STATUE, RELIGIOUS
https://collections.galtmuseum.com/en/permalink/artifact10801
- Other Name
- REPLICA MATSU STATUE
- Date Range From
- 1800
- Date Range To
- 1899
- Material Type
- Artifact
- Materials
- WOOD
- Catalogue Number
- P20010099015
5 images
- Material Type
- Artifact
- Other Name
- REPLICA MATSU STATUE
- Date Range From
- 1800
- Date Range To
- 1899
- Materials
- WOOD
- No. Pieces
- 2
- Height
- 18.0
- Diameter
- 6.4
- Description
- CARVED OUT OF A SINGLE PIECE OF WOOD. THE OUTSIDE OF THE STATUE IS ENGRAVED WITH AN INTRICATE SEASCAPE. ONE HALF OF THE STATUE OPENS UP (TWO QUARTERS) TO SHOW AN EXTREMELY INTRICATE THREE DIMENSIONAL RELIEF OF THE GODESS MATSU AS WELL AS HER TWO BODY GUARDS FLANKING HER ON EITHER SIDE. ONE HAS HIS HAND UP TO EYES AS IF LOOKING INTO DISTANCE, THE OTHER, USING HIS HAND TO AMPLIFY SOUND AT LEFT EAR. ENGRAVED AROUND THIS INTERIOR RELIEF, ARE CHINESE CHARACTERS. THE WOOD IS NOT VARNISHED, OR PAINTED. THE STATUE IS CONTAINED INSIDE A RED BOX THAT IS TIED SHUT WITH TWO RIBBONS. THE DIMENSIONS OF THE BOX, ARE HEIGHT- 8.4CM LENGTH- 21.0CM, WIDTH- 9.4 CM.
- Subjects
- CEREMONIAL ARTIFACT
- Historical Association
- RELIGION
- POLITICS
- History
- THIS REPLICA OF THE STATUE OF MATSU LOCATED IN TAINAN CITY TAIWAN, WAS CARVED OUT OF A SINGLE BLOCK OF WOOD SOMETIME DURING THE 19TH CENTURY. THIS ARTIFACT WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED AS A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL MATSU STATUE. MAYOR CARPENTER (1986-2001) HELPED CARRY ON HIS SECOND TRIP TO TAIWAN DURING THE 377TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RETURN OF MATSU - THE GODDESS OF THE SEA. IT IS EXTREMELY RARE WITH ONLY 5 OR 6 IN THE WORLD. FOR BELIEVERS OF THE BUDDHIST OR TAOIST FAITH, THIS ARTIFACT IS PRICELESS. THIS PRICE WAS QUOTED TO MAYOR CARPENTER UPON IT BEING GIVEN TO HIM. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS ARTIFACT WAS GIVEN TO A CIVILIAN. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS TRIP TO TAIWAN, SEE P20010099001. *UPDATE 2023* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BOXED TEXTILE ARTIFACTS AND ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING AN ALTAR CLOTH AND A SASH DONATED BY DAVID CARPENTER. ON MARCH 7, 2018, PUNDYK INTERVIEWED CARPENTER REGARDING HIS DONATION OF 22 ARITFACTS RELATED TO HIS TRIPS TO TAIWAN AS THE MAYOR OF LETHBRIDGE. THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE EMPLOYEE, WEI QUO, WHO ACTED AS TRANSLATOR DURING THESE TRIPS WAS ALSO A PART OF THE MARCH 7, 2018 INTERVIEW. ON THIS ARTIFACT, CARPENTER STATED, “SO THIS- I GOT TO MEET THIS FAMILY MEMBER [HO JR.] WHO’S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE [HSIN KANG] TEMPLE AND, IN ADDITION TO THE BIG STONE STATUE [OF MATSU], THERE WERE SEVERAL... WOODEN ARTIFACTS MADE WHICH REPRESENT MATSU. … SO IT LOOKS KINDA LIKE A BULLET OR SO, BUT IT OPENS UP AND THIS IS THE GODDESS MATSU IN THE MIDDLE AND THESE ARE HER TWO PROTECTORS ON EACH SIDE. ... SO, AT THE SAME TIME, THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEMPLE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF I WAS A MEMBER OF THE TEMPLE.” “AFTER THE PARADE, AFTER THE FIREWORKS AND EVERYTHING, SO ABOUT MIDNIGHT. TOTALLY EXHAUSTED, I WAS TAKEN BACK TO MY QUARTERS IN THE EXECUTIVE SUITE OF FORMOSA PLASTICS. 