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A Taste of History Video series - 2020 subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription14272

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 2020

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: 6 video recordings (mp4)

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of a two part video series "A Taste of History". Part one is titled "A Taste of History - Scraps and Dragons" and part two is titled " A Taste of History - A Pig's Tale". The films were created by Debbie Liang and Joty Gill, University of British Columbia alumni and graduates fro…

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: UBC Partnership series

Subseries: A Taste of History Video series - 2020 subseries

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: 6 video recordings (mp4)

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of a two part video series "A Taste of History". Part one is titled "A Taste of History - Scraps and Dragons" and part two is titled " A Taste of History - A Pig's Tale". The films were created by Debbie Liang and Joty Gill, University of British Columbia alumni and graduates from the Asian Canadian & Asian Migration Studies program (ACAM). "Scraps and Dragons" provides information on the origins of the Chinese-Canadian culinary dish "chop suey" and tells the story of Chinese Canadian Chop Suey restaurants, highlighting the history of the "Dragon Inn" chop suey restaurant owned by Larry Lee. "A Pig's Tale" shares informaton on the history of Chinese pig farms also known as "Piggeries" in Burnaby, highlighting the experiences of Chinese Pig farmers along Douglas Road. Films include versions with English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese subtitles.

History: In 2020, due to the restrictions of COVID-19, UBC interns were asked to create virtual experiences to reimagine Burnaby Village Museum's historical Chinese Canadian programming in remote online spaces. Debbie Liang and Joty Gill (UBC alumni and graduates of Dr. Henry Yu's 2019 summer ACAM 390A Global Seminar to Asia) returned to work with Burnaby Village Museum to create two short films showcasing the history of Chinese Canadian Chop Suey restaurants and piggeries in Burnaby

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Social Issues - Racism; Social Issues - Discrimination; Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants; Agriculture - Farms; Agriculture - Ranches; Animals - Pigs; Regulations

Names: Liang, Debbie; Gill, Joty; Burnaby Village Museum; University of British Columbia

Accession Code: BV020.28

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: 2020

Media Type: Moving Images

Notes: Title based on contents of subseries

The Fecundity of Food and Family: A Natural Niche for Chinese Canadians in Burnaby

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription14760

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 20 Oct. 2020

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (62 min., 01 sec.) : digital, col., sd., stereo ; 29 fps

Scope and Content: Item consists of a video recording of a live Zoom webinar hosted by Burnaby Village Museum's Kate Petrusa. The webinar is titled "The Fecundity of Food and Family: A Natural Niche for Chinese Canadians in Burnaby" and is presented by UBC students, Debbie Liang; Joty Gill; Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong.…

1 image 1 video

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Burnaby Neighbourhood Speaker Series series

Subseries: Neighbourhood Speaker Series - Fall 2020 subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (62 min., 01 sec.) : digital, col., sd., stereo ; 29 fps

Material Details: Presenters: Debbie Liang; Joty Gill; Rose Wu; Wei Yan Yeong; Host: Kate Petrusa; Date of Presentation: October 20 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm; Total Number of tracks: 1; Total Length of all tracks:62 min., 01 sec.; Recording Device: Zoom video communication platform

Scope and Content: Item consists of a video recording of a live Zoom webinar hosted by Burnaby Village Museum's Kate Petrusa. The webinar is titled "The Fecundity of Food and Family: A Natural Niche for Chinese Canadians in Burnaby" and is presented by UBC students, Debbie Liang; Joty Gill; Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong. The zoom webinar is the fifth in a collection of seven "Burnaby Neighbourhood Speaker series" webinars that were presented and made available to the public between September 29 and October 27, 2020. The live webinar and recording was also made available on the Burnaby Village Museum's facebook page. In this webinar, the four UBC students, present their research on Chinese Canadian involvement in food and farming in early Burnaby. The students were participants in a joint partnership between Burnaby Village Museum and the UBC iniative for student teaching and research in Chinese Canadian Studies (INSTRCC), the UBC Asian Canadian & Asian Migration Studies program (ACAM), the UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL), the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC Go Global and UBC St. John's College (SJC). In 2020, due to the restrictions of COVID-19, the interns were asked to create virtual experiences to reimagine Burnaby Village Museum's historical Chinese Canadian programming in remote online spaces. Debbie Liang and Joty Gill (UBC alumni and graduates of Dr. Henry Yu's 2019 summer ACAM 390A Global Seminar to Asia) returned to work with Burnaby Village Museum to create two short films showcasing the history of Chinese Canadian Chop Suey restaurants and Piggeries in Burnaby. Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong (students in the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems) created a three episode podcast series "Back to the Roots" which delved into the topics of family-operated farming businesses, Chinese contributions to early local and alternative food systems, and Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbalism. The webinar begins with Joty Gill and Debbie Liang talking about their project, “A Taste of History Film Series”. They describe their research and challenges in the development of their two films “Scraps and Dragons” and “A Pig's Tale”. Debbie and Joty support their presentation with slides including excerpts from their films. Rose Wu and Wei Yan Yeong talk about their project which consisted of a three episode podcast series titled "Back to the Roots" which delved into the topics of family-operated farming businesses, Chinese contributions to early local and alternative food systems, and Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbalism. They describe their research, challenges and highlights which resulted in the three podcasts “A Family Farm”; “Where is your food from?” and “Chinese Herbalist Shops and TCM”. Rose and Wei Yan support their presentation with slides including excerpts from their podcasts. At the close of their presentation the students reflect on the importance of sharing personal aspects of Chinese Canadian History and answer questions from webinar participants.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Agriculture - Farms; Agriculture; Gardens - Market Gardens; Social Issues - Discrimination; Social Issues - Racism; Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants

Names: Wu, Rose; Yeong, Wei Yan; Fong, Denise; University of British Columbia; Burnaby Village Museum

Responsibility: Petrusa, Kate

Accession Code: BV020.29.5

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: 20 Oct. 2020

Media Type: Moving Images

Notes: Title based on contents of video recording; Video recording was edited for publication on Heritage Burnaby. Original mp4 video recording (BV020.29.5.1) is 72 min., 25 sec.

Images

Video

The Fecundity of Food and Family: A Natural Niche for Chinese Canadians in Burnaby, 20 Oct. 2020

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Moving_Images/2020_0029_0005_002.mp4

Eating your way through Burnaby: A look at Chinese Canadian history through food

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription14762

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 27 Oct. 2020

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (61 min., 56 sec.) : digital, col., sd., stereo ; 29 fps

Scope and Content: Item consists of a video recording of a live Zoom webinar hosted by Kate Petrusa, Burnaby Village Museum assistant curator. The webinar is titled "Eating your way through Burnaby: A look at Chinese Canadian history through food" and is presented by Denise Fong, Planning Assistant for the City of Bu…

1 image 1 video

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Burnaby Neighbourhood Speaker Series series

Subseries: Neighbourhood Speaker Series - Fall 2020 subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (61 min., 56 sec.) : digital, col., sd., stereo ; 29 fps

Material Details: Presenter: Denise Fong; Host: Kate Petrusa; Date of Presentation: October 27 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm; Total Number of tracks: 1; Total Length of all tracks:61 min., 56 sec.; Recording Device: Zoom video communication platform

Scope and Content: Item consists of a video recording of a live Zoom webinar hosted by Kate Petrusa, Burnaby Village Museum assistant curator. The webinar is titled "Eating your way through Burnaby: A look at Chinese Canadian history through food" and is presented by Denise Fong, Planning Assistant for the City of Burnaby. The zoom webinar is the seventh in a collection of seven "Burnaby Neighbourhood Speaker series" webinars that were presented and made available to the public between September 29 and October 27, 2020. The live webinar and recording was also made available on the Burnaby Village Museum's facebook page. In this webinar, Denise Fong talks about how Chinese Canadians have played a key role in supplying food to Burnaby’s community through their participation in the local market gardening, green grocer, and restaurant industries. The presentation is supported with historical maps, photographs, documents, census records and stories from recent research on the 1960s-1970s period in Burnaby’s Big Bend and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. In her presentation, Denise also talks about the history of Chinese Immigration in Canada including the political circumstances and legal barriers that Chinese migrants faced in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Denise highlights specific Chinese Canadian family farms in Burnaby including; the Jung family farm located on 5460 Douglas Road operated by Jung Chong and his wife Jung Gee Shee; "Hop On Farms" located on Marine Drive, operated by Chan Kow Hong, Sui Ha Hong and family; the Tong Yip Farm located on Byrne Road operated by D.T. "George" Yip and his wife, Yip Chow Won Tai. Denise also highlights her recent research regarding Chinese Canadian corner stores and green grocers in Burnaby including; The Lee Kee grocery store located at 3824 East Hastings Street, owned and operated by Yow Lee Ko and his wife Say Jan Chan; the Burnaby Market located at 3942 East Hastings Street, owned and operated by Chin Yin Wong; the Quon Bros. located at 3702 East Hastings Street.; Y. Hoy Produce Co. located at 4092 East Hastings Street operated by Hoy Yen; Louie's Food Basket located at 5886 South East Marine Drive operated by Hoy Bew Louie, his wife Poy Yee and later by thier son Bing Louie and Tommy's Market located in Burnaby's Edmonds neighbourhood, operated by Tommy Chu. Denise also provides a detailed history of Tommy Chu and family who owned and operated Tommy's Market. Denise tells of how in the early 1970s, Chinese grocers in the lower mainland came together and formed the Lower Mainland Independent Grocers Association and Lower Mainland Grocers Co-Op. The organization was formed to protect the rights and promote businesses of independent grocers. In closing, Denise explains how her research of Chinese Canadian history in Burnaby continues and by the end of the project, the information will be made accessible in the form of a publication.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Social Issues - Discrimination; Agriculture - Farms; Social Issues - Racism; Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Names: Fong, Denise; Jung, Chung Chong; Tommy's Produce; Lee Kee Grocery; Louie's Food Basket; Louie, Hoy Bew; Jung, Gee Shee; Hong, Chan Kow; Hong, Sui Ha; Yip, D.T. "George"; Yip, Chow Won Tai; Ko, Yow Lee; Ko, Chan Say Jan; Burnaby Market; Wong, Chin Yin; Quon Bros.; Y. Hoy Produce Co.; Yen, Hoy; Louie, Poy Yee; Louie, Bing; Chu, Tommy; Chu, Sharon; Chu, Calvin

