arts

An East-Asian woman shown twice in two different costumes: to the left is a golden set of battle armour and a royal headdress, while the right is a burgundy dress with silver web-like designs near the torso. In the background are golden dragon-like scales.
4 min 0 1557

Book Nook: Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow series

Peak Web January 30, 2025

By: Phone Min Thant, Staff Writer Content warning: brief mentions of murder and war.  Those familiar with Chinese history are probably no stranger to Empress Wu Zetian, the only legitimate empress of The Middle Kingdom. But, did you know there is a connection between Zetian and SFU? This connection is none other than Xiran Jay Zhao (the name may be familiar for those who frequent BookTok), an SFU health sciences alum whose fictionalized sci-fi duology reimagines Zetian. Their books, Iron Widow and Heavenly Tyrant, have both achieved number one spots on the New York Times bestsellers lists. To put into…

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A table with claypot fish and rice, a plate of dumplings, a plate of oranges, incense, and red envelopes. Outside a nearby window, fireworks light up the night sky.
4 min 0 1526

Chinese and Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebrations

Peak Web January 30, 2025

By: Kayle Cole, SFU Student, and Jessica Liu, SFU Student The spiritualism of Vietnamese celebrations — Kayle Cole  My Lunar New Year celebrations start when my mother calls her Vietnamese fortune teller to ask questions about everybody in the family.…

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A black plate with a steaming scoop of rice, green beans, and brown chunks of vegetables.
3 min 0 1211

Nutritious Nibbles: Japanese braised teriyaki roots

Peak Web January 27, 2025

By: Ella Oriye Tani, SFU Student  This dish is simple, hearty, and great for the cold winter months. The recipe isn’t exactly a “real” recipe, but a Japanese-inspired dish. It was passed down the telephone line between my grandmother on…

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a collage of each game’s cover set against a wrinkled purple background. Top left: a sketched boy holding a torch as he traverses a forest. Bottom left: a child face-to-face with a white wolf. Middle: a black and white depiction of a little girl holding a stuffed animal with crumbling buildings in the background. Top right: a dark setting with orange cards depicting animals and words like “survive.” Bottom right: metal gears and a tomato with a rubix cube at the front.
3 min 0 1208

Indie games you need to play

Peak Web January 23, 2025

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer We’ve all probably heard of Terraria and Stardew Valley as some of the most iconic indie games. But, here are some other options that aren’t as well known yet just (if not more) worthy! Don’t…

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A pot of green tea decorated with pink cherry blossoms is poured into two ceramic cups. Two shogi pieces sit above the words “happy new year” written in black brushstrokes.
3 min 0 956

Experiencing Oshougatsu

Peak Web January 22, 2025

By: Jin Song, Peak Associate Oshougatsu, which is Japanese for New Year, is celebrated at the start of January. It is also known as shougatsu. Typical traditions include house cleaning to symbolize new beginnings, viewing the first sunrise, and the…

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Four individuals pose with their backs to the camera, their figures illuminated by a light that shines from in front of them.
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The PuSH for international arts

Peak Web January 20, 2025

By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer The 2025 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival will be held from January 23 to February 9 across the Lower Mainland. This year is the 20th anniversary of the festival, and to celebrate, the program will…

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A storefront window showing shelves of colourful candies. A pink sign at the top of the door reads “Ricardo’s Kandy Korner.”
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How to spend a day at . . . White Rock

Peak Web January 17, 2025

By: Amrit Kamaal, Peak Associate, and Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor Nestled along Vancouver’s coastline, P’Quals (White Rock) is a staple to visit year-round. With its picturesque scenery, laid-back vibe, and variety of attractions, White Rock offers something for…

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Pickle slices sit on a white plate beside a set of metal tongs.
4 min 0 1077

Nutritious nibbles: Baba’s sweet and Dido’s sour prairie pickles

Peak Web January 15, 2025

By: Sarah Sorochuk, Peak Associate My grandmother (Baba) is a spectacular homecook who runs her home kitchen she calls “Pat’s Diner.” All her kids and grandkids know when we go to Pat’s Diner, we’ll always enjoy ourselves. It’s time to…

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Two women face each other from separate ends of a restaurant table. In the background, a white water fountain can be seen.
4 min 0 1172

Emilia Pérez is entertaining — but reductive

Peak Web January 15, 2025

By: Michelle Young, Copy Editor Content warning: mentions of transphobia, homicides, and missing peoples cases.  A crime-thriller musical about a trans Mexican cartel leader is an intriguing premise for a film, to say the least. Emilia Pérez (2024) received four…

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A room in the SUB with red chairs and desks. Strung up along the wall is an orange banner that reads “Community Days.”
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Community Days at SFU

Peak Web January 13, 2025

By: Phone Min Thant, Staff Writer, Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor Editor’s note: The Peak acknowledges that Chloë Arneson, who was interviewed, was a News Writer for The Peak in 2023. However, the writer and editor of this piece…

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