Ann-Marie Metten, Joy Kogawa, Todd Wong holding “Obasan Cherry Tree Day proclamation”, David Kogawa – photo Deb Martin. Ann-Marie Metten and Todd Wong are the Vancouver spokespeople for the Save Kogawa House committee.
Monthly Archives: November 2005
Vancouver City Hall “Joy Kogawa Cherry Tree Planting”
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Vancouver City Hall “Joy Kogawa Cherry Tree Planting”
Today,
Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell pronounced November 1st as “Obasan
Cherry Tree Day.” Campbell read the proclamation in celebration of the
planting of a cherry tree graft from the childhood home of author Joy
Kogawa. Mayor Campbell acknowledged Councillor Jim Green who
spearheaded the tree planting initiative, going to the house with
Kogawa last year to take the tree clippings that were nurtured for a
year for the planting.
Also speaking at the ceremony was Paul Whitney, City Librarian,
Vancouver Public Library, and James W. Wright, General Director,
Vancouver Opera. Joy's novel Obasan was the 2005 choice for the
library's award winning program One Book One Vancouver.
James Wright said that when he came to Vancouver he was given a copy of
the book “Great Canadian books of the century” written by Vancouver
Public Library (1999) (ISBN 1550547364). He said that he read
about Obasan, and it was one of the first books he read after arriving
in Vanouver. Next he discovered Kogawa's children story Naomi's
Road, and was so moved by it, he commisioned it as an opera.
Joy Kogawa expressed thanks and gratitude to everybody involved.
She said she was very happy that these things were happening and it was
like a shooting star. She also gave special thanks to Ann-Marie
Metten and myself, for the work we are doing with the Save Kogawa House committee.
There was a good sized crowd for the tree planting including media from
Globe & Mail, Metro News, CityTV, and Shaw TV. City
councillors attending the ceremony included Raymond Louie, Anne
Roberts, Ellen Woodsworth, Fred Bass, Tim Stevenson. Vancouver
Opera staff who worked on Naomi's Road included Music Director Leslie
Uyeda, Artistic Coordinator Hitomi Nunotani.
The following is the text that Mayor Campbell read from and was presented in a program that was handed out:
Joy Kogawa Cherry Tree Planting
In Commemoration of the Japanese-Canadian experience during the Second World War
In 2005, Japanese-Canadian writer Joy Kogawa's novel Obasan
was Vancouver Public Library's choice for One Book, One Vancouver, a
book club for the entire city. Throughout the summer people read,
discussed, and celebrated Kogawa's novel and explored the
Japanese-Canadian experience in Canada. This fall, Vancouver
Opera presented “Naomi's Road,” and opera for young people based on
Kogawa's children's book, Naomi's Road.
2005 also marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Asia.
Kogawa's book Obasan
is one of the most powerful books ever written about the experience of
Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. The story of Obasan
and its message about the consequences of of war and prejudice are as
relevant today as they were when the book was first released in 1981.
The house of Obasan
still exists in Vancouver with a cherry tree that Joy Kogawa remembers
from her childhood as “propped up and bandaged, but still very much
alive.”
On September 10, 2005, Vancouver City Council
adopted a Motion on Notice to plant a cutting of Joy Kogawa's cherry
tree on the City Hall campus as a way to commomorate the experience of
Japanese Canadians during the Second World War.
Today, we plant a cutting from Kogawa's cherry
tree as a symbol of friendship and to commemorate the experience of
Japanese-Canadians during the Second Warld War.
Joy Kogawa with City Librarian Paul Whitney, Oper Managing Director James Wright, and City Councillor Jim Green – photo Deb Martin
CBC Radio Arts Report by Paul Grant – features saving Kogawa House Tuesday 4-6pm
CBC Radio Arts Report by Paul Grant – features saving Kogawa House Tuesday 4-6pm
CBC
Radio's Paul Grant interviewed me yesterday for CBC Radio's “On the
Coast” with host Priya Ramu for Tuesday – 4 to 6pm
It was a very good short interview – hits all the main points.
Paul did ask about:
– The challenges raising $750,000 in 120 days.
I said we are approaching corporations, governments and philanthropists
– but the overwhelming support from the arts and writers community all
say “Save the House”!
– What do the neighbours think
– I told them it inspired one neighbor Ann-Marie to help save
the house. Personally, I think it would be great to live next to
an important literary landmark – since we really don't have any in
Vancouver.
– Why is the house so important?
It plays central role in book and opera, it is curriculum all across
Canada, it has been turned into opera, no other Canadian literary
landmarks in Vancouver other than Pauline Johnson.
– What are plans for the house?,
– Tto become a writers centre, for writers across Canada, and writers
of conscience. To experience multicultural Vancouver, with the ironic
twist that the house they are staying in had been taken away from our
celebrated writer when she was six years old, and sent to an internment
camp.
– What are plans for afterwards, ongoing maintenance, upkeep etc.
-I said we will be building in programs, that would access funds, and other grant programs that will cover everything.
Ooops – forgot to say there will be a presentation of Naomi's Opera on Nov 12 at the library… My next press release.
Tree planting at City Hall today: Cherry Tree graft from Kogawa House
Tree planting at City Hall today: Cherry Tree graft from Kogawa House
Today at 1pm, Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell and city councillors will
plant a cherry tree graft taken from the old cherry tree at Kogawa
House, 1450 West 64th Ave.
The cherry tree and the house figure prominently in both books Obasan
and Naomi's Road, written by Joy Kogawa. The cherry tree is
getting old and diseased now, so grafts were taken to help preserve its
memory. Unfortunately, the tree was pruned severely last
fall. But imagine 5 year old Joy Kogawa, swinging and climbing
from a younger tree, still full of vibrant life and cherries. (Read one
of my favorite books Shel Silverstein's “The Giving Tree.”)
Vancouver City council passed a motion to plant the tree graft in
September – the same week an inquiry for demolition of Kogawa House was
made.
Also attending the tree planting will be Paul Whitney, Chief Librarian
of Vancouver Public Library, and James Wright, General Directof of
Vancouver Opera. Obasan was VPL's 2005 choice for One Book One
Vancouver program, and Naomi's Road premiered on September 30th, as a
45 minute opera commissioned to tour BC schools.
Also listen to CBC Radio's “On the Coast” 4-6pm, Paul Grant's Art Report interviewed me yesterday about saving Kogawa House.
Cherry Tree at Kogawa House – photo by Don Montgomery
Cherry Tree at Kogawa House – photo by Don Montgomery
Cherry Tree at Kogawa House – photo by Don Montgomery
Cherry Tree at Kogawa House – photo by Don Montgomery
Cherry Tree at Kogawa House – photo by Don Montgomery
Cherry Tree at Kogawa House – photo by Don Montgomery