Recipient of Canadian Japanese-Mennonite Scholarship Named

Mennonite Central Committee
Monday, 6 November 2000

WINNIPEG, Man. -- Kathleen Anzenavs of Vancouver, B.C. has been awarded the Canadian Japanese-Mennonite scholarship for 2000.

Anzenavs received $1,500 to help her complete her M.A. in Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. During the current academic year she will be preparing her Master's thesis on the topic of the Vancouver Japanese Language School.

"I propose to study the connections between language and ethnicity in the context of the Japanese-Canadian experience of ethnicity in Vancouver," writes Anzenavs in her letter to the scholarship committee. "I will look at the processes of reclaiming ethnicity and ethnic history among second and third generation Japanese-Canadians in the Vancouver area, and the important role the language school has played in this process."

Anzenavs said this is an important issue to investigate because of the ethnic diversity of Canada. "Many people in Canada fall into the category of second or third generation Canadians, so this study may illuminate issues and processes that affect many Canadians beyond the Japanese- Canadian community," she wrote.

The Canadian Japanese Mennonite Scholarship was created in 1985 by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Canada as a tangible expression of regret for injustices suffered by Japanese-Canadians during World War II.

The Canadian Japanese Mennonite Scholarship is jointly sponsored by MCC and the National Association of Japanese Canadians. It is intended to assist research which will assist in the protection of minority and human rights in Canada, and reduce the potential for abuse of minority groups, such as was suffered by Japanese-Canadians during the war.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org