More like 'Dad at Deer Lake'

100 records – page 1 of 5.

Big Bend flood

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98087
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
File
Physical Description
3 photographs (tiff) : col.
Scope and Content
File contains photographs of unidentified people after a flood in the Big Bend area. Photographs depict a person standing in a farm field and adjusting a plant at Wing Wong's Nursery, and another person wearing a hard hat and posing with a construction vehicle.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
3 photographs (tiff) : col.
Description Level
File
Record No.
535-3167
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
File contains photographs of unidentified people after a flood in the Big Bend area. Photographs depict a person standing in a farm field and adjusting a plant at Wing Wong's Nursery, and another person wearing a hard hat and posing with a construction vehicle.
Subjects
Agriculture - Farms
Buildings - Agricultural - Nurseries
Construction Tools and Equipment
Natural Phenomena - Floods
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on original file name
Collected by editorial for use in a May 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Geographic Access
Marine Drive
Street Address
4892 Marine Drive
Historic Neighbourhood
Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Big Bend Area
Images
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Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19349
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant…
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
1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Honourable Raj Chouhan Location of Interview: Residence of Honourable Raj Chouhan Interview Date: December 2, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (00:49:21) Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant and the organizations that he became involved with. Honourable Raj Chouhan recalls how he arrived in Burnaby with his family in 1973 and that his family worked in farming. Chouhan imparts his first hand experiences as a new immigrant working as a labourer in the farming industry and describes the unsafe and unfair working conditions that he and migrant workers faced. Chouhan conveys how this experience lead him to become an activist for better working conditions for migrant workers. This lead Chouhan and others to form the Canadian Farm Workers Union in 1980. Chouhan recollects his experiences flying from India to Canada with his wife, his first impressions after arriving in Vancouver and driving to Burnaby and what he brought with him. Chouhan explains his connections to Burnaby. Members of Chouhan's wife's family immgrated to Canada in 1957 and his wife and her three brothers joined them in 1970. Chouhan's father in law, Hardial Singh Grewal immigrated in 1957 and became president of the Sikh temple in New Westminster. Hardial Singh Grewal worked in a lumber mill in Vancouver and eventually bought a house in Burnaby. Chouhan married to his wife at the Sikh temple in New Westminster and lived in Burnaby for a period before moving to New Westminster where they could find more affordable housing. Chouhan shares that he first worked as a farm labourer in Abbotsford and then found a job in the sawmill which paid more. Chouhan describes the extreme racism and discrimination that he and other immigrants faced which lead to the formation of the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma. Chouhan describes this organization that he was a part of and the Canadian Farm Workers Union that were both formed in Burnaby. Chouhan shares that he moved to Victoria in 1988 to serve on the Hospital Employee's Union and moved back to the mainland in 1993 and returned to Burnaby in 2001. Chouhan reflects on the history of South Asian immigration in Canada, how many of the migrants settled in the lower mainland including Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver establishing temples in Vancouver and New Westminster which became the centre for the South Asian community. He conveys how earlier occupations were limited to farming and millwork and how over time employment opportunities and education have broadened but there is still work to do. He imparts how second generation Canadians’ experiences differ from first generations providing examples of his own daughters’ and the occupations that they are working in. Chouhan provides his insights into the South Asian Canadian experience imparting “We make history every day and that history needs to be recorded and learned from.."... “People from different communities, different backgrounds who lived in Burnaby have contributed so much and South Asians are just like another community and participated in all aspects of social life, cultural, religious, economy. I'm so proud of our community, our forefathers who had that vision to fight for our rights. I'm inspired by people who struggled so much to gain basic rights, like the right to vote". Chouhan refers to these first immigrants as “Gadri Babbas” “revolutionary old people” who were also the main motivation that lead to India becoming a free country in 1947 and for fighting for basic rights here in Canada and how they made their contributions for future generations. Chouhan expresses what he imparts to students “Do not forget your past... if you remember your past then you are much more knowledgeable. Then we know what we need for the future. If we don't know the past, we don't know what the future is going to be like. To make a better future, you have to learn from the past and improve".
