Kogawa House: The Case to create a literary and historical landmark for Vancouver

Recently I was asked to state a case for preserving Kogawa House.  You can visit the discussion here on www.darrenbarefoot.com

The best answer is to experience these upcoming events, Vancouver Opera's Naomi's Road

• Saturday, March 4, 2006 7:00 pm at West Vancouver Memorial Library 
• March 11, 2006, 7:30pm at Vancouver Japanese Language School Hall

Monday, Feb 27th. Emily Kato book launch – Vancouver Public Library,

I will
MC a special “Emily Kato” book launch for Joy Kogawa.  There will be
special guests and presentations.  This will be the penultimate One Book One Vancouver follow up program as “Emily
Kato” is the reworked (Itsuka) sequel that highlights the JC Redress
movement of the 1980's.

The Case for Preserving Kogawa House…

1 – It is a historical and literary landmark: 
Joy is one of Canada's most influential and honoured authors. 
Vancouver has only two literary landmarks and both are in Stanley Park
– Robbie Burns statue and Pauline Johnson memorial.  Name another
Canadian author listed in BC Almanac's Greatest British Columbians,
Literary Review of Canada, and Quill and Quire's top 100 books? 
Has recieved Order of Canada?
Has had an opera made from their works?

Here's a link for
15 literary and cultural associations across canada that support preservation of kogawa house

Here's a link for
20 Reasons to save Kogawa House

Quote from Margaret Atwood

2 – The house will become a writing centre, and
be restored to it's 1937 to 1942 era while Joy lived in the house as a
young child.  There will be a writers-in-residence program working in
conjunction with writing associations across Canada.  Special
consideration will be considered for “Writers of Conscience”, who write
topic of human rights and racial/cultural harmony/issues.  We will
create programs for author readings and tie in with city cultural
festivals.

See link for The Land Conservancy


3 – The history of the house itself provides a landmark to the Japanese Canadian internment
– one of Canada's darkest historical periods.  There is no
acknowledgement or memorial in Vancouver for this incident.  Kogawa House
is one of the few houses identified as having been confiscated by the
govt. and the only house identified with a cultural and literary
significance.  This was the house that was taken away.  This was the
house that was yearned for and represented a time before Hate and
Negative-Identity virtually destroyed the JC social structure.  This
was the house that inspired the writing of both Obasan and Naomi's Road.

Here are recent news links  generated after having Joy Kogawa as
keynote speaker at the “Order of Canada” luncheon organized by the Canadian Club, to honour BC's 2005 appointees to the Order of Canada.

Tribute like coming home, Kogawa says
Vancouver Sun (subscription), Canada – 16 Feb 2006

Campaign aims to save BC writer's former home as piece of Canadian …
Canada.com, Canada – 19 Feb 2006

CBC Nova Scotia

$1 million needed to save Kogawa House CBC Nova Scotia, Canada – 8 Feb 2006

Through the power of Blogging and google searches, www.kogawahouse.com and www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com
have been able to help provide information on the continuing saga of
the “Save Kogawa House” campaign.  Media stories have been collected,
and Media reporters have referenced the websites.  Special thanks to Roland Tanglao of www.bryght.com for setting up our blogs.