Darcy Tamayose is a PhD student in Cultural, Social, and Political Thought under the supervision of Drs. Carly Adams (UofL) and Darren Aoki (Plymouth University UK). Her study examines the Okinawan Canadian diaspora. Tamayose’s MA (History) thesis, supervised by Dr. Gideon Fujiwara, explored the kika nisei journey of Naoko Shimabukuro which spanned from southern Alberta to Hamahiga Island with focus on the Okinawan Canadian civilian frontline experience during the Second World War Battle of Okinawa. Tamayose’s PhD study expands upon the MA work and continues with oral history-scaffolded investigation of the 1907 wave of issei immigrants that arrived from various Ryukyuan archipelagic districts to settle in the southern Alberta prairies. Tamayose is the author of three books of fiction which include Ezra’s Ghosts (2022, NeWest) finalist for the 2022 Atwood/Gibson Writers’ Trust Prize and a CBC Books Best Canadian Fiction of 2022; Odori (2007, Cormorant) recipient of the Canada-Japan Literary Award; and Katie Be Quiet (2008, Coteau) finalist for the Foreword Juvenile Award.