Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Ko Bong family fonds
General material designation
- Graphic material
- Moving images
- Textual record
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on contents of fonds.
Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
1904 - 1971 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
10 film reels : col. and b&w ; 16 mm
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Custodial history
Scope and content
The amateur films of Mathew Ko date from the late 1930s to early 1950s and are examples of the popular home movie genre. As historical documents, Ko’s films are exceptional: in their record of family and community life in Victoria and the region during this time, for the number of events represented in each film, and for the use of colour film stock. Aside from a small amount of footage in black and white, Mathew Ko shot in 16mm Kodachrome (introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935), as well as Kodak and Ansco 16mm stock. Though they contain no sound tracks, his films vividly document significant social, cultural and political events in Chinatown and other areas of downtown Victoria and surrounding neighborhoods, Vancouver Island, the City of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.
Scenes from the films include: Beacon Hill Park; the Chinese Public School; the Empress Hotel, the Parliament Buildings and Inner Harbour; family scenes, outings and trips; a protest against the sale of scrap iron to Japan (August 1939); pageants and celebrations in Victoria’s Chinatown, including the Rice Bowl Festival, Lion Dance and martial arts demonstrations; Royal Athletic Park pageant and drill team events; the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Victoria (May 1939); trains and steamships; World War II patriotic and post-War parades in Victoria and Vancouver; and youth activities including Scouts and YMCA outings.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Films donated in 2013 by Valerie Ko, Mathew Ko's daughter, and with the assistance of artist and writer Robert Amos, RCA.
The Simon Ko Bong material was transferred from Burnaby Village Museum, November 2018.
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Generated finding aid
Associated materials
Accruals
2013-033
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Ko, Mathew (Subject)
- Ko Bong, Simon (Subject)
Genre access points
Control area
Description record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules or conventions
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Partial
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised by JF, January 27, 2022.
Language of description
- English