When the North American dream meets traditional Japanese conformity, two cultures collide.
Does the past define who we are, who we become?
In April 1942, Suzanne’s mother was an eight-month-old baby when her family was torn from their home in Victoria, British Columbia. Arriving at Vancouver’s Hastings Park, they bunked in horse stalls for months before being removed to an incarceration camp in the Slocan Valley. After the Second World War, forced resettlement scattered Japanese families across Canada, leading to high intermarriage rates and an erosion of ethnicity. Loss of heritage language impeded the sharing of stories, contributing to strained generational relationships and a conflict between Eastern and Western values.
This hybrid memoir and fourth-generation narrative of the Japanese Canadian experience celebrates family, places, and traditions. Steeped in history and cultural arts, it includes portraits of family and community members — people who, in rebuilding their lives, made lasting contributions to the Toronto landscape and triumphed over adversity.
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- Pages
- 296
- Published in
- Toronto, CA
Table of Contents
- Cover 1
- Halftitle 3
- Title 5
- Copyright 6
- Dedication 7
- Contents 9
- Preface 11
- 1 Mukashi, Mukashi 15
- 2 The Kimono 33
- 3 Leaving Home 49
- 4 First to the Horse Stalls 65
- 5 The Church Buddhists Built 89
- 6 A Time to Remember 109
- 7 Heart and Soul 129
- 8 Odori Primer 157
- 9 Miss Tokyo 181
- 10 Natsu Matsuri 205
- 11 Orde Street Revisited 223
- 12 Rage 245
- Acknowledgements 269
- Notes 271
- Bibliography 283
- Image Credits 293
- Additional Credits 295
- About the Author 297
- Backcover 298
