For many Aboriginal people attending the Truth and Reconciliation Commission national gathering at The Forks in Winnipeg on June 16, it was a significant and necessary event. This, the first of seven national meetings, is the beginning of the healing process for the survivors of the Indian residential schools and their families. This was the opportunity for the survivors to tell their stories, describe the living experiences in the schools and the effect that this had on their lives, even today.
Justice Murray Sinclair, the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation …

COLD NOODLES
In the summer, the Japanese enjoy refreshing noodle dishes likely to please anyone sweltering in the late-summer heat. These dishes are truly cool—one presents the noodles floating in a bowl of ice cubes.
The classic way to prepare Japanese pasta, known as sashimizu or “add water” method, includes rinsing the noodles in cold water after they are cooked. With sashimizu, each time the water boils, add a cup of cold water. Repeat process up to three times, depending on the thickness of noodles.
Meanwhile, test noodles constantly by biting into a …

Hi everyone!
I hope you’re all enjoying the great weather! Here on the West Coast, the great weather is especially nice as it allows us to enjoy to views of the Coast Mountains and Pacific Ocean, often just by turning our heads!. Although the weather has been hot during the day, at night the temperature cools down enough to make it bearable to sleep. During this hot weather I hope all our seniors are staying nice and cool and drinking lots of water so as not to get too dehydrated. Please …

Fortunately, there is no wind. The sky has darkened, however, and a few small drops of water start to create small explosions on my skin. Around me are the white-painted bodies of more than twenty other beings, naked like myself.
We appear to be walking slowly, but inside time has a different velocity. With each step, a week goes by. In one step we travel 100 kilometers. Our bodies lean forward to fight with resistance against the force of energy that confronts our bodies. We edge toward the ocean.

In the Japanese language, the name is pronounced “Japadoggu” Because long words both foreign and Japanese are often abbreviated, “Japa,” as short for Japan or Japanese, is sometimes used. At an international university I attended in Tokyo in the 1960s, students from abroad were officially referred to as “non-Japanese” to avoid using the word “foreigner.” Japanese students and staff found “non-Japanese” too much of a mouthful, so they all said “non-Japa” instead. Pretty soon, Japanese students with mixed cultural and educational background were being called “han-Japa,” meaning “half-Japanese.”

Born and bought up in Vancouver’s Japantown, I aspired to join the Japanese Army as Kagoshima Prefecture had produced famous soldiers and my dad had served in the Russo-Japanese War, but in my late teens, when I discovered the atrocities committed against Chinese civilians, I decided to join the Canadian Army. However, I wasn’t accepted in Vancouver, so I moved on to Moose Jaw, riding the box cars. When fellow hobos broke into an empty passenger coach, we were all arrested and charged. Instead of paying a fine, I chose to be jailed for seven days.

The GVJCCA will once again be participating in the Powell Street Festival on July 30 and August 1, 2010 at the newly renovated Oppenheimer Park, Vancouver. The GVJCCA through The Bulletin will again be providing the program guide for everyone attending the festival. The Powell Street Festival is the largest event of its kind in Canada and has over the past three decades provided a wonderful blend of Japanese Canadian arts, culture, and heritage. We hope to see you all there again this year.

Divide bean paste into 24 portions.
Mix mochiko, sugar and water to make a smooth dough, start with 3/4 cup water, increase amount if necessary for a pliable dough.
Lightly grease a flat surface, Knead dough on flat surface until smooth.
Shape dough into a long roll about 1 inch in diameter.
Chop the roll into 24 pieces with a cleaver.
Flatten each piece into a 2 inch circle. Place the piece in your palm and place a bean paste portion in the centre.
Gather the edges around the filling. Roll into a ball. Repeat to make 24 balls.