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story by dj telfer
photo by scott turner |
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THE MAN
Qu Yuan was born to an aristocratic family
in the State of Chu nearly 2,400 years ago. He is one of ancient
China's most revered poets and philosophers. Although he could
have anticipated a life of privilege and comfort, Yuan was a
patriot and an advocate for reform. He believed wise and able
people should be appointed to govern, and even rulers should
be governed by law. For this and other social beliefs, his rivals
plotted against him and the king banished him from Chu. While
in exile, Yuan began articulating his passion for his country
and its people through poetry and prose. Presenting a style that
was fresh and innovative, he created deeply expressive writings.
His poem "Li Sao" (Encountering Sorrows) is described
as "the most imposing long Iyric poem in ancient Chinese
literature". But Yuan's despair only deepened when the army
of Qin invaded his beloved Chu and his country fell under the
ironfisted rule of a new dynasty. For Yuan, all hope was lost.
Disheartened and dismayed but ever defiant, he protested the
new regime by leaping into the Mi Lo River.
THE LEGEND
It is said that local fishermen
who witnessed Yuan's plunge into the river immediately raced
out in their boats to save him, but they were too late. He was
gone. To prevent his body from being eaten by the fish, the men
beat the waters with their paddles and threw zang-ze (steamed
rice wrapped in reed leaf) into the river as both a sacrifice
for Yuan and a distraction for the fish.
Qu Yuan's life ended that day
in the Mi Lo River, but the legend of the Dragon Boats was born.
From then on, each year on the fifth day of the fifth month of
the lunar calendar, Qu Yuan is honoured and his legend revived
with a reenactment of that fateful day. Interestingly, the fifth
month had aHrays been considered a time of danger. It was a time
of the year when everyone would take special measures to ward
off evil spirits. Venturing out into the river during this time
required certain precautions, and because the ancient Chinese
believed they were descendants of dragons, fishermen would adorn
their boats with dragon designs and offer zung-ze to appease
and keep at bay the dragons of the river.
THE DRAGON
BOATS FOR THE CURE
Today, Dragon Boat racing has
become a tradition celebrated in over 40 countries around the
world. There are many reasons why people race Dragon Boats: to
honour legend; for sport and entertainment; for strength and
conditioning. But this year's event on the Detroit River will
be a very special experience. It's a race with a purpose and
for a cause that i5 as worthy and as noble as the ancient Chinese
hero it honours. This year, the Dragon Boats are returning to
Windsor for the first annual French Dressing Jeans~A7ear International
Dragon Boats for the Cure.
On July 19th and 20th, once
again the people will loose their dragons and beat the waters....not
to chase away the fish but to carry on a fight for survival,
for research and care; and for the hope of drawing ever nearer
to a cure for breast cancer.
"The whole focus is on
breast cancer and breast cancer survivors," says Ted Boomer,
the race organizer and long time force behind the wildly successful
Annual Bluesfest International. "It will be totally a fund
raising festival. The entire budget has been covered by our sole
sponsor, French Dressing Jeanswears, and our goal is to raise
enough money to purchase a digital mammography machine for our
Cancer Centre."
The Montreal based women's
apparel manufacturer, French Dressing, sells to 2,400 retailers
across North America. The company has long been associated with
the fight against breast cancer. It donates 50 cents for each
garment it sells, and has contributed over $1 million toward
breast cancer research and patient care. "They were looking
to stage a signature event to further raise public awareness
in the fight against breast cancer," explains Boomer. "During
last year~s Bluesfest we brought a few of the sponsors for a
cruise down the river - they loved it - and picked Windsor as
the perfect site for the event."
With French Dressing already
being a sponsor of the Bluesfest International and knowing well
how successful that event has been, it was probably more than
coincidental that the company approached Windsor's own event
organizing dragon, Ted Boomer, to help bring even greater success
to this important cause. "They came tO U5 and asked us to
draw up a budget...then they just basically signed the cheque,"
says Boomer. Of all the logistics and preparations, phone calls
and canvassing, organizing and planning that has gone into staging
this event, Ted says getting the needed financial support from
French Dressing was "the easiest part"'
It's also no coincidence that
the Dragon Boat races are the same weekend as the Bluesfest,
and will actually take place on the water in front of the Festival
Plaza. "The events are definitely connected," declares
Boomer. "It just made the most sense to put them together.
Breast Cancer Survivor Day is all day SaturdaY along wich the
Kidsfesc.
"The Wonder Broads (Windsor's
Dragon Boat team) and all the participating survivor teams will
be attending, and some will be singing and speaking on stage
at the Bluesfest Saturday night. The corporate and public fundraising
races are Sunday, and with Grammy winning blues each night, there
will be wonderful family entertainment downtown all weekend."
