| Summary: | The Canadian urban cultural mosaic is made up of many different ethnic groups. These groups
came to Canadian cities over time and used different means to help themselves in the adaptation
process, to a new way of life. These groups included not only those from around the world, but those
who migrated within the borders of Canada, seeking new and better lives in urban locales.
This paper will explore the issue of urban migration in the years following the Second World
War and the concomitant means used in the adaptation process. Although the experience of overseas
immigrants will be examined for issues of contrast and comparison, this paper will specifically explore
the experience of Canadian Aboriginal people. As natives moved to Canadian cities in the decades after
1945, Aboriginal friendship centres sprung up across Canada to assist them in adapting to, what was to
them, a totally alien culture.
This paper will explore the friendship centre phenomenon, particularly the role of the
Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre - the largest of its kind in North America. How and when the
friendship centre grew, who was involved in its formation and growth, and what import it had on
incoming native people to Vancouver, will be the main issues considered in this work.
Although some primary and secondary sources were used in research, the lack of such sources
has led me to rely on oral interviews for information for this project. Since the interviews were
conducted with surviving founders of the Vancouver Friendship Centre, the use of such first hand
information has proved most valuable and insightful.
The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre played a key role in the adaptation of the native
to big city life. The centre started small, grew, changed with the times, and provided much valuable
assistance to natives seeking help at a time when they often had no place else to go.
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