History
Interviewee biography: Honourable Raj Chouhan was born in the city of Ludhiana in the Province of Punjab in India and immigrated to Canada in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Raj's family settled in Burnaby. Raj grew up in Burnaby and attended schoool. Honourable Raj Chouhan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2020. Honourable Chouhan is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism and has served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union, the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. Honourable Chouhan has also served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003 and has taught courses in Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and Collective Bargaining since 1987. Interviewer biography: 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.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Occupations - Agricultural Labourers
Migration
Organizations - Unions
Rights
Rights - Human Rights
Agriculture
Agriculture - Farms
Government - Provincial Government
Government
Names
Chouhan, Raj
British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism
Sharma, Dr. Hari Prakash
Grewal, Hardial Singh
Canadian Farmworkers Union
Hospital Employees Union
Khalsa Diwan Society
Responsibility
Petrusa, Kate
Accession Code
BV022.29.4
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0004_002.mp3
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Interview with Reidun Seim by Kathy Bossort January 13, 2016 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory652
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1934-1990
Length
0:15:30
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s chicken farm. She describes the farm buildings, other animals on the farm, and how her father operated the chicken farm, especially his approach to keeping the chickens disease free. She also talks about cutting down the …
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s chicken farm. She describes the farm buildings, other animals on the farm, and how her father operated the chicken farm, especially his approach to keeping the chickens disease free. She also talks about cutting down the alder at the back of the property for the chicken run, and building rock walls and a driveway with rocks taken off the property. She also describes how the property was subdivided in the 1980s.
Date Range
1934-1990
Length
0:15:30
Subjects
Occupations - Farmers
Animals - Poultry
Geographic Access
Curtis Street
Historic Neighbourhood
Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Lochdale Area
Interviewer
Bossort, Kathy
Interview Date
January 13, 2016
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Reidun Seim conducted by Kathy Bossort. Reidun Seim was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Reidun Seim’s memories about her parent’s farm on Curtis Street, events in her childhood, and the people who lived in or visited her neighborhood. She takes us on a tour of her neighborhood in the 1940s, telling us stories about families who lived on Curtis Street on and east of 7300 block, including people who lived on Burnaby Mountain in the old Hastings Grove subdivision above the end of municipal water service at Philips Avenue. She describes changes to Curtis Street, particularly after it provided access to Simon Fraser University in 1965. She also talks about her teaching career, and about how she values the green space and conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
Biographical Notes
Reidun Seim was born in 1931 in Vancouver B.C. to Sjur and Martine Seim. Sjur and Martine Seim emigrated to Canada from Norway in 1930, and after settling in Vancouver, moved to an acre of land and a new home at the base of Burnaby Mountain in 1932. Sjur attended UBC to learn about poultry farming and began his own chicken and egg business in 1935. The farm animals and large garden also contributed to the family’s livelihood and self-sufficiency. The Curtis Street neighborhood was a lively place and extended well up Curtis Street on the west slope of Burnaby Mountain, where Reidun would babysit for families. Reidun attended Sperling Avenue Elementary School (Gr. 1-8), Burnaby North High School, and Vancouver Normal School for teacher training in 1950-1951. She began teaching primary grades in Port Coquitlam at James Park School. Most of her career was spent in North Delta, teaching at Kennedy and Annieville schools from 1954-1958, appointed Primary Consultant (1958-1960) and Primary Supervisor (1960-1985), before retiring in 1986. Reidun lived at home with her parents on Curtis Street, commuting to Delta, and continues to live in the original farmhouse.
Total Tracks
14
Total Length
2:35:58
Interviewee Name
Seim, Reidun
Interview Location
Burnaby City Hall in the Law Library
Interviewer Bio
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series
Media Type
Sound Recording
Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with Reidun Seim