2:30 AM THERE WAS A KNOCK ON MY DOOR. IT WAS HO JR. ACCOMPANIED BY MR. QUO. THEY EXPLAINED THAT BESIDES THE ORIGINAL STATUE OF MATSU THERE EXIST 5 OR 6 WOODEN REPLICAS OF MATSU AND HER TWO BODYGUARDS. EACH OF THESE WAS HAND CARVED IN THE 19TH CENTURY FROM A SINGLE BLOCK OF RARE WOOD. IT WAS FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS THE POWER TO PETITION MATSU, IF THEY FELT A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL WAS WORTHY OF BEING PRESENTED WITH ONE OF THESE STATUES. HOWEVER, TO THAT DATE, NONE HAD BEEN GIVEN AWAY. SO THAT’S 150 YEARS NONE OF THEM HAD BEEN GIVEN AWAY.” “MATSU DOESN’T ALWAYS RESPOND WHEN A MEMBER OF THE BOARD MEETS A PETITION. (LAUGHS) AND NO DEFINITIVE ANSWER WAS SENT TO THEIR PRAYERS THE NIGHT BEFORE. HOWEVER, AFTER THE PARADE, HO JR. EXERCISED HIS RIGHT TO PETITION MATSU DIRECTLY AND INDIVIDUALLY AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY WHO DONATED THE TEMPLE LAND. HE THEN PRESENTED ME WITH ONE OF THESE RARE WOODEN CARVINGS... AS FAR AS I UNDERSTOOD IT THE MEMBERS OF THE BUDDHIST OR TAOIST RELIGIONS WHO BELIEVE IN MATSU, THIS ITEM IS ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS. … THE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE CONDITIONS IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REASONS FOR MY DECISION TO HAVE THE COLLECTION KEPT AT SIR ALEXANDER GALT … THAT AS I SAY IS IRREPLACEABLE.” WHEN ASKED IF HE REALIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE MOMENT, “WELL I DID AT 2:30 IN THE MORNING! BECAUSE, AND THE REASON- SO THEY WERE EXTREMELY EXCITED BECAUSE IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE! SO- I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT MAYBE THEY’RE ALWAYS THIS WAY BUT I’D KNOWN THEM THAN FOR A YEAR OR LONGER AND NEVER SEEN. AND IT WASN’T UNTIL LATER THAT MR. QUO TOLD ME THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.” QUO ADDED, “MATSU COME FROM CHINA, BUT OUT OF CHINA, THE CULTURAL LIBERATION THEY ALL THROW AWAY- EVEN THEY DON’T HAVE ANY KIND OF- EVEN THEY HAVE MEMORY BUT THEY DON’T HAVE ANY KIND OF RECORD. EVEN STATUES THEY THROW AWAY. SO NOW, THEY COME UP TAIWAN WONDERING WHAT DO YOU HAVE? THEN THEY JUST COPY IT DOWN, COPY HUNDREDS OF THIS KIND FROM THE WOOD. NO, THIS NOT GOOD. ... SO NOW THIS KIND IS A SPECIAL, LIKE CHINESE- IN CHINA THEY REALLY, LOOKING FOR ONE AND SAY 'CAN I GET ONE?' REALLY ORIGINAL ONE. REALLY IT’S BECAUSE CHINA SAY 'OH NO TAIWAN BELONG TO CHINA.' SO THEY WANT TO USE THIS KIND OF FOR THE POLITICAL, SAY 'HEY, YOU SEE TAIWANESE … YOU CAN COME BACK AND SEE WHERE MATSU BORN.' BUT WHEN THE TAIWANESE GO BACK, OH IT'S ALL EMPTY THERE YOU KNOW. ... SO ON THAT TIME, I REALLY SURPRISED. 2 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING...” AS WRITTEN IN CARPENTER’S LETTER ON JANUARY 21, 1998, INFORMING THE CITY COUNCIL OF HIS INTENT TO VISIT, “THE HSIN KANG FENG TINE TEMPLE IS THE SEAT OF RELIGION IN CHAI YI COUNTRY. IT SERVES APPROXIMATELY 20 SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. TWO MAJOR CEREMONIES ARE HELD AT THE TEMPLE EACH YEAR. ONE OF THE ANNUAL CEREMONIES IS THE CELEBRATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF MATSU, GODDESS OF THE SEA. EVERY FOUR YEARS, AS A NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS ELECTED, MATSU’S ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION INCLUDES A PARADE THAT