| Editors Note: Over the years I have had the
honour of meeting and interviewing many people from a variety of
backgrounds. They have included scientists, aboriginal story
tellers, explorers, pilots and just plain folk. They all have had
one thing in common - they grew as Canadians for the benefit of Canadians.
Their stories have been as diverse as this country and are proof that
Canada and Canadians deserve the respect they garner around the world.
I have met Dr. Antonio Tan on a number of occasions (The first time was
in a small resort in Costa Rica!). I have grown to respect his
contribution to Canada as a Filipino immigrant, a physician and the patriarch of a
very successful family. Tony was a child in the
Philippines during the second world war. In this entry, Auld Land
Syne, he recalls, poignantly, a memory of a silver lining found in a dark
cloud. There will be more about this remarkable man and his family
to come.
- Auld Lang Syne is a song most frequently heard
around New Years Eve, in celebrating the passing of the old year
and welcoming in the new year. This song is heard not only in
English speaking countries but also in most Asian countries.
-
- We just said farewell to 2010, the
year marked by many crisis of wars around the world: hurricane,
flooding, earthquakes, epidemics, famine and other calamities; and
lately the downward turn of the economy resulting in turbulence in
many parts of the world. We should be glad that year has passed
and hope the new year will bring peace, happiness and prosperity
to all.
-
- This song means a lot to me. It
always brings back the memories of the struggle we went through
during the World War II. I first heard of this song as a 9 years
old boy being sung by a Japanese soldier during their occupation
of the Philippines. The conquering Japanese soldiers were known
for their cruelty to the population. They controlled the country
through the reign of terror, bringing untold suffering and misery
to all of us, many of us losing lives. It is hard to imagine how
human beings can be so cruel to fellow human beings. War brings
cruelty to people.
-
- In some quiet moments, I heard,
for the first time, a Japanese soldier sing Auld Lang Syne in
Japanese. This song seems to have left a deep imprint on my
mind. At that very moment, revealing the humanity of this
soldier, he was likely thinking of his love ones back in Japan.
This scene was very touching. After all, he was still part of our
human race. As situation settled down, we were compelled to
attend Japanese school. One of the songs that were taught to us
as children was the Auld Lang Syne in Japanese.
-
- After the war, we moved to the
city from a very small town. I enrolled in a Chinese English
school and this time, this song was taught to us in Chinese. As I
advanced in my schooling, I came to learn this song in English and
realized that this was not an original Japanese song.
-
- “Should auld acquaintance be
forgot, and never brought to mind?”
- “Should auld acquaintance be
forgot and days of auld lang syne?”
-
- These are questions that we asked
ourselves as we pass the old year and welcome the New Year. Is it
appropriate to forget the “old times, old friendships, and old
places?” No! No! This is the time to remember the past including
the old acquaintances, and not just the immediate friends and
families.
-
- “We’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne” is the appropriate answer.
-
- Hearing this sentimental song at
times bring tears to my eyes and remind me of the lonely Japanese
soldier and the hard time we went through during the second world
war.
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