Marpole Monogatari – Work

Listen to a variety of former residents, their descendants and associates talk about the work experiences of Japanese Canadians living in pre-War Marpole. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Japanese Canadian settlers arrived in Marpole to work at sawmills or in fishing. Though discriminatory laws and practises limited the occupations available to them, the transportation system allowed Japanese Canadians from Marpole to work as gardeners or housekeepers in more affluent Kerrisdale or as bakers and shopkeepers in the large Japanese Canadian enclave around Powell Street.

Writer and host: Raymond Nakamura
Researcher: Linda Kawamoto Reid
Editing and original music: Itamar Sitbon

This podcast is made possible through financial support from the Yosef Wosk Publication Grant, the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, and TECHNATION Career Ready Program.

Image: Baby with chickens in Barb Miiko Gravlin’s grandfather's backyard. The baby is unidentified. Courtesy of Barb Miike Gravlin.

Resources

Search for oral histories from the NNM collection

Note about euphemisms

Terms such as evacuation or relocation were used since the 1940s. We recommend the term internment due to its recognizability and common usage in the community. Forced dispersal is the preferred blanket term for any of the events related to government policies against Japanese Canadians in the 1940s, especially those that required them to leave the west coast. It includes those who went to internment camps, work camps, sugar beet farms, or anywhere else. Forced removal or forced uprooting are also acceptable terms.

This podcast is made possible through financial support from the Yosef Wosk Publication Fund at Vancouver Heritage Foundation, and TECHNATION Career Ready Program.

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Sounds Japanese Canadian To Me
Sounds Japanese Canadian To Me
Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre

Explore the fascinating world of Japanese Canadian history and culture with Sounds Japanese Canadian to Me. A three part podcast series, Marpole Monogatari, explores the Marpole neighbourhood in Vancouver through home, work, and community. Our first series is hosted by Raymond Nakamura and Nikkei National Museum staff members features casual discussions on Japanese Canadian topics. Our second series, Stories from the Stage, features interviews between Kunji Mark Ikeda and some of the most exciting Japanese Canadian performing artists living through the age of social distancing.

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