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Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring the DJ and individuals on a stage with music playing in the background.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring children pulling another child off their seat in the foreground and children dancing in the background.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring children walking across the frame and the wedding couple tasting their cake.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring the bridal party seated at a table.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring a woman bringing food to a table.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring the camera spanning across the room to reveal a decorations and children choosing their seats at the table.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring many individuals sitting with food and drinks at the table.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of an Ojibwe family’s home movie featuring adults and children talking and posing for multiple wedding photographs.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "On December 1, 1995, Star Nahwegahbo’s uncle and aunt, Mark and Florence, get married in Sudbury or Espanola, Ontario. These clips capture their wedding and reception; and the personalities of Star’s family shine through; we see her grandmother, grandfather and great grandfather, her aunt giggling at her own wedding as the priest fumbles on their names, and children running and dancing in the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation community centre.

Star was around the age of 12 or 13 and recalls avoiding the camera. Around that time she had just moved from Sudbury to Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, and had difficulty with the large cultural shift. Star felt she didn’t yet have a language to speak to her identity or community dynamics due to colonization.

Upon sharing the clip with her family members, Star’s family was moved to see family that had since passed. It was Star’s first time seeing the footage, and "it was nice to see everybody so young, celebrating, having a good time."

As an artist, Star participated in the Project because she felt compelled to push back against the colonial gaze. She wanted to have more representation through her own family’s lens and to have footage and imagery for the younger generation to access, to highlight the celebration and positive times for her community."

Item consists of a Guyanese family’s home movie on black and white footage featuring wide and panning shots of market stalls, mid and close shots of merchant interactions with customers, and tracking shots of customers walking through the market.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "As a child, Shenaz wandered Mahaica Market with her mother shopping for the weeks groceries. As an adult and as a filmmaker, Shenaz wanted to capture her childhood memories and archive the vendors in the market. For Shenaz, recording her trip back to her childhood community had less to do with being Guyanese and more to do with being a filmmaker and an artist."

Item consists of a Guyanese family’s home movie filmed by Shenaz Baksh in 2005. Clip features employees at their desks working and drinking beers. Recording also features the CN tower with cranes and construction of Liberty Village in the foreground.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Liberty Village in 2005 was a rapidly changing place, and Shenaz Baksh, equipped with a brand new Super 8 camera decided to document it. The community had changed so much and by the brief shots of construction seen outside her office window, would only continue to change more. This gave Shenaz all the more reason to archive her workplace of five years. Nearing 15 years later, Shenaz's coworkers marveled less at how spaces change over time, like Shenaz had intentioned, but more at their youthful appearances."

Item consists of a Tamil family’s home movie.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "It’s 1997 and four-year-old Abhirami Balanchandran is being taught how to read by her mom. In her family home at Markham and Eglinton in Scarborough, Ontario, her mom goes through the alphabet with her one by one. Abhi looking back sees her funny facial expressions and sees a ‘very inquisitive, more playful version of herself…. It’s a sweet reminder.’"

Item consists of a Moroccan family's home movie featuring two children and a woman entering the park to ride the carousel, bumper cars, and ferris wheel amongst many other children’s rides. Footage contains a 360 degree cityscape views of the Jacques-Cartier bridge, Longueuil, and Montreal (including the Olympic Stadium).

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "A couple take their young daughter down to La Ronde on a warm sunny afternoon. Opened since 1967, this amusement park continues to be a popular family attraction during the summer season and a common childhood experience for many Montrealers. Yousra remembers going to the park with her family every couple of years and the excitement this visit would bring. She recounts how they"would be out from the day until night".

When asked about her memories of the day, Yosura remembers most clearly the bumper cars and atmospheric nostalgia of being in that place. Like many families with home movies on older formats, she grew up seeing the tapes throughout the years, but stopped once her family no longer had a VHS player. Born and raised in Montreal, but with Moroccan heritage Yousra describes herself as being"someone with two identities [we] are culturally bilingual… I try to define myself and not let others define me.""

Item consists of a home movie captured by an African Nova Scotian/Indigenous Black family featuring celebrations and interviews about Kwanza, New Years, and a Christmas tree lighting.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "At Auburn Highschool in North Preston, Nova Scotia, LaMeia Reddick attended an applied broadcast journalism class, where she had the opportunity to learn and explore directing, interviewing, production and editing.

The school had its own news station, and LaMeia could nurture her interest in recording stories of african canadian content. The stories students recorded would be broadcast for the school. In the footage, LaMeia documents a big Kwanzaa celebration at the Halifax Public Library, a large and diverse gathering of people of African diaspora, from various backgrounds, faiths, cultures, and ethnicities. The celebration includes performances with drums, song and dance. LaMeia interviews Tracey Jones about the meaning, origin, and seven principles of Kwanzaa.

Karen Hudson, the principal at Auburn Highschool was influential to LaMeia, and continues to make a long lasting impression on the culture and students at the school. She has introduced African enrichment to the school’s programs, including afrocentric math class, which helps black students excel at math. She continues to be an important role model and won the top principal in Canada award. LaMeia had a really positive experience at the school; having a black female principal as well as the courses available to her contributed to her future successes and set her up on the right path. "Having a school that valued your cultural experience and taught me about it, provided me with opportunities to nurture that part of myself, as well as understand my identity which [teenagers] are in the process of formulating."

The footage is a testament to how hard Principal Karen Hudson worked to introduce African culture to kids. LaMeia is interested in sharing the footage with Karen, and would like to interview her now. Karen and LaMeia live in neighboring communities, North Preston and Cherry Brook, which are large Indigenous and Black communities in Canada."