Responsibility: Petrusa, Kate

Geographic Access: Hastings Street

Street Address: 3942 Hastings Street; 3824 Hastings Street; 3702 Hastings Street; 4092 Hastings Street

Accession Code: BV020.29.7

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: 27 Oct. 2020

Media Type: Moving Images

Historic Neighbourhood: Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood); Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Big Bend Area; Burnaby Heights Area

Notes: Title based on contents of video recording; Video recording was edited for publication on Heritage Burnaby. Original mp4 video recording (BV020.29.7.1) is 72 min., 14 sec.

Images

Video

Eating your way through Burnaby: A look at Chinese Canadian history through food, 27 Oct. 2020

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Moving_Images/2020_0029_0007_002.mp4

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.

1 image

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

Oakalla Barn

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38298

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1985

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the barn and silo at Oakalla Prison Farm.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1985

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Photographs subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 398-005

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of the barn and silo at Oakalla Prison Farm.

Subjects: Buildings - Agricultural - Barns; Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Public - Detention Facilities

Names: Oakalla Prison Farm

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Oakmount Crescent

Street Address: 5220 Oakmount Crescent

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Oakalla Area

Images

Lubbock's stable and farm house

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36512

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 8.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Lubbock's farm taken from Canada Way at Haszard Street. The Lubbock stable and farm house are both visible.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Lubbock family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 8.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 289-001

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1992-24

Scope and Content: Photograph of Lubbock's farm taken from Canada Way at Haszard Street. The Lubbock stable and farm house are both visible.

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Grandview Highway; Canada Way; Burris Street

Street Address: 7803 Burris Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Images

Lubbock's stable and farm house, 1977 thumbnail

Lubbock's farm

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36517

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 8.5 cm

Scope and Content: Copyright holder and creator are unknown. Copyright expires in 2053.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Lubbock family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 8.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 289-006

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1992-24

Scope and Content: Copyright holder and creator are unknown. Copyright expires in 2053.

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Grandview Highway; Canada Way; Burris Street

Street Address: 7803 Burris Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Images

Barn at 6861 Kitchener Street

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription78995

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: October 4, 1976

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard

Scope and Content: Photograph shows a barn and lot with a horse grazing at 6861 Kitchener Street near Cliff Avenue.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: October 4, 1976

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 556-079

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2013-13

Scope and Content: Photograph shows a barn and lot with a horse grazing at 6861 Kitchener Street near Cliff Avenue.

Subjects: Buildings - Agricultural - Barns; Agriculture - Farms

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Born, A. J.

Notes: Scope note taken directly from BPL photograph description.; 1 b&w copy negative : 10 x 12.5 cm accompanying

Geographic Access: Kitchener Street

Street Address: 6861 Kitchener Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lochdale Area

Images

Barn at 6861 Kitchener Street, October 4, 1976 thumbnail

Lubbock family home and farm

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35861

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [197-] (date of original), copied 1986

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Lubbock family home and farm, built in 1898 by Edgar Sprott, brother of former Reeve, Charles F. Sprott. The Lubbock family moved into the house in 1915.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [197-] (date of original), copied 1986

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Pioneer Tales subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 204-720

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Lubbock family home and farm, built in 1898 by Edgar Sprott, brother of former Reeve, Charles F. Sprott. The Lubbock family moved into the house in 1915.

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph.; A note with the photograph indicated that the old street address of this farm was 1 Arbor Lane.

Geographic Access: Grandview Highway; Canada Way; Burris Street

Street Address: 7803 Burris Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Images

Lubbock family home and farm

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35862

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [197-] (date of original), copied 1986

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of cows grazing on the Lubbock farm with the family home seen in the background. The house was built in 1898 by Edgar Sprott, brother of former Reeve, Charles F. Sprott. The Lubbock family moved into the house in 1915.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [197-] (date of original), copied 1986

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Pioneer Tales subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 204-721

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of cows grazing on the Lubbock farm with the family home seen in the background. The house was built in 1898 by Edgar Sprott, brother of former Reeve, Charles F. Sprott. The Lubbock family moved into the house in 1915.

Subjects: Animals - Cows; Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph.; A note with this photograph indicated that the old street address of this property was 1 Arbor Lane.

Geographic Access: Grandview Highway; Canada Way; Burris Street

Street Address: 7803 Burris Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Images

Rowborough Farm

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36206

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1963

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 11.5 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a very large stone building called the Rowborogh Farm, the Love family home in England.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1963

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Love family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 11.5 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 232-003

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1989-24

Scope and Content: Photograph of a very large stone building called the Rowborogh Farm, the Love family home in England.

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying

Images

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…

1 document 1 audio

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.