Sansei: The Storyteller
Stories are powerful magic… in my opinion, they are the quickest way to respect. I love language and I am a big word nerd, so let’s look at the word re-spect. The etymology of ‘re’ is to repeat (redo, rethink, reuse) and ‘spect’ is connected to ideas of sight (spectacles, spectate, spectacular); so to re-spect someone is to ‘see’ ‘again.’ When you offer someone respect you are seeing them in another light. This is what Sansei offers, a light-hearted opportunity to see someone in a new light. Similarly, this definition gives us a sense of empowerment to allow others to re-spect us by offering different views of ourselves. – Kunji Ikeda, creator of Sansei: the Storyteller
Sansei: The Storyteller uses dance, theatre, and humour to tell the story of one of Canada’s darkest decisions and how the rampant racism of past generations affected the Japanese community today. Kunji Ikeda investigates the social climates and hardships when the Ikeda family was labelled enemy aliens. Previously performed at the Chan Centre in 2022, Sansei: The Storyteller comes to the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts for two performances on April 27, 28, and 29.
I talked to Kunji Ikeda by email.
Sansei: The Storyteller goes all the way back to the Expanse Movement Arts Festival in Edmonton in 2013, when it was called ‘We Don’t Look Back’. What are the roots of the piece in terms of conceptualizing it?
The work was a total experiment to see if I could combine contemporary dance and spoken-word poetry. My central topic was around silver linings, and this family story kept returning to mind: if the Japanese Canadian Internment didn’t happen in WWII, I wouldn’t be alive. Once I had the bones of the work, I sort of connected the dots with theatre, comedy, and storytelling to fill out the work close to what it is today.
I imagine the show has been through various permutations. How has the piece shifted over time?
There have been a few additions and subtractions over the years. I phonetically learned a monologue in Japanese, the dance choreography shifted for more fluid integration, and a poem by Joy Kogawa has found a home within the work. The biggest shifts have been in my comfort with the show, to the point that I can let the energy of the audience have quite a large impact on how the work is performed.
You’ve brought the experiences of family members into the show. Tell me about that.
Welcoming my family members into this work was similar to a research project. I believe its a common feeling to not feel Japanese Canadian enough, it’s one I wrestled with for the majority of my youth. I had curiosity around their experiences for as long as I can remember; the Japanese Canadian experience was wrapped in this unspoken blanket of silence. Through this performance I’ve really gotten to know and understand my family members in a much more complete, rounded way.
Was it difficult to get them to open up, especially in such a public way?
I feel that they were all a little scared when they learned about my career choice. I think they all really hoped for my success, so if this was something they could do to contribute to my life they were all very generous. None of us imagined this show would have the longevity it has! I think the interviews for this show were also a bit of a needed crack in the walls of these memories; my aunt, uncle, and father have all had a much closer connection to the Japanese Canadian experience in their own way. My uncle has been really active with the Tashme Museum, and my aunt has given other published interviews about her experience.
Is there anything that surprises you about people’s response to the show?
One of my mentors Denise Clarke spoke about if your artistic work has touched someone emotionally, they want to reciprocate when they meet you physically, with a handshake, a hug, or a hand on the shoulder (keep in mind, this is pre-pandemic). I started to notice this trend after performing Sansei. At first I didn’t see the big picture; I assumed it was a little specialty piece that may – at best – intrigue a few history buffs. As I was fortunate to share it more widely, I got a wide variety of responses about how much the experience resonated with how others had managed their own hardship, oppression, and trauma. It has given new meaning to the old adage: the personal is universal.
I’ve been at many shows over the years that reference the wartime experience of Japanese Canadians and afterwards there are always audience members that say, “I had no idea.” Have you had that response?
Yes… but it’s becoming less and less common. We don’t know what we don’t know, and hopefully the arts are able to ignite a few of those tougher conversations and deeper inquiry. I’ve recently been surprised to hear more folks speak about the importance of this story (alongside many others) in our shared history.
Whether JC or not, what do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope they’d take away some thoughts and feelings that shake up their body in order to forge a few more pathways towards joy, respect, and community in their lives.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Just like how everyone in a community has a part to play, everyone in the audience helps shift the work and the storytelling. The work really is invigorated by the audience and that’s one reason why the show is still exciting to me.
April 27, 2pm, April 28, 29, 8pm
Sansei: the Storyteller
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts | Studio Theatre
6450 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby
tickets.shadboltcentre.com