Item consists of a Tamil family’s home movie.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "At nine-year-olds, Abhirami Balanchandran visits Sri Lanka for two months with her family for the second time. It was 2003 and during the civil war so it required multiple checkpoints before she was able to reach her hometown of Jaffna located in the north. They visited for Thaipusami, where she witnessed Kavadi for the first time. Kavadi is a ritual done for the Murugan, God of War where the back is pierced with several hooks while people partake in ceremonial dance. It was traditionally done for both sacrifice and preparation for war. It was Abhi’s first time witnessing something like that from her community which was definitely a cultural shock. ‘It was jarring, fascinating and beautiful.’ So much has changed since this video was taken and looking back at the footage of what Jaffna looked like has skewed her idea of what home looks like."

Item consists of a Tamil family’s home movie.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "At nine-year-olds, Abhirami Balanchandran visits Sri Lanka for two months with her family for the second time. Here her and her family join several other Tamils come to witness Thuku Kavadi] where a person’s back is pierced with hooks hanging from a pillar, with no harness or anything else holding them up. It looks like you're flying. Abhi recalls asking her mom, ‘How do they do that?’ and her mom told her people train for months with such deep meditation that they transcend pain from their bodies. Sometimes they are suspended for as long as two hours. This ritual is also a part of the ceremonial festival Thaipusam for Murugan, the God of War."

Item consists of a Guyanese family’s home movie featuring what appears to most likely be Kaieteur Falls and includes footage of a plane, people walking through the Amazon and looking at the habitat, and a lookout with a scenic view of Kaieteur Falls and the valley below.

Item consists of a Guyanese family’s home movie documenting what appears to most likely be a trip to Kaieteur Falls and includes footage from the plane's windows flying to and over the falls.

Item consists of a Guyanese family’s home movie featuring what appears to most likely be Kaieteur Falls and Orinduik Falls. Footage consists of a close up of the top of the falls; a close up of the middle section of the falls; another view of the falls, the river below, and a rainbow; a landscape shot of the falls from a far away plane window which is covered in water droplets alongside views of the winding river; three men walking on a trail; and a close up of a quickly moving river and rapids.

Item consists of a Guyanese family’s home movie featuring what appears to most likely be Kaieteur Falls. Footage zooms out from the falls to a landscape shot, cuts to men walking in the Amazon, cuts to several shots of the falls and the valley below, and ends with the three men at the river bed.

Item consists of a Japanese-Indian family's home movie of children playing Jeopardy.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "We’re in a suburban backyard in Ottawa, ON and it’s summer time in 1984. Sonia, age 4 and her younger sister, age 2 are playing with a swing set and an inflatable tipi likely from Canadian Tire. The inflatable has a small hole to pop your head in, and has imagery of the trope of the "Indian" and the "cowboy." This was strange for Sonia to see when revisiting the footage, because this type of imagery likely wouldn’t be sold anymore.

She and her sister are singing songs in Japanese (her mother’s mother tongue) and Marathi (her father’s mother tongue). The Japanese songs are ones she still recalls and sings to her own children. The Marathi songs are familiar, and Sonia recalls her father teaching them to her, but she doesn’t remember their titles, or know what they mean.

Sonia grew up in Ottawa, and moved to Toronto as an adult. Although she was the minority in school as one of two non-white children, she doesn’t remember feeling out of place. Her parents said that other children called her "blacky" but she doesn’t recall this happening.

In relation to Home Made Visible, Sonia says, "The process of drawing out pieces of history and indicating its value, [and] that it deserves to be preserved is incredible""

Item consists of an Iranian-Canadian family’s home movie featuring landscapes, cityscapes, and heritage sites in Iran.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "Both Bita and her father, Abbas, contributed to this write up. Bita felt protective of her family and their image,  and chose to contribute a clip that didn’t centre people but a place. The scenery itself is a beautiful valuable contribution of a country in flux.

In 1998, Abbas visits Iran with his daughter Bita for the first time in sixteen years since moving to Canada. Bita at the time was a shy eight year-old and recalls that she didn’t speak for the first three weeks of the trip and that this was her first time leaving Canada.

In this clip Abbas is alone behind the camera capturing historical sites. He was prompted to take this trip because an Iranian friend in Vancouver couldn’t go home and asked him to make these movies of Cyrus the Great, Isfahan, etc. and to bring them back to show on local Persian TV. He did end up making these movies on a miniDV camcorder but never did give them to his friend.

The clip starts out at night time in Shiraz, with the Takht-e Lamshid built for Cyrus the Great. Then moves on to Isfahan, the "Great Mosque" that in farsi they call the Shah Mosque based in Naghsh-e Jahan Square. Abbas recalls at the time wondering how locals knew he hadn’t been living their for 16 years. People could tell that he had left and was living somewhere else. For Abbas, these clips show a country rich with stories and pride.  

After years of searching for these tapes, they found them again in the summer of  2018 the night before Bita returned to Iran for the second time in her life."

Item consists of an Indian family’s home movie.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "Muslim by faith, the children practice memorizing the Quran in Arabic. Their parents teach them to recite one line at a time to ensure that they learn at a young age. They know that seeing this would bring their grandmother joy and make her proud. The video letter is a way to connect with her through these recitations of a shared faith as she doesn’t speak English."

Item consists of an Indian family’s home movie.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "The children are practicing Urdu by reciting what they know: a well-known Indian nursery rhyme about a thirsty crow, and a biryani song that the family made-up because the boys found it amusing. The video letter of the boys practicing Urdu is a way to build and maintain a relationship with their grandmother who doesn’t speak English."

Item consists of an Indian family’s home movie.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "The children are reciting; reciting a shopping list, nursery rhymes like "itsy bitsy spider," and their ABCs. The video letter of the boys learning to write and spell is a way to build and maintain a relationship with their grandmother from afar."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring a girl giving a woman a hug.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Shanti’s sister’s farm is a treasured place in their family’s collective memories. With 90 acres of land, the farm was a beloved retreat to the country for the Toronto family. In the footage, Leyla can be seen showing her picked grapes to her mother. Above them, Shanti’s mother picks grapes from their pergola.