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Corn seller

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98220
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : col.
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified person holding up three ears of shucked corn toward the camera. The person is standing on the side of a road, and a bin of corn under a tarp is visible in the background.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : col.
Description Level
Item
Record No.
535-3298
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified person holding up three ears of shucked corn toward the camera. The person is standing on the side of a road, and a bin of corn under a tarp is visible in the background.
Subjects
Agriculture - Crops
Agriculture
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Collected by editorial for use in an August 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Images
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Heritage Seed Program : 1991 seed listing

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6698
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Publication Date
1991
Call Number
635 HER 1991
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Reference Collection
Material Type
Textual Record
Call Number
635 HER 1991
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Place of Publication
Uxbridge, Ont.
Publisher
Heritage Seed Program
Publication Date
1991
Physical Description
34 p. ; 28 cm.
Library Subject (LOC)
Seeds
Periodicals
Subjects
Agriculture
Agriculture - Crops
Notes
Includes index (back cover).
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Heritage Seed Program : 1992-1993 seed listing

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6699
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Publication Date
1991
Call Number
635 HER 1992-1993
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Reference Collection
Material Type
Textual Record
Call Number
635 HER 1992-1993
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Place of Publication
Uxbridge, Ont.
Publisher
Heritage Seed Program
Publication Date
1991
Physical Description
41 p [2]. ; 28 cm.
Library Subject (LOC)
Seeds
Periodicals
Subjects
Agriculture
Agriculture - Crops
Notes
Includes index.
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Heritage Seed Program : preserving and enjoying our horticultural heritage, April 1992, vol. 5, no. 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6697
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Publication Date
1992
Call Number
635 HER v. 5 no. 1
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Reference Collection
Material Type
Textual Record
ISBN
0848-0753
Call Number
635 HER v. 5 no. 1
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Place of Publication
Uxbridge, Ont.
Publisher
Heritage Seed Program
Publication Date
1992
Physical Description
v. : ill ; 28 cm.
Library Subject (LOC)
Seeds
Periodicals
Subjects
Agriculture
Agriculture - Crops
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Heritage Seed Program : preserving and enjoying our horticultural heritage, December 1992, vol. 5, no. 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6695
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Publication Date
1992
Call Number
635 HER v. 5 no. 3
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Reference Collection
Material Type
Textual Record
ISBN
0848-0753
Call Number
635 HER v. 5 no. 3
Author
Canadian Organic Growers
Place of Publication
Uxbridge, Ont.
Publisher
Heritage Seed Program
Publication Date
1992
Physical Description
v. : ill ; 28 cm.
Library Subject (LOC)
Seeds
Periodicals
Subjects
Agriculture
Agriculture - Crops
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Jimmy Chow on set of "Legends of the Fall"

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19204
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1993]
Collection/Fonds
Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 15 x 10 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Jimmy Chow on the set during the filming of "Legends of the Fall" on location in Alberta. Jimmy worked as property master on this film. Jimmy is standing on a hill in front of a string of horses ridden by Indigenous actors (portraying Native Americans in Montana) holding bows and arr…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds
Series
Property master photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 15 x 10 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Jimmy Chow on the set during the filming of "Legends of the Fall" on location in Alberta. Jimmy worked as property master on this film. Jimmy is standing on a hill in front of a string of horses ridden by Indigenous actors (portraying Native Americans in Montana) holding bows and arrows and dressed in stereotypical native costumes. The film was directed by Edward Zwick and was released in 1994.
Subjects
Industries - Film
Indigenous peoples - North America
Animals - Horses
Occupations - Actors
Persons - Chinese Canadians
Names
Chow, Hipman "Jimmy"
Accession Code
BV022.21.48
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1993]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-03-06
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Hipman "Jimmy" Chow also used the name "James H. Chow" as a propety master in the film industry and was often credited by this name
Images
Less detail

Jimmy Chow on set of "Legends of the Fall"

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19247
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1993]
Collection/Fonds
Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Jimmy Chow on the set during the filming of "Legends of the Fall" on location in Alberta. Jimmy worked as property master on this film. Jimmy is standing on a hill with a string of horses ridden by Indigenous actors (portraying Native Americans in Montana) lined up on a ridge behind …
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds
Series
Property master photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Jimmy Chow on the set during the filming of "Legends of the Fall" on location in Alberta. Jimmy worked as property master on this film. Jimmy is standing on a hill with a string of horses ridden by Indigenous actors (portraying Native Americans in Montana) lined up on a ridge behind him. The film was directed by Edward Zwick and was released in 1994.
Subjects
Industries - Film
Indigenous peoples - North America
Animals - Horses
Occupations - Actors
Persons - Chinese Canadians
Names
Chow, Hipman "Jimmy"
Accession Code
BV022.21.92
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1993]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-03-07
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Hipman "Jimmy" Chow also used the name "James H. Chow" as a propety master in the film industry and was often credited by this name
Images
Less detail

