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Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19610
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
4 sound recordings (wav) (186 min., 1 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (186 min., 2 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa and Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview was conducted on January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023. 00:00 – 08:52 First part of interview…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
4 sound recordings (wav) (186 min., 1 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (186 min., 2 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewers: Kate Petrusa and James Binks Interviewees: Rajinder and Raj Pandher Location of Interview: Love farmhouse, Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 4 Total Length of all Tracks: (3:06:01 min) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto four separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa and Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview was conducted on January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023. 00:00 – 08:52 First part of interview begins on January 10. Rajinder Pander provides information on where he was born and where he grew up and shares details regarding his family and his childhood including; his elementary and high school education and experiences and his involvement and interest in the sport of field hockey. 08:53 – 23:24 Raj Pander provides information on where she was born and shares details regarding her family and education. Raj recalls details of her family life in India including her family farm, her father’s service in the Indian National Army and other ancestor’s involvement in the military. Rajinder assists with the details regarding Raj’s father’s military service and explains how he was highly decelerated for his heroic actions. Rajinder conveys further information in reference to the Sikh Empire. 23:25 – 35:53 Rajinder and Raj share information on their formal education. Raj explains how she learned English and talks about the other spoken languages that her family used while she was growing up. Rajinder and Raj recall how they first met which lead them to marry in 1971. Rajinder provides information about his older brothers who left India before him. He explains how his elder brother, Kirpal Singh Pandher immigrated to Canada in 1970 and provides details on his other brother who lived in Malaysia and England before coming to Canada in 1975. Rajinder conveys how after his brother, Kirpal Singh Pandher arrived in Canada, he lived in Campbell River and worked at the saw mill there. 35:54 – 1:01:38 Rajinder and Raj share their immigration stories including details of; what lead them to immigrate, their immigration route, what they brought with them and where they lived and worked. Rajinder and Raj tell of how they both faced discrimination in finding work that they were qualified for and describe some of the jobs that they worked at before obtaining their Real Estate licences. 1:01:39 – 1:13:09 Rajinder and Raj share information on where they’ve purchase traditional food supplies in Burnaby and Rajinder provides further details on his employment and recalls how they were able to purchase their first home in Burnaby. 1:13:10 - 1:19:33 Rajinder describes how he began writing for the Sikh newsletter “The Western Sikh Samachar”. Rajinder shares how he first started printing small pamphlets of Sikh Cultural history in 1975 and how he’s been volunteering with the National Democratic Party (NDP) since 1973. 1:19:34 - 1:38:24 Second part of interview continues on January 24, 2023. Rajinder provides further information about the Sikh newsletter “The Western Sikh Samachar”, provides an historical summary of the Sikh Empire and the Sikh religion and describes a book that’s he’s written about his culture and the village he lived in India. 1:38:25 - 1:52:24 Raj describes some of the traditional textiles that she’s created including a dury, embroidered cloth (pakha and pakhi) and clothing. Raj shares a story of a train derailment in India in which her father survived. 1:52:25 - 2:14:53 Raj Pandher talks about her father’s letters and diaries, Rajinder talks about receiving a Diamond Jubilee Medal for his community service and they both talk about their daughter Amanjit’s education and career accomplishments. Raj describes her involvement in the community council of her children’s school and both Raj and Rajinder describe their involvement in multicultural education and events that they were involved with in Burnaby and New Westminster. Interviewer lists Rajinder Pandher’s many volunteer awards and accomplishments. 2:14:54 - 2:39:53 Raj and Rajinder describe some of their family photographs as well as personal items from India including decorative arts and textiles. They talk about celebrating their 30 year wedding anniversary and the origin of their Sikh names. Rajinder describes a visit to Paldi in 1977 when the whole family was baptized at the Sikh temple and provides informaton about Hardial Singh Atwal, the first Sikh child born in Canada. Rajinder discusses what he thinks a cookhouse looked like, his friendship with former Mayor William J. Copeland and wages of South Asians working in sawmills. 2:39:54 - 3:06:01 Raj and Rajinder talk about food including where they’ve purchased traditional South Asian foods and what they grow in their home garden. Rajinder provides details about the Burnaby Multicultural Society, talks about South Asian work ethics and housing and shares some of the cultural and religious traditions of Sikhs and celebrations that take place in Vancouver and Burnaby.
History
Interviewees biographies: Rajinder Pandher was born five years prior to the Partition of India in the Village of Jhamat, Ludhiana District, Punjab. Raj Pandher was born in 1948 in the Village of Chapar, Ludhiana District, Punjab. Rajinder played field hockey while living in India and is passionate about the sport. Both Rajinder and Raj Pahndher attended college in India and were married in India in 1971. Rajinder Pandher immigrated to Canada in 1972 and his wife, Raj Pandher joined him in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Rajinder Pandher started working at a sawmill in Campbell River but didn't like the work and moved to Vancouver to find better employment opportunties. In 1976, the couple moved to Burnaby and rented until they could buy a home a year later. They raised two children who attended Second Street Elementary School and Cariboo Hill Secondary School in Burnaby. Rajinder and Raj Pandher were both very involved with multicultural efforts at their childlren's schools including turban tying and sari demonstrations and Rajinder was a founding member of the Burnaby Multicultural Society. Interviewers biographies: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013. James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Education
Housing
Employment
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Persons - Volunteers
Religions - Sikhism
Migration
Organizations
Organizations - Societies and Clubs
Social Issues - Racism
Social Issues
Celebrations
Sports - Field Hockey
Names
Pandher, Raj
Pandher, Rajinder
Copeland, William J.
Pandher, Harman
Pandher, Amanjit
Burnaby Multicultural Society
The Western Sikh Samachar
Responsibility
Petrusa, Kate
Binks, James
Accession Code
BV023.1.2
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcripts available upon request
Audio Tracks

