219 records – page 1 of 11.

booklet

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact17357
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
HV979.42.7
Description
Museum & Art Notes - Booklet -- [1949]. The Art Historical and Scientific Association publication of Museum & Art Notes. This is Volume 1, Number 1 of the Second Series, September 1949. The front cover features a picture of the Dimorphodon Macronyx model made by Madam Erna C. von Engel-Baiersdorf. This issue has articles on: The Method of Reconstructiong Human and Animal Remains in Sculpture and in Paintings Early History of the Burnaby Family Indian Native Art Sundews The Aleuts of Attu The Trumpeter Swan Achatina Fulica, The Great African Snail Some Field Work of the Curator Palomar's Giant Eye, the Hale Telescope The Directors, Life and Honorary Members of the Art, Historical and Scientific Association.
Subjects
Documentary Artifacts
Documentary Artifacts - Booklets
Organizations
Organizations - Art Societies
Organizations - Historical Societies
Organizations - Science Societies
Images
Documents
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sampler

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact90018
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV015.35.334
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV015.35.334
Description
sampler; white textile with frayed edges; mounted on gold paper; purple embroidery floss; "MORSE CODE."; complete alphabet in morse stitched following the format: Latin letter = morse code equivalent; ex. "M = -- --".
Object History
Sampler is a part of scrapbook "Burnaby Girl Guides. -- [1914]-1969, predominant ca. 1920" (BV015.35.164)
Category
08. Communication Artifacts
Classification
Art
Object Term
Needlework
Measurements
L: 21.0 cm W: 19.5 cm
Country Made
Canada
Province Made
British Columbia
Site/City Made
Burnaby
Subjects
Organizations - Girls' Societies and Clubs
Documentary Artifacts - Leaflets
Names
Girl Guides of Canada
Images
Documents
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newspaper

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact91105
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV020.5.1992
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV020.5.1992
Description
Newspaper; one sheet of newsprint folded in half; black ink printed on side only; heading on first page reads: "THE HERITAGE VILLAGE / NEWS"; "VOLUME 7 - NUMBER _ SPRING 1978_Price 10 Cents"; image on cover at top of Heritage Village bandstand; back page numbered "THE NEWS P. 4: (printed content on pages 2 and 3 are missing)
Object History
Newspaper was printed on a printing press inside Heritage Village News and Art Printing shop and produced by Heritage Village and the Century Park Museum Association.
Category
08. Communication Artifacts
Classification
Documentary Artifacts - - Other Documents
Object Term
Serial
Measurements
Height: 28 cm x Width: 21.5 cm (folded)
Maker
Heritage Village
Country Made
Canada
Province Made
British Columbia
Site/City Made
Burnaby
Title
The News
Publication Date
Summer 1976
Subjects
Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers
Names
Burnaby Village Museum
Century Park Museum Association
Images
Documents
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newspaper

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact91106
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV020.5.1991
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV020.5.1991
Description
Newspaper; one sheet of newsprint folded in half; black ink printed both sides; pages numbered 2-4; heading on cover page reads: "THE HERITAGE VILLAGE / NEWS"; "VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 1 [sic]_ SPECIAL EDITIOIN: CHRISTMAS 1977_Price 10 Cents"; image on cover at top of Heritage Village bandstand; page 2 (verso of cover) includes publishing credits: "THE NEWS / PUBLISHED PERIODICALLY / THE NEWS ART PUBLISHING / COMPANY / HILL STREET, HERITAGE VILLAGE / BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA / Editor- R. MacPherson / Writer - P. McGeachie / Composite- D. Lovell / Printers - R. McCrae / B. Henderson, D. Lovell"
Object History
Newspaper was printed on a printing press inside Heritage Village News and Art Printing shop and produced by Heritage Village and the Century Park Museum Association.
Category
08. Communication Artifacts
Classification
Documentary Artifacts - - Other Documents
Object Term
Serial
Measurements
Height: 28 cm x Width: 21.5 cm (folded)
Maker
Heritage Village
Country Made
Canada
Province Made
British Columbia
Site/City Made
Burnaby
Title
The News
Publication Date
Christmas 1977
Subjects
Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers
Names
Burnaby Village Museum
Century Park Museum Association
Images
Documents
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newspaper

