WHAT'S NEW
CANADA'S CHIBI TAIKO'S FIRST VISIT TO JAPAN
For many of these young Canadians of Japanese ancestry, this was their first experience of Japan and Japanese culture
Chibi Taiko is the first children's taiko group established in Canada. Linda has been involved with Chibi Taiko as a parent and member of the executive for over 10 years. For much of that time, it was her dream to give these young players an experience of Japan and Onomichi one day. With the help of the people of Onomichi and the Chibi Taiko parents and supporters, this dream was made possible.
In July of 2009, 13 members of the youth taiko group from Vancouver Canada with their leader, Mr. Shinobu Homma, instructor John Endo Greenaway, and 5 parents travelled to Japan to spend 10 intensive days in Onomichi, Hiroshima-ken.
The Chibi members were homestayed with local families while participating in a series of hands-on cultural workshops which included Noh theatre, ikebana, shodou, and tea ceremony and practising taiko drumming with Onomichi's Betchar Daiko group. Their visit was supported by many people and businesses of Onomichi, the City of Onomichi, and the Onomichi Ruri Lions Club.
NEW LECTURES and PRESENTATIONS IN 2009, AND COMMENTS
During 2009, Linda visited several universities, schools, and groups in Japan to present a series of lectures and presentations. These were met with an enthusiastic response from both faculty and students interested in Nikkei experiences and history abroad, media studies, and personal storytelling.
*CHUKYO UNIVERSITY, Nagoya, Film Studies ( Prof. B. Curran) “Filmmaking : From Personal Experiences”, and Department of British and American Cultural Studies (Prof. Chris Armstrong) “Nikkei History and Experience in Canada from the Eyes of a Sansei Film Director”, May 2009
*KOBE UNIVERSITY, Department of Media Studies & Literature, Graduate School of Humanities (Prof. Gordon Gamlin), “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, June 2009
“…I saw many of the students present at your lecture later in the course of the week. Hence I can assure you that they were able to follow the lecture perfectly well… …These days it seems that it's rare to be moved so profoundly. All of us found that we had tears welling up when we got to the final reunion. Thank you for sharing your work, donating your time, and inspiring our students in such a profound way.” Gordon S. Gamlin, Ph.D.< assoc Professor, Dept of Literature 7/04/09
"In Ms. Ohama's lecture, I saw a docudorama "Obaachan's garden"...Until then, I did not know the history of Japanese immigrants to America for details.Now I always keenly feel the importance of peace….In addition, watching it inspired me to think about my life as a woman.
Moreover, despite my poor English, Ms.Ohama listened to my questions and comments with enthusiasm after her lecture. She told me her feelings and experiences as a third generation, the perception gaps between generations and hope for her children and so on. Her magnetic personality gives me a happy time." Yuka Yoshioka (graduate student)Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University Faculty of Letters, Kobe University, 07/09
*DOSHISHA UNIVERSITY, Kyoto, English Department (Prof. Daniel Bratton), “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, October 2009
"A number of students in both junior and senior seminar, to whom Linda Ohama spoke before her presentation to English Graduate Studies at Doshisha University, wrote their major essays on the subjects of Steveston, Obachaan's Garden, sansei Japanese-Canadians, and Linda Ohama's life. What these essays had in common was the students' admission that, prior to Linda Ohama's visit, they had known very little, if anything, about the experiences of Japanese-Canadians during the internment. They were also fascinated by her account of the difficulties she faced in learning to speak Japanese in a cultural climate that was inhospitable to Japanese-Canadians' efforts to maintain their own cultural identity. Linda's visit was clearly a big hit with the students, opening their minds to all sorts of things about which they had been unaware.", Professor Daniel Bratton, Doshisha University, 02/18/10
*JALT NATIONAL CONFERENCE, Nov 21-22, Shizuoka City, presentation (president Daryn Verity), “Sharing the Stories & History of a Japanese Canadian’s Experiences”, November 2009
*AOYAMA UNIVERSITY, Tokyo, English Department (Prof Gregory Strong), “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, November 2009
*UTSUNOMIYA UNIVERSITY, Faculty of International Studies, International Studies Symposium :”Thoughts on International Studies” (Prof. Andrew Reimann), guest speaker on panel, “Nikkei View of Living in a Multicultural Society”, November 26-28, 2009
"Hearing Linda speak was a truly moving experience. Her intensely personal and intimate tale impacted me greatly and led me to think deeply of issues of identity and belonging both on a personal level and in the light of the ever increasing interconnections we face in the world today. It was truly the highlight of the conference." Brendan Van Stolk, Student attending the symposium.