Having recently started ballet classes, Leyla is wearing a pink ballet outfit complete with her own tutu. Endured by her outfit and feeling affection, Leyla is hugged by her grandmother.

At almost 4 years old, Layla and her grandmother are preparing the lights (diyas) for Diwali. In the Caribbean, the diyas would be lit outside the home, but since the family lived in an apartment the practise was kept to inside the home. Carefully, Leyla is guided in helping her grandmother. Her mother was a retired nurse to prepare for the holiday. Leyla grew up watching her grandmother during her daily prayers and helping on Diwali.

In rare form, Shanti is in front of the camera. As the family documenter, Shanti is usually the one behind the camera. Dressed as a witch, Shanti can be seen posing with her daughter who decided to go as a fairy princess this year before their evening of trick-or-treating."

Item consists of a Chinese-Russian family's home movie featuring a snowy house with Christmas decorations on the lawn. Project and donor contributed description follows: "George Chan filmed Christmas decorations in town, day and night."

Item consists of a home movie featuring a girl riding a horse on a trail with footage zooming on the horses hooves.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie following a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie following a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie featuring a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie featuring a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie featuring a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie following a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of a home movie featuring a girl riding a horse on a trail.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Cindy’s dad is filming her at the age of 8 horseback riding at Algonquin Park during her family’s first visit. Since then, her family has developed a love of camping, and now camps in Ontario’s provincial parks a few times a year."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring a man holding a newborn and three men sleeping on the couch.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Shanti has recently given birth to her second child, Rohan on April 8th 2001 at Scarborough Grace General Hospital. Her mother (a nurse herself) supported Shanti during the delivery. Leyla, the oldest and only child for the first 6 years of her life meets her younger brother for the first time on video.

Born closer to Easter, the rest of the family is able to travels down to meet the new member of the family. Robert who is now 16 is meeting his youngest cousin for the first time."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring a woman holding a newborn and a child asking to hold the baby.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Shanti has recently given birth to her second child, Rohan on April 8th 2001 at Scarborough Grace General Hospital. Her mother (a nurse herself) supported Shanti during the delivery. Leyla, the oldest and only child for the first 6 years of her life meets her younger brother for the first time on video.

Born closer to Easter, the rest of the family is able to travels down to meet the new member of the family. Robert who is now 16 is meeting his youngest cousin for the first time."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring a woman holding a newborn

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Shanti has recently given birth to her second child, Rohan on April 8th 2001 at Scarborough Grace General Hospital. Her mother (a nurse herself) supported Shanti during the delivery. Leyla, the oldest and only child for the first 6 years of her life meets her younger brother for the first time on video.

Born closer to Easter, the rest of the family is able to travels down to meet the new member of the family. Robert who is now 16 is meeting his youngest cousin for the first time."

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item contains a sound recording of an interview conducted by the Home Made Visible with a project participant.

Item consists of an Eritrean family's home movies featuring a cake with "Happy St. Mary Day" text decoration, children sitting on a couch eating cake, and a child dancing in front of the camera.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Lu Asfaha’s family begins the day by preparing their home roasted coffee for the Jebana (coffee pot) on the Assumption of St. Mary. Raised in a family of Christian Orthodox, Lu grew up taking the day off to observe this religious holiday with her family. Food, drinks and even a custom cake is ornamentally laid out to celebrate the day. Lu can be seen animatedly gesturing to the camera as she talks to her uncle behind the camera, a common occurrence in their home movies.

The only footage selected that did not take place on the Assumption of St. Mary is a typical family dinner of the Asfaha eating Injera and Tsebhi from a large dish. Common to many cultures from across the African continent, her family can be seen eating by hand, enjoying the flavourful dish. The adults appear to handle the spice level better than the children.

When asked about her identity, Lu speaks of the unique experience of being Eritrean in Toronto. Being from an East African identity that has a significantly smaller population compared to the Somali and Ethiopian one, the specific social location of Eritreans tends to be either rendered invisible or lumped in with the dominant East African identities represented in the city."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring a girl wearing fairy princess costume singing a song and an adult wearing a witch costume.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Shanti’s sister’s farm is a treasured place in their family’s collective memories. With 90 acres of land, the farm was a beloved retreat to the country for the Toronto family. In the footage, Leyla can be seen showing her picked grapes to her mother. Above them, Shanti’s mother picks grapes from their pergola.

Having recently started ballet classes, Leyla is wearing a pink ballet outfit complete with her own tutu. Endured by her outfit and feeling affection, Leyla is hugged by her grandmother

At almost 4 years old, Layla and her grandmother are preparing the lights (diyas) for Diwali. In the Caribbean, the diyas would be lit outside the home, but since the family lived in an apartment the practise was kept to inside the home. Carefully, Leyla is guided in helping her grandmother. Her mother was a retired nurse to prepare for the holiday. Leyla grew up watching her grandmother during her daily prayers and helping on Diwali.

In rare form, Shanti is in front of the camera. As the family documenter, Shanti is usually the one behind the camera. Dressed as a witch, Shanti can be seen posing with her daughter who decided to go as a fairy princess this year before their evening of trick-or-treating."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a photograph of grandparents holding a baby.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring an adult in the pool and a child watching.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Robert, Shanti’s nephew swings 2-year-old Layla around on his family’s farm in Puslinch. Ten years older than Leyla and an only child, he cherished the weekend and summer visits from his younger cousin.