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact91266
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
HV976.232.33
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
HV976.232.33
Description
newspaper; four pages folded in half; pages numbered 1-15; black ink printed on both sides; published [Summer 1977]; heading on first page reads: "No. 1 Volume 1 / Heritage Herald / Welcome to / Heritage Pioneer Village"; front page includes 1912 photograph of welcome arch "Burnaby Welcome You" erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. Stories with newspaper include events at the Heritage Village in the Summer of 1977, accompanied by advertisements for local Burnaby businesses and the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE).
Object History
Newspaper was printed on a printing press inside Heritage Village News and Art Printing shop and was donated by a member of the Burnaby '71 Centennial Committee. The newspaper was handed out to visitors of Heritage Village and provided to members of the Century Park Museum Association.
Category
08. Communication Artifacts
Classification
Documentary Artifacts - - Other Documents
Object Term
Serial
Measurements
Length: 41 cm x Width: 58 cm folded to Length: 41 cm x Width: 29 cm
Maker
Heritage Village
Country Made
Canada
Province Made
British Columbia
Site/City Made
Burnaby
Title
Heritage Herald
Publication Date
[1977]
Subjects
Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers
Names
Burnaby Village Museum
Century Park Museum Association
Images
Documents
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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

Pages from May Aikenhead scrapbook

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription5245
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1930-1935]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Girl Guides fonds
Description Level
File
Physical Description
1 file of textual records : 1 p. + 1 illustration : col. ; graphite and watercolour + 1 digital file : col. (pdf) + 10 photographs : col. (tiffs)
Scope and Content
File consists of pages from a scrapbook created by May Aitkenhead. Pages include an illustration of a Girl Guide in uniform done in pencil and watercolour along with two pages (double sided) of clippings from newspapers, magazines and a programme. The illustration page includes the name "Mabel McIn…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Girl Guides fonds
Series
Burnaby Girl Guides scrapbooks and photographs series
Description Level
File
Physical Description
1 file of textual records : 1 p. + 1 illustration : col. ; graphite and watercolour + 1 digital file : col. (pdf) + 10 photographs : col. (tiffs)
Scope and Content
File consists of pages from a scrapbook created by May Aitkenhead. Pages include an illustration of a Girl Guide in uniform done in pencil and watercolour along with two pages (double sided) of clippings from newspapers, magazines and a programme. The illustration page includes the name "Mabel McIntyre / Cl. 16" handwritten in pencil at the top of the page along with a sticker of a wreath. The newspaper clippings page is titled "Guide News" and includes selected clippings about the 5th Burnaby Girl Guides, while two other pages include information titled "Patrol Portfolio Chart No. 9 _ Digging"; "The Aims of the Girl Guides" and "Girl Guiding" with photographic images of Mrs. Alan Morkill (Provincial Commissioner for British Columbia); Countess Bessborough (Honourary President of the Canadian Girl Guide Association); His Excellency Rt. Hon. the Earl of Bessborough (Governor General and Commander in Chief of the Dominion of Canada- Chief Scout of Canada) as well as Lady and Lord Baden Powell. The last page is clipped and pasted from a programme and/or poster "Grand Rally / Scouts / and / Guides / April 15th 1935 / Hastings Park / Vancouver BC" and includes a page of the programme.
Creator
Aitkenhead, May
Subjects
Organizations - Girls' Societies and Clubs
Arts - Paintings
Names
Girl Guides of Canada
Accession Code
BV015.35.168
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1930-1935]
Media Type
Textual Record
Graphic Material
Notes
Title based on contents of file
Digital images were created of the scrapbook prior to selective retention of original records
Selected pages were removed from original scrapbook and were retained under BV015.35.168
Selected photographs were removed from scrapbook prior and are described at item level (BV015.35.292 to BV015.35.300)
Images
Documents
Less detail

Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19348
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future …
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
3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Anushay Malik Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Dr. Sadhu Binning Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 25, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:15:57) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future exhibits and for researchers to learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby. During the interview, Dr. Binning shares his ancestral background along with his relatives' and his own personal experiences as a South Asian immigrant living and working in British Columbia and Burnaby. Dr. Binning conveys that he’s a Burnaby resident who’s lived in Burnaby since 1973 and that his children were born here. Binning shares his ancestral heritage beginning with his uncle Dhana Singh who emigrated from Punjab to British Columbia in 1931 and began working in the forest industry. He explains how Dhana Singh and another partner owned, operated and worked in small sawmills in the vicinity of Kamloops, Williams Lake and also on Vancouver Island. Binning conveys that in the beginning Dhana Singh and many other South Asian immigrants were not legal residents until 1938. In 1938, about 350 South Asian immigrants (mainly Punjabi) gathered resources to hire a lawyer to obtain permanent residency. Binning mentions that one of the notable South Asians in the group who was also a close friend of his uncle, was Darshan Singh Sangha, a trade unionist who was a founding member of the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) union and an active member of the Communist Party of Canada. Binning conveys how Darshan Singh Sangha returned to India in 1947 to be a part of the revolution, how he was very active in the communist movement in India. While in India, Darshan Singh Sangha, was known as Canadian and thereby adopted “Canadian” as his surname, becoming “Darshan Singh Canadian”. Binning further explains that his uncle Dhana Singh Sangha returned to India in 1951, married and came back to B.C. in 1957 bringing with him, his wife and children. In 1960, with the support of his uncle, Binning’s father, Jit Singh Binning immigrated to British Columbia and began working in sawmills in the lower mainland, Kamloops, Quesnel and on Vancouver Island. Binning clarifies that his uncle, Dhana Singh was able to immigrate to Canada with the support of his cousins from the Tarker Singh Bains family. Binning further describes Darshan Singh Sangha’s involvement with the Communist party and the IWA and how the majority of the members were from the forest industry. As an active and prominent member of the labour movement, Darshan Singh Sangha fought for the rights of South Asians and Chinese who working in the industry and facing racism, unfair wages and discriminatory practices. Binning describes how Darshan Singh Sangha wrote a book in English in 1943, titled “Rise of the New Asia”. Binning conveys how immigrants of Chinese and South Asian decent didn’t have the right to vote in British Columbia and how Darshan Singh Sangha was instrumental in obtaining the right to vote in British Columbia, although he was never given the credit. Binning describes his uncle Dhana Singh as a likeable guy with many friends, first living in Kamloops before moving to Vancouver. Binning imparts how the sport of wrestling is a popular Punjabi sport along with Punjabi kabaddi. He conveys that his uncle became involved in wrestling while working in sawmills. South Asian immigrants had to do physical labour working in sawmills, the work could be tough and could often lead to physical fights. A number of South Asian immigrants working in the mills already had experience as wrestlers from back home. Dhana Singh later left the lumber industry to work in the agriculture sector. Binning explains how immigration rules changed in the 1960s which lead to larger numbers of South Asians immigrating to Canada. Many of these new immigrants were educated and politically conscious. All of these new immigrants faced racism but being politically conscious from an independent India and with the ability to speak English they organized themselves to fight for their rights. Binning imagines the items that his uncle and his father may have brought with them in their suitcase when immigrating to Canada. Binning describes three items, including a rajai (a blanket with cotton inside that is sewn together), a bistra (small attaché case or trunk) and a piece of cloth to lie on. Binning further describes the roles in Indian society as caste divisions and that it was usually women’s work in making the rajais. Binning recollects the locations that his father and his family lived after coming to Vancouver. Binning explains that a few years after living together in Vancouver, he and his family moved to Burnaby in 1973 to be closer to his Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish Binning’s family. Dr. Binning and family lived in a house in Burnaby located on Irmin Street near Royal Oak between 1973 and 1987. While living at this house their children attended McPherson Park Junior High School and later Burnaby South Secondary School. Binning reflects on some of the racism that he and his family have faced while living in Burnaby which led him to write a poem that he published in 1994 titled “No More Watno Dur”. Binning explains the meaning of the title “Watan” meaning “country and everybody” “a country far way from the motherland”. Binning explains the origins of the magazine “Watan” that was started by a friend in 1973. The magazine got its roots in Vancouver in 1973 from an organization called the “Punjabi Literary Association”. Binning became the editor of the magazine in 1976 and his friend joined him as assistant editor in 1978. Binning continued to work as editor until 1983 or 1984 when he returned to school to complete his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. Binning describes the origins of the “Vancouver Sath” that was formed by a small group of South Asians around 1982. Binning was a founding member of the organization and held meetings and rehearsals at his house in Burnaby. Vancouver Sath first started out as an informal discussion forum by a group of politically conscious Punjabi writers and activists. Binning talks about issues and problems that Vancouver Sath addressed including; racism as well as domestic violence in the South Asian community. Binning explains how he and Sukhwant Hundal wrote articles on these issues and others that were happening in the South Asian community in Canada. Binning talks about how in 1983, the group was inspired to begin performing theatrical works after consulting with Gursharan Singh who was from a well known theatrical group from Punjab who were performing in Vancouver. In the beginning the Vancouver Sath’s plays were focused on the problems in Punjab but they soon decided to address