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher, [1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher, [1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0002_003.mp3
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Port Moody High school class

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20233
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1940 or 1941]
Collection/Fonds
Esther Love Stanley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.5 x 27.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of students from Port Moody High School. Students are arranged in seven rows. Ina (Stanley) Shankie is identified standing in the second row, second from right.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Esther Love Stanley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.5 x 27.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of students from Port Moody High School. Students are arranged in seven rows. Ina (Stanley) Shankie is identified standing in the second row, second from right.
Subjects
Persons - Students
Buildings - Schools
Persons - Japanese Canadians
Names
Shankie, Ina Esther Stanley
Accession Code
BV022.32.655
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1940 or 1941]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-09-13
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Photograph is part of Esther Love Stanley photograph album 2 (BV032.22.431)
Note in white ink on album page reads: "FRONT ROW, 2ND FROM RIGHT- INA"
Photographer's inscription in white on bottom of photograph reads: "PORT_MOODY_HIGH_SCHOOL_1940-41_(#45)"
Images
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Port Moody School class

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20232
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
1941
Collection/Fonds
Esther Love Stanley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 15.5 x 22 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of students from grades 5 and 6, division 1 of Port Moody School. Frank Stanley is identified standing on the far right in back row. The students are posing together in five rows with teacher in second row outside of school.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Esther Love Stanley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 15.5 x 22 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of students from grades 5 and 6, division 1 of Port Moody School. Frank Stanley is identified standing on the far right in back row. The students are posing together in five rows with teacher in second row outside of school.
Subjects
Persons - Students
Buildings - Schools
Persons - Japanese Canadians
Names
Stanley, Frank Conquest
Accession Code
BV022.32.654
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
1941
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-08-29
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Photograph is part of Esther Love Stanley photograph album 2 (BV032.22.431)
Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "FRANK FAR RIGHT, TOP ROW / 1941"
Note in white ink on album page reads: "BACK ROW, RIGHT - FRANK / GRADES 5& 6, 1941 PORT MOODY"
Photographer's inscription in white on bottom of photograph reads: "PORT_MOODY_SCHOOL_GRADES_5&6_DIV. 1_1941- (#46)"
Images
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Cement Contractor

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34122
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
March 29, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.6 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a cement contractor at the Willingdon Heights subdivision. Construction workers, house construction, lumber, and a truck are all visible.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
March 29, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Alfred Bingham subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.6 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
010-038
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of a cement contractor at the Willingdon Heights subdivision. Construction workers, house construction, lumber, and a truck are all visible.
Subjects
Occupations - Labourers
Transportation - Trucks
Industries - Construction
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
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Charles Street

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34195
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
June 17, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the 4200 Block of Charles Street (south) with a house under construction and construction workers. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
June 17, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Alfred Bingham subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
010-111
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of the 4200 Block of Charles Street (south) with a house under construction and construction workers. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Subjects
Occupations - Labourers
Industries - Construction
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Charles Street
Images
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Charles Street and Willingdon Avenue

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34230
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
August 1, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.7 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Charles Street and Willingdon Avenue with houses under construction and construction workers. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
August 1, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Alfred Bingham subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.7 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
010-142
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of Charles Street and Willingdon Avenue with houses under construction and construction workers. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Subjects
Occupations - Labourers
Industries - Construction
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Charles Street
Willingdon Avenue
Images
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J. Engelland Fuels Truck

