Event Archive:

Stories from the Silk Roads Launch Event

Fri. May 8th 2026 Caffe Fantastico, Quadra Village $5-$15

Event Navigation

Event Details
Artists (5)
Presenters (2)
Ticket Outlets (0)
Other Dates (0)
Description
Articles (0)
Video (0)
Photos (0)
Venue
Get involved and submit your listing

Event Info

Stories from the Silk Roads Launch Event

Join local storytellers and musicians to launch into Asian Heritage Month
Event can be attended in person In-Person Event
Music Folk / Celtic / Latin / World Literary Storytelling Cultural / Heritage Ethno-Cultural History / Heritage
Fri. May 8th 2026 + Add to Calendar Caffe Fantastico, Quadra Village (All Ages)
7:00pm - 9:00pm  Doors at: 6:30pm $5 - 15

Artists

Zhanming "Shawn" Xiao
Sheila Alonzo
Mayank Meena
Habbous and Jordi
Ali Haydar

Presented by:

Kulea Culture Society
Government of Canada

Event Description

Celebrate Asian Heritage Month with Kulea Culture Society's Stories from the Silk Roads! This exciting three-day event, featuring vibrant music and captivating films, honors the rich and diverse heritage of Canadians with Eurasian roots. Experience the fusion of sounds, as artists experiment with diverse musical traditions, and listen to stories that bridge cultures. The journey begins at Caffé Fantastico in Quadra Village.

STORYTELLERS

Zhanming “Shawn” Xiao
Zhanming "Shawn" Xiao has spent his life being confused in two languages. Growing up between Chinese classrooms and Canadian campuses, he collected enough cultural misunderstandings to fill a textbook — so he became an educator instead. As co-founder of Lumen Education Group and a math instructor, he has made a career out of building bridges between East and West, one awkward conversation at a time. He believes in the power of communication, as well as the power of jokes.

Sheila Alonzo
Sheila Alonzo is a multidisciplinary artist and writer who follows curiosity across disciplines, from editing to visual arts and small publishing. Her practice is deeply rooted in somatic memory, merging experiences in theatre, pottery, and dance into something visceral. Sheila creates intimate yet public work striving to capture the energy of a moment, whether on clay, on paper, or in motion

Mayank Meena
Mayank is a storyteller and Global Leadership graduate from Royal Roads University with seven years of experience working alongside diverse communities. From managing educational projects in urban slums to conducting social impact assessments in rural areas, his journey has been a collection of stories. Now volunteering with five non-profits in Victoria, Mayank believes the "human factor" is the common thread in all his work, allowing him to collaborate, learn, and honor the voices of the communities he loves.


MUSICIANS

Habbous and Jordi (oud and vocals)
This duo began a new chapter of their lives when they moved to Canada in 2016. Originally from Syria, they brought with them not only their professional skills but also a deep sense of family, creativity, and determination.Back in Syria, Jordi worked as a dentist, dedicated to caring for his community and improving people’s health and confidence. Habbous, on the other hand, was an engineer, They are proud parents of three children, and family has always been at the heart of everything they do. Despite the challenges of starting over in a new country, they remained committed to building a stable and fulfilling life for their kidsBeyond their professional lives, both Habbous and Jordi have a passion for music. Habbous enjoys singing, expressing emotion and joy through voice, while Jordi has a talent for working with sound, often playing and experimenting with audio.Their journey reflects courage, adaptability, and the power of holding onto both family and passion while embracing a new beginning.

Ali Haydar (darbuka and balaban)
I’m Ali Haydar, born in Iğdır, in the far east of Turkey, near the borders of Armenia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Growing up in this culturally rich region sparked my interest in ethnic music. I taught literature in Turkey for 12 years, and for the past four years I’ve been living in Canada, chasing my dreams while raising two children. I’m an amateur musician, especially drawn to percussion and wind instruments as a way to express myself.

Venue

Caffe Fantastico, Quadra Village

Other Events

Welcome to your Arts Directory

We are an open, community-owned platform to help artists and arts organizations reach their audiences and each other.

Calendar

Upcoming Events Event Archive Events Digest Emails Posters (Upcoming)

Artists

Bands + Ensembles Musicians

Resources

Organizations + Resources Venues Opportunities

Media

Event Photos Articles Video Poster Archive

About

About Advertise Contact
Featured event

Antidoping, Ammoye, The Capital Collective, Gisto & The Grateful Living, Judah Roots

→ View event
Photo by: Colin Smith
Get involved and submit your listing

Search the Directory / Archive

List an Event in the Calendar

List a Physical Single Date or Recurring Event

For physical events that happen at a specific time. For example a concert, or dance performance. If there are multiple shows, you can still duplicate your event to cover them all.

List an Online Livestream Event

For online / livestream events. This will allow you to include a livestream url and have it featured in our livestream listings.

Submit a Profile to the Directory

List a Music Band / Act

Band / Choir / DJ / Orchestra etc.

List an Individual Musician

Guitarist, Singer, etc.

List a Music Resource

Venues, Event Promoters, Support Services etc.

News + Media

Post an Opportunity

(Jobs, Funding, Calls to Artists)

Add / Link a Video

Add a video, which will be linked to profiles, and appear in the video feed

Add / Link an Article

Add, or link to an article about content in the directory.

Log In to Your Account

Forgot Your Password?

Create a New Account