating the Lunar New Year and New Year’s Eve Dinner
1998 Folk’s Art Folk Art Exhibition: Woodcarvings, lantern, paper umbrellas, dough figurines, and shadow puppets. Shadow puppet play
1999 Wedding Tradition Traditional wedding customs, dress, and a sedan chair Demonstration of newlyweds bowing to the heavens, their ancestors, and each other at the family hall
2000 Celebration of Seasons Celebrating the rice harvest and the various uses of rice Making dough figurines and stamping stick rice cakes in the shape of a red turtle
2001 Costume and Adornment The boudoir clothing of a bride-to-be
2002 Global Homes and Gathering Places Leisure activities done in a temple courtyard Tea brewing, puppet show
2003 Children of the World Games that children play in front of the temple, red envelope tree, painting of a hundred children Pull bells (diabolos), spinning tops, bamboo dragonflies, kaleidoscopes…
2004 Ethnic Celebrations Sky lanterns, beehive firecrackers, lantern festivals, Lunar New Year festivities Riddles at the lantern festival
2005 Celebrating Ethnic Tradition Assembly of 100 carved “longevity” characters in different fonts, birthday celebration at family hall, 12 zodiac animals Understanding your own zodiac sign
2006 Ethnic Markets Night market, snack, fruit, art, and food stalls, fortune-telling booth Dough figurines
2007 Toys, Games and Sports Children playing in front of the temple, puppet show stage Puppets, pull bells (diabolos), spinning tops, bamboo dragonflies, kaleidoscopes, puppet show video
2008 Art and Architecture Doors and windows of tradition-style homes Paper cutting
2009 Transportation and Invention From railways (narrow-gauge trains in the cane sugar fields) to the information technology super highway (the transformation from agricultural to industrial development) Computer game
2010 Folklore and Heroes The story of the black dog and the princess (the origins of Taiwan’s earliest inhabitants) and the legend of Alishan (how the young Ali fought a tiger to save a couple of fairies, and his flesh became the origin of Alishan’s forest) Paper tiger masks, chunks of fragrant Hinoki cypress wood
2011 World Markets Night market, snack stalls, herbal medicine shop Bwei divination and drawing sticks, video
2012 Ethnic Celebrations and Events Sky lanterns, firecrackers, lantern festivals, and celebrating the Lunar New Year Origami sky lanterns, riddles at the lantern festival, video
2013 Children: Our Past and Future Children playing in front of a temple are linked to classrooms and study rooms by a large banyan tree. The banyan tree represents growth and inheritance. Calligraphy, mental math challenge, pull bells (diabolos), spinning tops, bamboo dragonflies, kaleidoscopes, origami cranes
2014 Peace among the People The island of Taiwan made up of collaged portraits, Taiwan’s history, peace memorial monuments, and an exhibition board about Taiwan’s various social movements. Exhibition of Taiwanese and American school children’s “peace” paintings and a “peace wall” for visitors to write on. “Peace wall” for visitors to write on
2015 International Arts Puppet show and shadow puppet show Shadow puppet show
2016 Folklore & Fairy Tales Story of the 12 zodiac animals Understanding your own zodiac sign
2017 Rituals and Ceremonies Traditional wedding customs, dress, and a sedan chair Demonstration of newlyweds bowing to the heavens, ancestors and to each other at family hall

 

In conjunction with the annual North American Taiwanese Heritage Week held every May, the Overseas Community Affairs Council arranges for various art groups to tour North America. We also coordinate as much as possible to have them perform on the main stage at the Festival of Nations. Thus, Minnesota is often the first stop for groups that come to the United States to perform. Listed below are the various groups that have come over the years and the contents of their performances:

 