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35758
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1940 (date of original), copied 1986
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph of a J. Engelland Fuels truck of 2643 Fern Avenue (later renumbered 6590 Fern Avenue) with Fred Engelland (son of John Engelland) in front.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1940 (date of original), copied 1986
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Pioneer Tales subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
Description Level
Item
Record No.
204-616
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1988-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of a J. Engelland Fuels truck of 2643 Fern Avenue (later renumbered 6590 Fern Avenue) with Fred Engelland (son of John Engelland) in front.
Subjects
Transportation - Trucks
Industries - Trucking
Occupations - Truck Drivers
Names
Engelland, Fred
J. Engelland Fuels
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Fern Avenue
Street Address
6590 Fern Avenue
Historic Neighbourhood
Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Marlborough Area
Images
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Kitchener Street and Gilmore Avenue

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34180
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
May 9, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.3 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Kitchener Street and Gilmore Avenue with houses under construction on the right side of the street. A man is standing on the roof of one of the houses. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
May 9, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Alfred Bingham subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.3 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
010-097
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of Kitchener Street and Gilmore Avenue with houses under construction on the right side of the street. A man is standing on the roof of one of the houses. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Subjects
Occupations - Labourers
Industries - Construction
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Geographic Features - Roads
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Kitchener Street
Gilmore Avenue
Images
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London mixer and contractors

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34138
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
April 16, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.8 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Gilmore Avenue and Douglas Road including a London mixer and contractors invovled in house construction. The man standing in the center has been identified as Mr. Marcowitz. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
April 16, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Alfred Bingham subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.8 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
010-054
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of Gilmore Avenue and Douglas Road including a London mixer and contractors invovled in house construction. The man standing in the center has been identified as Mr. Marcowitz. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Subjects
Occupations - Labourers
Industries - Construction
Construction Tools and Equipment
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Gilmore Avenue
Douglas Road
Images
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Napier Street and Rosser Avenue

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34189
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
June 4, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.8 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Napier Street and Rosser Avenue with construction workers working on houses. Completed houses can be seen in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
June 4, 1947
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Alfred Bingham subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.8 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
010-105
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of Napier Street and Rosser Avenue with construction workers working on houses. Completed houses can be seen in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Subjects
Occupations - Labourers
Industries - Construction
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Geographic Features - Roads
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Napier Street
Rosser Avenue
Images
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Besant Kaur Siddoo at her kitchen stove

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15181
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 2004
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Besant Kaur Siddoo (spouse of Kapoor Singh Siddoo) tending the sawdust burner at her kitchen stove. A large galvanized hopper which fed the sawdust to the fire box of the stove is to her left.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Series
Kapoor Singh Siddoo family photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Besant Kaur Siddoo (spouse of Kapoor Singh Siddoo) tending the sawdust burner at her kitchen stove. A large galvanized hopper which fed the sawdust to the fire box of the stove is to her left.
Subjects
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Names
Kapoor Sawmills Limited
Siddoo, Besant Kaur
Accession Code
BV019.32.2
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 2004
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Mountain Area
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
see page 63 in the book "In the Shadow by the Sea - recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village". Caption with photograph reads: "Mrs. Kapoor Siddoo tending the sawdust burner at her kitchen stove. Note the hopper which fed the sawdust to the fire box of the stove. c. 1940s"
Images
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Interview with Lizette Pappas

