Chapter twenty-one: Kenneth James takes Aster to the light station park. She is impressed with the view of the mainland but... And then...
Chapter twenty-two
Kenneth James took Aster to Dinner Bay Park. He steered her to a mural that hung on the front of the Adachi Community Pavilion.
“This is one of the projects I worked on with the Mayne Island residents,” he told her with pride.
In text and photos, the mural documented the history of the Japanese on Mayne Island.
‘In the early 1900s, when families from Tottori Prefecture in Japan settled on Mayne Island their options were limited by BC’s anti-Asian laws to farming, fishing, and logging. Nevertheless, they became respected for their skills and hard work. By 1940 Japanese Canadians of Mayne Island represented one-third of its residents and an estimated one-half of its economy.’
‘In 1926, Kumazo Nagata experienced with great success in growing hothouse tomatoes. Others quickly followed and in 1935 formed the Active Pass Growers Association. By 1941 the cooperative had eight acres under glass, shipping fifty tons of top-grade tomatoes to Vancouver.’
‘After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Canada ordered all persons of Japanese ancestry removed from the coast. In February 1942, after assurances their properties would be safeguarded, the Japanese Canadians were sent to Hastings Park in Vancouver awaiting internment.’
‘Early in 1942, despite impending relocation, Japanese tomato growers planted seedlings as usual. Kumazo Nagata, secretary of the Active Pass Association, requested that non-Japanese workers be permitted to continue tending the greenhouse, to ensure that the crop—and the workers’ income—would not suffer.’
Kenneth James led Aster down a woodland path. They came to a fence and he escorted her through the gate to another woodland path and eventually to a Japanese-inspired archway. On the other side of the archway, their world exploded—in colour and fragrance.
“This is the Japanese Gardens,” Kenneth James told her.
Aster took many pictures. When she took a break from the click, click, click, they shared a bench in the Japanese Waiting pavilion. They sat there quietly enjoying the tranquility, enjoying the view. The trees seemed to bow to the pond they surrounded.
Leaving the bench, Aster found a plaque on a rock...
‘The people of Mayne Island dedicate this garden in memory of the Japanese families who lived and farmed on our island, the love, labour and donation of caring people created this place of peace for the enjoyment of the community and its visitors.’
While at Dinner Bay Park, Aster needed a washroom. She pushed open the stall door and discovered that someone had failed to flush. With disgust, she flushed the toilet. She braced herself and pushed open the other stall door. That toilet had been flushed. She wiped the seat before she sat. For want of something better to do, while she was occupied, she read the note on the door.
If it’s yellow
Let it mellow
If it’s brown
Flush it down
Surely, they couldn’t mean...? Aster was appalled. She flushed that toilet once and then again in protest. And she was done with that park.
***
Kenneth James took Aster to have lunch at Sunny Mayne Bakery. They sat outside on the patio and Aster admired the view. Kenneth James identified the bay as Miners Bay.
“Miners? What did they mine?” Aster asked.
Her husband got a dreamy look in his eyes. “In 1886, a merry band of adventures, consumed by the lust for gold, left the Southern Gulf Islands and travelled north to the Klondike. Most returned to their islands with little more than a grand tale—most, but not all. Jake Robinson returned to Mayne Island with his pockets weighed down with gold. Depositing it in a bank was out of the question. He trusted no man but himself with his new wealth. He buried his treasure on the family homestead.”
“There’s gold on Mayne Island?”
He brought his index finger to his lips. “Shhh.” And gave her a wink. “Of course, there is. Look around at all this wealth—the blue sky, the warm sun, the tall trees, the sparkling water, the...”
No wonder Kenneth James and Kathleen were friends.
Lunch eaten, Aster waited to be ushered back to her husband's, regrettably their, cabin.
