Interview with Henry Shimizu

Title
Interview with Henry Shimizu
Accession number
2010.026
Interviewer
Peter Wakayama
Videographer
Peter Wakayama
Date of Interview
Language
English
Description

The interview is about Henry Shimizu’s photographs and paintings, describing his life in the internment camp of New Denver during World War II until 1946 when his family moved to Edmonton. He describes the area around New Denver and talks briefly about where other internment camps were situated in Kootenay Valley around Slocan Lake. He discusses his father’s work before the move, the process of leaving Prince Rupert, and moving to the internment camp. He goes into detail of how his family adapted to living in the internment camp by starting vegetable gardens, adding insulation to their homes, getting involved in winter sports and baseball, and starting Obon odori festivals. He also mentions how the high school-aged children were able to get a basic education from the Roman Catholic nuns and the United Church.

Format
Video File
Length of Interview
1 hr 23 min
Period
World War II
1940s
1950s
Event
World War II
Forced Removal
Internment
Location
New Denver, BC
Alberta, Canada
Slocan City, BC
Prince Rupert, BC
Kaslo, BC
Popoff, BC
Bay Farm, BC
Lemon Creek, BC
Sandon, BC
Greenwood, BC
Topic
displacement
baseball
social activity
United Church
education
internment camps
Asahi Baseball Team
recreation
bathhouse
enemy alien
gardening
sports
British Columbia Security Commission
religion
Buddhism
food
odori
fishing
housing
living conditions
logging
nuns/sisters
radio
detention camps
Number of Physical Tapes
0
Permission
For uses other than research or private study, researchers must submit a Request for Permission to Publish, Exhibit or Broadcast form.
Citation
Henry Shimizu, interview by Peter Wakayama, March 5, 2010, 2010.026, Sedai: The Japanese Canadian Legacy Project Collection, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.