Posted in Yonsei

family historian

My great grandparents passed away while my father was still young, so I had little idea what kind of people they were, or what relationship they had with their nisei children. For a long time, to me, they were just “the ancestors from Japan”. I think it was similar for my Dad and his siblings,...Continue reading

Posted in Yonsei

The Power of History

Why does Japanese Canadian history matter today? To me, Japanese Canadian history matters because it is my history. My family’s history. My great-grandparents moved to Canada and because of that decision, three generations later I call myself Canadian. I carry the language, culture, and legacies of my ancestors inside me. To the community, Japanese Canadian...Continue reading

Posted in Sansei

The present

I have always felt that there will always be an undercurrent of racist attitudes and this is sparked by events such as the arrival of the Vietnamese “boat people’, the influx of Hong Kong ex-pats etc.  Whenever there is an influx of visible minorities, this sparks a backlash against these persons of color.  I would...Continue reading

Posted in Issei

Does JC history matter?

I don’t think a lot of the grand nephews and nieces know the family history because we don’t talk about that sort of thing. Why bring back memories that are unpleasant?  You want to forget about it. Shikataganai. I don’t think it’s necessary for them to know. They haven’t really asked about it. Society is...Continue reading

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