WINDS THROUGH ALL THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY THE TEMPLE. APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION PEOPLE COME TO WATCH THE PARADE'S PROCESSION." “A LARGE PART OF THE CEREMONY IS THE RECOGNITION OF AN INTERNATIONAL FRIEND OF TAIWAN SELECTED TO BE THE 'HONOURED CITY'. SINCE THEIR 1997 VISIT TO LETHBRIDGE, THE TEMPLE HAS TWICE CHOSEN US AS THE COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE THIS HONOUR. … I WAS UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE FIRST INVITATION DUE TO TIMING. HOWEVER, I HAVE ACCEPTED THE FEBRUARY INVITATION TO JOIN THEIR CELEBRATION OF THE 377TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF MATSU AND I HAVE ASKED MR. WEI QUO TO ACCOMPANY ME. I AM HONOURED TO REPRESENT LETHBRIDGE, LEAD THE COMMUNITY PARADE, AND TO TAKE PART IN, TO QUOTE A HSIN KANG RESIDENT, 'A GRAND AND HISTORICAL EVENT'. IN TAIWANESE CULTURE, A PERSONAL INVITATION TO THE TEMPLE IS A VERY HIGH HONOUR. TO BE SELECTED AS THE INTERNATIONAL 'HONOURED CITY' INDICATES THE ESTEEM WITH WHICH LETHBRIDGE, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR PEOPLE ARE HELD IN THAT COUNTRY.” ON THE INVITATION, CARPENTER STATED, “THE SECOND TRIP I MADE WAS AS A GUEST OF THE TEMPLE CITY OF HSIN KANG. THAT WAS TO LEAD A PARADE OF 4000 CHURCHES. A REALLY, REALLY INTRIGUING DAY FOR ME. OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THAT WOULD BE PRIME MINISTER OF GREAT BRITAIN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S., SO FOR THE MAYOR OF LETHBRIDGE TO BE ASKED TO DO THAT, WAS SIGNIFICANT. THOSE WERE SIGNIFICANT THINGS.” “THE GODDESS MATSU IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS CULTURE AND THERE ARE... HUGE STONE CARVED LIKENESSES OF THE GODDESS MATSU. ... IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS GIVES YOU A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT- IF YOU TOUCH IT OR COME EVEN CLOSE TO IT, IT WOULD GIVE YOU A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GOOD FORTUNE. ... MATSU CAME ACROSS FROM MAINLAND CHINA, ACROSS THE STRAIT AND LANDED ON THE SHORES OF TAIWAN. ...IT’S ONE OF FOUR, SO THE STATUE IS ONE OF FOUR THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD. THE OTHER THREE ARE IN MAINLAND CHINA.” “IT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY INTENDED THAT I WOULD LEAD THE PARADE AND ONLY I WOULD MEET WITH THE TEMPLE BOARD MEMBERS AND WATCH THE PARADE. HOWEVER, THE EVENING BEFORE THE CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS APPOINTED AN HONORARY MEMBER AND I WOULD LEAD THE PARADE.” ON THE PARADE ITSELF, CARPENTER STATED, “SO, THE PARADE- IT WAS AN ALL-DAY AFFAIR. SO, AND AS I SAY, FOUR THOUSAND DIFFERENT CHURCHES ALL THE WAY FROM TAIPEI DOWN TO KAOHSIUNG AND TAINAN, AND ALL THESE OTHER CITIES WOULD BRING THEIR FLOAT OR WHATEVER THEY HAD THEIR TRUCK WITH STUFF DECORATED ON IT OR WHATEVER THEY GOT, THEY ALL HAD A PRESENCE. TO LEAD THIS THING, WAS REALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WOULD GO DOWN MAIN STREETS BUT THEN IT WOULD ALSO GO THROUGH LITTLE ALLEYS AND PLACES I NEVER BEEN AND PERHAPS NEVER WOULD GO. ... WE WERE WALKING, THIS WASN’T- YOU WEREN’T RIDING IN A CAR AND WAVING OR ANYTHING. YOU WERE ACTUALLY WALKING DOWN THESE ROADS AND JUST TALKED TO PEOPLE AS YOU WENT. IT WAS REALLY AMAZING! ... SOMETIMES THEY