Interview with Kathryn 'Kay' Honda (nee Yamamoto)

Title
Interview with Kathryn 'Kay' Honda (nee Yamamoto)
Accession number
2010.043
Interviewer
Lisa Uyeda
Videographer
Lisa Uyeda
Date of Interview
Language
English
Description

Kathryn Honda (nee Yamamoto) talks about her parent's emigration history - her father emigrated to Hawaii before transmigrating to Canada. He worked in the fishing industry before marrying. Kathryn's mother was a pearl diver in Japan and emigrated to Canada as a picture bride. Kathryn was born on November 20, 1927 in Steveston, BC. Her family moved to Eburne, BC and Lulu Island, BC where Kay attended school and Kathryn talks about discrimination they faced there. She also talks about their lives there including her mother canning and salting fish. Kathryn talks about the Great Depression and that it didn't affect Lulu Island farmers. She recalls hearing news of the war on the radio. During WWII, her father was removed to work on road camp. She talks about having to leave school and saying goodbye to her teachers. Kathryn remembers leaving their family dog behind and it chased their bus when they were being removed to Hastings Park in Vancouver, BC. Her family was removed to Sandon, BC and then, New Denver, BC where they lived until the end of WWII. Kathryn talks about their lives there including attending high school. She talks about the family making the decision to either go East in Canada or to Japan. In the end, they relocated to London, ON where Kay worked for the Governor of University of Western Ontario's family. After that, Kathryn worked with civil service after getting the right to vote. Kathryn was involved in promoting the Japanese Canadian Redress.

Short clip from this interview: https://vimeo.com/450243846

Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Conference: https://vimeo.com/338292452

Format
Videotape
Video File
Length of Interview
2 hr 54 min
Period
Post War
World War II
Event
Redress
World War II
Internment
Location
Japan
USA
Vancouver, BC
Lulu Island, BC
Steveston, BC
New Denver, BC
Hamilton, ON
London, ON
Sandon, BC
New Denver, BC
Hastings Park, Vancouver
Toronto, ON
Fingal, ON
Neys, ON
Topic
farming
agriculture
family
Buddhism
church
employment
education
nuns/sisters
church
festivals
dance
odori
Momiji
community
food
housing
gardening
internment camps
sports
photography
road camps
transportation
language
boat works
discrimination
fishing
War Measures Act
Prisoner of War (POW)
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC)
National Association of Japanese Canadian (NAJC)
military
teaching
living conditions
health
road camps
issei
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
radio
fishing
boat works
children
discrimination
language
radio
ghost towns
nisei
dance
immigration
language
marriage
discrimination
picture bride
photography
church
employment
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
Kay Honda, interview by Lisa Uyeda, July 29, 2010, 2010.043, Sedai: The Japanese Canadian Legacy Project Collection, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.