One Book Whonnock

Japanese lands in Ruskin and Whonnock

2011-12-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

Before W. T. (Bill) Hashizume published his translation of Yatsuro Yamaga’s History of Haney Nokia (farmers association) he used municipal tax assessment rolls and information gathered by John Mark Read for his 1971 MA Thesis as the basis for a map showing the properties once owned by Japanese settlers. Click here if you are interested to see the Whonnock and Ruskin parts of the map.

Japanese in Ruskin and Whonnock

2011-12-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

The Maple Ridge News of 14 December includes an article on the subject of the Japanese in East Maple Ridge. In case you've missed it for any reason please click here to read it now.

Ruskin School 1936-1937

2011-09-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

Most of the children attending Ruskin elementary during the school year 1936-1937 were of Japanese origin.

Chris Mellalieu -- After reading Obasan

2011-08-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know that I read “Obasan” and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have had several conversations with people who lived through the times including a dear 90 year old friend who leased their farm to displaced Japanese during those times. It was worthy of note that he and his family had no idea that the family to whom they leased had lost everything. That sort of speaks to the humility of the Japanese culture. I also cannot get the image out of my mind of that big bully of a hen killing those "yellow” chicks or the description of the collectible Japanese doll that was now without her traditional dress and had essentially lost any trace of the beautiful culture.
Anyway, thanks for starting what might turn into a Whonnock tradition.

After reading OBASAN

2011-07-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

What a book! It is such a compelling and very disturbing novel. About the time that happened I was in elementary school in Saskatchewan.

Didn’t know until we moved to BC in 1943 that the Japanese people had been moved away from the BC coast.

It’s a real eye-opener as to how people react in such times. The powers-that-be seem to react instantly without careful consideration.

My heart goes out to those people.

Thanks for loaning me the book,

Sincerely,

Margaret Norman

UYENO -- Mother and Child

2011-07-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

After removing a small strip of tape from the old envelope that held the negatives the name UYENO appeared, a family that lived on 280th Street in Ruskin according to information gathered by Brian Byrnes. Could the photos show Mrs. Uyeno and son?
Correction: It seems that Mr. Uyeno was a bachelor. He may have done the family a favour bring a film or negatives for development or prints--hence his name on the envelope.

Mother and Child -- who were they?

2011-06-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Popadiuks saved negatives with pictures of a Japanese mother and son from the remnants of the estate of a Whonnock resident. No Japanese settler ever owned the house and land of the deceased so the negatives came from somewhere else in Whonnock or even Ruskin. The negatives were found in a "Selo" print envelope in use around 1937. Click here to look at the pictures.
Messages asking for assistance in searching for an answer went out to the Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association, Nikkei Voice, the National Association of Japanese Canadians, Nikkei Place, and Vancouver Shinpo.

Oars

2011-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

From the Popadiuks comes this photograph of a truckload of oars produced by Japanese residents of Whonnock for the lifeboats of ocean steamers. A note from a former resident shows that Mr. Oey, a bachelor, was an oar maker. This may have been his work.

Community > Neighbours> Reading > Discussion > History

2011-06-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Local History is my priority and it is with great pleasure that I'll participate in this communal book-reading by attributing as much information as I can about the Japanese settlers here in Whonnock, Ruskin and Thornhill.

Relative latecomers to East Maple Ridge in comparison with other communities in Maple Ridge, the Japanese were an essential and large part of our community in the years prior to the Second World War.

Hard working, energetic and frugal they were, turning our poor soils into fertile agricultural lands and they were very active in lumbering.

The school photos from that time show many, many friendly faces of Japanese children. It all came to an end with Pearl Harbour when fear of an imminent invasion turned friends into foes causing the removal of all Japanese-Canadians to camps in the interior. East Maple Ridge lost almost all its farmers.

The picture shows the Maehara children. Their parents farmed on lots on both sides of 100th Avenue at 256th Street including the lot where the Thornhill School was later built. Just click on the picture to see an enlargement!

Much more to come! Stay tuned!

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