WOULD, LIKE IF THEY HAD A HOCK OR FOOD STALL OR SOMETHING, SOMEBODY WOULD COME OVER AND JUST GIVE YOU A PIECE OF FOOD.” QUO ADDED, “THIS IS THE KIND OF- TAIWAN NEED TO WELCOME, KIND OF HONOUR A PERSON. WE TREAT HERE- REALLY HONOUR WE SAY OK, 'HERE. OH MY TREAT. YOU ARE WELCOME!' EVEN WHEN WE WALK, OH WE HAD A WALK ALL DAY. AND, EVEN WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO EAT. BUT THEY MAKE A SUPPLY. HERE, TAIWANESE MEATBALL... EVEN A JING SHAN TEA... THAT’S A, YOU SAY ORANGE PEKOE? ... THAT KIND OF HIGH QUALITY, THAT JING SHAN TEA. … JING SHAN IS VERY EXPENSIVE. BUT THEY SAID, 'YEAH, GO AHEAD. FREE!' ... WE HELP WALK ABOUT 25 VILLAGES IN MY MEMORY. 25 VILLAGES, YOU KNOW, SMALL TOWNS, WE WALK, WALK.” CARPENTER ADDED, “DO YOU REMEMBER JUST AS WE WERE FINISHING AND COMING BACK TO HSIN KANG, TO THE TEMPLE? AND THEY STARTED LIGHTING OFF FIREWORKS. NOW WE’VE SEEN FIREWORKS HERE, BUT THIS WAS AMAZING LIKE, I DON’T KNOW, PROBABLY WENT ON FOR AN HOUR? AND, YOU COULD JUST SMELL THE GUNPOWDER AND, JUST THE LIGHTS AND DAZZLING AND BRINGING THIS STATUE OF MATSU BACK, BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT SHE GO BACK RIGHT IN THE TEMPLE WHERE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.” TAKEN FROM CARPENTERS NOTES, “ONE OF MY FIRST PARADE DUTIES WAS TO ASSIST IN CARRYING MATSU FROM THE TEMPLE TO THE PARADE VEHICLE. IN DOING SO, I HAD THE EXTREME HONOUR OF ACTUALLY TOUCHING HER. … EACH OF THE 4000 TEMPLES IN THE AREA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A FLOAT REPRESENTING THEIR VERSION OF MATSU. THE RESULT WAS A PARADE 12 HOURS LONG. THE PARADE ROUTE WOUND THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. FIREWORKS PUNCTUATED EVERY CORNER; THE MORE FIREWORKS, THE MORE HONOUR. MR. HO, JR., A DESCENDENT OF THE FAMILY THAT DONATED THE TEMPLE LAND, FELT SOME AREAS WERE NOT SUPPLYING ENOUGH FIREWORKS, SO HE MADE A CONTRIBUTION EQUAL TO $25,000 CANADIAN DOLLARS TO ENSURE NOISE WORTHY OF MY PRESENCE. … THE NOISE, COLOR, CEREMONY AND PAGEANTRY OF THAT DAY ARE UNFORGETTABLE.” ON THE REASONING BEHIND THE DECISION TO VISIT TAIWAN AND HIS INVOLVEMENT AS MAYOR, CARPENTER STATED, “WHY TAIWAN? WE FELT, WHEN I WAS MAYOR, WE HAD A LOT OF- WE HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES, PRIMARILY THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND IS SAINT LAURENT. IT WAS A CULTURAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WAS STARTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IN 1967. MY VIEW IS THAT, FROM A CIVIC GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT, I DIDN’T WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH A BUNCH OF CULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS. ... REALLY, THEY HAVE LIMITED BENEFIT TO THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY SO WE FELT THERE HAD TO BE AN ECONOMIC COMPONENT TO ANY SORT OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITY OF LETHBRIDGE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.” PUBLISHED IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, OCTOBER 11, 1997, “'IN A WORLD ECONOMY, I BELIEVE WE HAVE GOT TO GO TO INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT.' SAID [DARREL] MCKENZIE [ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER]. … TAIWAN IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, SAID MCKENZIE. THE ALBERTA GOVERNMENT IS CREDITED WITH INTRODUCING LETHBRIDGE TO THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FROM TAIWAN, AND EARLY ON, MCKENZIE DETERMINED THAT TAIWAN BUSINESS HAD A LIMITED CONCEPT OF ALBERTA, LET ALONE SOUTHERN ALBERTA AND LETHBRIDGE. 