Interview with Fred Sunahara

Title
Interview with Fred Sunahara
Accession number
2010.024
Interviewer
Lorene Nagata
Videographer
Lorene Nagata
Date of Interview
Language
English
Description

In the interview, Fred Sunahara describes his life experiences, starting with his childhood in Vancouver, where he lived on Cordova Street, and his father worked as a fisherman, while his mother ran a rooming house. During the forced dispersal of Japanese Canadians, Fred was separated from his family, who were interned in Kaslo. During the war years, Fred worked hard at several different jobs, determined to finish his education and reunite his family. In the post-war years, Fred managed to reunite his family in London, Ontario. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario and becoming a specialist in aviation medicine, Fred went on to have a very successful career. In later years, Fred was an active volunteer in the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto, and helped found the Momiji Senior's Centre. He is the husband of Grace Sunahara.

Short clip from this interview: https://vimeo.com/398362417

Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Post War Conference: https://vimeo.com/336910880

Format
Videotape
Video File
Length of Interview
53 min
Period
Pre War
Post War
World War II
1970s
1980s
1990s
Event
World War II
Relocation
Forced Removal
Internment
Location
Vancouver, BC
Kaslo, BC
Toronto, ON
London, ON
Topic
Momiji
communities
career
education
fishing
volunteer
Number of Physical Tapes
1
Permission
For uses other than research or private study, researchers must submit a Request for Permission to Publish, Exhibit or Broadcast form.
Citation
Fred Sunahara, interview by Lorene Nagata, December 23, 2009, 2010.024, Sedai: The Japanese Canadian Legacy Project Collection, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.