Her mother was an active swimmer in her youth and was excited to take up her old hobby on the family farm. Layla gestures to her grandmother in the pool who is clearly enjoying her self. Smiling brightly and leisurely swimming around she tells Layla how cold the pool is and not to come in."

Item consists of a home movie featuring several children playing with cars.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "In China, Cindy’s parents met a couple on the train when on their way to an interview to apply to come to Canada. Perchance, Cindy and the same couple’s kids ended up attending the same school and kindergarten class in Canada. The families moved to Canada within months of each other and became very close. They lived together in adjoining units during their first two years in Canada. This video documents the housewarming get together after the families got separate places. Seen here are four girls playing together in her friend’s basement.

Since Cindy was very young when moving to Canada, she identifies more with having immigrant parents than being an immigrant herself. Cindy had a lot of friends that shared similar cultural backgrounds, and experiences as the community of Agincourt where she lives is largely Chinese, East and South Asian, and Tamil."

Item consists of a Japanese-Canadian family's home movies filmed in the 1960s.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "In the summer of ’65, Naomi and Akemi run around a sprinkler and play in a wading pool in their backyard. Three year old Naomi, in the red bathing suit, two year old Akemi in the blue bathing suit and their four month old brother, Steven are recorded by their father Doug on the sunny Vancouver summer afternoon."

Item consists of a Anishinaabe family's home movie.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "A protest against the First Nations Governance Act (FNGA) at Parliament Hill in 2003. FNGA was a legislation that the government was trying to impose on First Nations that would overstep their jurisdiction to First Nations relations, impeding their rights as sovereign nations in very much the same type Indigenous people had with the White Paper, it could lead to a slippery slope of further government control over our nations.

Various Chiefs across Canada organized this protest that gathered quite a lot of support across First Nations. This was part of a caravan to Ottawa and take place in Toronto, ON.

Chief Roberta Jamieson, the chief of Six Nation, is talking about the FNGA can negatively affect the community. Beside her is another respected leader Roger Obonsawin shared a few words among well-known community members. Rebeka and David travel in their van and on their way stops in a Mohawk community, Tyendinaga where they are hosted.

They arrive in Ottawa and people from across Canada came and in the end there are people the legislation was thrown out. They succeeded.

The National Chief Matthew Coon Come gave a speech on Parliament Hill. The National Chief spoke out a lot at that time against the Federal government. Many social organizations were afraid of having their funding pulled but it was really good to be apart of something larger, bringing people across the country together.

As young Indigenous people in Toronto they formed the Coalition of Indigenous Sovereignty, including allies, supported by unions and grassroots organizations, met regularly to oppose this legislation. ‘It’s pretty inspiring to review that part of our lives. It captured a moment in time in Toronto for our family that was very special with us. It reflects where our communities were at.’

(4)
Rebeka and her family take a road trip to relatives in the states of David Shilling's in their old van. They were excited to cross this huge bridge into the states. His cousin plays with their kids.

There was a gathering to honor the live of the late Anishnaabe [Rodney Bobiwash] from the Mississaugas nations up north and [Kim Pernel Dominco]. Rodney was a professor at the University of Toronto and used to be the director of First Nations House. He worked international solidarity with Indigenous people in the South, and he had been support the work of [Kim penrecl Dominico] from Colombia. They had been working had together to bring light to the damning of a river on traditional territories. It was during the Free Trade Agreement summit happening in Montreal. Unfortunately, [Kim] was targeted and disappeared. It was devastating.

Shortly after that Rodney passed away due to complications with diabetes. They had his funeral at the Native Canadian Centre in Toronto, hundreds and hundreds of people came out. A Mayan group performed a beautiful dance in his tribute. At the time they felt very fortunate to be able to document things for their communities and to have that proof of gatherings and also for their family.

(5)
In the late nineties and early 2000s Rebeka’s brother and dad at the cabin for the summer. They had a huge catch and had a big fish fry and invited friends over. They made fried bread and lightly battered fish. Rebeka recalls that it was a lot of work to get the line ready, and to fillet it and to bred it, but it was heavenly to have."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring flowers growing on the side of a house.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring flowers growing on the side of a house, a garden, and flowers in a vase.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Filipino-Canadian family's home movie featuring three men fishing, celebrating, reeling in, and gutting fish on the boardwalk.

Item consists of a home movie featuring fish in a tank.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "At the Long family’s home in Agincourt, Scarborough is a very large tank of goldfish.

Since Cindy was very young when moving to Canada, she identifies more with having immigrant parents than being an immigrant herself. Cindy had a lot of friends that shared similar cultural backgrounds, and experiences as the community of Agincourt where she lives is largely Chinese, East and South Asian, and Tamil."

Item consists of a Chinese-Canadian family’s home movie documenting Christmas celebrations.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "It’s Christmas eve, December 24th, 1994 at Kristina Wong’s family home in Scarborough, Ontario. Kristina Wong is about to experience her first Christmas. In the film you can also see her dad and her two sisters. Her mom is filming. Kristina recalls how her parents filmed a lot of her and her siblings growing up and stopped by the time she reached her teens."

Item consists of a Chinese-Canadian family’s home movie documenting Christmas celebrations.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "It’s Dec 30th, 1994 the day after Kristina Wong’s first birthday. She celebrates with her dad, mom and two sisters in Scarborough, Ontario. Kristina recalls that growing up in Scarborough in the 90s, ‘everyone was an immigrant. To me, I lived beside Pacific Mall so everything was very Asian growing up so I felt more Canadian than Chinese versus the opposite.’’"