'WE REALIZED WE HAD TO MAKE THEM AWARE,' HE SAID. THE SIGNAL WAS SENT TO THE ALBERTA AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND, ON TO TAIWAN THAT LETHBRIDGE WAS INTERESTED IN INVESTMENT.” CARPENTER'S THOUGHTS ON TRYING TO MARKET LETHBRIDGE AS A CENTER FOR INVESTMENT, “IT IS NECESSARY TO START THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP AND YOU- WE’RE, FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, ALWAYS IN SUCH A HURRY IN NORTH AMERICA. WE WANT TO SHOW UP ON A THURSDAY AND HAVE A DEAL SIGNED FRIDAY MORNING, AND IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY IN ASIA VERY OFTEN. SO YOU NEED TO BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP FIRST, ESTABLISH A LEVEL OF TRUST, AND THEN PERHAPS YOU CAN MOVE ON. AND THAT WAS THE COURSE OF THIS. I WENT OVER [TO TAIWAN] IN LATE 1996 FOR THE FIRST VISIT, AND A LARGER CULTURAL COMPONENT, AND A LARGER COMPONENT OF GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE, MEETING PEOPLE, EXPLAINING WHAT LETHBRIDGE WAS AND WHAT IT HAD TO OFFER, WHAT POSSIBILITIES EXISTED. AND THEN WE HOSTED A DELEGATION HERE FROM THERE IN, I THINK IT WAS SUMMER OF 1997, AND THEN IN LATE 1997 I RECEIVED THE INVITATION FOR THE PARADE AND WENT OVER IN 1998. FEBRUARY.” WHEN ASKED HOW CARPENTER MET QUO, WHO TRAVELLED WITH HIM ON THESE VISITS AS A TRANSLATOR, “DARREL MCKENZIE WAS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER... IT WAS MR. MCKENZIE WHO ACTUALLY WENT WITH US ON THE FIRST TRIP AND, WAS ABLE TO BRING THE TWO OF US TOGETHER. THAT’S HOW WE MET. ... NOW MR. QUO, HE WAS A TEACHER, BUT A VERY, VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED TEACHER IN TAIWAN AND HAD MANY CONTACTS... HE HAD A LOT OF CONTACTS STILL IN THE TAIWAN GOVERNMENT AND WAS THE PERFECT PERSON. HE SERVED AS MY AID AND MY INTERPRETER.” FROM MCKENZIE’S SIDE, “THE ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT SEARCHED FOR EXPERTISE FROM WITHIN AND PLUCKED WEI QUO FROM ITS PARKS DEPARTMENT, ARRANGING FOR HIM HALF TIME FOR THE PAST YEAR. 'MR. QUO HAS WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS, AND WE WERE AWARE HE MAINTAINED CLOSE CONTACT WITH TAIWAN WHILE LIVING IN LETHBRIDGE.' SAID MCKENZIE. 'WE REALIZED THE INVESTMENT POTENTIAL, AND APPROACHED MR. QUO. HE EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO HELP MAKE CONTACTS IN TAIWAN.'” (LETHBRIDGE HERALD, OCTOBER 11, 1997) WHEN ASKED IF QUO KNEW CARPENTER BEFORE THIS OPPORTUNITY, “OH I WAS WORKING IN THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND HE WAS MY MAYOR. (LAUGHS) … I FROM TAIWAN. THAT’S MY ORIGINAL COUNTRY. [I MOVED HERE] BECAUSE MY PARENTS WAS HERE. MY BROTHER WAS UNIVERSITY FUNDED- HE MOVED OUT TO THE VANCOUVER AND SO LEAVING MY PARENTS HERE. … AT THAT TIME I THINK THAT OUR MAYOR WAS JUST TRYING TO STAY IN THE BUDGET... HE DID A LOT OF PLAN AND KNEW MUCH TO TRY AND REDUCE THE DEBT, TRY BRINGING MORE BUSINESS MEN COME TO OPEN FOR CITY OF LETHBRIDGE.” ON THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THEY PURSUED, CARPENTER STATES, “LETHBRIDGE AT THE TIME WAS LOOKING FOR MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING JOBS SO WE WANTED PLANTS TO BE BUILT... ANIMAL PROCESSING IS A NATURAL HERE, CATTLE AND HOGS AND ALL THE REST OF THIS STUFF. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE DOING THAT, TAIWAN HAD JUST GONE THROUGH A PROBLEM OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE WITH THEIR HOG INDUSTRY. I WAS INTRODUCED TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE CALLED YUAN YI AND THEY WANTED TO SET UP A NEW PLANT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD TO UTILIZE THEIR EXPERTISE IN THIS BUSINESS AND TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMER BASE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. CANADA SEEMED QUITE APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE COLD WEATHER TO KILL OFF THE BACTERIA THAT ARE HARMFUL AND CAUSE SOME OF THESE DISEASES. THIS WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND PURSUE THAT.” THE YUAN YI PROCESSING PLANT WAS ANNOUNCED, UNDER THE TITLE “BRINGING HOME THE BACON!”, ON JUNE 5, 1997, “MONEY CAN MAKE PEOPLE DO STRANGE THINGS – ESPECIALLY WHEN IT EQUATES TO $900 MILLION ANNUALLY TO SOUTHERN ALBERTA’S ECONOMY. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A MAJOR HOG PROCESSING PLANT FOR LETHBRIDGE NOT ONLY SAW THE MAYOR POSE WITH A STATUE OF A PIG, BUT AN ALDERMAN PULLED FROM HIS HOSPITAL BED TO APPROVE SALE OF THE CITY-OWNED LAND IT’S DESTINED FOR. LETHBRIDGE WAS ONE OF A HALF-DOZEN CITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY TAIWANESE INTERESTS AND MAYOR DAVID CARPENTER CALLED THE COUP ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS POLITICAL CAREER. 'THEY SEE TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY HERE AND WE SEE LIMITLESS POTENTIAL IN THEIR BEING HERE,' HE SAID WEDNESDAY.” “THE PLANT WILL EVENTUALLY EMPLOY UP TO 800 WORKERS, FILL VACANT HOMES, CREATE NUMEROUS CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND INCREASE THE CITY’S TAX BASE. AN UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE STUDY SHOWS DIRECT AND SPINOFF BENEFITS OF SOME $900 MILLION A YEAR. IN RETURN, YUAN YI AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISE CO. LTD. CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPLY PORK TO THE HUGE JAPANESE MARKET DESPITE AN OUTBREAK OF SWINE DISEASE IN ITS HOMELAND. ...THE PROPOSED SALE WILL BE ADVERTISED AND THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE A 60-DAY WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO FILE A PETITION SHOULD THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SALE. 'IF THERE IS EVEN A HINT OF A PETITION THESE GUYS ARE GONE,' SAID CARPENTER, NOTING YUAN YI’S URGENCY IN GETTING THE PLANT UP AND RUNNING. 'I’M QUITE CERTAIN THE PEOPLE OF LETHBRIDGE WILL BACK THIS INITIATIVE.' WITH A STAFF OF 800 THE HOG PROCESSING PLANT WOULD BE LETHBRIDGE’S LARGEST PRIVATELY-OWNED EMPLOYER.” (LETHBRIDGE HERALD JUNE 5, 1997) “CARPENTER WELCOMED THE START TO THE PLANT. … 'I KNOW YUAN YI WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO LETHBRIDGE’S CORPORATE FAMILY.' … CHI-NUAN LEE, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE PARENT TAIWANESE COMPANY WHO HAS MOVED WITH HIS WIFE TO LETHBRIDGE, SAID CIVIC SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT WERE MAJOR REASONS YUAN YI CHOSE LETHBRIDGE OVER