Sushi and Diwali: The Internationalization of Fort St. John

By Pamela den Ouden

In the thirty-four years that I’ve lived in Fort St. John, I’ve seen many changes that have been caused by international immigration and culture. One area that has changed is the different types of restaurants that we have here. Now, there are several sushi restaurants. Sushi is Japanese, but in the last ten years, it has become very popular in North America, and now, people in my own community can enjoy it too and support these businesses started by new people in the community. Another change is in the places of worship. There is a Sikh temple on 100 Avenue, and the Presbyterian Church offers a Sunday afternoon service in Korean, the native language of the pastor. Finally the international program at Northern Lights College attracts foreign students from many places, including Japan, China, Korea, Macau, Colombia, Iran, Switzerland, Turkey, India, and Nigeria. These students share their culture with the rest of the community. For instance, the students had an opportunity to learn some traditional dances from the Indian students, who also introduced us to Diwali, the festival of lights. We share our Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, and Christmas traditions with them. Fort St. John is becoming internationalized, and everyone benefits.