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20334
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 7 Nov. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (137 min., 12 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (137 min., 12 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Lizette Pappas conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher James Binks on November 7, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:41:04 Lizette provides details on her family background in Greece, recalls her early childhood in Naxos, her families’ migrati…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (137 min., 12 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (137 min., 12 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: James Binks Interviewees: Lizette Pappas Location of Interview: Fraser Wilson Room, Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 7, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:17:12 Digital master recordings (wav) were converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Lizette Pappas conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher James Binks on November 7, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:41:04 Lizette provides details on her family background in Greece, recalls her early childhood in Naxos, her families’ migration to Canada and their experiences as new immigrants living in Penticton. Lizette shares information about her husband including his Greek origins, his migration story, and how they met as well as information about their careers and raising their family in Burnaby. 41:05 – 01:10:52 Lizette talks about living in Penticton and helping out in the family restaurant business. Lizette describes some of the challenges that they faced and describes some of the foods that they served and reflects on what it means to be a Greek immigrant in British Columbia. 01:10:53– 01:36:32 Lizette talks about her life in Burnaby, her involvement with the Ladies Philoptochos Society, a back to your roots group, the Hellenic Community, the importance of sharing Greek culture, traditions and food with the younger generation and her experiences celebrating Greek culture while attending university. 01:36:33 – 01:54:39 Lizette talks more about her families’ life in Penticton as Greek immigrants, their experiences and accomplishments, her experiences visiting Greece after immigrating to Canada and her husbands’ experiences living in Greece. 01:54:40 – 02:03:59 Lizette reflects on the impacts of COVID in the restaurant industry, community building and urban development in Burnaby and makes comparisons to communities in Greece. 02:04:00 – 02:17:14 Talks about the origin of her name, shares the story of how her name evolved over time after she immigrated to Canada and shares examples of some of the traditional family names that have been passed down through generations.
History
Interviewee biography: Lizette Pappas was born in Apeiranthos on the island of Naxos in Greece in 1948 to parents Florio Vassilakakis and Paraskevi Vassilakis. In 1956, Lizette immigrated to Canada with her parents and her two older brothers. With the help of Lizette’s uncle, her family settled in Penticton and in 1958, Lizette’s younger sister was born. Lizette’s birth name was Elisa Vassilakakis but when she immigrated to Canada she was given the first name “Alice” on her immigration documents. Soon after, when she was enrolled in elementary school, her aunt suggested that she use the name “Lizette” instead of “Alice” and Lizette became the first name she’s continued to use since. While living in Penticton, Lizette’s parents first worked doing manual labour in the fruit industry before buying their own restaurant in 1968. Lizette obtained her teaching degree from the University of British Columbia. In 1972, Lizette met her future husband Basile Pappas and they were married in 1975. After marrying, Lizette and her husband settled in the Brentwood area of Burnaby and began raising their two children. Lizette, her husband and children moved back to Penticton in late 1979 to join her family running two restaurants and a nightclub. After a number of years, Lizette, her husband and two children returned to their home in the Brentwood area of Burnaby. Lizette has worked as a teacher with the Vancouver School Board and has been involved with various organizations including “Back to our Roots” and “Philoptochos Ladies Society”. Interviewer biography: James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Religions
Organizations - Women's Societies and Clubs
Persons - Greek Canadians
Migration
Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
Names
Pappas, Elisa Alice "Lizette" Vassilakakis
Vassilakakis, Florio
Vassilakis, Paraskevi
Love, John Agapitos
Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society
Hellenic Community of Vancouver
Responsibility
Binks, James
Accession Code
BV023.16.20
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 7 Nov. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcript available
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Lizette Pappas, [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 7 Nov. 2023

Interview with Lizette Pappas, [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 7 Nov. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0020_004.mp3
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Interview with Norman Dowad

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19638
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (wav) (61 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (61 min., 37 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Norman Dowad conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on August 14, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:14:38 Norm shares biographical information about himself and background information on the Dowad family. Norm conveys information …
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (wav) (61 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (61 min., 37 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Norman Dowad Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: August 14, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:14:37 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Norman Dowad conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on August 14, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:14:38 Norm shares biographical information about himself and background information on the Dowad family. Norm conveys information about his grandfather Samuel Dowad's immigration to Canada and his father Wilfred Dowad's military service and successes as a property developer. 00:14:39 – 00:17:26 Norm provides background information on his mother’s side of the family. 00:17:27 – 00:31:36 Norm talks about his childhood, growing up in the Deer Lake neighbourhood, his early education in Burnaby and sports that he played. 00:31:37 – 00:39:59 Norm talks about his educational experiences attending Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and Osgoode Hall law school and information regarding his law career. 00:40:00 – 00:45:03 Norm reflects on his childhood growing up in Burnaby and on his experiences and relationships as a student and in his career as a lawyer. 00:45:04 – 01:01:37 Norm talks about his siblings and shares information about family property development projects as well as career and business successes. In closing he talks about research that he’s done through Archives Canada on his grandfather Sam Dowad and father Wilfred Dowad.
History
Interviewee biography: Normam Dowad was born and rasied in Burnaby. Norm graduated from Burnaby Central Secondary School, Simon Fraser University for one year, and obtained his law degree from York University. Norman began practicing law in 1974 years and has his own law practice that he operates out of Vancouver as of 2023. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Agriculture - Farms
Education
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Migration
Sports
Sports - Football
Wars - World War, 1939-1945
Names
Dowad, Norman W. "Norm"
Dowad, Samuel Esper "Sam"
Dowad, Wilfred "Wilf"
Dowad, Naomi "Mamie" David
Dowad, Martha Elias Shaheen
Dowad, Kathleen "Kay"
Rideout, Dr. John Anthony
Burnaby Central Secondary School
Douglas Road School
W. Dowad Limited
Responsibility
Damer, Eric
Geographic Access
Buckingham Avenue
Deer Lake
Street Address
5533 Buckingham Avenue
Accession Code
BV023.16.16
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Historic Neighbourhood
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Morley-Buckingham Area
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available
Images
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Norman Dowad, [1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023

