Asian
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Mum’s Chinese rice bowl
I was in the kitchen about to have some yoghurt, when out of the blue I thought about my late mum. I went into our “dungeon”, the space underneath our home, and found a box with sets of her Chinese rice bowls. I had kept two sets, one with a yellow pattern, and the other… Continue reading
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My first wontons!
Mike wanted to make wontons. Which meant he made two misshapen ones, and then left me to make the rest … But he’s the one who bought wonton wrappers and keeps the kitchen stocked with sesame oil, shaoxing wine, shiitake mushrooms and whatnot. And he gets me to grow Thai basil, chilli plants, lemon grass.… Continue reading
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Signing a Book for CK Wong, Photographer
CK Wong is a photographer in Kota Kinabalu. His work appeared in my blog SabahSongs, as we were all covering performing musicians in the heyday of ten years ago. I was writing about them and photographers were covering events. The other day I was chatting to CK although I didn’t recognise him because we were… Continue reading
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Our Short Film JACKS Screens at KKIFF!
JOEL STEPHEN FLEMING’S crime comedy short film ‘JACKS’ screened at the Kota Kinabalu International film Festival, and I was “repping” — as Joel says — for our film! Yikes! I didn’t want to let him down! So how did it go? It was a blaaast! Here’s Ronald Ng, very funny emcee and well-known Sabah Tourism… Continue reading
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Prof. Dr Danny Wong — Sabahan Historian
Sabah is very proud of its eminent historian, Professor Datuk Dr Danny Wong Tze Ken. I have included a summary of his distinguished career at the bottom of this post. So when my friend Yap said, “Eh, I’m bringing you to this,” I thought: Far out! Professor Danny (I want to refer to him in… Continue reading
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KKIFF: Watching ‘The Sight of Borneo Kirin’
I was so excited to see the film ‘The Sight of Borneo Kirin’, by Pentium Tee! It was Day 2 of the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) and Yap had a ticket for me. He warned me, “I’m in this film, okay?” No kidding! This film is a documentary about the Hakka Chinese Unicorn… Continue reading
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Playing for Datuk CL Chan’s book launch – audio
I was so pleased to be able to play background piano for the book launch for Datuk CL Chan’s book ‘Family Ties’, which is a history of five generations of his family, from their journey from China to Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu. Datuk Chan is the founder of Natural History Publications (Borneo) and he published… Continue reading
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Making Sabah Guitars
Yap Keng Vui, Roger Wang, Gordon Pan, Allen Lin, and Timothy Tang are here in Yap’s workshop. They recently acquired the contents of a Canadian luthier’s workshop in Kuala Lumpur, because he was returning to Canada. So today they are opening all the boxes which have arrived! It’s kids in candy store day! I look… Continue reading
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English tea, Sabah style
My cousin made English tea in a teapot! (I never do this but my friend Mariana would approve). Served with char siu buns — pork, mushroom, hard boiled egg and Chinese sausage (lap cheong). Continue reading
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Sabah 2022: Woodwork, calligraphy and the moon
I’m spoiled from the moment I land in Sabah. Relatives greet me at the airport — poor things! The flight from Kuala Lumpur arrives at such a dreadful time, it gets into Kota Kinabalu at 12.40am and I actually walked out about 1.00am. I am so cared for ☺️. After a few days, it’s time… Continue reading
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Jude Day, Festival Director — Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival
The Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) runs September 17 – 25 in 2022. Founder and festival director Jude Day got on Zoom with me, to talk about what’s coming up. I was going to write a long post, but Jude is so effervescent, her passion for film and the people that write and make… Continue reading
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Our movie JACKS is going to Kota Kinabalu!
