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Prewar families were free to hunt and fish and live as free Canadian citizens. During WWII they were labeled "enemy aliens" and they were rounded up and interned.
Some families in Vancouver left before the forced evacuation. These families resettled in towns where "self-supporting" camps were designated. As in the States, they were told they could relocate away from the Coast. But most people did not realize the implications of evacution and/or did not have the resources to move within a week or a month. Cameras and guns and knives and all sharp utencils were considered contraband and were confiscated. |
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The Tsuyuki family evacuated to a farm in Lillooet that was part of the "self-supporting" camps. Norman Tsuyuki was a teenager in the camps and was an avid photographer. He was able to record all aspects of their life during this internment time. |
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| A neighboring family's funeral service. Some traditions were more difficult to maintain as it is a tradition to cremate the bodies before burial. Photo by Norman Tsuyuki. | Although many internees were Christian, the ritural of cremation and Buddhist services before and after burial of the ashes was a ritural most maintained. It is part of the Japanese culture and ritual of ancestral worship. Photo by Norman Tsuyuki. |
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| Tomatoes and cantaloupe were a couple of the crops they grew. All photographs are by Norman Tsuyuki. | After a days work on the farms it was part of the culture to enjoy both the bath, furo, and the message. The art of message was passed down from parents to children. |
