224B_CFSI-FM-Rose_Murakami_20_10_2010-created-2015.mp3

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28.01.2024

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Unknown Speaker 00:02
Hello and Welcome to Word on the rock our Saltspring community library show hosted by Karen and David with technical support by calves word on the rock is of course on one Oh 7.9 CFSI

Unknown Speaker 00:25
making your way in the world today takes everything you got taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. And here on island, Treehouse cafe, quintessentially Saltspring. The treehouse cafe. Open every day of the week, breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's where locals hang for worldly cuisine for Thursday through Sunday evenings. Meet and Greet your neighbors for worlds of music. The treehouse cafe where everyone knows your name, and they're always glad you came.

Unknown Speaker 01:07
Hello, Saltspring I'm Christine with Pharmasave downtown and I wanted to let you know about downtown Pharmasave specialty compounding are compounding pharmacists can custom make your prescription into a format that is just what the doctor ordered. Every one is different and each person's reaction to a particular medication is unique. We can compound your medication into topical gels, creams, flavored oral liquids, suppositories, lozenges, CHEWIES, and lollipops. Compounding also helps people within tolerances to certain additives in their medications. Other health areas where compounding can help our menopause and andropause, dentistry, dermatology, pain management, palliative care, pediatrics, sports medicine, veterinary medicine and wound care. Everyone is unique if so why should one drug fit all at Pharmasave? Downtown our compounding pharmacists work together with you and your physician to provide a customized prescription to fit your individual needs. Call us or come in to speak to us about your compounding questions. The pharmacist at downtown pharmacy will be happy to help live well with

Unknown Speaker 02:22
some going on animals Kate cage who you're gonna call if what you need is wild bird see who you gonna call

Unknown Speaker 02:40
dog barks it's the names call for all your farm friends and Kritis applies just down the road. Enjoy the free coffee. October's feature bio flame eco for briquettes $4.88 per bag. It's just $280 per skid home delivery is available. Hungry.

Unknown Speaker 03:02
Jumping on your bed. You're gonna call me Fred and oh Pat. We ain't afraid of no patch. We're afraid an old patch we

Unknown Speaker 03:20
Saltspring books is proud to sponsor word on the rock. Our islands radio show about books Saltspring books wants us islanders to eat sleep read because life is simple.

Unknown Speaker 03:40
Welcome to Word on the rock. I'm David Hart. This is the library outreach program about books and the Saltspring authors who write them. Today we're pleased to host those Mercanti author of kangaroo, the Murakami family of Salt Spring Island. Just give you a little bit about rose our economy she was born in Salt Spring Island. Her mother was born in Stevenson, the first child to be born to Japanese settlers in Canada. Her family moved to Salt Spring Island and created a successful farm. When Japan entered the war in 1941 Mirkarimi family and the other 11 Japanese families on the Saltspring Island were exiled as enemy aliens inland camps. And the book was describes how the family lives through the subsequent years of incarceration. And they're subsequently returned to life on Saltspring Island. Rules would like to say a little bit how you came to write this book.

Unknown Speaker 04:41
I would if you say a gun battle into bird combat. Yes. And it started when the Salt Spring Historical Society invited me to speak at one of their monthly meetings and to tell them about the history of our family on salt spring and in the audience. includes a lady by the name of Murni summers. And learning stood up after I completed my presentation and said, I think we should create memorial garden. And anyhow, to make a long story short Murni has a very talented, multi talented partner named Katherine Kelly. And she had asked Mary to come and get my speech. And I had lost it. So it took me a while to find it and give it to Katherine. And before I knew it, she was helping me turning it into a book. And so she is the editor and also the designer of the book. And the reason that they wanted to make it into a book was that they played a very big role to create what's called this, a Japanese garden Society of Saltspring. Island. And it was one of the sources for raising funds. And so 100% of the profit made from the book is given to the garden. And so there's a close link between my book and the garden across from art spring is called Hey, what garden halen means piece in Japanese. And it's, if you look at it, now, you'll notice that it's beautifully created, but it's only the first phase. And we're little we were able to create that garden, because we had a lot of support from individual donors, foundations, a variety of other groups that I can't remember right now, and also parks on really know the parks here. I think it's called Parks and Recreation Commission. And they were very supported and still continue to be. So I want everyone who's listening today to realize that it's only the first phase, and we're seeking donations for the second and the third phase. And our website is WWE, excuse me, W Saltspring, Japanese garden.com. And it will, that website will tell you how you can donate and also information about the garden. So the people on Saltspring if you haven't seen our garden, please go and look at it from across artspring and also bring visitors and and remember that we would like your support and continuing with phase two and phase three.