Item consists of a Chinese-Canadian family’s home movie documenting a birthday.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "It’s June 1993. Kristina Wong and her family celebrate her older sister Kathleen’s 5th birthday in their family home in Scarborough, Ontario. Visible here are Kristina’s Aunt Linda, Aunt Lai, her other sister, Melissa in teal and her cousins: Bethany, Eric, Matthew and Steven. Her mom, Lin is in the bright pink shirt opening the cake. Her father, Michael films behind the camera. About a minute in Kristina appears as a baby in pink."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie predominantly featuring Ferris wheels and a helicopter at a fair.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Pakistani-Canadian family's home movie featuring a family barbeque, children playing at a park, and a wedding reception.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "At four years old, Noor is in Canada visiting her family to attend a relative’s wedding. After seeing the clip, she noticed her cousins are only speaking to her in Urdu. When she asked them why they weren’t speaking in English, she was told they thought she couldn’t speak English. Noor attended an International English primary school in Saudi Arabia with children from English speaking countries. The footage cuts to a night time gathering. Noor is dressed up with her family attending a relatives wedding. Children and adults can be seen mingling and dancing around."

Item consists of a Hong Kong-Chinese family’s home movie.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "A clip documenting the Red Packet (hóngbāo) ceremony taking place at Mr. Wong’s 70th birthday celebration in 2002.

During this ceremony family members were called up in a particular order to accept a red envelope of money from Mr. Wong.

Deanna Wong, Mr. Wong’s daughter who found and digitized this video, recalls that family members were called up according to age and lineage.

For example, Mr. Wong’s siblings would be called first, followed by their children and grandchildren. In this video Mr Wong's eldest son, Terry was called first, and then, since their middle son Ted was not present, Deanna, the youngest of the three, came next. Following her came Terry's kids from eldest to youngest. And since Deanna nor Ted had children at the time, the eldest cousin and his wife, and their kids etc followed.

As the eldest of 13 siblings, Mr. Wong would have had many envelopes to hand out!

Originally from Hong Kong, Mr. Wong came to Canada to study engineering at McGill University in the mid-1950s, where he met Deanna's mother.

Mrs. Wong's father, Deanna maternal grandfather, immigrated to Canada in 1921 and paid the $500 head tax in order to enter the country. Mr Wong's father, Deanna’s paternal grandfather, was a doctor specializing in acupuncture, which was illegal in Canada at the time, so he settled in California. Now his family lives around the world, including the United States, Singapore, Japan, and in various places in Canada. This milestone birthday presented a great opportunity for a family reunion. And to accommodate everyone, this celebration took place in the home of Deanna’s eldest brother and Mr. Wong’s eldest son, Terry.

Now a longtime resident of Toronto, Deanna calls Winnipeg home where she and her two brothers grew up. Although they were one of the few families of colour around, she remembers her neighbourhood and her experiences fondly. Her parents, particularly her mother, worked hard to build a Chinese community where the children could have Chinese friends and be exposed to their culture. They started a Mandarin school, even though Cantonese was their mother tongue, and began a summer camp.

Family and community come together again at this celebration, one of many for the Wong family."

Item consists of a Black-Canadian family’s home movie featuring adults and children preparing a BBQ and children playing at La Fontaine Park.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Heather describes her home video footage as "[my family] just going about our daily lives in Quebec." Footage from the mid or late-1970s, shows Heather – at maybe six or seven years old - with her family having a picnic in Montreal’s La Fontaine Park. Her older brother, Herbert, was around ten or eleven years old. Her sister Hazel was maybe five. They used to go on family picnics almost every weekend in various city parks, where they would BBQ and have sandwiches and play games, or go swimming depending on the park. Every summer the Seaman family also held an annual picnic in their backyard, and invited neighbours, relatives and friends. Heather adds: "Our parents wanted to open us to other cultures and experiences - to experience other people. We used to go to our Jewish friends’ houses and our Greek friends’ houses. We used to have picnics all the time in our backyard." Their French Canadian and Italian friends and neighbours would also attend parties and picnics at their home."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a picnic at a park with individuals sitting, chatting, and eating at a picnic table. Footage also includes captures individuals kayaking and enjoying the lawn near the lake.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a family at a table eating a meal and a boy in a high chair, and also includes the family sitting on a couch.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of an Eritrean family's home movies featuring a family eating a meal together and discussing a Portuguese related class assignment.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Lu Asfaha’s family begins the day by preparing their home roasted coffee for the Jebana (coffee pot) on the Assumption of St. Mary. Raised in a family of Christian Orthodox, Lu grew up taking the day off to observe this religious holiday with her family. Food, drinks and even a custom cake is ornamentally laid out to celebrate the day. Lu can be seen animatedly gesturing to the camera as she talks to her uncle behind the camera, a common occurrence in their home movies.

The only footage selected that did not take place on the Assumption of St. Mary is a typical family dinner of the Asfaha eating Injera and Tsebhi from a large dish. Common to many cultures from across the African continent, her family can be seen eating by hand, enjoying the flavourful dish. The adults appear to handle the spice level better than the children.

When asked about her identity, Lu speaks of the unique experience of being Eritrean in Toronto. Being from an East African identity that has a significantly smaller population compared to the Somali and Ethiopian one, the specific social location of Eritreans tends to be either rendered invisible or lumped in with the dominant East African identities represented in the city."

Item consists of an Indian family’s home movie featuring a fall landscapes with colourful trees, and several people gathered around a picnic table to barbecue and eat with a river in the background.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "The following clips are from 1969-71. The reels start in the winter of 1970/71 north of Montreal, at Laurentian Mountains, a known good skiing place. Bala Nundy lived in Montreal at the time just before he got married in 1971. When Bala moved to Montreal he didn’t have any family there and his close friends became his family. Here they rented a cottage for a weekend trip. Since they are all from hot countries without snow they got excited and took many pictures.

The next scenes overlook downtown Montreal; Mont Royal, Jack Cartier Bridge, horse driven buggies, etc. The 8mm footage is sped up like a Chaplin film.