Interview with Norman Dowad, [1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0016_002.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Shirley Cohn

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19597
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1926-2023] (interview content), interviewed 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
File
Physical Description
2 sound recordings (wav) (16 min., 57 sec.) (50 min., 36 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (50 min., 36 sec.)
Scope and Content
File consists of two recordings of oral history interviews with Shirley Cohn conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. The first interview was conducted on April 14, 2023 and the second interview was conducted on September 6, 2023. Summary of interview conducted on …
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
Description Level
File
Physical Description
2 sound recordings (wav) (16 min., 57 sec.) (50 min., 36 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (50 min., 36 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Shirley Cohn Location of Interviews: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Dates: April 14, 2023 and September 6, 2023 Total Number of Tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 67 min., 33 sec. Digital master recording (wav) recording of second interview (50 min., 36 sec.) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
File consists of two recordings of oral history interviews with Shirley Cohn conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. The first interview was conducted on April 14, 2023 and the second interview was conducted on September 6, 2023. Summary of interview conducted on September 6, 2023: 0:00 – 16:09 Shirley Cohn shares background information about her parents who immigrated to Detroit from Hungary in the 1930’s. Shirley recalls what it was like for her parents being Jewish during World War II and how many of their relations were killed in the Holocaust. Shirley talks about her Jewish Hungarian heritage, what it was like growing up in Detroit, the Jewish community in Detroit and the Jewish holidays and traditions that her family celebrated. Shirley recalls her high school and University education and experiences, starting her career in social work and how she met her future husband, Theodore “Ted” Cohn. 16:10 – 18:27 Shirley shares the story about her father in law, Dr. Daniel E. Cohn who was Harry Houdini’s doctor at the time of his death in Detroit on Oct. 31, 1926. Shirley explains that she donated some of Dr. Daniel E. Cohn’s original documents pertaining to this event to the New York Public Library. 18:28 – 26:04 Shirley describes her experiences living and working in London Ontario while her husband was a professor at University of Western Ontario and Shirley worked as a social worker in family services. Shirley recalls experiences of anti-Semitism while living in London. Shirley talks about moving to Burnaby in 1977 after her husband took a job as a professor at Simon Fraser University. Shirley describes her experiences living in Burnaby, raising a family and working as a social worker at Burnaby General Hospital. 26:05 – 26:18 Shirley talks about her interests outside of work, her family’s involvement in the Burquest Jewish Community Association and being a member of Temple Shalom. Shirley conveys information about other Jewish synagogues in Greater Vancouver, describes Reform Judaism at Temple Shalom and some Jewish cultural practices that her family has been involved with. 26:19 – 33:12 Shirley describes her family’s experiences living in the Garden Village nieghbourhood in Burnaby, her involvement sharing Jewish cultural traditions at her children’s school and recalls her children’s experiences attending school in Burnaby. 33:13 – 40:46 Shirley conveys the career paths that her children took and talks about what she likes about living in Burnaby including; the walking and hiking trails, the cultural and art performances and her involvement in local politics. Shirley talks about her and her husband’s involvement in the SFU retirees association and the SFURA walking and hiking group. Shirley reflects on her husband’s academic career, experiences teaching at SFU and the role of the Hillel Jewish Students Association at the Simon Fraser University. Shirley talks about the difficulties of discussing political views about the State of Israel. Shirley describes some traditional Jewish foods, the roles that they play and a local bakery that carries Jewish bake goods. 40:47 – 50:36 Shirley describes her current daily life in Burnaby; working one day a week as a social worker, gardening, her involvement at Temple Shalom and the Jewish Community Centre and how she travels in Burnaby. Shirley recalls the changes that she’s encountered in Burnaby and in her career over the years, shares a story about her husband losing his thesis and describes what Burnaby was like while she was raising her family. Shirley shares what she thinks about the areas of development in Burnaby and conveys the importance of having parks and affordable housing. In closing, Shirley reflects on what is like to be a Jewish person living in Burnaby.
History
Interviewee biography: Shirley Tanner was born in Detroit in 1947. Her parents were both Jewish. Her mother fled Hungary as a refugee in 1939, while her father emigrated from there in 1934. Shirley attended public schools in Detroit, and then studied social work at the University of Michigan. After marriage, Shirley and Ted Cohn moved to Ontario where Ted had a faculty appointment at the University of Western Ontario in political science. Six years later they moved to Burnaby for Ted’s teaching position in political science at Simon Fraser University. While living in Burnaby, Shirley took care of a growing family while also practicing social work, mainly at Burnaby Hospital. The family enjoyed Burnaby’s libraries and parks. Shirley helped out at her children’s schools, became a Block Watch captain, and the family joined Burquest Jewish Community Association. The Cohns later became members of Temple Sholom Synagogue in Vancouver, while remaining in Burnaby. Beginning in 2009, Ted started an informal hiking group for retired Simon Fraser University staff. This group has been open to others, so now has a wide variety of members. Shirley has also helped lead hikes in the region. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Education
Recreational Activities - Hiking
Organizations
Organizations - Societies and Clubs
Migration
Persons - Jewish Canadians
Religions - Judaism
Social Issues - Racism
Social Issues
Wars - World War, 1939-1945
Names
Cohn, Dr. Daniel E.
Cohn, Shirley
Cohn, Theodore H. "Ted"
Burquest
Hillel Jewish Students Association
Simon Fraser University
SFURA walking and hiking group
Simon Fraser University Retirees Association "SFURA"
Temple Shalom
Responsibility
Damer, Eric
Accession Code
BV023.16.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1926-2023] (interview content), interviewed 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of file
Summary, recording and transcript of second interview available on Heritage Burnaby
Images
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Shirley Cohn, [1926-2023] (interview content), interviewed 2023

