8 there to here

THE BULLETIN July / August 2011

Xinjiang

China’s western province of Xinjiang is home to the U of Uyghur. This enormous area was fought over for centuries until it was finally occupied in 1949 by China, which has owned it ever since. Following the repression of Islamic Uyghurs in the province, approxi-mately one million of them have fled. Among them are Abdymutalip Imerov, president of the Belgian Uyghur Association, and Mehmet Tohti, a World Uyghur Congress representative – two of about 800 to 900 Uyghurs who live in Belgium.

“Uyghurs are originally a Turkish people, with a language that dates back thousands of years and from which the Turkish lan-guage descends. Consequently, Turks and Uyghurs seek out each other’s company in Brussels as well as the rest of the world. There are also Uyghurs in Central Asian countries, so we maintain good contact with them, too. The Uyghurs are well inte-grated into Belgium: they set up companies, buy houses, and, importantly, learn the two languages. Sometimes it galls me to see how other migrants undermine the mostly demo-cratic, humanistic, freedom-loving Europe by taking advantage. Brussels, and Europe in general, is a fine place to live: diversity is normal here, very different from China with its brutal assimilation policy. To us, Brussels is also important for exerting pressure on China so it respects the human rights of its minorities. If we can’t let our voice be heard, we will soon be wiped of the map. We can’t let that happen.”

For more on Uyghurs, see the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization’s website, www.unpo.org 

Our A to Z series on people with exotic roots who together make up the melting pot that is Brussels closes with four Chinese. Or

rather with four people of Chinese origin, because not everyone from that immense and ethnically diverse country takes kindly to

having the label ‘Chinese’ pinned to their forehead. Though some do.

In praise of: In Brussels, you can taste specialities from all corners of the world. Unfortunately, Uyghur cuisine is not yet represented – we ourselves like to eat at the Turkish restaurant Antep Sofrasi (19 Boulevard d’Anvers).

Ever tried a Turkish Hammam? You will come out all relaxed and cleansed. A favourite address is Le Riad Hammam (29 Rue Gallait).There are several such bath houses in the city, not only

X Y ZBrussels identities from A to Z

Turkish, by the way, but also Arab. Highly recommended for the stressed city dweller!

The greenhouses of Laeken: a delightful Art Nouveau oasis in Brussels, full of fantastic flowers and plants. Recommended to take visitors to, as the greenhouses are closely linked with Belgian history. And it’s something other than the Grand’Place (which we also recommend).

ABDYMUTALIP & MEHMET

“When I have a delegation over from China, we always go to eat at La Grande Porte (9 Rue Notre-Seigneur). A

fine Brussels restaurant, and affordable as well.

It was at café Cirio (18 Rue de la Bourse) that I first tried another Brussels speciality: a ‘half en half ’. Half bubbles, half white wine. The café’s in a gorgeous, classified building that was formerly the property of an Italian businessman.

For Chinese food, head to La Grande Muraille (16 Place Simonis). An elderly couple, much respected in the Chinese community, has been running this restaurant for decades now. When the Chinese embassy organises a reception, the snacks often come from here.” NING

Abdymutalip Imerov (left) and Mehmet Tohti in front of the European Parliament. “Yes, some think Place Luxembourg is an ugly place, but hey – do you know of any other city where political power seamlessly crosses over into a lively bar culture?”

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9

Yinchuan

Ning Jinan from Yinchuan (the capital of the autonomous region of Ningxia, near the Mongolian border) met her Belgian husband in Beijing and ended up in Brussels where she now works for the Belgium-China Association and the Confucius Institute Brussels, which pro-motes Chinese culture and language. “On arrival I immediately threw myself one hundred percent into Belgian culture, out of a desire to integrate. To do this properly, it’s important not to stick to your original culture, and to dress Belgian and eat Belgian, because it’s through the cuisine that you get to know a culture: chicory, carbonnades à la flamande, Brussels sprouts. I have a problem though with the national drink, because after only two glasses of beer I’m dead drunk. So I have to abstain from that. In order to understand the role of Belgium and Europe better, I followed a course at Brussels Free University (VUB). I have now learned French and will start on Dutch soon. I still find the Chinese language important, though. We organise language courses at the centre, for the time being mostly for Belgians, but doubtlessly second and third generation Chinese citizens here, who want to keep up their language, will join us in time. It’s also something special to live as a Chinese in a country with no government – that’s unthinkable in China. I’m learning a lot about diversity here, something which my country has a hard time to deal with. My people, the Han, favour uniformity, because it has made Chinese culture survive for centu-ries. But perhaps now is the time to learn to deal with diversity?”

More information: www.belchin.be

Ning Jinan, in front of one of many comic strip walls near her place of work in the Marolles, according to her “the authentic beating heart of Brussels”.

Chi How Chu in Asian shop Sun Wah, near Place Sainte-Catherine. “Food is very important for a migrant. If you manage to find food like at home, then things are not so bad.”

Zheijiang

Born in Belgium, Chi How Chu is from a family with roots in Zheijiang, a coastal prov-ince in the east of China. His parents ran Hong Kong in Brussels, one of the city’s first Chinese restaurants. “My grandfather was the pioneer. He came to Belgium to flee poverty and hunger. I myself was born in Belgium and grew up in Brussels. But I’m still a true blue Chinese. I send my children to the Chinese school on Avenue Fonsny, a private school founded by Chinese parents. Language is a big barrier. I remember well how my mother used to take her seven children to the cinema around the corner, the gorgeous Eldorado, and always fell asleep there, as she didn’t understand French. It must have been difficult for my parents. In the 1960s and ’70s, there wasn’t yet an organised Chinese community in Brussels, such as we have now. Even though I’m Chinese to the bone, I’m very attached to Brussels. I’ve seen the city change enormously. Of course I’ve witnessed the clear-ances: I’m from the Quartier Nord, and in the restaurant we felt commerce decline when Brussels people started moving away and we had to switch over to commuters having lunch. But generally, I’ve seen Brussels evolving in the right direction. That Brussels has become more mul-ticultural, I consider a plus. My parents, too: suddenly there were shops open on Sunday! The Chinese and the Brusseleers are both bon vivants; they work a lot but know how to enjoy the good life as well.

Interview and photos by Veerle Devos

Zaal Grand Eldorado in cinema UGC De Brouckère: “There used to be lots of cinemas here. The Eldorado screening room is all that’s left of the original cinema. I discovered Western cinema here, while my mother got wise to Elvis and Bruce Lee.

I always take Chinese visitors to the Grand’Place. It’s a must-see, after all. And then we go to have mussels at Chez Leon (18 Rue des Bouchers). Also a guaranteed success: café Goupil le Fol (22 Rue de la Violette) which is filled with bric-à-brac, making it very Brussels indeed.

There are not many Chinese restaurants in Brussels where the Chinese themselves go. There is restaurant Hong Kong Delight (35 Rue Sainte-Catherine) and caterer Lee Chi Ko (9 Quai au Foin) – the best lacquered duck and lacquered chicken of all Brussels. And of course all the Chinese go shopping in the Sun Wah (2-4 Rue de la Vièrge Noire). CHI HOW

The A to Z series was realised with the support of the Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism and

the King Baudouin Foundation

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