In the next scene, his future wife’s family and their friends appear. This is also in the Laurentian Mountain area in the winter of 1971.

Then there is a clip of Bala downhill skiing for the first time, he hoped that this would make his grandkids laugh in the future. This was taken in 1968 in Chicopee hill near Kitchener, ON.

Then to frozen Lake Erie, and a park in Galt, Ontario (later became Cambridge, Ontario).

Now Bala’s daughter Smita says, ‘You’ll often find her dad sitting down and going through old photos.’ He is known for sharing pictures at family get-togethers and is inspired by his grandkids. He has thousands of pieces of materials and started filming in 1965."

Item consists of an Indian family’s home movie featuring people exiting a home, driving away, and a toddler playing in the snow with two adults.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "The following clips are from 1969-71. The reels start in the winter of 1970/71 north of Montreal, at Laurentian Mountains, a known good skiing place. Bala Nundy lived in Montreal at the time just before he got married in 1971. When Bala moved to Montreal he didn’t have any family there and his close friends became his family. Here they rented a cottage for a weekend trip. Since they are all from hot countries without snow they got excited and took many pictures.

The next scenes overlook downtown Montreal; Mont Royal, Jack Cartier Bridge, horse driven buggies, etc. The 8mm footage is sped up like a Chaplin film.

In the next scene, his future wife’s family and their friends appear. This is also in the Laurentian Mountain area in the winter of 1971.

Then there is a clip of Bala downhill skiing for the first time, he hoped that this would make his grandkids laugh in the future. This was taken in 1968 in Chicopee hill near Kitchener, ON.

Then to frozen Lake Erie, and a park in Galt, Ontario (later became Cambridge, Ontario).

Now Bala’s daughter Smita says, ‘You’ll often find her dad sitting down and going through old photos.’ He is known for sharing pictures at family get-togethers and is inspired by his grandkids. He has thousands of pieces of materials and started filming in 1965."

Item consists of a Jamaican-Guyanese family’s home movie featuring two women and a girl dancing; panning shots of the garden, street, and views of the city; and the family chatting around a table in the backyard with music playing in the background.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "'The year is 1990, and the Burke Family is on vacation in Bristol, England. This is filmed where Leah's father, Sam grew up. All of Leah's aunts and uncles had houses in the same neighbourhood, and this is a family reunion of sorts. Here, Leah, age eight or nine, dances to ska and lovers rock with her mother, Rita and Great Aunt Sweeney, while her dad is seen off in the background, and her older brother, Jason, films.

Her dad has roots in Jamaica and her mother has roots in Guyana. At different points in their lives both immigrated to England, and later met each other there. Her parents then set off to Canada during the Pierre Trudeau years in 1972 to raise a family. The Burkes now call many places home.'"

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a car driving downtown of a town.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring footage of a program, individuals entering a building, and an individuals at a microphone.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of an Indo- and Black-Caribbean family’s home movie featuring a child lighting diyas for Dwali.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Shanti’s sister’s farm is a treasured place in their family’s collective memories. With 90 acres of land, the farm was a beloved retreat to the country for the Toronto family. In the footage, Leyla can be seen showing her picked grapes to her mother. Above them, Shanti’s mother picks grapes from their pergola.

Having recently started ballet classes, Leyla is wearing a pink ballet outfit complete with her own tutu. Endured by her outfit and feeling affection, Leyla is hugged by her grandmother.

At almost 4 years old, Layla and her grandmother are preparing the lights (diyas) for Diwali. In the Caribbean, the diyas would be lit outside the home, but since the family lived in an apartment the practise was kept to inside the home. Carefully, Leyla is guided in helping her grandmother. Her mother was a retired nurse to prepare for the holiday. Leyla grew up watching her grandmother during her daily prayers and helping on Diwali.

In rare form, Shanti is in front of the camera. As the family documenter, Shanti is usually the one behind the camera. Dressed as a witch, Shanti can be seen posing with her daughter who decided to go as a fairy princess this year before their evening of trick-or-treating."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a woman washing dishes and boy working at a table.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Filipino-Canadian family's home movie featuring children interacting with the camera and two women in the background setting a picnic table for a barbecue in the backyard.

Item consists of two girls in matching outfits dancing to the "Eye of the Tiger" with dolls as props.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "We’re in a suburban backyard in Ottawa, ON and it’s summer time in 1984. Sonia, age 4 and her younger sister, age 2 are playing with a swing set and an inflatable tipi likely from Canadian Tire. The inflatable has a small hole to pop your head in, and has imagery of the trope of the "Indian" and the "cowboy." This was strange for Sonia to see when revisiting the footage, because this type of imagery likely wouldn’t be sold anymore.

She and her sister are singing songs in Japanese (her mother’s mother tongue) and Marathi (her father’s mother tongue). The Japanese songs are ones she still recalls and sings to her own children. The Marathi songs are familiar, and Sonia recalls her father teaching them to her, but she doesn’t remember their titles, or know what they mean.

Sonia grew up in Ottawa, and moved to Toronto as an adult. Although she was the minority in school as one of two non-white children, she doesn’t remember feeling out of place. Her parents said that other children called her "blacky" but she doesn’t recall this happening.

In relation to Home Made Visible, Sonia says, "The process of drawing out pieces of history and indicating its value, [and] that it deserves to be preserved is incredible""

Item consists of a Black-Canadian family’s home movie featuring a child brushing the teeth of a younger child. Footage also features children playing on a swing set in a park, a boy riding a bicycle and a girl riding a tricycle, and playing on a slide.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Daily life in Montreal, Quebec. This footage shows Heather trying to teach her younger sister Hazel how to brush her teeth. Heather describes this footage as "normal kids doing normal things." Heather recalls playing at the park across from her family home a lot and riding their bikes. She describes the home in this footage as her "first family home in Montreal," located on Couvrette Street in St. Laurent, which is a borough in Montreal, Quebec."

