'Reclaiming our space': Chinatown seniors return to mall for tai chi a year after staff kicked them out

On Saturday afternoon, Vancouver’s Chinatown Plaza mall was filled with people eager to learn the cultural practice of tai chi.

A year ago, seniors were kicked out of the mall – which is owned by the City of Vancouver and managed by EasyPark – during one of their sessions, for using the space without permission.

Since then, the group has been working with the city and obtained permission to use the space, says Melody Ma from Chinatown Together, the organization behind the event.

“It’s a bit of a celebration for us to be able to be here today with community and the public to practice tai chi together and our culture together in Chinatown,” she says.

The elder who taught the session, Mrs. Ma, was one of the seniors who was kicked out of the mall last year. Dozens of other locals in the community participated to learn the practice, actively engaging with Mrs. Ma.

“It was shocking to the community and to all of us, because if anything we should have these spaces for our seniors in Chinatown who are low-income to be able to be healthy and practice our culture in a safe space,” says Melody Ma.

She adds it’s about passing on that culture to future generations, so the tradition is not lost or forgotten. She says Chinatown Together is diligently working to reclaim spaces in Chinatown and fight against gentrification.

“This is supposed to be a welcoming space, Chinatown is supposed to be that place where people feel welcomed to practice their culture.”

Jin He, an active volunteer with seniors in Chinatown and a translator for Mrs. Ma, says it was “shocking” and “insulting” to his culture for seniors to be removed from the public space for doing tai chi.

“It’s like eating breakfast,” he says. “It is an exercise that is part of their daily life and to hear that practicing your everyday life has a consequence of being kicked out doesn’t quite make sense.”

He adds to have those same seniors back for a public event is heart-warming, but should be more common in the community.

“We are happy to honour this space, but this is what it is intended for,” he says. “It is a public space, a place for the community.”