Interview with Masashi "Mas" Shin

Title
Interview with Masashi "Mas" Shin
Accession number
2011.019
Interviewer
Lisa Uyeda
Videographer
Lisa Uyeda
Date of Interview
Language
English
Description

Masashi "Mas" Shin was born in Whonnock, BC. He talks about his father's lumber mill and lumber camp. Mas went to Japan during The Great Depression and attended school in Japan. After returning to Canada, he helped out on his family farm. He talks about going to church (United and Buddhist) and New Years traditions. He recalls getting the orders to report to Hastings Park in Vancouver. His family was interned in Tashme but Mas travelled to Chatham, ON to work on a farm and he talks about what life was like there. After receiving permission to go to Toronto, ON he left Chatham to seek employment and housing where he faced discrimination. He talks about working at a glue factory in Toronto, discrimination in a Chinese restaurant, and being forced to go to the public bath by the landlady. He talks about more nisei coming to Toronto and their social lives. He talks about his family's involvement with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) and the Buddhist Church.

Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Conference: https://vimeo.com/336914311

Format
Videotape
Video File
Period
Pre War
Post War
World War II
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
Event
World War II
Relocation
Forced Removal
Attack on Pearl Harbour
Location
Whonnock, BC
Japan
Hastings Park, Vancouver
Revelstoke, BC
Chatham, ON
Toronto, ON
Mission, BC
Tashme, BC
Topic
education
sports
family
employment
The Great Depression
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC)
volunteer
discrimination
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
housing
language
travel
farming
food
odori
music
bathhouse
sports
religion
Buddhism
United Church
logging
Kika (Nikkei educated in Japan)
Number of Physical Tapes
3
Permission
For uses other than research or private study, researchers must submit a Request for Permission to Publish, Exhibit or Broadcast form.
Citation
Masashi Shin, interview by Lisa Uyeda, January 19, 2011, 2011.019, Sedai: The Japanese Canadian Legacy Project Collection, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.