2009 Lectures in Japan During 2009, Linda visited several universities, schools, and groups in Japan to present a series of lectures and presentations on Nikkei experiences and history, her experiences in Japan as a sansei Canadian film director, film 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 can assure you that my students were able to follow the lecture perfectly well… …These days it seems that it's rare to be moved so profoundly.” 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"...watching it inspired me to think about my life as a woman." 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... 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...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." 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
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
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”
NAGOYA UNIVERSITY, Graduate Seminar, (Prof. Chris Artmstrong), “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, June 2009
“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”
SHINSHU DAIGAKU (Shindai), Matsumoto, Arts and Humanities, “The Japanese Canadian Experience through Personal Stories”, Assoc Professor Fred Curruth, October 2009
TSUCHIDOU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Onomichi, grade 5 classes, "What it is like to be a Canadian of Japanese ancestry", November 2009