OTHER COMMUNITIES.” (LETHBRIDGE HERALD SEPTEMBER 12, 1997) THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS NOT WITHOUT CRITICISM, AS CARPENTER NOTES IN THE INTERVIEW, “THIS WAS A HIGHLY UNUSUAL SORT OF A THING. IT DIDN’T END UP AS WELL AS I HOPED. THERE WAS SOME PUSH BACK FROM SOME PEOPLE AND I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHO, BUT THEY WERE WELL FUNDED. THEY WERE BUYING NEWSPAPER ADS AND ALL THIS SORT OF STUFF AGAINST IT. THINGS LIKE, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE PIG BLOOD IN OUR WATER AND OF COURSE THAT’S JUST.” LIKELY REFERRING TO AN OPINION PIECE PUBLISHED BY MRS. A. W. MILLER, ENTITLED 'WILL OUR WATERS ALSO TURN TO BLOOD WITH THE COMING OF THE HOG PLANT?', THE PIECE TOUCHED ON CONCERNS THAT REPEATEDLY CAME UP ABOUT THE PLANT; “ARE THERE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF NORTH CAROLINA? I BELIEVE THERE ARE. ALREADY WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF FEEDLOTS IN THE COUNTRY. I SHARE... CONCERNS ABOUT OUR AQUIFERS, THE INADEQUACY OF OUR WATER QUALITY AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES. I ALSO SHARE... DISAPPROVAL AT THE WAY THE PROJECT WAS PRESENTED AS A 'FAIT ACOMPLI' BEFORE THE COMMUNITY HAD TIME TO REACT. … AT PRESENT THERE SEEMS TO BE LITTLE EXCUSE FOR THE UNSEEMLY HASTE IN SEEING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION.” (LETHBRIDGE HERALD JULY 21, 1997) DESPITE NO CITIZEN PETITION BEING FILED, THE PROJECT STILL FACED ROADBLOCKS; “LETHBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL DECIDED UNANIMOUSLY FRIDAY TO GO TO MARKET WITH INDUSTRIAL PARK LAND NEEDED BY YUAN YI TO PROCEED. ... HOWEVER, BRUCE AND JOAN HAIG, KRISTEN HUFFMAN AND KENNETH IKLE HAVE FILED A NOTICE OF MOTION WITH COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH, INDICATING THEY WANT BOTH THE LAND SALE TRANSACTION AND RELATED REZONING DECLARED INVALID, THUS QUASHING THE PROJECT.” (LETHBRIDGE HERALD AUGUST 30, 1997) ALONGSIDE THE ONGOING LEGAL CHALLENGE AND PLANS FOR APPEALS, THE ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS BEGAN IN JUNE OF 1997; "RUMORS HAVE SURROUNDED THE $50-MILLION HOG SLAUGHTERING AND PROCESSING PLANT FOR MANY MONTHS. WHILE THE TALK INITIALLY FOCUSED ON YUAN YI’S SUPPOSED DISMAY OVER OPPOSITION TO ITS PLANS, MORE RECENTLY IT CENTERED AROUND THE DECLINING FINANCIAL FORTUNES OF THE COMPANY." (LETHBRIDGE HERALD FEBRUARY 13, 1998) ON MARCH 21, 1998, THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ANNOUNCED THAT THE YUAN YI PROCESSING PLANT WOULD NOT OPEN; “THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECIDED IT COULD WAIT NO LONGER FOR A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. APPEALS TO BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT AND LEGAL PROCESSES PROMISED TO DRAG ON FOR MONTHS IF NOT LONGER. WAYNE PETERSON, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR YUAN YI, SAID THE PLANT NEEDED TO BE OPERATIONAL BY THIS APRIL TO MEET CONTRACTS WITH ITS CUSTOMERS. 'TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT IS A RESULT OF YUAN YI’S CUSTOMERS ADVISING THEY CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER,' HE SAID.” “CARPENTER SAID HE WAS OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED BUT IT WAS A BUSINESS DECISION AND ONE HE WOULD HAVE MADE UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. 