(2008, 34 minutes)

May Komiyama
Born May 19, 1922

May Komiyama was born in Vancouver, BC and grew up in a non-Japanese neighbourhood of Marine Drive because of her father’s career. Her father was one of the few people who had been baptized as a Christian in Japan, but her grandfather disowned him so he came to live in Canada. Her father wanted his children to be good Canadians and good Christians.

After school she began her training to become a nurse but was forced to stop after Pearl Harbor was attacked. She had to leave the school so quickly that her fellow students did not know where she went for many years. One of her sisters was also a nurse and helped at Hastings Park. The family was moved to Kaslo, where they lived in a house outside the centre of town but were very involved in the community. Another sister helped in the school.

After internment she moved to Guelph to complete her nursing school. At first she was housed separately from other students. One patient told her he was frightened at first of having a Japanese nurse, which she found amusing. She married a man who she had known all her life. He was a minister who had been ordained in Vancouver during curfew and had to get special permission to go to his evening ordination service.
“Ohanashi: The Story of Our Elders” presents the deeply personal and poignant stories of ten Japanese Canadian elders. Through their firsthand accounts, the series explores their lives before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the hardships of internment during World War II, and their resilience in the face of post-war challenges. 
Each episode of “Ohanashi: The Story of Our Elders” is a testament to the resilience, courage and enduring spirit of Japanese Canadians who lived through one of the darkest chapters in Canadian history. Through their voices, the series ensures their legacy lives on for future generations.

Director: Susanne Tabata
Producer: Susanne Tabata

-Alfie Kamitakahara  (43 minutes)
-Irene Tsuyuki  (45 minutes)
-Kazue Oye  (30 minutes)
-Marie Katsuno (35 minutes)
-May Komiyama  (34 minutes)
-Midge Ayukawa  (33 minutes)
-Shirley Omatsu  (44 minutes)
-Susumu Tabata  (44 minutes)
-Tak Miyazaki  (35 minutes)
-Tom & Shig Kuwabara  (47 minutes)

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