Horse drawn wagon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription12942
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[199_]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a yellow wagon being driven by a man with a cowboy hat and pulled by two Belgian horses as visitors look on. They are heading down Hill Street inside Burnaby Village Museum. Children are getting rides in the wagon. A sign on the side of the wagon reads "Hillside Farms / Belgians / Map…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 15 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a yellow wagon being driven by a man with a cowboy hat and pulled by two Belgian horses as visitors look on. They are heading down Hill Street inside Burnaby Village Museum. Children are getting rides in the wagon. A sign on the side of the wagon reads "Hillside Farms / Belgians / Maple Ridge B.C...." The Village Trading Company and General Supply Store are visible on the right.
Subjects
Animals - Horses
Transportation - Carriages
Transportation - Horses
Transportation - Wagons
Names
Burnaby Village Museum
Accession Code
BV020.5.619
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[199_]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
9-Apr-20
Scale
100
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Horse and Dog

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription81115
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
July 22, 1998
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 22 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a dog chasing a horse at an equestrian centre.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
July 22, 1998
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 22 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
535-1263
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No reproduction permitted
Accession Number
2012-11
Scope and Content
Photograph of a dog chasing a horse at an equestrian centre.
Subjects
Animals - Dogs
Animals - Horses
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Morstad, John
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "Burn / 1547 / Morstad / 102% Bby. 2"
Trim marks and/or reproduction instructions on recto (scan is cropped)
Images
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Disco ball maker

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98179
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : col.
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified person in a studio, using a caulk gun to make a disco ball.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : col.
Description Level
Item
Record No.
535-3257
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified person in a studio, using a caulk gun to make a disco ball.
Subjects
Occupations - Artists
Construction Tools and Equipment
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Collected by editorial for use in a July 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Images
Less detail

