The Internment of Japanese Canadians — Our Lady of Fatima School (April 23, 2018)
This short was done by students at the Museum of Vancouver in a one-day workshop called Animating History on April 23, 2018.
Animating History is a partnership of the Museum of Vancouver and the Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth.
Music from
Sandon/Mines
These are some of the mines that are scattered over the Selkirk mountains near Sandon/New Denver/Kaslo/Slocan. Some of them are still producing ore,silver,and lead today.
Ximen Mining preparing for summer drill program at Kenville Gold Mine in Nelson, B.C.
Ximen Mining (CVE:XIM) President and CEO Chris Anderson sat down with Steve Darling from Proactive Investors Vancouver to share news the company is embarking on their summer drilling program at the historic Kenville Gold Mine.
Anderson talked about how much they plan on drilling and the interesting way they came up with the locations to put the drills.
Katrine Conroy's statement on New Denver's Kohan Reflection Garden
In 1942, Canadian citizens of Japanese heritage were forcibly resettled in the B.C. interior. The New Denver camp, now known locally as the Orchard, was one of the largest, home to over 4,000 internees during World War II.
In 1989, the Slocan Lake Garden Society chose to honour these citizens by creating the Kohan Reflection Garden on land at the south end of the camp along the shore of Slocan Lake, a peaceful place to contemplate and to enjoy the beauty of the plantings and their setting.
The garden, from conception and design by local horticulturist Ray Nikkel to the planting of the first tree by Mrs. Kamegaya, has been developed by local fundraising, government grants, employment programs, contributions from countless residents and visitors and most notably the generous support of the village of New Denver, the site proprietors.
The garden is upgraded and sustained through countless efforts of the garden society and volunteers and residents who continue to nurture and maintain it weekly. The concept is that of a strolling garden where visitors can experience many different opportunities for contemplation and reflection.
The original tea house and cherry trees are the focus around which the garden was created. Developed over time, the gatehouse, lanterns, stone wall, lily ponds, water basin and bridge form the hardscape for surrounding plantings, notably azaleas, rhododendrons, grasses and several varieties of Japanese maples.
The garden is host to many international visitors, photographers and practising artists. As well, it is a popular venue for weddings. concerts, art exhibits and memorials. I have been at a number of events there and have at times just gone to have my lunch or have a restful break, enjoying the stunning beauty of the lake and the gardens. Kohan garden is open year-round. Entrance is by donation.
I want to thank all of the many volunteers who have developed and continue to take care of this beautiful garden. If you ever get out to New Denver, please stop by and enjoy the beauty while honouring the history of the Japanese in this province.
MAY KOMIYAMA
May Komiyama
Born May 19, 1922
May Komiyama was born in Vancouver, BC and grew up in a non-Japanese neighbourhood of Marine Drive because of her father’s career. Her father was one of the few people who had been baptized as a Christian in Japan, but her grandfather disowned him so he came to live in Canada. Her father wanted his children to be good Canadians and good Christians.
After school she began her training to become a nurse but was forced to stop after Pearl Harbor was attacked. She had to leave the school so quickly that her fellow students did not know where she went for many years. One of her sisters was also a nurse and helped at Hastings Park. The family was moved to Kaslo, where they lived in a house outside the centre of town but were very involved in the community. Another sister helped in the school.
After internment she moved to Guelph to complete her nursing school. At first she was housed separately from other students. One patient told her he was frightened at first of having a Japanese nurse, which she found amusing. She married a man who she had known all her life. He was a minister who had been ordained in Vancouver during curfew and had to get special permission to go to his evening ordination service.
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