Storytelling Award presented on May 30 in Vancouver
The British Columbia Historical Federation (BCHF) is pleased to announce that Mandy Shintani and the committee behind “The Samurai in Our Closet” podcast have been awarded the BCHF Bright Lights Storytelling Award.
The Storytelling Award recognizes excellence in storytelling in non-print formats, including in-person presentation, audio, visual and digital mediums.
“The Samurai in Our Closet” podcast series is being recognized for its accessible and heartwarming tale of the Shintani family and the search to uncover why their father kept a samurai sword hidden in a closet. Weaving family memoir with British Columbian history, the podcast takes the listener on a journey from pre-war Japantown in Vancouver to Sandon where her father was interned.
The podcast is sprinkled with interviews with more than 70 Japanese Canadians across the series, including writers, historians, artists and descendants. In the words of the nominator, the podcast “gives voice and gratitude to a generation whose stories were often withheld to protect their children,” highlighting the podcast’s emphasis on historical injustice and resilience to build a better future.
Members of the podcast committee include: Claire Shintani, Mandy Shintani, Graham Watts, Jaye Shintani, Kim Walker, Laurie Harada, Phil Brearton, Susan, Yatabe, and Tom Bovin.
The award was presented at the Federation’s annual conference awards gala in Vancouver on May 30, 2026.
The British Columbia Historical Federation encourages interest in the history of British Columbia through research, presentation, and support in its role as an umbrella organization for provincial historical societies. Established in 1922, the Federation currently provides a collective voice for over 100 member societies and 24,000 individuals in the provincial not-for-profit historical sector.