Year Group Performance
2002 Lan-Yang Taiwanese Opera Company Opera: “Du Tzu-chun”
2004 Taiwanese Hakka Chorus Hakka, Hoklo, Mandarin, and Aboriginal songs
2005 I Wan Jan Puppet Theatre “A Chance Encounter” and “Mayhem in the Crystal Palace”
2008 Dance Works “Taiwan Style” Tap Dance
2009 Shih Chien University Luo Han Men Cultural Theater Group Performed the Song Jiang Formation, Aboriginal dances, the Dadaocheng March, etc. at the Festival of Nations
2010 “Chiao Shou Hsin Chuan” Folk Art Troupe Showed a variety of arts, including: painting lion head figures, blowing malt sugar candies, carving, fan painting, paper cutting, straw and bark art, dough figurine-making, puppets, decorative knot-tying, and other types of arts at the Festival of Nations exhibition and demo booth.
2011 The Chairman (band), Suming, etc. Performed “All Voices Strike” at the Festival of Nations
2014 Takao Run Sing to the Land of Taiwan
2015 National Dong Hua University College of Indigenous Studies Dance Troupe Performed “Original Taiwan” at the Festival of Nations
2016 Formosa Circus Art (FOCA) Performed at the Festival of Nations
2017 National Taiwan University of Art Daguan Dance Troupe Performed “Splendor of Taiwan” at the Festival of nations

 

The Association has established a number of different scholarships and awards, such as: the Li-Huey Lai Memorial Scholarship, the Suji Lee Scholarship Award, the Chin-fong Lai Memorial Scholarship, the Outstanding Contributions to Taiwanese Culture/Community Welfare Award, and the Youth Scholarship for children of TAA members.

The Association intermittently organized a choir, which was led over the years by Yun-ming Lai, Ling-chen Lin, Liyun Tsong, and Yi-chun Chiang. A number of concerts were also held, and in 1993, the association held a concert based around Tyzen Hsiao’s works, and Professor Hsiao came in person to perform and conduct. In 1995, Professor Sung-ren Hsu came to perform in and conduct a concert based around his works. Lin Hwai-min’s Cloud Gate Dance Theater performed in Minneapolis three times (1998, 2003, 2007).

The Taipei Philharmonic Chorus (conducted by Dirk Du Hei) also came to Minnesota to participate in the Sixth World Choral Symposium (2002). Taiwanese teams came to Minnesota participate in the Special Olympics (1991) and the Beep Baseball World Series (2010). When the Taiwanese National Baseball Team and Youth Baseball Team participated in a warm-up match before the World Series (2000, 2010), local Taiwanese Americans received them enthusiastically and attended their games to cheer them on. Additionally, when Huang Chin-pao and his family, who were traveling around the world on bicycle, traveled across North America, they stayed in the Twin cities for a week, and the Taiwanese American community received them warmly (2003).

Taiwanese Americans in Minnesota have not fallen behind in participating in activities that advocate for democracy and freedom. When Deng Xiaoping visited the United States after China-US diplomatic relations were established, over 20 people flew to Washington D.C. to participate in protests held by Taiwanese Americans from around the country.

Additionally, three days prior to Christmas 1979, over 60 Taiwanese Americans braved freezing temperatures of 12 degrees below to participate in a demonstration in Minneapolis that protested the Kuomintang’s use of the Meilidao (Formosa Magazine) Incident to suppress Tangwai (“outside-the-party”) democratic figures. In 1996, before Taiwan’s first Presidential election, over 200 Taiwanese Americans and overseas Chinese gathered in Minneapolis for anti-Chinese aggression demonstration to protest China’s use of missile exercises near Taiwan’s coasts as an intimidation tactic. In 2014, they also held a rally supporting the Taiwan Sunflower Movement.

We care about disasters that occur all around the world and have donated money for disaster relief to those suffering from the Red River Valley Flood in 1997, the Turkey earthquake in 1999, the 921 earthquake in Taiwan in 1999, the September 11th Attacks in 2001, Typhoon Toraji and Typhoon Nari in Taiwan in 2001, the Taiwan SARS epidemic in 2003, the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia in 2005, Hurricane Katrina and flooding in the Southern U.S. in 2005, Typhoon Morakot and flooding in Taiwan in 2009, the Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the Kaohsiung gas explosion in 2014, the Tainan earthquake in 2016, and more.

We care about our homeland, Taiwan, and we have held multiple seminars, celebrations, and Taiwanese film screenings. We also care about our local community, so we have participated in charity kitchen programs to feed the homeless and helped provide hot food to the children living in the Ronald McDonald House. We have also participated multiple times in the St. Paul Dragon Boat Races (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).

 

This article is an excerpt from Chi-Ming Tseng’s “Important Events for Minnesota’s Taiwanese Americans”: http://taiwaneseamericanhistory.org/blog/ourjourneys123/

 

Sourced from Chi-Ming Tseng