Unknown Speaker 07:40
And going out buying a copy of your book would also mall Yeah, since that's where to start. And you have the information, and the last page of the book about the website and so on the garden joining the garden society.

Unknown Speaker 07:53
And in the in the garden, there's a little box with a little brochure, and it tells you what the garden is about acknowledging the contribution of the Japanese Canadian community before the war and tells you how you can donate be a member or providing money.

Unknown Speaker 08:12
So there's lots of information available, right? Well get back to your experience as it must you were not even going to school. When this happened. It must have been a really horrible experience to watch your father being taken away by RCMP. And without knowing very much about what was going on just being told that they were going away. And then well, that must have been a really terrifying experience. Yeah, knowing what's going on well.

Unknown Speaker 08:51
Well, there was a lot of racist politicians who brought about the exiling of all the Japanese Canadians. On the west coast, there were 22,000 of us. And we're just one family. And we were all knit. Initially, they were just going to move out the people who were not naturalized. My father father came to Canada in 1923 when he was in his 28th year. And during that time, if you know the history of agents in British Columbia, British Columbia was probably one of the most racist towards the Asians. And if you ever read a book called White Canada forever by Professor Peter Ward, he documents what happened when the first Chinese came. And then when the Japanese came, and when the Indo Canadians came, and so my father wanted to become naturalized it was impossible for him. So what they first did was say we're gonna take all the Japanese nationals and putting them into camps and On Saltspring Island, there was my father. And then there were two of my cousins who came over to Canada when they were babies. And then there was a father and son. So there were five. And on April On March 17 1942, the RCMP came to take our father away. And my father had just had an appendectomy in December of the previous year. And so he wasn't really recovered in those days, like, you know, almost surgery was a major stress on the body. So, the RCMP came in a pickup truck, and my father was the very first person to be picked up. And before he left, he lined us all up according to birth order and, and made this promise that we would be good children and support mother. And Richard was just one year old. And so the RCMP officer came. And and because the the weight of things that we could take was limited. My mother was always smart. She built she she sold what's called a closed bag, and she didn't know where Father was going. And as a result, she put more on clothes, underwear, whatever. There used to be at Turner stores where that Harlan grocery Harland chocolates are right now. And so she went there and bought all the white cloth to make clothes bags in bought whatever that was their underwear, whatever for dad. And so it was quite a heavy long bag. And so we dragged it out to get it onto the truck. And the RCMP officer wouldn't help us. So mom and my sister Alice, the oldest she was 13 helped dad throw it onto the back of the truck. And just when dad was getting onto the truck, I guess he was too slow because the RCMP officer pushed him and Dad fell on his stomach on the back of the truck. And then when dad was going to walk towards the head of the truck to stand up there, you know, the truck had a standard gearshift. And the RCMP officer jerked it. So that just about fell off. But anyhow, so we we lived at the foot of sharp road. And so we ran after dad waving and crying. And anyhow, and then the truck came around and down at Cannes road, and we can see at Cannes road from where we live. And so we watched that going, and we didn't know if he was going to be taken to be shot or what because he didn't know where he was going to go. It was been very roughly handled. Oh yes. And then they picked up the other people and mother didn't know where dad had gone for many months. And when we were in a place called Greenwood. She received a letter from dad saying that he had spent two nights at Hastings Park. Yes. And then he was taken by to the CN station on Main Street in Vancouver. And then they were taken to they were put into these freight cars. And they came to Jasper that said he couldn't feel the cars that they were in being released. And they were taken into the siding there. And he said it was still early in the park. So there was snow and and he saw that all their belongings were being thrown into the snow. And they lived in that terrible condition in the freight cars for a number of months before they built tents. I got tense for them, but it was a road prison camp. And his group was assigned to build the Trans Canada Highway from Jasper, Alberta to Blue River. You see, anyhow, in the letter that mother received in in Greenwood it was censored and it was all cut up. And whatever because I guess they didn't have black pens in both days. And dad hadn't included $20 because the men were paid 25 cents an hour and 25 cents per meal was deducted. And the married men were told that they had to send half their pay to their family. Right. And so that's how mother knew that dad was still alive and where he was.

Unknown Speaker 14:46
That century is extraordinary, isn't it because what what dangerous information is he likely to be able to send from exactly as just being nasty about Isn't it? Oh, gosh, well, so you moved, removed about the rest of the family were also sent off to the inland. And then later you were able to join your father and some other relatives.

