The Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (NNMCC) is pleased to launch a new teaching tool on Japanese Canadian History which will bring authentic voices and experiences into the classroom.
 
TAIKEN 体験 translates as personal experiences. The Taiken Outreach Program is an exciting expansion of our existing education programs, bringing a new teaching resource that covers the Japanese Canadian internment experience into the heart of the classroom. It consists of 13 short video interviews sharing personal stories and experiences of internment camp survivors, both before and after the Second World War. A museum educator will use these stories to facilitate classroom discussions and student engagement, alongside historic photographs and museum artifacts. These hands-on, multimedia workshops can be customized to meet the needs of students and teachers.
 
Building on its reputation for offering educational programs and exhibitions that illustrate and celebrate Japanese Canadian culture in British Columbia and throughout Canada, the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre is excited to showcase the Taiken Outreach Program . The main goals are to support educators who teach contemporary issues such as human rights, citizenship and democracy in Canada; and to open the eyes and hearts of students to the fact that, as citizens, they have a role and can make positive change.
 
“The lived experience held in the memories of our Elders is precious information.  As our Elders are aging, we want to make sure that their stories and experiences are preserved, and made accessible to future generations, ” explains Beth Carter, Director-Curator of the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.
 
On November 9, 2014 from 2pm to 4pm at the Nikkei Centre, we will host a public screening of video interviews of internment camp survivors. Free and open to the public.
 
This project was made possible with support from the Telus Community Fund, MetroVancouver, the Government of BC, and the BC Arts Council.