The Tashme Project shines a spotlight on Japanese-Canadian internment
Theatre artist Julie Tamiko Manning is the creator of a new play that uses verbatim interviews with internment camp survivors to explore Japanese-Canadian identity today.
CBC Radio ·
Theatre artist Julie Tamiko Manning is the creator of a new play that uses verbatim interviews with internment camp survivors to explore Japanese-Canadian identity. (The Tashme Project)
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Seventy years ago today, Japanese-Canadians regained the right to live wherever they wanted in Canada.
During the Second World War, the Canadian government sent thousands of Japanese-Canadians to internment camps and stripped them of their property and rights.
In 1988, the government formally apologized for this dark part of Canada's history, but the internment of Japanese-Canadians continues to shape the community's cultural identity in this country.
A new play called The Tashme Project uses verbatim interviews with survivors of the internment to tell the story of what life was like in those camps.
(The Tashme Project)
Theatre artist Julie Tamiko Manning is the creator of The Tashme Project. She joined q's Tom Power live from Vancouver to talk about the play and how that chapter of Canadian history still affects the Japanese-Canadian community today.
The image shows Tashme, B.C., in the winter looking east (1943). In view are two large buildings shaped like barns and surrounding smaller buildings. In the background, to the left, is field of snow and rows and rows of small houses. The entire scene is nestled in a valley. (Nikkei National Museum/Jane and Howard Shimokura collection; 2012.45.1.1)
This image depicts the wedding party in two rows and in formal attire. From the bottom left to the upper right they are: Mr. and Mrs. Tomihiro, Mr. and Mrs. Kaiura, Fumiko Kawata, Mr. and Mrs. Kawata, Kaura, S. Harfuji, T. Harafuji, and Mr. and Mrs. Harafuji. (Nikkei National Museum/Fumiko Yamada (née Kawata) collection; 2014.20.1.2.50)
This image depicts a group of five people sitting on a field of grass in front of a stand of trees. Shown are Haruko Tahara, Mr. and Mrs. Higa, Mrs. Tahara, and Fumiko. Haruko is seated on the left side wearing a white jacket and skirt, her hair is tied back with a ribbon and she is holding her hand out toward the camera. Behind her are Mr. and Mrs. Higa. Mrs. Higa is wearing a print dress, and Mr. Higa is wearing a three piece suit, a tie and glass and classes, and is crouched behind Mrs. Higa. Fumiko is wearing a dark collared dress and is kneeling in the grass with her hands folded on her knees. On the right side of the image is Mrs. Tahara, wearing a dark skirt and a light shirt with her feet tucked under her. (Nikkei National Museum/Fumiko Yamada (née Kawata) collection; 2014.20.1.2.47)
Click 'listen' near the top of this page to hear the full conversation.
