Narrow Results By
Subject
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries 1
- Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores 2
- Education 1
- Geographic Features - Gardens 1
- Geographic Features - Neighbourhoods 1
- Occupations - Grocers 2
- Occupations - Teachers 1
- Occupations - Writers 1
- Persons - South Asian Canadians 1
- Religions 1
- Religions - Sikhism 1
- Social Issues 1
Interview with Harman Pandher
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19609
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (105 min., 23 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (101 min., 39 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harman Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. 00:00 - 37:38 Interview opens with Harman Pandher sharing information on his oldest living relative, Kirpal Singh Pandher who immigrated to Canada arou…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (105 min., 23 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (101 min., 39 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Harman Pandher Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: January 5, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks:1:45:23 min Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 format for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harman Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. 00:00 - 37:38 Interview opens with Harman Pandher sharing information on his oldest living relative, Kirpal Singh Pandher who immigrated to Canada around 1968. The interview continues with Harman Pandher providing details about his childhood in Burnaby while occasionally sharing photographs with the interviewer. He provides detailed descriptions of the homes and neighbourhoods while living on Second Street and 15th Avenue and shares his experiences as a South Asian Sikh attending Second Street elementary school, Cariboo Hill Secondary School and Kahlsa School. Pandher recalls some of his family and childhood experiences including, family events and gatherings; participation in school clubs and sports; playing basketball, ball hockey and street hockey with his Punjabi friends and other Burnaby kids; racism that he faced as a Sikh wearing a turban and delivering newspapers for the Vancouver Sun. 37:39 – 52:54 Pandher talks about family and cultural celebrations and traditions within the Sikh community including Vaisakhi, Diwali and celebrations of the birth of Guru Ravidas and Guru Nanak. Pandher conveys that while he was growing up many of these events took place in Vancouver but now they are also celebrated in Burnaby. He recalls events that took place in school while growing up in Burnaby including; his sister wearing a Sari to a fashion show; a visit to a Sikh temple; celebrating the birthday of Guru Nanak and outreach to teachers to learn about South Asian culture, games, food and traditions. Pandher also shares his experiences working as a student teacher at Capital Hill Elementary in North Burnaby where he took his class on a tour of the Sikh temple in 2001 and reflects on learning that it is his responsibility to be proactive in educating the public in his own culture while also learning about other communities. 52:55 - 1:19:56 Pandher shares personal experiences of racism and his experiences as a teacher and author. He recalls and reflects on a traumatic experience where he was physically assaulted while shopping at Lougheed Mall and recollects his father carrying around his field hockey stick in his car to defend himself. Pandher reflects on the lack of representation of racialized people like himself within the school curriculum while he was growing up which lead him to become a teacher and an author of children’s literature. Pander provides detailed information on his education and training in becoming a teacher, his love of poetry and literature and how he became an author. Pandher describes some of the works of poetry and literature that he’s written about the Sikh religion, history and culture, growing up as a Sikh Canadian and a non-fiction work about the history of Paldi titled "Welcome to Paldi: A Place for Everyone". Pandher also talks about beginning to record some of his own family stories from relatives. 1:19:57 - 1:29:58 Pandher talks about raising his own family in Burnaby, living as an extended family with his parents, his son’s education and Pandher's experience on the Burnaby School Board (2011-2018) . Pandher shares locations of residences that he and his family have lived before living at their current home on 17th Avenue. Pandher explains that since he was a teacher in Surrey, his son attended Khalsa School as well as public elementary and high school in Surrey but did his extracurricular activities in Burnaby where the family lived. 1:29:56 – 1:41:39 In closing, Harman Pandher reflects and shares what he hopes for younger generations of South Asian Canadians and future generations. Pandher articulates “be who you are, stay true to who you are, maintain your family’s traditions, learn their stories, learn their story and how they got to Burnaby”. He conveys that even though there’s more work to be done eliminating racism completely he sees the importance in volunteering, teaching others about yourself and making an effort to learn all parts of Burnaby and other cultures represented here. Pandher speaks about his concerns of youths falling victim to a lifestyle of drugs and gangs and how it’s important to remove the stigma around mental health issues.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Harman Pandher was born in Vancouver in 1976 to parents, Rajinder and Raj Pandher who immigrated to Canada in 1973. A few weeks later after Harman was born, the family moved to Burnaby. While living in Burnaby, Harman Pandher and his sister attended Second Street Elementary School and Cariboo Hill Secondary School. Pandher obtained a master's degree in education from the University of British Columbia and has worked as an elementary school teacher for over 20 years. Pandher has been recognized for his efforts in building bridges across communities as the recipient of the 2021 B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Award. Pandher has served on the Board of the Burnaby Multicultural Society and is co-founder of two noon-profit organizations; “Through SONG” (Seeking Oneness for the Next Generation) “About bringing youth together form diverse backgrounds and using their talent in the community for good causes” and "SACH" (South Asian Community Hub) providing one-stop services for those impacted by alchohol and substance use and mental health issues. Harman Pandher is also the author of two children's books titled, "Gurpreet Goes to Gurdwara: Understanding the Sikh Place of Worship" and "Once Upon the Golden Temple: A Journey to Sri Harmandir Sahib". 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
- Education
- Occupations - Teachers
- Occupations - Writers
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Religions
- Religions - Sikhism
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Sports - Basketball
- Sports
- Responsibility
- Petrusa, Kate
- Geographic Access
- 2nd Street
- 15th Avenue
- Accession Code
- BV023.1.1
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Second Street Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcript available upon request
Audio Tracks
Interview with Harman Pandher, [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023
Interview with Harman Pandher, [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0001_003.mp3Interview with Reidun Seim by Kathy Bossort January 13, 2016 - Track 5
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory654
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1930-1950
- Length
- 0:09:51
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about the families and the vineyard and apple orchard on Aubrey Street. She tells stories about picking wild blackberries near Aubrey and raspberries grown on her parent’s farm, and about her mother’s large garden and kale grown for chicken…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about the families and the vineyard and apple orchard on Aubrey Street. She tells stories about picking wild blackberries near Aubrey and raspberries grown on her parent’s farm, and about her mother’s large garden and kale grown for chicken feed.
- Date Range
- 1930-1950
- Length
- 0:09:51
- Subjects
- Geographic Features - Neighbourhoods
- Geographic Features - Gardens
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Geographic Access
- Aubrey 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
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track five of interview with Reidun Seim
Track five of interview with Reidun Seim
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-017/MSS196-017_Track_5.mp3![Interior of Model Grocery, [1914] date of original, copied [1973] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1973/1973_0098_0003_001.jpg?width=280)
Interior of Model Grocery
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1007
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1914] date of original, copied [1973]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w copy negative ; 10 x 12 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the interior of the Model Grocery store that stood at 2nd Street and 15th Ave, Burnaby. Three men (employees) are standing among the display of goods. An annotation on the back of the photograph identifies them as, left to right, Bill Moore, James Scott and Bill Hay. Some of the pr…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w copy negative ; 10 x 12 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the interior of the Model Grocery store that stood at 2nd Street and 15th Ave, Burnaby. Three men (employees) are standing among the display of goods. An annotation on the back of the photograph identifies them as, left to right, Bill Moore, James Scott and Bill Hay. Some of the products in view are fresh vegetables and fruits, White Swan Soaps, Robin Hood Porridge Oats, Royal Crown Soaps, Salada tea.
- Geographic Access
- 2nd Street
- 15th Avenue
- Accession Code
- HV973.98.3
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1914] date of original, copied [1973]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Second Street Area
- Related Material
- According to catalogue record from 1976 and inscription on the back of the photograph, a taped interview with James Scott and Write up about the store are available in the BVM files.
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-05-16
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- The photograph is a master print from negative HV973.98.4.
- Related materials: According to an annotation on the back of the photograph, a taped interview with James Scott [from 1975?] and a write-up about this store are in the Burnaby Village Museum archives
- 20.2 x 25.2 cm print
Images
![Interior of Model Grocery, [1914] date of original, copied [1973] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1973/1973_0098_0003_001.jpg)
![Model Grocery, [1914] (date of original), copied [1973] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1973/1973_0098_0001_001.jpg?width=280)
Model Grocery
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3069
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1914] (date of original), copied [1973]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.1 x 25.1 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Hay (on left) and James Scott standing at the front entrance to the Model Grocery Store, situated at 2nd Street and 15th Avenue in Burnaby. The store has wooden shiplap siding all around and a peaked roof with a tall false front with a wide cornice at the top. The righthand side …
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.1 x 25.1 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Hay (on left) and James Scott standing at the front entrance to the Model Grocery Store, situated at 2nd Street and 15th Avenue in Burnaby. The store has wooden shiplap siding all around and a peaked roof with a tall false front with a wide cornice at the top. The righthand side of the eaves show, and the details of the gutter and downspout are clearly visible. The bottom front of the building is all one store. Display windows fill the front in three sections. On the extreme left and right are two wide windows. In the centre is another narrower window. Between these windows are two doors, set in about five feet. A canvas awning (furled) spans the store over the windows. Inside the windows, displays are visible. In the right hand window are stacks of tinned goods. In the centre, flats of fruit set up to face outwards. In the left window is a large display of White Swan soap. Below the right and left windows are small enamelled signs advertising Fleischman's Yeast. No other sign or advertising is visible on the exterior. In the right hand doorway is a display of washboard and corn brooms. A canvas covered horse drawn delivery wagon with a "308 6th St. Model Grocery" sign is positioned to the right rear of the store.
- Geographic Access
- 2nd Street
- 15th Avenue
- Accession Code
- HV973.98.1
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1914] (date of original), copied [1973]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Second Street Area
- Related Material
- According to catalogue record from 1976, a taped interview with James Scott and Write up about the store are available in the BVM files.
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-05-16
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- See HV973.98.2 for original negative associated with this copy print
- Related materials: According to a note with the photograph, a taped interview with James Scott (1975) and a write-up about this store are in the Burnaby Village Museum archives
Images
![Model Grocery, [1914] (date of original), copied [1973] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1973/1973_0098_0001_001.jpg)