The Life Of The First Japanese
Join our adventure, about the first Japanese in Canada
Who were the the first Japanese Canadians ?
The first known immigrants from japan arrived in British Columbia in 1877. By 1914, about 10,000 people of the japanese race had permanently immigrated to Canada. The 2006 head count stats were estimated to about 98, 800 Canadians of the japanese ancestry and through out the canadian population the japanese were 0.3 per cent. More than 90 percent of the japanese line of ancestry lived in three provinces: British Columbia (42 percent), Ontario (35 percent) and Alberta (14 percent). The first Canadian Japanese were part of the Buddhism religion. After a few years, the Canadian Japanese switched to Christianity. the Canadians thought they were weird because the Japanese were different for example they spoke a different language and because they were a lower class from the Canadians, so they stayed away from them and didn’t communicate with them only if necessary.
Why did they choose to come to Canada specifically ?
there were many reasons why japanese were looking for a new place to live. there was little farmland in japan because of the growing population, so because of the natural disasters in japan this resulted to very poor harvests and plant growth. the japanese specifically came to Canada in search for different job opportunities. In the 1880's the japanese traveled to Canada in search for a place to live and in search for job opportunities especially when gold was discovered in British Columbia but other jobs were also available like building the Great Canadian railroad, using explosives to clearing land, mining coal farming, fishing logging and lumber industries.
How did the japanese canadians influence the pacific railroad?
The first Japanese Canadians influenced The Great Pacific Railroad in a way that the Canadians wouldn't for example the Japanese did some things that the Canadians would never think of even trying. they would light explosives in tunnels and sometimes they wouldn’t survive because they wouldn’t be able to reach the safe side of the tunnel in time. When the japanese were no longer needed to build the railway the government introduced a head tax to maximum Chinese immigration. A head tax fee that the Chinese had to pay to enter Canada but no other race had to pay this head tax fee and by 1923 the government called of the head tax fee off and in 2006 the government of Canada apologies.
Did the japanese have the same cultural rights?
The japanese had their own cultural/religious rights and also brought their own religious beliefs From their home country but about 10% of the Japanese immigrants had changed to Christianity by 1923. By 1961 close to 60% of the Japanese Canadians were Christian and the other 40% of the Japanese canadians were part of the Buddhism religion.The Japanese Canadian families celebrated all official canadian festivals. for some Japanese, new years day was just as important as Christmas. During Oshagastu (new years), japanese Canadians enjoy lots of cosines that are only prepared for this special occasion. this represents the time of year when they thank all they're loved ones for how they have helped them through out the year.
How did the canadians treat the japanese when they first came to canada
The japanese celebrated their 100 years of life in Canada 1977. For many years the .The first japanese in moose jaw Saskatchewan who were railway laborers faced so much discrimination That many had to hide. they lived in tunnels that they under the ground below the city streets of Saskatchewan. In the making of the railroad the japanese were paid less than the canadians the japanese didn't have enough money to bring their families back to Canada or for them their selves to go back to Canada. the Japanese were released from head tax in 2006 and the Canadian government had apologized to the Japanese for how the previous government had acted, against the Japanese population and declared the Japanese and Chinese had the right to enter Canada without having to pay the head tax fee.