'THE BEST WE CAN DO IS TO ALLOW THEM TO PURSUE THAT GOAL IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY AND WISH THEM THE BEST,' HE SAID.” (LETHBRIDGE HERALD MARCH 21, 1998) WHEN ASKED IN THE INTERVIEW ABOUT THE YUAN YI PLANT OUTCOME, CARPENTER STATED, “SO TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CHANGED THEIR MINDS ON THE REZONING AND WE WEREN’T ABLE TO PROCEED FOR THESE FOLKS TO BUILD THE PLANT HERE. SO THAT WAS VERY SAD AND THEY INVESTED A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF MONEY. THEY SIMPLY LEFT. NOT THREE MONTHS LATER, ONE OF THE CATTLE PROCESSING FACILITIES WAS CONVERTED TO A HOG PROCESSING FACILITY. WITH ABSOLUTELY ZERO IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC OPPOSITION. JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU. I REALLY DON’T KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF THAT ONE. BUT THAT’S POLITICS, I GUESS.” AS REPORTED BY THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, ON OCTOBER 22, 1998, “MAPLE LEAF MEATS CONTINUES TO GEAR UP ITS NEW LETHBRIDGE HOG SLAUGHTERING PLANT FOR ITS CAPACITY PROCESSING TARGET DATE NOV. 16. … THE HOGS WILL BE CUT UP TO JAPANESE CONSUMER STANDARDS TO MEET SPECIFIC MARKET DEMANDS.” ON CARPENTER’S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TRAVELLING TO TAIWAN, “WELL, SO, FIRST THING TO THINK ABOUT IS I HAD A VERY YOUNG FAMILY AT THE TIME. SO FOR ME TO TRAVEL, WAS NOT A REALLY GOOD THING. ... IT WAS NOT EASY ON US AS A FAMILY, FOR ME TO BE GONE FOR A WEEK OR 10 DAYS AT A TIME. SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, A LITTLE DIFFICULT. THAT BEING THE CASE, I WILL STILL REMEMBER THESE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE FORMED AT THAT POINT IN TIME, EVEN WITH MR. QUO. I CALLED HIM UP LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS LIKE WE HADN’T EVER NOT TALKED. (LAUGHS)… WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT EVERY ONE OF THE JOBS THAT I’VE HAD IS THE PEOPLE I WORKED WITH. THIS WAS NO DIFFERENT, THESE WERE REALLY WONDERFUL FOLKS.” “I HADN’T BEEN TO ASIA VERY MUCH BEFORE THIS. I GO ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR NOW. NOT TO TAIWAN, BUT USUALLY SINGAPORE. BUT, I’VE FOUND SOME INCREDIBLE LESSONS IN TERMS OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND HOW PEOPLE LIVE TOGETHER. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IN THOSE DAYS, 22 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING ON A STRIP OF LAND ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF AN ISLAND. IT’S PRETTY CROWDED! YOU SAY NORMALLY SPEAKING, IF PEOPLE ARE THAT CROWDED THERE WOULD BE ALL KINDS OF FRICTION, YOU KNOW. THEFTS, AND ROBBERIES, AND PROBLEMS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND YET IF YOU TRAVEL IN ASIA, WHAT YOU FIND IS THERE IS FAR LESS. YOU CAN WALK SAFELY ALMOST ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY... AGAIN, SUCH A WARM AND INVITING EXPERIENCE. WILL NEVER BE DUPLICATED AND I’M REALLY GLAD WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO.” PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW, INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT AND REFERENCED LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES.
- Catalogue Number
- P20010099015
- Acquisition Date
- 2002-03
- Collection
- Museum
Images