Item consists of a Barbadian- and Guyanese-Canadian family's home movie and includes footage featuring a Popeye cartoon, Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon, children playing, a birthday celebration, a crowd outside and a man speaking into a microphone, a parade with cars as floats, adults hanging out, a hall filled with adults eating and dancing, a picnic at a park, gatherings with Christmas decorations in the background, a family dog wearing a hat, and a family gardening.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Its 1974 or 1975 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Mike Nobrega, cousins, aunts, extended family and friends are seen in domestic settings. They are also pictured sharing a picnic in the summertime. Mike was born in Toronto, and moved to Nova Scotia when he was young. His father is from Guyana and mother is from Barbados. The community around where he grew up was very diverse, including people from the Ukraine, Poland, Carribean, Italy. Many came to work in steel and coal mines."

Item consists of a Barbadian- and Guyanese-Canadian family's home movie featuring two adults and a baby in the kitchen, children and adults dancing, a child unwrapping Christmas presents and playing with a doll, children riding bicycles and playing on swing sets, the family driving in a car, and snowy streets with adults shovelling and children playing.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Its 1972 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Shot on 8mm film, Mike Nobrega, his brother Richard, and aunt Beryl are seen inside their home and backyard on Tupper Street.

Mike was born in Toronto, and moved to Nova Scotia when he was young. His father is from Guyana and mother is from Barbados. The community around where he grew up was very diverse, including people from the Ukraine, Poland, Carribean, Italy. Many came to work in steel and coal mines."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a community picnic.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a community picnic and includes footage of dancing and children playing. Footage of flowers is also included.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Black-Canadian family’s home movie featuring a plane on the tarmac; children enjoying sugarcane and an adult milking a cow; adults and children drinking from a freshly-picked coconut; children swimming at a beach; cityscapes in parts of Dominica, with streets, buildings and mountains in the background; children playing in a shallow river; a family carrying beach supplies and walking on a path surrounded by a tropical forest.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Heather and her siblings met and visited her paternal grandparents for the first time in 1978. "My grandfather was born in 1898. He lived to about 105, so he got to see three centuries – the late 1800’s, the 1900’s and he died in the early 2000’s." This was the family’s first vacation overseas, a memorable time in the Commonwealth of Dominica where Heather’s parents were born and raised - her father in Vieille Case and her mother in Portsmouth. In the travel clips, various footage shows the time Heather and her family swam at Purple Turtle Beach, enjoyed sugarcane, fresh coconut water and watched her Dad milk a cow on her grandparents’ property in La Haut. There’s also footage of their visit to a busy city. Then back in the countryside, Heather notes, "That’s just us walking with a relative through a village in Dominica" as the relative carries a load of laundry, washed in the river, in a basket on her head. In those days, there was no plumbing or electricity in the rural area where her grandparents lived, so Heather remembers it being pitch-black at night, with only lanterns, candles and the moon to light the way. Using the outhouse there at night was scary for her as a child."

Item consists of a Chinese-Russian family's home movie.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "Mom and Joyce picking up the wrapping and cleanup, etc."

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring a man cleaning a car.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of an Iranian-Canadian family’s home movie featuring cityscapes of Baghdad including footage of traditional architecture.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "Although Aeyliya was born in London, England, she spent a year of her childhood in Baghdad, Iraq, a place in which she does not have too many strong memories of, yet finds fascination with when she watches her footage.

"My grandmother, mom, brother, and I are in the footage. It’s very interesting to see this place that kind of has a memory for me, and then seeing family members like my grandfather who’s no longer alive, and then seeing my mother as a ‘young mother.’" Aeyliya describes having memories of eating certain candy in Iraq, and specifically in the footage she speculates that her mother was going to the mosque perhaps to pray, while she and her brother were running around in the courtyard. "[It’s] very surreal to see your past, to see yourself and your history. When I first watched the footage I thought ‘oh, this is kind of a weird feeling, strange, but still good.’" There are a number of ways ones life could’ve been dramatically different. "Where is home?" She ponders."After migrating to Iraq from London, my parents decided to leave Baghdad for better economic opportunities and migrated to our final destination Canada."

Aeyliya’s family came to Montreal "literally" by boat. "We left London to Montreal and took the QE2, and then settled in St. Catherines, Ontario. "One decision that you have no control over could dramatically change your life," Aeyliya adds, describing her thoughts behind her parents decision to live in Iraq for a year, nearly settling there, before plans changed and then moved from London to St. Catherines instead, "I look at the footage and think of that sometimes." After migrating to Iraq from London, my parents decided to leave Baghdad for better economic opportunities and migrated to our final destination Canada. "

Item consists of a Japanese family's home movie featuring views of cars driving, people crossing streets and walking on the sidewalk, and the downtown core.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "Terry Watada became interested in his family history when he realized his parents were forced into internment camps by the Canadian government during World War II. The youngest of two boys and with an 18-year age gap, he only came to know this history in his late teens. The footage selected shows glimpses of Terry’s childhood and features community members with whom he grew up. A small clip shows Terry wearing his cub scout uniform. In 1959, he was eight-years-old and was part of the 45th cub scout "wolf pack"; he later became a scout until the age of 17.

The families on the farm near the beginning of the footage feature the Watada family visiting the Itos in Cooksville, Ontario. Mr. Ito had connections with Terry’s father when he lived in BC; Mr. Ito was a former employee of Matsujiro Watada. Because his father helped with the down payment of their farm, the Watadas would receive bushels of vegetables every season during Terry’s childhood.