JACKS — the crime comedy short film by Joel Stephen Fleming of 13th Street Films has been selected by CINEBALU – Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival 2022! The reason I’m ecstatic is that Kota Kinabalu is in Sabah, Malaysia — the birth place of my parents, and where I spent four years before coming to… Continue reading
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The Fight Centre picked for Fair Rounds ActiveKIT initiative
Minh Chong Ali is in my blog quite a bit because he’s an Asian rap artist and songwriter. But he’s also very much into boxing and martial arts, and he works at The Fight Centre, a community-oriented martial arts and fitness club in Slacks Creek, Brisbane, Queensland. Recently, The Fight Centre was selected to be… Continue reading
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Benson Wu, Director, Taiwan Film Festival in Australia
“The festival is edgy,” said Benson Wu, Director of the Taiwan Film Festival in Australia. On a recent Zoom call, Benson said he’s all about bringing more diversity into film, whether it’s Asian representation in Western film or LGBT films to Taiwanese audiences. “We have around 12 films in the full programme and there are… Continue reading
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Oizoioi. Build a bridge, start a conversation
We are a third culture. Our parents were immigrants. We are seen as foreigners even though we were born here. We’re stuck between two worlds and still don’t quite know how we fit in Australia. Our fashion is a bridge. Our brand is Oizoioi – people ask us: How do you say that? What does… Continue reading
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PODCAST: Bao Pham, founder Team Bliss Esports
Bao Pham, a gamer, helped his friend build a team of PUBG gamers. He ended up creating an esports organisation called Team Bliss Esports. Now there are several Bliss teams competing internationally. Brisbane-based Team Bliss HQ has become a training centre for professional gamers, with state-of-the-art gaming hardware, and a gaming-oriented internet cafe. It is… Continue reading
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Watercolour by Shinji Ogata. Thanks Shinji!
I found this when clearing out some files! I was playing my friend Sophie’s piano, around 2015. Shinji Ogata is an artist in Brisbane. Here’s something about him. Continue reading
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Another festival selection and now we have an official poster
Crime comedy short film JACKS has been selected by Byron Bay Underground Film Festival (BUFF) and to celebrate, 13th Street Films and Visul made this poster. I am officially a gangsta mum. Continue reading
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FESTIVAL NEWS: official selection for Independent Producers Indie FF
Just when you thought I was done with Jacks… festival #15, I think? So happy for writer/director Joel Stephen Fleming and all the cast and crew. Continue reading
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‘Origins’ by EASTMODE
‘Origins’ is the first music video from EASTMODE, a collective of Brisbane-based Asian Australian rappers. I love that they’re writing, defining, collaborating, making an artistic statement. They care. They’re beautiful. They brought me into The Fam, and I’m humbled by it. Videographer and rapper David Deggs Fischer even included me in the video. When I… Continue reading
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FESTIVAL NEWS: Jacks earns first laurel from International Shorts Film Festival
Short film crime comedy ‘Jacks’ has earned its first laurel, from International Shorts Film Festival. Related posts Joel Stephen Fleming, 13th Street Films Sen Shao – If Looks Could Kill Sian Laycock – creating the reality I Am Yang Tristan Barr, Continuance Pictures Continue reading
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Bao Pham, Founder, Team Bliss Esports
This is an unexpected Fam story. I met Bao Pham at a recent music video shoot for Eastmode, and I really liked talking with him. He’s got a well-established flower business, and on the side he’s building a enterprise around his passion – esports! So here is something about Bao Pham and his Team Bliss… Continue reading
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Eastmode video shoot – BTS
EASTMODE is a collective of four Brisbane-based hip hop artists, and they are launching their EP ‘Origins’ with a music video. Art evolves over time and these seasoned rappers have come together to make music to please themselves rather than chase a trend. The Eastmode musicians all have Asian roots, from the Solomon Islands, Vietnam,… Continue reading
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All about the team – Derek Griffiths, Visul
It’s about finding the right team, the right passion, and a story that’s worth telling Derek Griffiths, Creative Producer, Visul Derek Griffiths operates under the Visul banner as a solo creative producer. He wants to tell a great story and he cares about the people that walk the journey with him. Talk with him for… Continue reading
About Joanna
Joanna is British Australian. She worked mainly in financial news in London. In her forties she moved to her parents’ birthplace, Sabah, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo. She became a pianist at the Jesselton Hotel in Kota Kinabalu and wrote a blog about musicians, which was popular among Sabahans at home and abroad. The blog was turned into a coffee table book when the Ministry of Tourism and Culture expressed interest. Joanna came to Australia in 2012. This is her second blog.
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