In its heyday, the Steveston canneries were a hotbed of racism.
So says playwright Nicola Harwood. She spent two years researching the history behind the lives of the immigrants who came to work at the once thriving shipyard.
"I explored the history of the canneries along the waterfront going back to the late 1800s up to 1942, to the internment of the Japanese," said Harwood. "At the time, the Steveston canneries were like the Gold Rush, people were rushing to Steveston in droves to take part in the fishing and canning,"
The racism that ensued was stunning, she remarked.
Much of what she discovered was the inspiration for the play, Salmon Row, which opens August 18 at the Britannia Heritage Shipyard.
Salmon Row delves into the stories of immigration, labour strife, ethnic conflict and of painful memories that Harwood read about.
"The play focuses a lot on the massive influx of immigrants who came to Steveston and how racism figured prominently in how the Chinese, Japanese and Caucasians treated each other," she said.
Then, when you factor in that at the time, up and down the boardwalk also co-existed gambling and bawdy houses.
"There was lots of alcohol and opium being taken back then, which played a part in the misery and conflict," Harwood said.
"Although there is lots of tragedy, Salmon Row also has music and a lot of humour in it."
Harwood believed it was important to discuss "the seldom spoken about history of Steveston."
"There was a strong anti-Asian sentiment at the time," Harwood said. "The piece show's the effect racism had on people's lives."
Salmon Row revolves around the lives of six main characters. There is a Japanese bride, an Aboriginal and a Japanese fisherman.
"Salmon Row also centers and follows two Chinese cannery workers and a Chinese entrepreneur and how their lives intersect," she said. "One of the Chinese worker's story of lost and tragedy as he gets into drugs, whereas the entrepreneur only gets richer."
In the play, there are rumrunners, salmon fishers and cannery workers of all ethnicities, as well as a host of desperate characters.
"W also look into what happened during the massive workers strike of 1900," she added. "Lots of union unrest occurred during that time."
As far as the title of the play, salmon is used as a metaphor for human conflict, said Harwood.
"The relationship between man and salmon is the central metaphor here," she added.
"Salmon has always had to fight their way up the river to spawn.
"In much the same way the salmon struggles is how the different ethnicities struggled to relate to each other in the community during those early days of Steveston's history."
One of the most interesting facts Harwood revealed during her investigation, was the way Caucasians and Aboriginals treated the Japanese workers.
"The Japanese came for the opportunity to work in the canneries and the cannery bosses wanted them because they were cheap and hardworking," Harwood said. "But the other workers didn't want them there at all. It was startling to read how the two factions treated the Japanese workers."
However, Harwood quickly points out that in the play there is a reaching out between the diverse group of people and a sense of hope at the end.
Meanwhile, the playwright said she has always been drawn to telling the stories of Canada's, and even more so, of B.C.'s early years.
"As Canadians, I don't think we consider that racism played any part in the formation of our country, but it did," Harwood said. "It was very subtle, but it's stunning when you get into what the struggles were.
"I wanted to tell the stories of the workers and their personal challenges with loss and tragedy."
Harwood laughed when asked how difficult it was to take on this project.
"It was a huge undertaking . there are 25 performers (four of them local Richmond child actors), 15 crew members and designers, as well as three giant puppets and a giant projection," she said. "It's a big show, but it's a huge story to tell."
Meanwhile, Salmon Row takes place outside on the dock at the Britannia Heritage Shipyard site.
"I love the site, it's evocative and beautiful, perfect for this story," said Harwood. "I recommend people bring a blanket and dress in warm clothes as it gets cooler at night by the water."
There is a good explanation for the late hour of the performances.
"We need the visual impact of the site and to do that we felt we needed darkness," Harwood said.
Salmon Row also features a live fourpiece band, performing original songs written by Harwood.
"I wrote a lot of songs but I can't tell you how many will be in the play as we are still making final cuts to see if its going to run 90 minutes or two hours," she said.
Mortal Coil Performance Society presents Salmon Row at the Brittania Heritage Shipyard, 5180 Westwater Dr., opening Thursday, Aug. 18 and running until Aug. 28. Nightly performances at 8 p.m. Tickets are by donation at the door; kids are welcome. All performances take place rain or shine. P.S. There will be no show on Monday, Aug. 22. For more information, visit www.mortalcoil.bc.ca.