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19347
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share the…
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
1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Interviewees: Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill Location of Interview: Gill family residence on Warwick Avenue in Burnaby Interview Date: November 11, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:58:39) Digital master recording (m4a) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share their ancestral background, their personal experiences immigrating to Canada, living in Burnaby and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants. 00:00 – 27:34 Santokh “Gurmail” Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill share their migration stories and experiences living and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants and their eldest child, Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences as a child of South Asian immigrants and growing up in British Columbia as a South Asian Canadian. Gurmail Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar and Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in Hoshiapur of the Indian state of Punjab. Gurmail describes how he moved from India to England with his family in 1957, immigrated to Canada from England in 1966, married his wife Mohinder in England in 1968 and brought his family (parents and two siblings) to Canada from England in 1970 and other relatives including his wife’s family in the 1970s and 1980s. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill recollect their arranged marriage in England in 1968, their immigration process and explain how they arrived in Burnaby residing with a cousin at 4649 Georgia Street until they were able to purchase their own home after a few years. Gurmail shares names and connections to the relatives that came to British Columbia before him. Gurmail and Mohinder tell how they lived in the basement of the house and rented out the upper floor to save money. The couple recall what they brought with them when they immigrated to Canada and Mohinder Kaur Gill tells of how before leaving India, she and her mother made a special rajai for her to take with her. Mohinder describes the process of making a rajai (a quilted blanket that was made by hand). Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about the challenges that they’ve experienced as new immigrants including not being fluent in English, the cold weather and not having very many family or friends nearby to provide support. They attended the Gurdwara on Ross Street or Akali Singh Sikh Society Gurdwara on Skeena in Vancouver. They explain how there was limited access to grocery stores that supplied Punjabi and Indian spices and other cooking supplies. They talk about how they used a food mill and mortar and pestle to grind their own spices and flour and how Mohinder often made traditional sweets like barfi and laddo and pakoras using pea flour when they couldn’t get Besan flour. 27:35 – 36:11 Gurmail provides more details on his family’s immigration story, including names of relatives, how his six siblings and parents all immigrated to British Columbia in 1970 and how in the early 1970s and mid 1980’s Gurmail and his family sponsored approximately 70 friends and relations from India (including Mohinder’s family) to immigrate to Canada. When Mohinder’s family arrived they lived with them in their house until they were able to purchase property next door and build their own home. Children in the families all attended elementary and high school in Burnaby which now amounts to three generations. 36:12 – 59:28 Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about their experiences of racial discrimination. Gurmail recalls members of the South Asian community, Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma, Harinder Mahil and Charan Gill starting the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism. Gurmail tells of how he got involved contributing some of his union dues as a member of CAIMAW (Canadian Association of Industrial Mechanical and Allied Workers Union- Local 15) and as a friend of Charan Gill and Raj Chouhan of the Canadian Farm Workers Union. Gurmail Gill explains how he was a founding member of CAIMAW and treasurer until the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (in 1991). Mohinder and Gurmail tell of how people from the South Asian community were discouraged from wearing Punjabi dresses or head coverings for fear of being yelled at with racial slurs and how it was often scary to go outside. Many from their community often avoided attending the Akali Singh Gurdwara since a head covering was required and people were afraid of being a target. Gurmail provides details about his work with A1 Steel, how different unions were formed pertaining to various skillsets and jobs per company and how he became a member of CAIMAW Local 15 (foundry workers). Mohinder recollects her experiences as a mother, the daily tasks involved and friends that she made who’d also emigrated from Punjab. Mohinder describes how she designed and sewed many Punjabi dresses using her electric sewing machine and how she learned English by attending adult classes at a church on Commercial Drive. Mohinder and her mother attended the classes for two hours per day for six years at a cost of twelve dollars for ten weeks. Once Mohinder could speak a little English, she started working and was able to practice more. 59:29 – 1:06:08 Mohinder, Gurmail and Prem talk about some of their favourite traditional foods including corn roti and spinach curry and how they grow many of their own vegetables including peppers, eggplant, saag (spinach), onions, garlic, cilantro, zucchini, squash and fenugreek. Mohinder reflects on how access to Punjabi clothing and fabric stores in Vancouver has changed and that ready made food is now more available. Traditional foods were previously made from scratch with women gathering together and cooking for hours and now it’s gotten easier but more expensive and less of a community feel. 1:06:09- 1:55:20 Mohinder and Gurmail Gill discuss and share their perspectives and experiences on raising a family in the past versus today. Gurmail imparts that all of his siblings became educated and secured professional careers while he continued to work in the trades. Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences growing up and attending school in Burnaby. Gurmail and Mohinder Gill recall the type of suitcase that they brought with them when they immigrated and how they recently they got rid of it. Gurmail and the group reflect and discuss the confusion with racial identity terms that have been used in this country. They comment that South Asians were referred to as “Hindu” and “East Indian” and Indigenous peoples were referred to as “Indian” and the controversy and racism behind some of these terms. The group discusses the impact of the caste system and other discriminatory experiences and compare their experiences of living in England to living in Canada. Prem comments on how it’s just recently that South Asian customs, celebrations and practices have been recognized and celebrated here in Canada, like Diwali and yoga. They comment on how much of the language, culture and customs have been retained in Surrey where many can still communicate in Punjabi and don’t need to be fluent in English. The group discusses how many South Asians immigrants first lived and worked in Vancouver but with rising property prices many moved to Surrey expanding and establishing a much larger South Asian community with resources. The group discusses and compares the differing travel routes that many of them and their relatives took when immigrating and travelling between India and Canada. The group talks about Rajdeep’s ancestral village in India which is near the Gill village of Firozpur. Gurmail explains the origins and details behind his family name that was changed from “Shergill” to “Gill” and the name “Santokh” from his maternal side.
History
Interviewees' biographies: Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar in Punjab, India. Gurmail moved to England with his family in 1957 and immigrated to British Columbia in 1966. Gurmail married his wife, Mohinder Kaur Gill in England in 1968 and she immigrated to British Columbia from England soon after. Gurmail first lived with a cousin in Burnaby before purchasing a home of his own in Burnaby where he raised his family. Gurmail worked in the steel industry and was a member and treasurer of the CAIMAW before the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union. Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in the Hoshiapur in Punjab, India. She married her husband Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill in England in 1968 and immigrated to Burnaby, British Columbia to join her husband. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill have four children, all born in Burnaby. Prem Kaur Gill was born in Burnaby in 1969 and is the eldest child of Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill. Prem grew up and attended school in Burnaby. Interviewers' biographies: 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”. 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
Clothing
Foods
Indigenous peoples
Buildings - Religious - Temples
Food Processing Tools and Equipment
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Migration
Occupations
Organizations - Unions
Names
Gill, Prem Kaur
Gill, Mohinder Kaur
Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh
Responsibility
Rajdeep
Malik, Anushay
Accession Code
BV022.29.2
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcript available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum
Indian Family System Reference notes: Baba = informal way to say grandfather; old man Bibi = informal way to say grandmother; old woman Dada= paternal grandfather Dadi= paternal grandmother Dadke= paternal family members; paternal side (Various spellings might exist for the following terms) Thaiyya= father’s elder brother (uncle) Thaiyyi= father’s elder brother’s wife (aunt) Chacha= father’s younger brother (uncle) Chachi= father’s younger brother’s wife (aunt) Bua= father’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Phuphar= father’s sister’s husband (uncle) Nana= maternal grandfather Nani= maternal grandmother Nanke/nanka= maternal family members; maternal side Mama= mom’s brother (older or younger) (uncle) Mami= mom’s brother’s wife (aunt) Maasi= mom’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Maasard= mom’s sister’s husband (uncle)
Audio Tracks

