Uprooting Presentation at the Library

Uprooting Presentation Post 2017

2017! This year is Canada’s 150th birthday and also the 75th anniversary of the uprooting of the Japanese-Canadians from the BC Coast.

The Japanese Garden Society will be holding a month-long presentation about the history of the Japanese-Canadians, focusing on the uprooting that happened during WW II. You may find some parallels to what is going on in the present world.

The Uprooting
1942: The War Measures Act and Japanese-Canadians
Location: Salt Spring Library Program Room
Date: February 1st to 27th
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5am
(When the Program Room is not in use for the other event)

The presentation will be at the Library Program Room from February 1st to the 27th. There will be a display describing the often rocky history of the Japanese-Canadians, with many photographs from the late 1800s to the mid 1980s.

There will be four public events during the presentation month.

February 7th (Tues) 4 to 6 pm – Opening Reception
Guest speakers: Rose Murakami and Keiko Mary Murakami Kitagawa
The story of their family’s journey through the history of the uprooting.

February 14th (Tues) 6:30 to 8:30pm
Talk by Masayo Hora: Return to Steveston, My Family’s Journey
A sansei (third generation) view of the uprooting and rebuilding of a Japanese-Canadian community. For context, a short film describing Steveston and illustrating Masayo’s story will be screened.

February 18th (Sat) 6:30 to 8:30pm
Talk by Brian Smallshaw: The Uprooting of Saltspring Islanders During WW II
Some background on Saltspring’s Japanese Canadian community before the war, the legal mechanisms used to take their property during the war, and their efforts to resist the injustice they faced.

February 26th (Sun) 6:30 to 8:30pm
Film ‘Hatsumi’ – One grandmother’s journey through the Japanese-Canadian internment, directed by Chris Hope.
“A family portrait that brings the heartrending story of wartime Japanese-Canadian removal from the margin of history into our heart” (comment by Greg Robinson, author of ‘Tragedy of Democracy’).

If he is available that evening, director Chris Hope will answer questions from the audience via Skype from Toronto after the 55-minute film presentation.

Please drop by when you are in Ganges. It will be a good opportunity to peek into the past and learn from history.

The poster of the presentation was produced by the Library. The JGS is grateful for the Library’s assistance.