City in Colour: Rediscovered Stories of Victoria's Multicultural Past

by May Q Wong

Often described as “more English than the English,” the city of Victoria has a much more ethnically diverse background than historical record and current literature reveal. Significant contributions were made by many people of colour with fascinating stories,

the Kanaka, or Hawaiian Islanders, who constructed Fort Victoria, and members of the Kanaka community such as Maria Mahoi and William Naukana three Metis matriarchs—Amelia Connolly Douglas, Josette Legacé Work, and Isabelle M. Mainville Ross the Victoria Voltigeurs, the earliest police presence in the Colony of Vancouver Island, and who were primarily men of colour Grafton Tyler Brown, now known in the United States as one of the first and best African American artists of the American West Manzo Nagano, Canada’s first recorded immigrant from Japan and many more With information about various cultural communities in early Victoria and significant dates, May Wong’s City in Colour is a collection of fascinating stories of unsung characters whose stories are at the heart of Victoria’s history.

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some colorful incidents and surprising information here - how many people knew that there were significant numbers of Hawaiians living in this region long before Fort Victoria existed?? - but I still found this book a bit of a slog. The author had a difficult job, digging out stories on people whose lives were only intermittently documented, so it's hardly fair to complain. Some of the stories are truly moving, but so much of what remains is pretty dry. On top of that, the blatant racism of the time comes through all too clearly, and while occasionally lightened by wiser views, it makes for a tough read. Still, applause to the author for making the attempt. We can only wish there was more to go on. Perhaps, somewhere, there is.