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Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#11

Post by jl6 »

petercooper wrote: post #3

I'm a bit naive as to how large countries like Canada monitor their space, but is it possible there are unknown long-term (multi generational) "settlements" separate and unknown to the rest of the world still out in the middle of nowhere in Canada? Feels like a good subject for a novel :-)

I speculate that it is possible, but unlikely. Settlements need to be near a resource of some sort. Forest, lake, ocean, large mammal population, mineral deposit, strategic vantage point... or similar. Something that can sustain livelihoods. I would expect the resources of the far north to have been fairly well documented. There may be large empty spaces that attract almost no attention, but I would guess they would never attract a settlement either.

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#12

Post by frogpelt »

petercooper wrote: post #3

I'm a bit naive as to how large countries like Canada monitor their space, but is it possible there are unknown long-term (multi generational) "settlements" separate and unknown to the rest of the world still out in the middle of nowhere in Canada? Feels like a good subject for a novel :-)

Reminds me of this (true) story: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/for-40-years-this-rus...

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#13

Post by navane »

Vizarddesky wrote: post #4

I live on this mountain. These are not settlements. These are logging camps or seasonal work camps. My grandfather worked up there and he was jealous of the Japanese for their beautiful shacks when the Norwegians were in canvas tents. Of course, he admitted that the Japanese just worked harder to make their own quarters. There were orchards, livestock, farms of potatoes, onions and legumes, but most of the activity w…

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Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#14

Post by agumonkey »

yitchelle wrote: post #7
staz wrote: post #2

*settlement from the 20th century

That is a good context to have. When I saw the title, I thought they discovered signs of Japanese settlement, similar to the Vikings settlements on the opposite side of the continent.

Same. Time saved I guess

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#15

Post by jacobush »

agumonkey wrote: post #14
yitchelle wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a good context to have. When I saw the title, I thought they discovered signs of Japanese settlement, similar to the Vikings settlements on the opposite side of the continent.

Same. Time saved I guess

Still interesting story!

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#16

Post by jacobush »

Vizarddesky wrote: post #4

I live on this mountain. These are not settlements. These are logging camps or seasonal work camps. My grandfather worked up there and he was jealous of the Japanese for their beautiful shacks when the Norwegians were in canvas tents. Of course, he admitted that the Japanese just worked harder to make their own quarters. There were orchards, livestock, farms of potatoes, onions and legumes, but most of the activity w…

Is it not possible some maintained a year round presence there, especially given apparently Japanese were not well seen in other parts of Canada?

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#17

Post by eloff »

jl6 wrote: post #11
petercooper wrote: post #3

I'm a bit naive as to how large countries like Canada monitor their space, but is it possible there are unknown long-term (multi generational) "settlements" separate and unknown to the rest of the world still out in the middle of nowhere in Canada? Feels like a good subject for a novel :-)

I speculate that it is possible, but unlikely. Settlements need to be near a resource of some sort. Forest, lake, ocean, large mammal population, mineral deposit, strategic vantage point... or similar. Something that can sustain livelihoods. I would expect the resources of the far north to have been fairly well documented. There may be large empty spaces that attract almost no attention, but I would guess they would…

The northern part of Canada before you get into the tundra is one massive contiguous forest 1/3 the size of the United States. It's filled with lakes, streams, rivers, and game - but almost no people. You could easily have small groups of people live there for decades without being discovered. It's so wild that there are places where the wolves have not learned to fear humans.

See a map here (PDF): https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/cfs/asse...

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#18

Post by metaphor »

Vizarddesky wrote: post #4

I live on this mountain. These are not settlements. These are logging camps or seasonal work camps. My grandfather worked up there and he was jealous of the Japanese for their beautiful shacks when the Norwegians were in canvas tents. Of course, he admitted that the Japanese just worked harder to make their own quarters. There were orchards, livestock, farms of potatoes, onions and legumes, but most of the activity w…

The article noted the following:

> But it is the third site, which seems to have transitioned from a logging camp to a thriving village, that fascinates [the archaeology professor] the most.

Must be a real privilege for your grandfather to share that bit of vivid history with you. My grandfather would have been a young adult during WW2, and the small island that both he and I grew up on has a deep history with the Japanese which had a direct impact on its indigenous population; he supposedly spoke fluent Japanese as a consequence, along with Korean (by birth), the indigenous language (married a local), and eventually English (after American occupation). Unfortunately, he was unable to speak coherently by the time I was in my late teens and old enough to be interested, so the only history lessons I've gotten of the time were second hand, passed down from the stories he told my father.

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#19

Post by Merrill »

petercooper wrote: post #3

I'm a bit naive as to how large countries like Canada monitor their space, but is it possible there are unknown long-term (multi generational) "settlements" separate and unknown to the rest of the world still out in the middle of nowhere in Canada? Feels like a good subject for a novel :-)

It would depend on what "unknown" means. "Unknown" in the sense that they are not on official maps and that Ottawa is unaware? Probably. "Unknown" in the sense that their local neighboring communities are unaware? Unlikely.

Re: Japanese Settlement Found in Forests of British Columbia

#20

Post by tom_mellior »

Vizarddesky wrote: post #4

I live on this mountain. These are not settlements. These are logging camps or seasonal work camps. My grandfather worked up there and he was jealous of the Japanese for their beautiful shacks when the Norwegians were in canvas tents. Of course, he admitted that the Japanese just worked harder to make their own quarters. There were orchards, livestock, farms of potatoes, onions and legumes, but most of the activity w…

> There were orchards, livestock, farms of potatoes, onions and legumes

And presumably there were non-loggers living there tending to these things. So by what definition is this not a settlement?

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