Accession 2023.05 - Masaji George Tokiwa accession

Identity area

Reference code

CA EAL F006-2023.05

Title

Masaji George Tokiwa accession

Date(s)

Level of description

Accession

Extent and medium

90cm of textual records (8 boxes)

Context area

Name of creator

(1898-1978)

Archival history

Records were given to the Library by Lily Gibson without official documentation in 2014. She had inherited them from her sister, Helen Tokiwa who had lived with her parents her whole life. An attempt to arrange and describe the records had begun by an exchange student who had the necessary language skills to read the many letters, but it was never completed. The records were officially transferred to the East Asian Library in April 2023.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated April, 2023 by Lily Gibson.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The majority of the records are handwritten letters (written in kuzushiji) received by Tokiwa from Japan and friends across Canada. They are assumed to be from pre-WWII to after the war and his time in Toronto. Some photographs of the people of Ocean Falls, B.C. are also included. Due to the language skills needed to read these letters, no further or detailed descriptions have been created.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

System of arrangement

Any original order there may have been has been lost. It is unknown the classification and arrangement the previous person working on the records used. Any notations, and notes made by this person have been left in with the records. Their arrangement and description was never completed. To make these records available, the archivist has placed the records in unmarked folders in no discernable order. Future arrangement and description will be needed to best make these records accessible.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • Japanese

Script of material

  • Japanese

Language and script notes

Almost all the records are in handwritten Japanese. The Library is unable to provide help in translating or deciphering the records.

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Researchers may access all 7 boxes at once, contrary to Reading Room policy. Please contact the Archivist for further information.

Finding aids

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

The creation of this finding aid was made possible with generous funding from the Frank H. Hori Charitable Foundation, as well as other grants and donations.

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Created April 12, 2023 by E Carroll.

Language(s)

    Script(s)

      Sources

      Conversation held with donor Lily Gibson, April 5, 2023.

      Accession area