Interview with Shirley Cohn, [1926-2023] (interview content), interviewed 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0001_003.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory516
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1900-1946
Length
00:07:05
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, and her Oikawa grandparent’s immigration to BC and settlement on Lion and Don Islands at the mouth of the Fraser River. She describes how the family was moved to the internment camp “The Orchard” in New Denver,…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, and her Oikawa grandparent’s immigration to BC and settlement on Lion and Don Islands at the mouth of the Fraser River. She describes how the family was moved to the internment camp “The Orchard” in New Denver, but managed to find a place to live outside the camp where her grandmother grew a large garden from seeds brought in the seams of her clothing. She notes that the Lion Islands were named Oikawa-shima by the Japanese settlers.
Date Range
1900-1946
Length
00:07:05
Subjects
Wars - World War, 1939-1945
Persons - Japanese Canadians
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
February 27, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Toki Miyashita, conducted by Rod Fowler. Toki Miyashita was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, her awakening interest in Japanese culture after the war, her subsequent interest in teaching others about Japanese crafts and arts, and becoming a helpful intermediary between Burnaby and visitors from Japan. The interview explores her interest in the Ainu of Japan and their possible link to the aboriginals of BC, her impressions of the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko, and her involvement in the events surrounding the creation of the sculpture “Playground of the Gods” for Burnaby Mountain. The interview also contains interesting details about the art of Japanese flower-arranging. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Toki Miyashita was born in Richmond B.C., ca. 1935, at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, a second generation Canadian descended from the Oikawa family who settled on Don and Lion Islands (Oikawa-shima). In 1942 the Japanese Canadians in BC were forcibly moved from the coast and their belongings confiscated. Toki Miyashita, her parents, two brothers, and grandparents were first taken to Hastings Park where her father was separated from the family to work in road camps, and the rest of the family were interned in New Denver. Her resourceful grandmother moved the family to land outside the internment camp, growing a large garden from seeds brought with her. In 1946 the family moved to Kamloops and in 1958, after finishing high school, Toki Miyashita moved to Montreal to be with relatives and a small Japanese community. At this time she became interested in Japanese culture and took a Japanese language course at age 22. She learned about Japanese flower-arranging (Ikebana), paper folding (Origami), silk doll making (from a Russian Jew), and how to wear a kimono. She began demonstrating these arts in schools and to other groups, which she continued doing when she, her husband and two young children moved to Burnaby in 1969. Toki Miyashita has been called an unpaid “ambassador” of Japanese culture to the Lower Mainland. She has acted as liaison between Burnaby and her sister city Kushiro in Japan, which involved her in the creation of the Ainu sculpture “Playground of the Gods” on Burnaby Mountain for Burnaby’s Centennial. Toki Miyashita is a recognized Master in Ikebana Sogetsu, a school of flower-arranging, and has served on the board of the Vancouver Ikebana Association. She also served on Burnaby’s Family Court in the 1980s.
Total Tracks
11
Total Length
01:34:10
Interviewee Name
Miyashita, Toki
Interviewer Bio
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Collection/Fonds
SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
Series
Centennial Oral History project series
Transcript Available
Transcript available
Media Type
Sound Recording
Web Notes
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with Toki Miyashita

