Blanche Kanashiro talks about her family history and emigration to Canada where her parents found employment in domestic work and at a cannery. Blanche grew up in Steveston, BC and she talks about her childhood there. During WWII, her father decided to go to a sugar beet farm in Lethbridge, Alberta rather than an internment camp. Blanche talks about housing in Lethbridge and her father building a Japanese bathhouse. She talks about doing chores in Lethbridge on the farm.
Nori Kanashiro talks about his family background and history and how his grandfather and father emigrated to Lethbridge, AB from Okinawa. His father worked in coal mines before they shut down because of the Great Depression. After that, his parents moved to Ocean Falls, BC. Nori talks about growing up in Ocean Falls. During WWII, his family decided to head to back to Lethbridge instead of going to Hastings Park and then an interment camp.
They talked about how they met and married. Nori talks about his family's religion (United Church) and continuing with their religion during WWII. Nori and Blanche becoming missionaries and Blanche talks about religion in her family, and going to Christian Sunday school. Nori talks about missionary work, relocating to Toronto and the advent of the Gospel Church. He also talks about reading articles about the Japanese Canadian Redress in The New Canadian.
Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Conference (Blanche): https://vimeo.com/336857303
Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Conference (Nori): https://vimeo.com/339324800
Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Post War Conference (Blanche): https://vimeo.com/344343773