Unknown Speaker 15:15
But one of the things I'd like to tell you is that our family history began here in Canada in 1896. When my mother's father came to Canada, he came as a young man. And he was he didn't know how to fish or anything, but he was adventurous. And he learned to fish. Yes. And my grandmother came, I think she came as a picture bride, although they came from the same village in 1902. And that's when after that my mom was born in 1904. But he was a very successful fisherman. And by the time 1919, when he sold his boats, he had five boats for five boats, he was very successful. And they also had couple of boats where they kept the fish alive. And then they would go to Vancouver and sell it. But in 19, towards 1919 Oh, by the way, they lived in Duck Bay and Bisou Vyas in 1909. So our history on Saltspring goes back to 1909. And certainly being there before. Oh, yes, 1909. And, but they never really left because when the there were specific, laws passed, directed towards the Japanese Canadian fishers, and that their licenses were being cancelled. And so my grandfather could see the writing on the wall. So in 1919, he bought 200 acres at the foot of sharp road, and by selling some of his boats, and, and he became a very successful farmer too. And if you go down to the hay apart, there's interpretive board that shows my grandfather's greenhouses are huge greenhouses. And then, so, by the time my grandfather was forced off the land, it was 1942. And he said, he just about died, because from the time he came to Canada in 1896, to 1942, everything that he had worked and created, was stolen from him, was a stroke of a pen. And, and my mother married my father in Japan, in 1926. And he had to be sponsored by the Okeanos. And he was, but anyhow, he built the greenhouses, because he had to be at work out three or he worked three years and then turned into five but then Mom and Dad, when they were very young, 1932 they bought 17 acres right across the street, and you can still see their land. A crop when you drive up that can roll really makes me mad. When I look crossed there, see my mum and dad's place. Anyhow, they cleared that land, it was virgin land, they cleared it, and they made this beautiful garden of berries and vegetables and, and built all the six chicken houses and they had 5000 chickens that they sold eggs. So that in 1942, when we were exiled was a year when all the debts would be paid. But of course, you know what happened. We never got to see that year because we were forced off the island. And then

Unknown Speaker 18:49
all our property was confiscated. And it

Unknown Speaker 18:52
was when we were in a place called Rose Berry, which was one of the prison camps we were put in in January of 1943. My mother and father got news that their home and farm was being sold without their consent, which shocked them. Because Gavin Moore, who was the custodian of enemy alien property, he worked for the secretary of state of the federal government. He was a friend of mom and dad, the mom used to tell it says over and over again when we were in the prison camps. Gavin said he put his arms around me he said when we were at the Ganges war going on to the CPR boat called Princess Mary to be taken away. He says Kimi, my mother's name was Kimiko. He says, Kimi, don't worry there won't be a chopstick missing when you come back to Salt Spring Island. Well, you know what happened? And not only that, the other terrible thing the government did to us was they not only sold our farming home without her consent, but as soon as the War Measures Act was put into place. After Pearl Harbor, they they frozen Our bank accounts and they, we didn't have direct access to it, they looked at our family size and decided how much we could have every month to feed ourselves. And as a result, we paid for our own incarceration. And when we were released from the camp in 1946, it was me it was about six months after the war with Japan had ended. We were absolutely poverty stricken because there was nothing left in our bank account. And I remember when my baby brother was born in the rosemary, a prison camp, mom went to the BC Security Commission office and asked if we could, she can have some money so she could buy some baby things. But they said a resounding no to her. And because they wanted us to pay for our own incarceration to the very end. But even when they released us from the camps, that didn't mean that we were free. We were there. We were given an ultimatum. They said it was a choice. But it was an ultimatum. You can either either go to a war term war torn Japan, or you have to go east of the Rocky Mountains. Yes. And of course, my father chose to go to the east of the Rocky Mountains. But he didn't go very far. He went as far as Alberta, yes, because he was determined to come back to Salt Spring Island. And anyhow, when we went to, to a place called McGrath, Alberta, we were assigned to a farmer. And we had to work in the sugar beet field there. We were kind of like the, the release slaves of the United States, like the farmers were planted the cotton and they looked after what they planted the sugar beet seeds. And Mom and Dad contracted 35 acres at $27 an acre. And what they had to do was they had to look after the sugar beets from the time it came up, you thin it, you water it, and you look after it till the winter snow came when you started harvesting it. And the farmer would dig it up with a special machine. But you had to it was like a machete. But the point on the end, you lift the sugar beets topping throw it into the wagon, but the Alberta mud day board they were having to do the sugar beet work. It was clay. Yes. So that there's a lot of clay stuck on to the beat. And you know, the snow is falling and you're having to knock this. My mother was four feet nine and she had these little hands. And when I think about it, it really infuriates me, like what she had to do.