Less detail

Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory517
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1942-1969
Length
00:07:41
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s growing interest in Japanese culture and arts, studying the Japanese language after she was 22 in Montreal. She talks about how she learned paper-folding (origami), to make silk dolls, flower-arranging (Ikebana), and how to wear a kimono, and …
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s growing interest in Japanese culture and arts, studying the Japanese language after she was 22 in Montreal. She talks about how she learned paper-folding (origami), to make silk dolls, flower-arranging (Ikebana), and how to wear a kimono, and then began to teach others these skills in Montreal .
Date Range
1942-1969
Length
00:07:41
Subjects
Education
Arts
Persons - Japanese Canadians
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
February 27, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Toki Miyashita, conducted by Rod Fowler. Toki Miyashita was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, her awakening interest in Japanese culture after the war, her subsequent interest in teaching others about Japanese crafts and arts, and becoming a helpful intermediary between Burnaby and visitors from Japan. The interview explores her interest in the Ainu of Japan and their possible link to the aboriginals of BC, her impressions of the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko, and her involvement in the events surrounding the creation of the sculpture “Playground of the Gods” for Burnaby Mountain. The interview also contains interesting details about the art of Japanese flower-arranging. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Toki Miyashita was born in Richmond B.C., ca. 1935, at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, a second generation Canadian descended from the Oikawa family who settled on Don and Lion Islands (Oikawa-shima). In 1942 the Japanese Canadians in BC were forcibly moved from the coast and their belongings confiscated. Toki Miyashita, her parents, two brothers, and grandparents were first taken to Hastings Park where her father was separated from the family to work in road camps, and the rest of the family were interned in New Denver. Her resourceful grandmother moved the family to land outside the internment camp, growing a large garden from seeds brought with her. In 1946 the family moved to Kamloops and in 1958, after finishing high school, Toki Miyashita moved to Montreal to be with relatives and a small Japanese community. At this time she became interested in Japanese culture and took a Japanese language course at age 22. She learned about Japanese flower-arranging (Ikebana), paper folding (Origami), silk doll making (from a Russian Jew), and how to wear a kimono. She began demonstrating these arts in schools and to other groups, which she continued doing when she, her husband and two young children moved to Burnaby in 1969. Toki Miyashita has been called an unpaid “ambassador” of Japanese culture to the Lower Mainland. She has acted as liaison between Burnaby and her sister city Kushiro in Japan, which involved her in the creation of the Ainu sculpture “Playground of the Gods” on Burnaby Mountain for Burnaby’s Centennial. Toki Miyashita is a recognized Master in Ikebana Sogetsu, a school of flower-arranging, and has served on the board of the Vancouver Ikebana Association. She also served on Burnaby’s Family Court in the 1980s.
Total Tracks
11
Total Length
01:34:10
Interviewee Name
Miyashita, Toki
Interviewer Bio
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Collection/Fonds
SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
Series
Centennial Oral History project series
Transcript Available
Transcript available
Media Type
Sound Recording
Web Notes
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with Toki Miyashita

Less detail

Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 7

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory522
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1930-1990
Length
00:13:56
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s memories of the internment, separation of her father from the family to work on road camps, where she was born in Richmond at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, confiscation of home in 1942, eventual Redress, and lingering feelings of fear and dis…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s memories of the internment, separation of her father from the family to work on road camps, where she was born in Richmond at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, confiscation of home in 1942, eventual Redress, and lingering feelings of fear and distrust in her family. She also talks about visiting Hiroshima on her trip to Japan in 1980
Date Range
1930-1990
Length
00:13:56
Subjects
Wars - World War, 1939-1945
Persons - Japanese Canadians
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
February 27, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Toki Miyashita, conducted by Rod Fowler. Toki Miyashita was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, her awakening interest in Japanese culture after the war, her subsequent interest in teaching others about Japanese crafts and arts, and becoming a helpful intermediary between Burnaby and visitors from Japan. The interview explores her interest in the Ainu of Japan and their possible link to the aboriginals of BC, her impressions of the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko, and her involvement in the events surrounding the creation of the sculpture “Playground of the Gods” for Burnaby Mountain. The interview also contains interesting details about the art of Japanese flower-arranging. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Toki Miyashita was born in Richmond B.C., ca. 1935, at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, a second generation Canadian descended from the Oikawa family who settled on Don and Lion Islands (Oikawa-shima). In 1942 the Japanese Canadians in BC were forcibly moved from the coast and their belongings confiscated. Toki Miyashita, her parents, two brothers, and grandparents were first taken to Hastings Park where her father was separated from the family to work in road camps, and the rest of the family were interned in New Denver. Her resourceful grandmother moved the family to land outside the internment camp, growing a large garden from seeds brought with her. In 1946 the family moved to Kamloops and in 1958, after finishing high school, Toki Miyashita moved to Montreal to be with relatives and a small Japanese community. At this time she became interested in Japanese culture and took a Japanese language course at age 22. She learned about Japanese flower-arranging (Ikebana), paper folding (Origami), silk doll making (from a Russian Jew), and how to wear a kimono. She began demonstrating these arts in schools and to other groups, which she continued doing when she, her husband and two young children moved to Burnaby in 1969. Toki Miyashita has been called an unpaid “ambassador” of Japanese culture to the Lower Mainland. She has acted as liaison between Burnaby and her sister city Kushiro in Japan, which involved her in the creation of the Ainu sculpture “Playground of the Gods” on Burnaby Mountain for Burnaby’s Centennial. Toki Miyashita is a recognized Master in Ikebana Sogetsu, a school of flower-arranging, and has served on the board of the Vancouver Ikebana Association. She also served on Burnaby’s Family Court in the 1980s.
Total Tracks
11
Total Length
01:34:10
Interviewee Name
Miyashita, Toki
Interviewer Bio
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Collection/Fonds
SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
Series
Centennial Oral History project series
Transcript Available
Transcript available
Media Type
Sound Recording
Web Notes
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Audio Tracks

