More than 40 Japanese-Canadian families lived in the Brechin area of Nanaimo B次元官网网址� that was until the War Measures Act was introduced in 1941. Homes were taken, families forced out.
Two new exhibits are on display at the Nanaimo Museum showcasing the contributions to B.C. made by Japanese-Canadians, the tragedy and injustice of the 1940s internment camps, and the efforts of the community to heal.
The first, Broken Promises, is a temporary travelling exhibit from the Nikkei National Museum detailing the stories of Japanese-Canadians from coastal B.C. during the uprooting, dispossession and exile in the 1940s. This feature is on display until early September.
Aimee Greenaway, museum curator, told the B次元官网网址 Bulletin that when they learned Broken Promises would be coming to Nanaimo, they saw it as an opportunity to fill in an underrepresented part of NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 history by working with 7 Potatoes Society, also know as the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Cultural Society.
B次元官网网址淭ypically when we bring in a travelling exhibit we try to include a local component that links whatever that story is, whether itB次元官网网址檚 a Canadian story or a B.C. story as to whatB次元官网网址檚 going on in the community,B次元官网网址� Greenaway said. B次元官网网址淚n this case we decided the story was not well reflected in the museum, so we [had to] get the Japanese-Canadian community into the permanent gallery right away.B次元官网网址�
From Herring Capital to Seven Potatoes is the new permanent addition to the museum delving into three local families during the 1900s: the Uyeyama, Shimozawa and Yoshida families.
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B次元官网网址楬erring CapitalB次元官网网址� is an early nickname for Nanaimo. Due to racist laws limiting species of fish Japanese-Canadians fishers were allowed to catch, Japanese-Canadians hunted the abundant herring. This led to a booming herring economy with Japanese-Canadian salteries dedicated to the herring and herring shipments travelling overseas to China and Japan.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in the Second World War by Japan, the governments of B.C. and Canada began detaining all Japanese-Canadian families on the suspicion that they may side with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 enemy. Families were imprisoned in internment camps and their homes, boats, lands and belongings were confiscated then auctioned off.
Even after the seven years of internment ended, families werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to return to the West Coast.
In 1988, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney delivered CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first apology for the atrocities.
Brian Sugiyama, vice-president of 7 Potatoes Society, said family lines that were displaced are still returning to the Island as recently as two years ago.
B次元官网网址淚n many times these were people born in Canada but had to leave their towns and homes and various places on Vancouver Island,B次元官网网址� Sugiyama said. B次元官网网址淚t took a concentrated population that were living in Vancouver and Vancouver Island and dispersed it all the way across Canada; some 23,000 people were relocated.B次元官网网址�
The permanent exhibit is on a dedicated wall, with attached photos and text showcasing Japanese-Canadian history before, during and after the war.
There is a period-appropriate filled suitcase, similar to the type a Japanese-Canadian in the 1940s would have used to pack all their belongings before they had to leave with 24 hoursB次元官网网址� notice. A sign on the exhibit asks guests B次元官网网址淚f you only had 24 hours to pack before you were forced to leave your home, what would you put in your suitcase?B次元官网网址�
Greenaway said she hopes visitors connect with some of the stories and leave with a sense of the vibrancy of the Japanese-Canadian community in Nanaimo, the legacies of that community and the work theyB次元官网网址檙e still doing today.
Sugiyama said he wants people to walk away from the exhibit with the understanding that Canadian society from back then isnB次元官网网址檛 as distant as we sometimes think.
B次元官网网址淲hat happened to the Japanese community could happen to any ethnic group right nowB次元官网网址次元官网网址� Sugiyama said. B次元官网网址淲e would like to see no group persecuted because of racial or cultural background and I think thatB次元官网网址檚 the message.B次元官网网址�
