VNCS

Live performances of Japanese Problem

In 1942, over 8,000 Canadians were detained in barns at Hastings Park
—the effects, and the memories haunt us to this day.
JAPANESE PROBLEM is a title derived from the nomenclature of WWII, but containing in it the understanding that the citizens affected at the time were neither Japanese–they were overwhelmingly legal residents/citizens of Canada, nor problematic–with zero verifiable connections to activities against Canada.

JAPANESE PROBLEM invites an audience into a stall, which residents have turned into a temporary home and place of wonder, as they are filled with the uncertainty of their next destination.
The piece exists in the contemporary moment simultaneously, where evidence of Hastings Parks’s former tenants has been erased, where survivors are uncertain if they want their names included in a memorial; and where refugees to North America are being treated in a fashion that is terrifyingly familiar.

The event will take place at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria on Sunday, December 3, 2017 in the Spencer Mansion.

There will be 3 programs to choose from:
Program 1 2:00-3:20 pm (registration 1:45 pm)
Program 2 3:30-4:50 pm (registration 3:15 pm)
Program 3 6:00-7:20 pm (registration 5:45 pm)

The program will begin with registration in the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria lobby, with pre-performance Japanese refreshments and light snacks in the Kearly room and Mansion foyer. There will be a short presentation on the latest research by Landscapes of Injustice. The performance begins about 15 minutes into the program in the Spencer Room, at which point latecomers will not be able to enter so please ensure you arrive to register prior to the start of the program time.

Seats for the program is $30 per person. Seating is limited. Please indicate your first and second choice of times.

To guarantee your attendance, contact Michael Abe at mkabe2011@gmail.com

Due to the generosity of patrons, there are some seats available free of charge for youth and those on limited income. Contact Mike to request these seats.

For more information about the play, check out www.japaneseproblem.ca

“150 Years and Continuing: Fighting for Justice on the Coast” in Salt Spring Island Library

The Salt Spring Historical Society, the Salt Spring Archives, and the Japanese Garden Society are hosting an exhibition ‘150 Years and Continuing: Fighting for Justice on the Coast’ for the month of November in the Salt Spring Library’s Program Room.

Ten big panels of visuals and text will guide you through the history of the struggle of the First Nations and Asian Canadians who faced injustice, colonialism, and racial exclusion.

Two panels describe local Salt Spring stories of the First Nations and of the Iwasaki Family who used to own nearly 600 acres of land which was taken away from them after they were uprooted from island.

The exhibition was developed by an inter-university group called the Asian Canadians on Vancouver Island Project (ACVI) headed by Dr. John Price of the University of Victoria.

Upcoming talks during the month of the exhibition:
November 15th (Wed) 7pm – 8pm: The Uprooting of Japanese Canadians from Saltspring Island by Brian Smallshaw

November 25th (Sat) 3pm – 4pm: Historical Charcoal Pit Kilns on the Southern Gulf Islands as a legacy of Japanese Canadians on the Coast by the Japanese Garden Society

November 28th (Tues) 7pm – 7:30pm: The Story of the Murakami Family by Keiko Mary Murakami Kitagawa

‘These stories can be unsettling, challenging and even disorienting… we encourage everyone to stick with the discomfort and embrace Canada’s whole history so that we can move forward together toward true reconciliation and creating a Canada we all want to share.’ (ACVI project synopsis)