social issues in their own South Asian community here in Canada. Binning summarizes and draws attention to, some of the plays that Vancouver Sath has written and performed including; “Picket Line”, about Punjabi women farmworkers’ rights; “Lattan de Bhoot”, about domestic abuse; “A Crop of Poison”; “Kihda Viah” (English translation- “Whose Marriage”) about arranged marriage and others about social issues in the South Asian community. The plays were performed in public schools and community centres in Vancouver and Richmond, Simon Fraser University and some were also performed in Toronto, Calgary and Williams Lake. Binning mentions some of the traditional foods that he likes to eat and where he and his family have shopped to find ingredients. He recalls how his mother, Gurmaje Kaur Binning did all of the cooking and was often cooking all day long. In the sixties, the Binning family address on 13th Avenue in Vancouver was also used as a postal address for many friends and family who’d recently immigrated. When these friends dropped by to pick up their mail, his mother often provided them with tea and food. After Binning and his wife, Jagdish moved to their own home in 1973, he shared in some of the shopping and cooking but his wife did the majority of the work due to his busy schedule. The interview closes with Binning providing an explanation of how “Watno Dur” magazine changed it’s name to “Watan” magazine. Binning reflects on how this came to be, when he made the decision to get an education in Canada and to stay here, not just as a “Canadian” but as a “Punjabi Canadian.
History
Interviewee biography: Dr. Sadhu Binning was born on May 10, 1947 to mother Gurmej Kaur and father Jeet Singh Binning. Due to lack of proper records management in India at the time of his birth, it is believed that he was actually born sometime in December of 1947. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister in a village located in Kapurthala, Punjab. Dr. Binning attended secondary school in the nearby city of Phagwara, Punjab although he did not complete his education here. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed reading both Punjabi and Hindi novels and learned how to read Urdu as well. Dr. Binning’s uncle, Dhana Singh immigrated to Canada in 1933 and returned to India in 1953. When Dhana Singh returned to Canada in 1957, he sponsored Dr. Binning’s father, Jeet Singh Binning to immigrate. Dhana Singh co-owned a few saw mills in British Columbia and also worked in the truck driving industry. Dr. Binning remembers that some people who had lived in Canada would visit their village and that they appeared to be strong and healthy and looked happy. He also noticed that they would eat meat, so whenever they would visit there would be meat available. In 1967, when he was nineteen and a half years old, Dr. Binning immigrated Canada to join his father. He recalls his father and uncle and a friend arriving at the airport to pick him up. During his first few days, Dr. Binning made the decision to remove his turban and beard upon receiving advice from his uncle. Dr. Binning first obtained work on a farm in Abbotsford, working alongside his mother. While working, Dr. Binning also attended English classes in Vancouver. Dr. Binning’s Uncle Dhana Singh worked in a Vancouver saw mill and tried to help find work for his nephew but was unsuccessful. Dr. Binning soon found work at a saw mill in Avola and worked there until the end of the summer until a friend helped find him work in a saw mill in North Vancouver. During his free time, he enjoyed camping with friends. In 1970, Dr. Binning left the saw mill after obtaining a job at the post office. The post office offered lower wages than working at the mill but Dr. Binning believed that he would become more educated working here. While working as a postman, Dr. Binning recalls facing a lot of discrimination and racism and was often referred to as a ‘Paki’ multiple times a day. In 1973, Dr. Binning married Jagish Sihota. Sadhu and Jagdish originated from nearby villages in India and met each other in Canada. Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years until her retirement. While working, she also looked after the household and their son and daughter. Jagdish also handwrote a magazine, “Watno Dur’ (English translation: ‘away from homeland’) which was distributed in the community. In 1976, Dr. Binning became the editor of the magazine and the name was later changed to “Watan’ as they had accepted their new homeland of Canada. While working at the post office, Dr. Binning also attended night school starting in eighth grade. After receiving his high school diploma, he was accepted to Simon Fraser University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and in 1986 he obtained a Masters degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending university, Dr. Binning was very active within the community and wanted to work to improve society. He first thought that he would return to India to contribute and improve rights in his homeland but upon seeing the prevalence of the movements in Canada, he realized that work needed to be done here too. In 1983, Dr. Binning became a founding member and contributor to a theatrical collective known as “Vancouver Sath”. The theatrical group produced plays that represented societal issues and were invited to perform at multiple conferences throughout British Columbia and Canada. The group focused and acknowledged the many issues in Punjab and in Canada. One of the plays that the group produced focused on the exploitation of Punjabi women who worked on farms in Canada. Dr. Binning continued to be involved as an integral member of Vancouver Sath until 1995. Over the years, Dr. Binning has strongly lobbied for Punjabi language education and between 1988 and 2008 he worked as Punjabi instructor at the University of British Columbia. He first worked as a teaching assistant at UBC under Dr. Harjot Oberoi and due to low wages, he simultaneously worked at the Post Office. In 2019, Dr. Binning received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UBC in recognition of his work. Since 1973, Dr. Binning has lived in Burnaby and has resided in the same home that he and his wife Jagdish purchased in 1987. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watercolour painting, travelling abroad and going on road trips. Interviewer biography: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Industries - Logging/lumber
Industries - Forestry
Foods
Migration
Organizations - Societies and Clubs
Organizations - Unions
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Performances
Performances - Dramatic Performances
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Names
Binning, Dr. Sadhu
Binning, Gurmaje Kaur
Binning, Jit Singh
Binning, Jagdish
Sangha, Darshan Singh
Canadian Farmworkers Union
Hundal, Sukhwant
Sangra, Harjinder
Singh, Dhana
Vancouver Sath
Responsibility
Petrusa, Kate
Malik, Anushay
Accession Code
BV022.29.3
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022

Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0003_004.mp3
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Interview with Georgia and Alex Chronakis

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20395
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Georgia Chronakis and her son Alex Chronakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher James Binks on November 8, 2023. 00:00:00 - 00:08:39 Georgia and her son share biographical details about Georgia and her husband Louis Chronak…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
Description Level
Item
Material Details
Interviewer: James Binks Interviewees: Alex Chronakis and Georgia Chronakis Location of Interview: Fraser Wilson Room, Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 8, 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 Georgia Chronakis and her son Alex Chronakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher James Binks on November 8, 2023. 00:00:00 - 00:08:39 Georgia and her son share biographical details about Georgia and her husband Louis Chronakis, including their Greek background, migration to Canada, marriage, children, Louis’ career as a mechanic and gas station owner and owning restaurants in White Rock and Burnaby. 00:08:40 - 00:13:59 Georgia and her son Alex recall the great memories of owning and operating their restaurant Mionas Taverna and share details of their family life in Burnaby and White Rock. 00:14:00 - 00:19:15 Alex and Georgia talk about Louis Chronakis' work experience and how he became involved in the restaurant business. They share their experiences of operating Minoas Taverna including their opening in 1986. 00:19:16 - 00:36:59 Alex and Georgia describe some of the foods that were on the menu of Minoas Taverna, the design of the restaurant, the Minoan history that it’s based on, memories of running the restaurant and why they decided to close. 00:37:00 – 00:41:52 Alex talks about his involvement with Greek festivals in Vancouver and Alex and Georgia reflect on their life in the future now that the restaurant has closed.
History
Interviewees biographies: Georgia Giannias Chronakis was born in Selassia, Sparta, Greece in 1941 and when she was sixteen years of age she moved to Athens. In 1964 Georgia immigrated to Canada and lived in Montreal before moving to Vancouver a few years later. In 1966, while living in Vancouver, she met and married Ilias "Louis" Chronakis who was born in Crete, Greece. Soon after marrying, Georgia and Louis Chronakis bought a house located at 3823 Kingsway and welcomed their first child, Anna. Four years later, Georgia and Louis moved to White Rock but continued to own their house on Kingsway and rented it out. While living in White Rock, they had three more children named Virginia, Alex and Ellie. Louis was a trained mechanic working independently and for various companies including CP Air, BC Ferries and Esso before deciding to get into the restaurant business. He partnered with another businessman to open a Mr. Mike's franchise and later a cafe and Greek restaurant in White Rock. In 1986, Georgia, Louis and family moved back to Burnaby and moved into a house on Sandall Street and began converting their former home on Kingsway into a restaurant which they named Minoas Greek Taverna (Minoas Taverna). They opened the restaurant on May 1, 1986, just one day before Expo '86 was opened. In 2023, after 37 years of running their restaurant they sold their business but continued to own the land and building on Kingsway. Alex Chronakis is the son of Georgia and Louis Chronakis and was born in 1972. Alex has spent time working with his family running their restaurant and has been involved in the Greek Day Festival in Vancouver. 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
Foods
Occupations
Occupations - Entrepreneurs
Occupations - Mechanics
Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations
Migration
Persons - Greek Canadians
Names
Chronakis, Alex
Chronakis, Georgia Giannias
Minoas Taverna
Chronakis, Ilias "Louis"
Geographic Access
Kingsway
Smith Avenue
Street Address
3823 Kingsway
Accession Code
BV023.16.21
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Georgia and Alex Chronakis, [1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023

Interview with Georgia and Alex Chronakis, [1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0021_002.mp3
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Interview with Richard Liu