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0002_002.mp3
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Ken Shymka at Still Creek

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98252
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
File
Physical Description
2 photographs (tiff) : col.
Scope and Content
File contains photographs of photographer Ken Shymka posing with his camera at Still Creek.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
2 photographs (tiff) : col.
Description Level
File
Record No.
535-3319
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
File contains photographs of photographer Ken Shymka posing with his camera at Still Creek.
Subjects
Occupations - Photographers
Geographic Features - Creeks
Geographic Features - Streams
Photographic Tools and Equipment - Camera
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of file
Collected by editorial for use in a September 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Geographic Access
Still Creek
Images
Less detail

Land surveyor on a road

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98246
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : b&w
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified land surveyor standing behind a land surveying total station at the curve of a road.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : b&w
Description Level
Item
Record No.
535-3313
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified land surveyor standing behind a land surveying total station at the curve of a road.
Subjects
Occupations - Land Surveyors
Photographic Tools and Equipment
Geographic Features - Roads
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Collected by editorial for use in a September 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Images
Less detail

Tom Collings

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription78856
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
February 14, 1996
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 21 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Tom Collings, a lab engineer at Simon Fraser University (SFU) holding his 'V-chip' invention that allows images and language to be programmed out of television shows.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
February 14, 1996
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 21 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
535-0168
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No reproduction permitted
Accession Number
2012-11
Scope and Content
Photograph of Tom Collings, a lab engineer at Simon Fraser University (SFU) holding his 'V-chip' invention that allows images and language to be programmed out of television shows.
Subjects
Occupations - Engineers
Telecommunication Tools and Equipment - Televisions
Names
Collings, Tom
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Note in blue ink on verso of photograph reads: "Tim Collings / SFU"
Images
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Watch repairer

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98210
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
File
Physical Description
2 photographs (tiff) : col.
Scope and Content
File contains photographs of an unidentified watch repairer inspecting some clock gears and the repairer's tools.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
2 photographs (tiff) : col.
Description Level
File
Record No.
535-3288
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
File contains photographs of an unidentified watch repairer inspecting some clock gears and the repairer's tools.
Subjects
Occupations
Timekeeping Tools and Equipment
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of file
Collected by editorial for use in an August 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Images
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Worker with sandbags

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98116
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : col.
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified worker, wearing a reflective vest and a hardhat, preparing a sandbag and surrounded by a lot of large sandbags.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1999]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : col.
Description Level
Item
Record No.
535-3195
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified worker, wearing a reflective vest and a hardhat, preparing a sandbag and surrounded by a lot of large sandbags.
Subjects
Occupations - Civic Workers
Construction Tools and Equipment
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Collected by editorial for use in a May 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Images
Less detail

Ainsley Lubbock feeding horses

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37241
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
January 1992
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 11 x 9 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Ainsley Lubbock smiling as he feeds Pawnee a carrot, while Daisy looks over with interest, at a stable located at Marine Drive and 240th Street in Langley.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
January 1992
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Lubbock family subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. ; 11 x 9 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
342-015
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
BHS1994-02
Scope and Content
Photograph of Ainsley Lubbock smiling as he feeds Pawnee a carrot, while Daisy looks over with interest, at a stable located at Marine Drive and 240th Street in Langley.
Subjects
Animals - Horses
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

100 records – page 1 of 5.