Unknown Speaker 22:51
But you persevered through all of this. And then what When was it that you were sort of became Canadian citizens had the right to go back to Okay,

Unknown Speaker 23:02
well, you know, I thought we were always Canadian citizens, given that we were all born on salt, salt, Spring Island, all the children were born on Salt Spring Island, except my youngest brother, Bruce, he was born in the new Denver prison camp, my mother was born. And as you said, Steve, since she was the first Japanese Canadian baby to be born there. And so my father said, I'm not taking my family to Japan, they're all Canadian, but what am I going to do with them in a war torn starving place? So anyhow, in 1949, April, the first 1949, that's when they allowed us to have freedom of movement, because they wouldn't allow us to come back to British Columbia until then. And also they gave us our franchise because we weren't allowed to vote until 1949. And, you know, one of the most important response rights of a citizen of a democratic country is to have your franchise. Yes. And since we didn't have our franchise, like us, they didn't consider us as citizens. And

Unknown Speaker 24:13
that was when the Canadian Citizenship Act was was made law. Before that, in fact, they weren't Canadian citizens. They were British subjects resident in Canada, right. So I became a Canadian citizen at the same time you did okay. But

Unknown Speaker 24:27
when we were in Alberta, my mother had to go, Oh, yeah. Because my mother married the Japanese national. She lost her citizenship. And they, you know, there were cards that they had to carry. The only citizen were people in Canada, they had to carry a card. May have been starting May of 1941. All Japanese people 16 years and over had the carrier cars with their picture, and a thumbprint right, and anyhow, so when we were in Alberta, she went Could

Unknown Speaker 25:00
we? We've just got a couple of minutes left off. Could we? I would like you to read just that last paragraph.

Unknown Speaker 25:11
Last paragraph. Okay. The last paragraph in my book whose father died? Is that what you'd like me to raise

Unknown Speaker 25:20
just after that? Okay.

Unknown Speaker 25:23
Father died in March of 1988. And mother in July of 1997. Our parents were a powerful team. They were our role models. They taught us never to quietly accept the cruel onslaught of racial hatred, never to act as victims and always to show up proud face to the world, never a face of defeat. They showed us how to be generous and compassionate towards others. They provided security and created opportunities for us. They believe strongly in education and allowed for us to go to university. throughout their lives. They were truly honorable and loyal citizens of Saltspring Island, British and British Columbia and Canada. With dignity and courage. Our parents brought the family safely through some terrible terrible times in our journey through life and ensure that our family prevailed.

Unknown Speaker 26:16
Thank you very much rose for coming today. We it would be great to be able to go on but we've used up our time. Just like to say also thank you to Karen and Cindy for pitching in here and to Saltspring books for sponsoring us and next week listen to work on the rock when all other we'll be interviewing Bob Layton, yes. Sorry about that. Okay, so Alright. So now you're going to hear a song gum Bubble gum boo. And by the way, the book is in the library of as well. But okay, by Phil Vernon. Yes, Phil Vernon song gum group.

Unknown Speaker 27:17
There's a murmur in the phone. Whisper in the rain, time living memory rigidness and pain you may think that time is over and the sun shines on the enhanced society. Shoe you know the story from the Second World War. The Japanese Canadians were shipped off from the shore. They were wants to live in famines. I don't know the other 10 Americans they came home again

Unknown Speaker 28:04
you think it was sufficient? All the hardships they endured after 12 years they'd be welcomed back that's not what I heard. They were treated with suspicion. They must shun the zip to see what right have you got to come back here to steam the prison camp in winter with six children in a shack through the beet fields have lived into hell and back you're told to me this is one thing we can do we will personally

Unknown Speaker 28:53
couldn't buy their farm back the one place on this earth women auction to a stranger for the fraction of its worth and all the money gone to pay for their in German in the war leaving before so this started over Barton cleared a piece of land we heard the scope and learned it all by hand. Cassie already told us family life a new in the spirits gun

Unknown Speaker 29:35
Centennial was coming 67 was the here they were calling for donations now. Planting trees are finding their father's name O'Connell was not a welcome on the planet. A mentor to me go take your money back