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20283
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced…
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) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Richard Liu Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: September 11, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:33:33 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced out by the communist regime in the early ‘50s and their experiences immigrating to Hong Kong, Europe and Canada. 00:26:40 - 00:32:59 Richard talks about his parents’ experiences living in Toronto, Victoria and Burnaby and shares some of his father’s business accomplishments including establishing the first direct flight to Beijing in 1987 and the first sister city between China and Canada. 00:33:00 – 01:13:59 Richard talks about living in Burnaby and his educational experiences at Thomas More Collegiate. He recalls his experience of travelling to North Korea in 1988 and being a student at Peking University in Beijing during the student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. 01:14:00 – 01:26:16 Richard talks about his education and reflects on how his experiences in Beijing influenced his education and career choices including working in the Prime Minister’s office on trade missions to China and talks about the importance of leaning French. 01:26:17 – 01:48:35 Richard shares his memories and experiences of; being on the Canadian Paralympic Committee during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in China, supporting Rick Hansen during his visit to China for the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour and working with Team Canada in China for the 2022 Olympic Games. 01:48:36 – 01:52:22 Richard talks about his life in Burnaby after moving back from China in 2014 and the changes he’s noticed since being away. Richard talks about his involvement with St. John Ambulance, his role as the Honorary Brigade Division President and his role as Heritage Commissioner for the City of Burnaby. 02:14:32 – 02:29:27 Richard talks about his investiture to the Order of Saint John in 2023 and reflects on the accomplishments of his great uncle Dr. Shin-Shu Liu (China’s first Ambassador to Canada). 02:29:28 – 02:32:59 In closing Richard imparts some words of wisdom for future generations.
History
Interviewee biography: Richard N. Liu was born in 1970 in Toronto and raised in British Columbia. Richard's family has distinguished Canada-China ties for three generations. His Great-Uncle, Dr. Liu Shih-shun, was China's first Ambassador to Canada in 1942 and his father, Dr. Liu Dun-ren, built relations in education, culture and tourism for three decades including establishing the first Twin Sister City between Canada and China with Victoria and Suzhou in 1980. Richard's maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Wu Han-chi (1872-1913) played an active role in uprisings that shaped the future of modern China, was an elected member of the lower house of the first formal parliament in 1913 and was assassinated on political grounds. Dr. Wu's daughter, Dr. Wu Chi-mei served Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was elected as a Guangzhou City Councillor and visited Vancouver in 1929 and 1932. After graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Vancouver, Richard Liu moved to China to begin his studies at Peking University but in 1989, following the Tiananmen Square protest and massacre, he was evacuated from China and returned to Canada. While back in Canada, Liu completed a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia and in 1993, he returned to China to continue his Chinese studies at Peking University and continued to live in China for twenty years. In 2008, Richard worked as Team Canada’s Attaché for the Paralympic Summer Games that took place in Beijing. In 2014, Liu returned to Canada and made his home in Burnaby with his wife and two children. In 2022, Liu returned to Beijing to serve as Mission Staff member for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics. Richard has also played a leading role with the Terry Fox Run, Special Olympics and Rick Hansen's visit to Beijing in 2011. Liu’s areas of expertize include; public relations, diplomacy, major events organization and education. Liu works as an advisor in East Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and is a MA Candidate at Peking University. Richard founded the Canadian Alumni Network that connects over 16,000 alumni in China who’ve attended Canada's post-secondary institutions. Liu has been a commissioner with the City of Burnaby’s Heritage Commission (2018-2023) and sits on various boards advising companies and organizations on a variety of sectors pertaining to Asia. In 2019, Liu was appointed the Honorary Brigade Division President for St. John Ambulance and was among 13 UBC Alumni to be recognized and awarded the 2018-2019 UBC Alumni Builder Award “For his service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. For his long record of service fostering connections with alumni and students in Beijing and Asia as well as dedication to mentoring students in the Faculty of Arts.” On June 24 2023, Richard was formally invested into the Order of St. John, one of five national orders in the Canadian Honours System. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Persons - Chinese Canadians
Migration
Officials
Education
Protests and Demonstrations
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Sports
Travel
Religions - Christianity
Names
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Chak, Dr. Po Tin
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC
Liu, Richard N.
Liu, Dr. Dun-ren
Liu, Dr. Shih-Shun
Gigli, Beniamino
Hansen, Richard Marvin "Rick"
Olympic Games
Paralympic Games
Peking University
St. John Ambulance
St. Thomas More Collegiate
Tiananmen Square
University of British Columbia
Responsibility
Fong, Denise
Accession Code
BV023.16.17
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0017_004.mp3
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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 Shanaz Khan

