April 20th is UN Chinese Language Day.
The date for the UN Chinese Language Day was selected from Guyu (“Rain of Millet”), which is the 6th of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendars, to pay tribute to Cangjie. Cangjie is a very important figure in ancient China, claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes and four pupils, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. From then on, Chinese people celebrate the day Guyu in honour of Cangjie. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around April 20.
https://www.un.org/zh/observances/chinese-language-day/english
This Hoisan-wa Primer, created for The Last Hoisan Poets 2022 performance “American People: A Celebration of Faith Ringgold” at the de Young Museum, was inspired by Faith Ringgold’s children’s book, “Cassie’s Word Quilt”
Genny, Flo & Nellie would like to thank Wyland Chu, Patrick Dare, Karen Huie, Linda Huang, Elizabeth Wong, Young Wong & Victor Yan for their help with the Hoisan-wa translations of words found in Cassie’s Word Quilt by Faith Ringgold.
The poets would also like to express their deepest gratitude for the inspiration provided by the Amazing Faith Ringgold.
The Last Hoisan Poets poetry writing workshop was held on Saturday, November 19, 2022, 1pm to 2pm, in celebration of Faith Ringgold’s “American People” at the de Young Museum. Photo by Gary Sexton.