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My Story

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription9673

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 2016

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (4 min., 21 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: This film chronicles that 2013 journey of Kehar Sing Aujla and his wife as they travelled to India on vacation. The visit included a trip to the town of Ledo in North-East India, where the Ledo Mine Rescue Centre is located. In the film, Aujla describes the trip and the work he oversaw at the Ledo …

1 image 1 video

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Series: Elders Digital Storytelling project series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (4 min., 21 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: This film chronicles that 2013 journey of Kehar Sing Aujla and his wife as they travelled to India on vacation. The visit included a trip to the town of Ledo in North-East India, where the Ledo Mine Rescue Centre is located. In the film, Aujla describes the trip and the work he oversaw at the Ledo Mine Rescue Centre when he was Superintendent of the Coal Mines Rescue Department in India. His visit with friends and trip to a local Sikh holy place is also included in the film.

History: Kehar Singh Aujla is originally from the Western part of India. He and his wife immigrated to Canada in 1996 to be closer to his son and his family in Burnaby. Aujla worked in the coal mining industry in India for 40 years starting in 1951. He passed his management exam in 1960, and spent 23 years working with a coal mine rescue organization. Since moving to Burnaby he has received recognition for his commitment to volunteer work, receiving eight awards between 2006 and 2016, including being selected as Burnaby's Citizen of the Year for 2011. His volunteering has included work with Volunteer Grandparents, Burnaby Citizen Support Services, Burnaby Village Museum, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, BMO Marathon, Breast Cancer Association, and at the Sukh Sagar Gurdwara. His awards include the Gerontology Award from SFU, 2011 Citizen of the year from the City of Burnaby, Top 25 Immigrant of 2012 by Canadian Immigrants and Royal Bank of Canada, The Life Time Sewa Award by Sukh Sagar Sikh Temple of New Westminster, Best Community Service Award by Vaisakhi Gala of Surrey, Best Community Service Award by Age Care and News Leader, Sovereign Medal by Governor General of Canada, Above and Beyond Award by Fraser Health, Early Bird Award by Volunteer Resources of Burnaby General Hospital.

Creator: Aujla, Kehar Singh

Other Title Information: title supplied by film maker

Subjects: Persons - South Asian Canadians; Industries - Mining; Emergency Measures; Religions - Sikhism

Names: Aujla, Kehar Singh

Accession Code: BV016.37.4

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 2016

Media Type: Moving Images

Notes: Transcribed title

Images

Video

My Story, 2016

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Moving_Images/2016_0037_0004_001.mp4

Interview with Norman Dowad

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19638

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) (61 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (61 min., 37 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Norman Dowad conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on August 14, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:14:38 Norm shares biographical information about himself and background information on the Dowad family. Norm conveys information …

1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: Many Voices Project Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) (61 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (61 min., 37 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Norman Dowad Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: August 14, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:14:37 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Norman Dowad conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on August 14, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:14:38 Norm shares biographical information about himself and background information on the Dowad family. Norm conveys information about his grandfather Samuel Dowad's immigration to Canada and his father Wilfred Dowad's military service and successes as a property developer. 00:14:39 – 00:17:26 Norm provides background information on his mother’s side of the family. 00:17:27 – 00:31:36 Norm talks about his childhood, growing up in the Deer Lake neighbourhood, his early education in Burnaby and sports that he played. 00:31:37 – 00:39:59 Norm talks about his educational experiences attending Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and Osgoode Hall law school and information regarding his law career. 00:40:00 – 00:45:03 Norm reflects on his childhood growing up in Burnaby and on his experiences and relationships as a student and in his career as a lawyer. 00:45:04 – 01:01:37 Norm talks about his siblings and shares information about family property development projects as well as career and business successes. In closing he talks about research that he’s done through Archives Canada on his grandfather Sam Dowad and father Wilfred Dowad.

History: Interviewee biography: Norm Dowad was born in Burnaby, December 1948 to parents Wilfred “Wilf” (1925-2011) and Cherry Dowad. His father, Wilfred (1925-2011) was born in Winnipeg to parents Samuel “Sam” (Salim in Arabic) Esper Dowad (1895-1969) and Martha (Shaheen) Dowad (1894-1955). Sam and Martha Dowad were both born in a province of the Ottoman Empire which is now present day Lebanon. In 1912, while trying to immigrate to Canada, several of Sam’s relatives including his mother died tragically as steerage passengers on the ill fated Titanic. In 1913, at the age of 18 years, Sam immigrated to Canada to join other family members who'd already arrived here safely. As a new immigrant in Canada, Sam worked with other Labanese immigrants in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the United States. In December 1921, Sam's wife, Martha immigrated to Canada arriving by ship in St. John, New Brunswick. Sam and Martha established their home in Winnipeg where they began to start a family. Their first two children died in infancy and son Wilfred was born in 1925 and daughter Kathleen was born in 1926. While living in Winnipeg, Sam worked as a grocer and in the 1930’s he got work as a farmer in a nearby town. In 1943, Wilf joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCVNR) and served as a gunner on merchant ships during World War II. In 1945, while Wilf was away serving, his parents, Sam and Martha moved to Burnaby. After discharge in 1945, Wilf joined his parents in Burnaby, began working at Fraser Mills and commenced his studies in construction and drafting. In 1949, with his father’s help Wilf acquired a lot next door to his parents’ home and built his first apartment block. After Martha died in 1954, Sam moved to Kelowna where he bought an orchard. Sam remarried in 1957 to Naomi “Mamie” (David) Dowad (1899-1978) who was also from a Lebanese family. Sam and Mamie lived in Kelowna until the mid 1960s when they moved to White Rock. While living in Burnaby, Wilf met and married Cherry Piggott and the couple had six children; Norm, Bruce, Michael, Kathie, Phil and Tom. In 1955, Wilfred Dowad established "W. Dowad Ltd." and over the years he was successful in developing and subdividing land to build housing and commercial developments in Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver. Wilf was the first president of the Burnaby Winter club and was an active member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce holding office at the local, provincial and national level. In 1970, Wilf purchased 238 acres of land bordering the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh River and relocated there the following year. While living in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Wilf became actively engaged in local business and community affairs. Wilf was later remarried to Grethe Dowad and he died in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh in 2011.Wilf's six children are the sole owners of "W.Dowad Ltd." and his daughter, Kathie Smillie is the president and CEO. While growing up in Burnaby, Norm Dowad attended Schou Street School, Douglas Road School, Kensington School and graduated from Burnaby Central Secondary School. Following graduation from high school, Norm attended Simon Fraser University for one year, travelled in Europe, attended University of British Columbia and obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall at York University. Norman has been practicing law for 49 years and has his own law practice that he operates out of Vancouver. 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.