Cultural Legacy Projects

NIMC Cultural Legacy Connections

The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre (NIMC) has, since its creation, attracted artists, relatives and researchers who are interested in exploring their connections to the internment era.  Multiple initiatives and projects have been completed over the years that serve to connect younger generations to the original events  that are commemorated at the NIMC.

These initiatives and projects continue to seek to honor the inter-generational connections found rooted in the stories of the over 22,000 Japanese Canadians who were stripped of their civil rights, labelled “enemy aliens” and uprooted from their coastal homes during the Second World War.

Examples of recent projects inspired by visits or connections to the NIMC:

Donated Origami

We’re Owen and Ethan and are Gosei (fifth generation Japanese Canadians) on my mother’s side.  During World War II, our great-great grandparents and our great grandparents were evacuated from Vancouver and were interned in New Denver.  In fact, our grandmother was born in the small hospital by the lake here in New Denver.  We were very happy to explore this area with our parents last year.  We visited the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre and began to understand the life of our grandparents during those years.

We saw origami cranes that were sold by the Centre.  They were made by the elders still living in New Denver.  There was a big concern that soon, there would be no one left who could carry on this tradition.  This is what inspired us to learn the art of paper folding.  We decided that we would donate our paper crane mobiles to the Centre and hope that visitors will buy them to support this National Historic Site.

Handmade Trivets and Kusudama

Contact

Village of New Denver
115 Slocan Avenue
PO Box 40
New Denver, BC V0G 1S0

Phone: 250 358 2316
Email: office@newdenver.ca
Website: www.newdenver.ca

Hours of Operation
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Coming Events