Ted points out that the festivities
kick off Friday night with a traditional Chinese ceremony called
"dotting the i".... a ritual which he explains is steeped
in Chinese culture and is performed to officially begin the race.
THE TEAMS
There are 39 breast cancer
survivor (BCS) teams across the country. Windsor now has two
teams. With 21 crew members to a boat (not counting the steersman),
this translates to at least 850 survivors in Canada from all
backgrounds, of all ages, racing down rivers in "the world's
longest canoes".
How many BCS teams will be
here in July is still unclear, but unlike the group or corporate
fun day for a good cause, this is not a once a year commitment
for these dedicated survivors. They train for two or three months
before the season opens and they race in a number of events throughout
the summer. The training, traveling and the racing can be demanding
but they all know that the benefits far outweigh the difficulties.
Renowned British Columbia physiologist Dr. Don Mckenzie has long
studied the affects of exercise in breast cancer rehabilitation.
He's called "Mr. Dragon Boat" because he's found so
many positive results in those survivors who participate in Dragon
Boat racing. It might not yet be out on video, but the Dragon
Boat workout is fast becoming a mainstream treatment for breast
cancer patients. And it's not all physical benefits. Dr. Mckenzie
recognizes that for many people who endure this struggle, it's
just as important to heal the mind and spirit as well as the
bodY He realizes it's a process which too many have tried to
do on their own, when the best thing seems for survivors to be
together and be able to support one another. As Dragon Boat crew
members, breast cancer survivors have a wonderful opportunity
to share a camaraderie on a level few teams will ever know. They
bond not just as a team but as individuals who have shared life
experiences. Certainly they like to compete, enjoy the thrills
of the race and want to w in. But it's the support from others
who can truly say, "I've been there," and iL's for
personal pride and dignity that they race. Above all, they are
determined to be proactive in their own recovery and survival.
They race for themselves, for each other, and for those who will
benefit from the struggles of the past.
THE BOATS
In early spring, when the water
is still choppy and frigidly cold, the sleek profile of a dragon
can be seen moving on the waters of the Detroit River. With flared
nostrils and colourful scales along her flanks, she stretches
over 15 metres head to tail. Gliding along effortlessly, she
seems purposeful and intent on her course. Her name is "Maggie's
Wings". She is a Dragon Boat, and as her paddles catch glints
of sunlight they flash like wings. She appears to be flying just
above the water.
Dragon Boats are at once imposing
and graceful but they are also expensive, says Ted Boomer. "These
boats cost around $45,000, and then there's insurance, storage,
and the costs of transporting the boat to events. It's difficult
for these teams to be able to buy their own boats. Many rent
or lease, and this can place limitations on finances as well
as the time available for training and exercise." Ted confides
that the Windsor team was fortunate to receive a substantial
donation for the purchase of Maggie's Wings from an anonymous
donor who had suffered a personal loss to cancer. The boat is
named in honour of this lost individual. "Without that donation,
the crew members probably would still not have their own boat,"
Ted says, adding that a local sailing club has generously provided
storage and docking privileges for Maggie's Wings. He also predicted
that Windsor's second BCS team could have its own boat as early
as next year if the fundraising continues to be successful. For
this year's event, Ted says that six Dragon Boats have been rented
from Toronto. Together with transportation costs and professional
steersmen for each boat, the cost is around $40,000.
DRAW FOR
THE CURE
Another of French Dressing's
initiatives for this year's event is the Draw for the Cure, which
is both an incentive and a reward for those BCS teams which come
to this year's race in Windsor. All participating breast cancer
survival teams will be automatically entered into a draw for
four chances of sharing in what organizers hope will be a significant
pot of cash. It is an opportunity for teams to be able to bring
always needed money back home for their own cancer centres and
hospitals. They don't have to win a race to win a cash prize!
Currently there's ten grand in that pot, and room for more!
THE SPIRIT
For 2,400 years, many ordinary
and extraordinary people have embraced the dragon...and set out
in their boats in the spirit of Qu Yuan's long remembered struggles.
From his death, people found inspiration. So it is only fitting
that legendary Dragon Boats will again serve in a desperate race
for life. As it was in ancient times, so it is today: it's the
survivors who carry on. The survivors of breast cancer are finding
inspiration in their own struggles and in the realization that
they are not alone. Saturday, July 19th will be Breast Cancer
Survivor Day. It will be a celebration of strength and determination;
of faith and hope and of the enduring human spirit that ever
rises up to champion the cause, even in the face of tragedy.
The Dragon Boats will again take to the Detroit River, but the
people will do more than beat the waters and give offerings;
they will raise both money and awareness for a vital cause, and
what's more, everyone there is going to smile and laugh and have
a good time! WL
W i n d s o r L i f e - s u
m m e r · 2 0 0 3 Pages 23 - 25
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