Track seven of interview with Toki Miyashita

Less detail

Jagdis, Sarjit and Besant Kaur Siddoo with Harbans Kaur Teja and Kartar Kaur Sangha

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15183
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
1947 (date of original), copied 2004
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of (left to right) Jagdis Kaur Siddoo, Sarjit Kaur Siddoo and Besant Kaur Siddoo standing next to Harbans Kaur Teja with baby and Kartar Kaur Sangha (company cook) on the site of Kapoor Sawmills Limited.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Series
Kapoor Singh Siddoo family photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of (left to right) Jagdis Kaur Siddoo, Sarjit Kaur Siddoo and Besant Kaur Siddoo standing next to Harbans Kaur Teja with baby and Kartar Kaur Sangha (company cook) on the site of Kapoor Sawmills Limited.
Subjects
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Names
Kapoor Sawmills Limited
Siddoo, Besant Kaur
Siddoo, Jagdis Kaur
Siddoo, Sarjit Kaur
Teja, Harbans Kaur
Sangha, Kartar Kaur
Accession Code
BV019.32.4
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
1947 (date of original), copied 2004
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Mountain Area
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
see page 64 in the book "In the Shadow by the Sea - recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village". Caption with photograph reads: "Standing in front of the new mill under construction are Jagdis, Sarjeet and Mrs. Kapoor Siddoo, Harbans Koor Teja with baby and Kartar K. Sangha (company cook), 1947"
Incorrect spelling of the name "Sarjeet Siddoo" in the book "In the Shadow by the Sea" has been corrected to "Sarjit Kaur Siddoo"
Images
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Mayo Manhas and Kapoor Singh Siddoo in mill office

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15182
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 2004
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Mayo Manhas (right) and Kapoor Singh Siddoo (left) in a mill office looking over a map Vancouver Island with timber areas.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Series
Kapoor Singh Siddoo family photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Mayo Manhas (right) and Kapoor Singh Siddoo (left) in a mill office looking over a map Vancouver Island with timber areas.
Subjects
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Names
Kapoor Sawmills Limited
Siddoo, Kapoor Singh
Accession Code
BV019.32.3
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 2004
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Mountain Area
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
see page 65 in the book "In the Shadow by the Sea - recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village". Caption with photograph reads: "Mr. Mayo Manhas and Mr. Kapoor Siddoo in the mill office looking over a map of timber areas. c. 1940s"
Images
Less detail

Sarjit and Jagdis Kaur Siddoo

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15180
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 2004
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Jagdis and Sarjit Kaur Siddoo standing next to a cow in a field at Barnet. The Kapoor Sawmills Ltd. is visible in the background behind them.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Series
Kapoor Singh Siddoo family photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Jagdis and Sarjit Kaur Siddoo standing next to a cow in a field at Barnet. The Kapoor Sawmills Ltd. is visible in the background behind them.
Subjects
Animals - Cows
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Names
Siddoo, Jagdis Kaur
Siddoo, Sarjit Kaur
Kapoor Sawmills Limited
Accession Code
BV019.32.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 2004
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Mountain Area
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Photograph was originally obtained used in the publication: "In the Shadow by the Sea - Recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village"
Incorrect spelling of the name "Sarjeet Siddoo" in the book "In the Shadow by the Sea" has been corrected to "Sarjit Kaur Siddoo"
Images
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100 records – page 5 of 5.