Report of my trip to Canada, Aug. 13 to Sept. 2, 2002
The following is a description of what I saw, heard and learned during my three-week stay in Canada, and which are related to my lecture course entitled Multiculturalism in the U.S.A. and Canada.
I spent my first week (Aug.13 to 18) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, observing Folklorama, Canada's cultural celebration. Thanks to Judge Art Miki, a citizenship judge and a long-time resident of the city, I had the privilege of visiting many pavilions and of talking to the people representing each ethnic community.
The very first day I arrived in Winnipeg, I was ushered to the Japanese Pavilion, located at the Manitoba Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. There, I was greeted by the thunderous sound of the Hinode Taiko Drummers, and traditional Japanese dances of the Kaede Odori Group. In the hall, I noticed people of various ethnicities were having fun, trying their hand at shodo (Japanese calligraphy) and origami (paperfolding) while treating themselves to such delicacies as sushi and chicken teriyaki. As I was leaving the pavilion, I was quite impressed with the exquisiteness of the authentic Japanese garden outside the cultural centre.
The following day, I went to the Chinese, Metis and Philippine Pavilions, and over the weekend I also managed to get to the Greek and Ukranian Pavilions. Wherever I visited, I was welcomed with the smiles and friendly greetings of the volunteers, which impressed me with the warmth and sincerity of each community. I was particularly struck with the cultural pride of the Metis People, as I watched how pemmican was made from the pounding and mixing of dry buffalo meat. I talked to a Metis who actually reconstructed a Red River Cart, a kind of frontier wagon. That is why I took a water taxi to get to the Louis Riel Museum and observed the exhibits with greater interest. There, in the graveyard, I was fortunate to see a live dramatization of Riel's life.
On Aug.15, Judge Miki invited me to attend a citizenship ceremony in which 40 people from 26 different countries pledged to become Canadians. At the tea service after the ceremony, I felt the enthusiasm and dynamism these new citizens were generating, and it reconfirmed for me Canada's bright future. Returning to the Sheraton hotel, a reception clerk told me she had also become a citizen nine months earlier under a rite performed by Judge Miki.
On Aug.16, I had an appointment to see Ms. Elizabeth Challis, director of the International Office, at the University of Winnipeg. As she told me of the amazing increase in applicants from abroad, my conviction that Canada is still growing and developing rapidly was reinforced. That afternoon, I interviewed Sally Ito who is considered one of the most promising new Japanese Canadian writers and was one of the five selected readers at the Powell Street Festival in Vancouver last summer.
On Aug. 18, I flew to Toronto where I had attended a conference on Asian American Studies in March 2001. Having already visited many major points of interest, I decided to do something more culturally in depth this time. Toronto is certainly a wonderful multicultural city, and I enjoyed a variety of ethnic foods, such as Vietnamese Pho and German sausages. Visiting some chic international designer stores and stylish cafes on Queen Street West was a refreshing experience.
One of the highlights of this trip was a visit to Prince Edward Island. Because of its image as a popular tourist attraction for Japanese, I hesitated to go. Yet, I knew of my students, interest in "Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery and her "home" in Cavendish, as well as its English tradition. Contrary to my initial feelings, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the two nights in Kindred Spirits, a charming inn named after an expression that Anne often used in the story, where the English tea with home-made cookies were things to remember. Charlottetown is a historically interesting city as the birthplace of Canada, because the Charlottetown Conference in 1864 led to the formation of Canada as a nation.
In Quebec, Canada's largest province, I invited my French-speaking daughter, a resident in Paris and works for the World Heritage section of UNESCO, to help me better appreciate the French speaking culture there. Quebec's official motto, Je me souviens, which I saw in La Citadelle and on the number-plates of cars, became more meaningful to me as we strolled in the historical parts of Quebec City.
Another characteristic of the providence is the presence of the eleven First Nations. I think these Native Canadians constitute a fascinating aspect of the cultural landscape of Canada today. During my research on the Redress Movement of Japanese Canadians in the past several years, I became aware of their relationship with the indigenous peoples. (See the book, From Survival to Revival: Japanese Canadian Communities in the Postwar Era, to be published in 2003 by Fuji Shuppan.)
Revisiting Montreal, where I was sent as a delegate from the Japan Association of American Studies in October 1999, was exciting, as it charmed me during my earlier visits. With my French-language assistant, I became more appreciative of the old town, such as the tree embedded with the cannon ball in its trunk since 1759! Also, being film enthusiasts, my daughter and I were delighted to see many international movies at the Montreal International Film Festival.
Seeing is believing. My three weeks in Canada last summer proved the proverb true. The following is how I am using my newly acquired knowledge about Canada in my lecture, Multiculturalism in the U.S.A. and Canada.(Omitted)