NAJC calls for community support for Kogawa House

National Association of Japanese Canadians calls for community support for Kogawa House

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

CALL FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR KOGAWA HOUSE

Winnipeg, MB  March  27, 2006:  Joy Kogawa in one of her visits to Vancouver, recently `found’ her childhood home, which out of memory had been recorded in some detail in her books.  She had forgotten the address but discovered it to be at 1450 West 64th Avenue, in the Marpole district of Vancouver.  Not only the house, but the cherry tree which she used to climb and hug as a child was still there, symbolically surviving the harsh wear and tear of life and times.

This is the place Joy Kogawa had spent the first six years of her life when, in 1942, she, together with her family, and all Japanese Canadians in the West Coast of British Columbia, were relocated to internment sites in the interior of British Columbia. Like other homes owned by Japanese Canadians, the Government of Canada confiscated it and auctioned it off in their absence.  This is the place she returned to in her imagination and memories to write the book, Obasan, to record the events.

Today the Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC), in response to Joy’s plea to save the house, is spearheading a campaign to raise funds to buy it and to convert the heritage property into a writers-in-residence retreat.  There have been various public awareness and fundraising events held to date, and a sum close to $200,000 has been raised.  The total purchase price is $700,000.

Canada’s leading writers’ organizations are appealing to the federal government for an emergency grant of $350,000 (matching funds) to save the historic Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver.  Letters of support have been received from MPs from both the Liberal party and the NDP.  Ujjahl Dosanjh, PC, QC, MP, Vancouver South, has written to the Hon. Bev Oda, PC, MP, Department of Canadian Heritage, to support this request.

There is now great urgency to the fundraising and to achieving its goal. We believe the NAJC membership and Japanese Canadian communities, in particular, should be made aware of this important project so that they may have the opportunity to join with others to bring this project to a successful conclusion.

Japanese Canadian community members have been very proud of the author, Joy Kogawa, and benefited largely from the book, Obasan, which poignantly relates `our’ story, studied by students internationally.  We are now celebrating with her the release by Penguin of her new book, Emily Kato, a re-writing of Itsuka.  Joy decided that Itsuka was not quite good enough, to be placed alongside Obasan, and chose to re-write it.  The Joy Kogawa House will be a place where such writings and re-writings by young and renowned writers may occur and may be celebrated.

We urge you to send in your donation, large or small.  Donations may be made online on the TLC’s website or by sending a cheque, payable to “The Land Conservancy”, at 5655 Sperling Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5E 2T2 or by calling 604-733 2313.

Charitable receipts will be issued.

Thank you for your support. For further information, you may contact any of the following list of supporters:

• The League of Canadian Poets
  www.poets.ca
  Mary Ellen Csamer, President
  Joanna Poblocka, Executive Director
• PEN Canada
  www.pencanada.ca
  Constance Rooke, President
  Isobel Harry, Executive Director
• The Writers’ Trust of Canada
  www.writerstrust.com
  Don Oravec, Executive Director
• The Canadian Authors Association
  www.canauthors.org
  Joan Eyolfson Cadham, National President
  www.canauthors.org/vancouver/
  Bernice Lever, BC Regional Vice-President
• The Professional Writers Association of Canada
  www.pwac.ca
  Gordon Graham, President
• The Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture
  www.allianceforarts.com
  Heather Redfern, Executive Director
• The Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers
  www.canscaip.org
  Gillian Chan, President
  Lena Coakley, CANSCAIP National Office
• Asian Canadian Writers Workshop
  www.asiancanadianwritersworkshop.com
  Don Montgomery, President
  Jim Wong-Chu, Executive Director