Beginning this week, visitors of the Chinese Canadian Museum in Victoria’s famed Fan Tan Alley will be able to learn all about a local magic legend.
The exhibit will be called ‘The Magic of Tony Eng.’
The Victoria Chinatown Museum Society have connected and worked closely with Eng’s descendants to put this magical exhibit together to demonstrate how important he was to the community near and far.
“Tony was a mentor to youth in Victoria and around the world,” said Grace Wong Sneddon, Board Chair of the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society and Co-Curator of The Magic of Tony Eng.
“His magic was more than a routine, it provided a space for us to dream beyond the ordinary. Stories of Victoria Chinese Canadians are important to share.”
Eng was born in 1948 and raised right here in Victoria. According to the museum, he had an affinity for the magical arts since he was a young boy. He received his first magic kit at the young age of 8-years-old and had started performing shows by age 12.
Onlookers would be able to see his show at The Japanese Village restaurant for two decades.
He worked over the years to piece together a show that was interwoven with his Chinese Canadian heritage that he called ‘Mysteries of the Orient,’ in which he was adorned in an elegant, embroidered mandarin robe.
Eng was eventually known throughout the nation’s magic community and was revered as the premier ambassador of magic.
He also ran a bartending school out of Victoria as well as his very own magic and oddities shop called Tony’s Trick & Joke Shop.
Now, his life’s story is on display in full in downtown Victoria.
“The Chinese Canadian Museum’s purpose is to elevate the stories and voices of Chinese Canadians, enrich social discourse with the meaningful experiences and legacies of Chinese Canadians and engage with diverse communities,” says Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Chinese Canadian Museum.
“This exhibition on Tony Eng at our Victoria location is a shining example of how we celebrate the lives and share the stories of extraordinary Chinese Canadians.”
This Tony Eng exhibit is just one of the detailed stories on display at the museum and it is set to launch for the public on Thursday, December 7th.
