Norm Masaji Ibuki

Masaji

Norm Masaji Ibuki, vive en Oakville, Ontario. Escribió sobre la comunidad Nikkei Canadiense desde los comienzos de 1990. Escribió mensualmente una serie de artículos (1995-2004) para el diario Nikkei Voice (Toronto) donde describía su experiencia en Sendai, Japón. Actualmente, Norm enseña en la preparataoria y continúa escribiendo para varios publicaciones.

Última actualización en diciembre de 2009

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Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 1

Por Norm Masaji Ibuki
17 Sep 2023

My childhood friend, Jiro Takai, and I have been on parallel life paths of sorts. We first met in elementary school in Sault Ste. Marie (the Soo), northern Ontario, Canada. Growing up, unbeknownst to each other, we would forge careers in education. Having since reconnected in recent years, Jiro has become a wonderful friend and ally. Over the decades, our lives have crisscrossed many times from Canada to Japan, back to Canada and Japan again… the tettertottering between cultures continues. As I read through this interview again, it is sobering to realize just how the world has chang…

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Canadian Nikkei Artist

Takeuchi's Shapes In Between Retrospective: 60 Years and Counting - Part 2

Por Norm Masaji Ibuki
24 Jul 2023

Read Part 1 >> Prior to 1995, Norman admits that he had little contact with the JC community: “My focus was on the local (Ottawa) art community and producing my own work and there appeared to be no one from the JC community who was part of this.” He designed the 1977 poster for the JC Centennial based on Arthur Irizawa’s Centennial logo as the main image in the poster.” His first and only trip to Japan was in 1969-1970 to work on the Canadian Pavilion for Expo 70 in Osaka. “The main impression I was left with was that it’s a very dense, crowde…

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Canadian Nikkei Artist

Takeuchi's Shapes In Between Retrospective: 60 Years and Counting - Part 1

Por Norm Masaji Ibuki
23 Jul 2023

“Trying to figure out what it means to be Japanese Canadian is messy work. To sum it up: to me, being JC means feeling conflicted. After all these years of being who I am, I still seem to have to convince myself that I’m Canadian. I’m very aware that no matter where I go, whether it’s to restaurants, art galleries, or the curling rink, I look different from everyone around me. “The prevalence of racism and the reflections in the mirror reminds me that I’m not white and therefore am questionable. Luckily, there are many fine people, and I know many, who a…

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Japanese Canadians Speak Up for Raymond Moriyama’s Iconic Toronto JCCC - Part 3

Por Norm Masaji Ibuki
27 Jun 2023

Read Part 2 >> Diana Morita Cole, Nelson, BC (born in Minidoka concentration camp) One of my greatest pleasures is hiking the rugged Kootenay mountains where I live. Last fall, when I was climbing Baldface, an experienced hiker jabbed her pole into ground and asserted, “You people! You didn’t help us fight the Axis.” In that moment, I knew there were greater obstacles to my journey than the mere crevices and boulders I would encounter in the trail ahead. “That’s not true, Nell.” I responded. “My cousin volunteered to fight just as his …

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Japanese Canadians Speak Up for Raymond Moriyama’s Iconic Toronto JCCC - Part 2

Por Norm Masaji Ibuki
20 Jun 2023

Read Part 1 >> Lillian Michiko Yano, Newmarket, ON I know who I am because of 123 Wynford Drive… so long ago…48 years ago, in 1975. In 1952, my family came to Toronto after their forced removal to excruciating lives in Alberta sugar beet fields. My father had decided that the best way for our future was to assimilate into mainstream Canadian culture. But secretly, like all Japanese Canadians seeking a new beginning in Ontario, he was proud to be Japanese. Perhaps this is the reason why the first …