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20284
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1956-2023] (interview content), interviewed 24 Sep. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (wav) (65 min., 54 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (63 min., 54 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shanaz Khan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum registrar Rajdeep on September 24, 2023. 00:00:00- 00:09:59 Shanaz Khan shares information about herself, her family and life in Fiji before she immigrated to Vancouver in 1972 and her fi…
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) (65 min., 54 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (63 min., 54 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Rajdeep Interviewee: Shanaz Khan Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: September 24, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:05:54 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 Shanaz Khan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum registrar Rajdeep on September 24, 2023. 00:00:00- 00:09:59 Shanaz Khan shares information about herself, her family and life in Fiji before she immigrated to Vancouver in 1972 and her first experiences after immigrating to Vancouver including where her family lived, her work as an accountant for major banks in Vancouver, training and working as a chef and living in Surrey and Vancouver. 00:10:00 - 00:14:59 Shanaz shares experiences in her career as an accountant working in Vancouver and Tumbler Ridge and her experiences of racism that she faced in her workplace. Shanaz talks about her life after retirement and her volunteer work. 00:015:00 - 00:22:53 Shanaz talks about her life in Burnaby for the last 19 years and what she likes about living here. Shanaz recollects locations of stores in Vancouver where her family shopped to find traditional foods and where her family lived after immigrating. Shanaz shares some of her favourite traditional foods. 00:22:54 - 00:37:41 Shanaz recollects some of her childhood experiences growing up in Fiji and her experiences of swimming in Fiji, Hawaii and in Vancouver. Shanaz talks about her fitness regime and places that she likes to exercise in Burnaby including trails and green spaces and reflects on the changes to Burnaby with increased development, the cost of housing and the crime rate. 00:37:42 - 00:52:41 Shanaz talks about the traditional clothing and western clothing that she’s worn and accessed while living in Burnaby and Vancouver. Shanaz describes some traditional Islamic religious practices including the nikah (marriage), funerals, prayers, Eid, Hajj and her own personal practices as well as locations of mosques and cemeteries available to Muslims in the lower mainland. 00:52:42 - 01:05:54 Shanaz talks about her parent’s religious and ancestral background, her religious upbringing and the demographics of Fiji.
History
Interviewee biography: Shanaz Khan was born and raised in Suva, Fiji in the 1950's. In the early 1970's, Shanaz immigrated to Vancouver with her parents and younger brother. Shanaz attended John Oliver High School and took one year of accounting courses at Langara College. Over the years Shanaz worked as an accountant in major banks and for a mining company in Tumbler Ridge. Shanaz also worked as a chef at various restaurants and bakeries after completing training at a Vancouver Culinary School. Shanaz has made her home in Burnaby for the past 19 years. Following her retirement, Shanaz has volunteered for different organizations including the YWCA. Interviewer biography: Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Buildings - Religious - Mosques
Cemeteries
Ceremonies - Funerals
Ceremonies - Weddings
Education
Housing
Migration
Occupations
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Religions - Islam
Religions - Christianity
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Sports - Swimming
Names
Khan, Shanaz
Responsibility
Rajdeep
Accession Code
BV023.16.18
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1956-2023] (interview content), interviewed 24 Sep. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Shanaz Khan, [1956-2023] (interview content), interviewed 24 Sep. 2023

Interview with Shanaz Khan, [1956-2023] (interview content), interviewed 24 Sep. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0018_002.mp3
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Financial Assistance for the Vancouver Art Gallery

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport42420
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
38069
Meeting Date
10-Feb-1958
Format
Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
38069
Meeting Date
10-Feb-1958
Format
Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
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Sculpture Piece from Centennial Art Exhibit on the Municipal Hall Grounds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport41911
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
38537
Meeting Date
6-Oct-1958
Format
Council - Committee Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
38537
Meeting Date
6-Oct-1958
Format
Council - Committee Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Less detail

Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19635
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
2 sound recordings (wav) (87 min.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (86 min., 51 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 26 2023. 00:00-12:02 Interview opens with introductions. Jenny Siormanolakis shares details about her parents Eugene and Europe Siormanola…
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
2 sound recordings (wav) (87 min.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (86 min., 51 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis Location of Interview: Prado Cafe, 4321 Still Creek Dr., Burnaby Interview Date: July 26, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:26:60 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Ambient sound from cafe in background of interview
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 26 2023. 00:00-12:02 Interview opens with introductions. Jenny Siormanolakis shares details about her parents Eugene and Europe Siormanolakis who were both born in Greece and immigrated to Vancouver. Jenny provides details about the history of Romana Pizza restaurant including; the restaurant partners, the various locations, her father’s work ethics of running the restaurant and the staff who worked there. Jenny provides details about her father's life, his ancestral background and family relations which lead him to immigrate to Vancouver. Jenny shares childhood memories of helping out in her parents’ restaurant and later working there. 12:03 – 26:41 Jenny describes various food dishes that have been on the menu of Romana Pizza and Steak House and Romana Pizza, how they've evolved over time, how her father learned to cook traditional Greek food and develop his own recipes and where he sourced his restaurant food supplies. Jenny conveys how they used social media to advertise the restaurant, describes the election pizza poll that Romana Pizza held during the federal and provincial elections and a baby poll that was held at the restaurant to guess the weight of her and her sister’s babies. 26:42 – 31:47 Jenny talks about her marriage and recollects how she got married in a civil ceremony at Romana Pizza. Jenny talks about her family life while her family was running the restaurant, their decision to sell the restaurant and describes the last days of running the restaurant. 31:48 – 46:33 Jenny conveys the background story of her business “Granpa J’s”. Jenny describes how her uncle Jimmy Voulides, created his own seasoning salt product and after he died in 2003, Jenny and her sister Nora purchased the business. Jenny describes how they developed their business, created new products, their struggles and how they became successful. Jenny describes how their products have been developed from family recipes and recalls how the actor Ryan Reynold’s helped their products become even more successful overnight. 46:34 – 55:38 Jenny talks about different community festivals and events that she’s been involved with including; Greek Day on Broadway (Vancouver) and the Hats Off Day event in North Burnaby. Jenny shares the background history of Greek Day in Vancouver and information about other Greek community events. Jenny talks about the importance of bringing the community together and the importance of knowing the history of your ancestors and where they came from. 55:39 - 1:04:35 Jenny talks about her involvement with the Greek community newspaper “Gnome” and provides details about; the former creator and editor Kostas Karatsikis, the newspaper's content, it's importance in the Greek community and the distribution. Jenny describes some of the articles that she’s written for the Gnome newspaper. 1:04:36 - 1:14:12 Jenny describes some pivotal moments that occurred over the years at Romana Pizza including; placing second in the Vancouver Sun newspaper contest for Best Pizza (1986) and having members of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team frequent their restaurant. Jenny conveys how the restaurant benefited from having a website and using social media as a marketing tools. 1:14:13 - 1:22:42 Jenny talks about her involvement with Kolanki Group West, Euro Find foods and her passion for Greek food and other European foods. Jenny describes some traditional Greek recipes, family recipes, talks about marketing Grandpa J's products and reflects on the menu of Romana Pizza. 1:22:43 - 1:26:51 Jenny reflects on the role of the Greek community, how food plays a roll, the future of the Greek community in Vancouver and Burnaby and the importance of engaging the younger generation. In closing Jenny provides a quote from an article that she wrote “Forgive the mistakes of the past, let it go and realize that we are all equals...”.
History
Interviewee biography: Eugenia "Jenny" Siormanolakis is the daughter of Eugene and Europe Siormanolakis. Jenny’s father, Eugene Siormanolakis immigrated to Canada from Greece in the late 1960’s and her mother Europe Siormanolakis immigrated in 1973. In April 1973, her father and five partners opened the restaurant “Romana Pizza and Steak House” (later renamed "Romana Pizza") located at 4660 Hastings Street in the Burnaby Heights neighbourhood. Jenny and her sister Eleanora Iliakis spent much of their childhood in the family owned restaurant and also worked at the restaurant as they become older. Jenny’s parents continued to own and operate the restaurant until 2014 when they decided to retire from the business. In 2004, an opportunity arose for Jenny and her sister Eleanora to buy their recently deceased uncle’s business Grandpa J’s Seasoning Inc. They launched their business of “Grandpa J’s” seasoning first selling to local restaurants and eventually adapted their product line to include other Greek seasoning products which they developed from their own recipes. They expanded their clientele to include retail outlets and in 2020, they got a boost to their sales when actor Ryan Reynolds promoted their seasoing product "Vancity Grind" on Instagram. Since launching their business they have been featured in many culinary and business publications and were nominated in 2022 as finalists for Product of the Year by BC Food and Beverage. Jenny is extremely passionate about food, her Greek heritage and is an advocate for food security for children and seniors and mental health. 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
Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
Businesses
Elections
Foods
Migration
Occupations - Entrepreneurs
Persons - Greek Canadians
Names
Gnome Publications
Iliakis, Eleonara Siormanolakis
Karatsikis, Kostas "George"
Siormanolakis, Eugenia "Jenny"
Nikolaidis, "Eleni"
Nikolaidis, Stelios
Romana Pizza
Siormanolakis, Eugene
Siormanolakis, Europe
Voulides, Demetrios "Jimmy"
Responsibility
Binks, James
Geographic Access
Hastings Street
Street Address
4660 Hastings Street
Accession Code
BV023.16.13
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Historic Neighbourhood
Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Heights Area
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis, [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023

Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis, [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0013_003.mp3
Less detail

Grant for Burnaby Art Society

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport38503
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
34126
Meeting Date
18-Mar-1963
Format
Council - Committee Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
34126
Meeting Date
18-Mar-1963
Format
Council - Committee Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Less detail

Seminar - Banff School of Arts

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport38348
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
34282
Meeting Date
21-May-1963
Format
Council - Manager's Report
Manager's Report No.
28
Item No.
2
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
34282
Meeting Date
21-May-1963
Format
Council - Manager's Report
Manager's Report No.
28
Item No.
2
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Less detail

Remission of Fine - Art's Sewer and Drainage Service Ltd.

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport37576
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
33190
Meeting Date
6-Apr-1964
Format
Council - Manager's Report
Manager's Report No.
23
Item No.
1
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
33190
Meeting Date
6-Apr-1964
Format
Council - Manager's Report
Manager's Report No.
23
Item No.
1
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Less detail

Burnaby Art Society

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport35768
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
31214
Meeting Date
14-Feb-1966
Format
Council - Committee Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
31214
Meeting Date
14-Feb-1966
Format
Council - Committee Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Less detail

Burnaby Art Gallery and Centennial Project

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport34566
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
30614
Meeting Date
19-Jun-1967
Format
Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Report ID
30614
Meeting Date
19-Jun-1967
Format
Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
Collection/Fonds
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Less detail

219 records – page 1 of 11.