*NAGOYA UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES, School of Contemporary International Studies (Prof. Junko Muro), "A view of one Nikkei Canadian experience from the heart", June 2009
*OSAKA JALT (Japan Association for Language Teaching), Kyoto JALT, and SIETAR (Society for Intercultural Education Training and Research) (co-ordinator: Donna Fujimoto), June 2009
“Early Japanese Immigrant Experiences in America”“Stories within stories about stories. The film certainly has an impact on its own, but the SIETAR event left a truly indelible impression because of Ohama’s firsthand and deeply personal accounts. It was very special.” Donna Fujimoto, event coordinator 10/26/09
*GIFU SHOTOKU GAKUEN UNIVERSITY, Faculty of Languages, (Prof. Y. Kawarasaki) “A Personal Story & History of Japanese Canadian Experience”, June 2009
*GIFU CITY, International Office, “Obaachan’s Garden and the Japanese Canadian Experience”(Mr. Tanaka), September 2009
"...heard from Mr. Tanaka from Gifu City Hall, who was summarizing the result of the questionnaire submitted by the audience in Gifu. He was very happy to read the comments saying how much they appreciated the opportunity.” Professor Takafumi Hirose, Gifu 9/18/09
*AICHI SHUKUTOKU UNIVERSITY, Graduate Studies, Global Culture Communication and Institute for Gender & Women’s Studies (Prof. Mitoko Hirabayashi), June 2009
*SHINKYO-JI TEMPLE, Umetani, Gifu ken (Prof. Takafumi Hirose), September 2009
“Life Coming Full Circle: Japanese Immigrant Experiences Abroad and in Japan”
“I have met a number of people from our village of Umetani (Plum Valley) since you gave your presentation. Everyone of them was so grateful to have had an opportunity to get to know you and your story, Obachan, and the history of Japanese Canadians. They all appreciated the "go-en." Professor Takafumi Hirose, Gifu University and head of Shinkyo-ji Temple, 9/18/09
*NAGOYA UNIVERSITY, Graduate Seminar, (Prof. Chris Artmstrong), “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, June 2009
*EAST SHIKOKU JALT, Kochi University, Dept. of International Studies (Darren Lingley), “The Making of Obaachan’s Garden Movie”
'The film Obaachan's Garden was superb in that it addressed in its artful presentation of one's memories a number of hard-to-deny facts about the history of Japan and Japanese in relation to Canada. It absorbed me completely, and I would like to share it anyone who is interested in the history between the two countries." Professor Takahiro Ioroi, Dept of Cultural Studies, Kochi Women's University, 02/18/10
*OBU HIGH SCHOOL, Obu-shi, Aichi ken, “Culture Shock?: Some Interesting Cultural Differences and Similarities between Canada and Japan”, guest speaker, 500 high school students.
*NAGOYASHI JYOSEIKAIKANN (Nagoyacity Women's Education Center), Nagoya (Keiko Sakakibara), “A Japanese Canadian Woman’s Experience”
“Movie society, the Lecture of Linda and Mrs Hirabayashi were popular,and there was 500 application. We drew lots. 350 citizen's people look forward to (presentation)”. (Keiko Sakakibara, Organizer) 9/17/09
*SHINSHU DAIGAKU (Shindai), Matsumoto, Arts and Humanities, “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, Assoc Professor Fred Curruth, Octboer 2009
*TSUCHIDOU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Onomichi, grade 5 classes, "What it is like to be a Canadian of Japanese ancestry", November 2009
TWO NEW SHORT FILMS COMPLETED IN 2009
"A Tree Named Akebono"
Update: April 2010, one year later, the Akebono tree is covered with blossoms and the park's redevelopment is nearly completed.
This film was shot in the early spring of 2009 on location in Oppenheimer Park of Vancouver and completed in April 2009.
Akebono is a 20 minute film about saving a heritage cherry tree from being destroyed in the revitalization plans of a city. Citizens and members of the local community rally together to save this historical tree from being cut down. The film includes moving statements from people of the Japanese Canadian and First Nations communtiies. The film was directed and edited by Linda Ohama, and supported by the Sakura Legacy Committee. For more information, please see
"Fusion of the Hearts, Ishizue"
Ishizue means the foundation of the house, or spirit. It is also a taiko song composed by Betchar Daiko group of Onomichi. This 36 minute film was shot in July, 2009 on location in Onomichi, Japan.
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| Onomichi University students visit Kyoto Tohei Film Studios |
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