A prominent feature of his childhood, Terry and his family attended organized community picnics along with other members of the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. A game played was the catching of mochi balls. A coveted gift since the process to make it by hand was time consuming. The picnic near the end of the selected home movies depicts a Shinto lion dance (around 68’ or 69’). There were always religious undertones at these picnics, either Buddhist or Shinto along with the Obon festival that would take place every year. The religious undertone would shift as they became an event that no longer only catered to a Japanese audience."

Item consists of a Chinese-Russian family's home movie featuring footage of carving and eating a turkey dinner.

Project and donor contributed description follows: "It’s Christmas dinner in 1953, the Chan family sits around the table, Stan, Joyce, Linda and Kate. They are joined by Dad’s first son, Karl Chan, sitting to the right of Kate’s mother, Clara. Karl came to help out in the Virden Café as Virden was in the midst of an oil bloom. Kate’s dad George always remained behind the camera. "

Item consists of a home movie featuring a Christmas tree.

Item consists of a Japanese-Indian family's home movie featuring children opening and playing with presents in front of a Christmas tree. Footage also contains one musical toy playing "When you wish upon a star."

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "We’re in a suburban backyard in Ottawa, ON and it’s summer time in 1984. Sonia, age 4 and her younger sister, age 2 are playing with a swing set and an inflatable tipi likely from Canadian Tire. The inflatable has a small hole to pop your head in, and has imagery of the trope of the "Indian" and the "cowboy." This was strange for Sonia to see when revisiting the footage, because this type of imagery likely wouldn’t be sold anymore.

She and her sister are singing songs in Japanese (her mother’s mother tongue) and Marathi (her father’s mother tongue). The Japanese songs are ones she still recalls and sings to her own children. The Marathi songs are familiar, and Sonia recalls her father teaching them to her, but she doesn’t remember their titles, or know what they mean.

Sonia grew up in Ottawa, and moved to Toronto as an adult. Although she was the minority in school as one of two non-white children, she doesn’t remember feeling out of place. Her parents said that other children called her "blacky" but she doesn’t recall this happening.

In relation to Home Made Visible, Sonia says, "The process of drawing out pieces of history and indicating its value, [and] that it deserves to be preserved is incredible""

Item consists of a Black-Canadian family’s home movie featuring children gathering around a kitchen table, making the sign of the holy cross, pointing to watches they just received for Christmas, and eating brunch with two adults.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "The footage shows the Seaman family with some cousins, enjoying Christmas brunch at home on Lippé Street, in St. Laurent, where they lived for about three or four years. Christmas was a big deal in their house. Annually, they would enjoy a big breakfast before opening presents. As Catholics, the day would also include attending Christmas mass, then later welcoming relatives and friends at the home for a holiday celebration, involving lots more food, including Caribbean dishes and desserts."

Item consists of a Jamaican-Guyanese family’s home movie. Clip represents a portion of a VHS cassette from Christmas Day in 1992 featuring the narration of a sunrise and featuring panning shots of a snowy street and building in Peterborough.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "'This is Friday, Dec 25th, 1992,' Leah's dad, Sam, begins the voice-over in this clip made in the Burke's family home in Peterborough, ON. Her father describes the beautiful sunrise that clear Christmas morning. It contrasts the weather from just a week prior when there was a record breaking 70 cm of snow, which was the worst snowfall in the province in 90 years. This filming style and voice-over in the Burke's home movies was characteristic of her father, Leah says, 'He wouldn't wait for anybody, he would just start filming.'"

Item consists of a Jamaican-Guyanese family’s home movie. Clip represents a portion of the VHS cassette from 1992 consisting of a brother cooking breakfast on Christmas and a sister filming a tour of the house.

Project and donor(s) contributed description follows: "It's Christmas, 1992, and within the short span of this clip the presence of almost Leah Burke's whole family is felt. From her dad offscreen singing along to gospel (Mahalia Jackson's 'Go Tell It On the Mountain), to her brother, the then sullen teenager, seen cooking pancakes for family breakfast, to finally Leah, who weaves through the house filming. She reveals herself as the documentarian in a mirror reflection waving ‘Hi'. In present day, Leah recalls, 'This is a typical Burke house family moment'."

Item consists of a Chinese-Russian family's home movie.

Item consists of footage of a sign with Christmas 1962 written on red. Project and donor contributed description follows: "Christmas 1962: George captures holiday decorations, neon lights, dinner and his kids opening presents, etc."

Item consists of a Chinese family’s home movie featuring children opening Christmas presents and performing a dance in a living room. Project and donor contributed description follows: "During this Christmas, the family have their cousin Sau Fong visiting. The children are waving excitedly to the camera as they open and show their gifts. Over the years, uncles and aunts would occasionally stay with the Lo family while studying English at the local college. Home movies were one of the ways they stayed connected to relatives in Macau and shared their life living in Canada. Copies were routinely made to send back.""

Item consists of a Chinese family’s home movie featuring children opening and playing with Christmas presents. Project and donor contributed description follows: "During this Christmas, the family have their cousin Sau Fong visiting. The children are waving excitedly to the camera as they open and show their gifts. Over the years, uncles and aunts would occasionally stay with the Lo family while studying English at the local college. Home movies were one of the ways they stayed connected to relatives in Macau and shared their life living in Canada. Copies were routinely made to send back.""

Item consists of a Chinese family’s home movie featuring adults outside on a snowy day and two children playing on a swing set in the winter. Project and donor contributed description follows: "Their extended family are visiting from Macau for their first Winter visit. For many of them it was the first time experiencing the Canadian cold. "I remember we were outside playing in the snow for a really long time… the adults were playing in it just as much as the kids", Lorna recalls. The children can be seen playing on the swing bundled up in coats and snow pants."