Pictorial Travel Diary - Day 2 - Community Activities
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
“We imported much of America into the camps because, after all, we were Americans…I was learning, as best one could learn in Manzanar, what it means to live in America. But I was also learning the sometimes bitter price one has to pay for it.
Aksel Nielsen was hired by the WRA as the Community Activities supervisor two weeks after Manzanar opened. He recalled that ‘being separated from their ‘busy American way of life’ and confined in a one square mile camps made internees…desperate for something to do. Suddenly there was no stopping at the corner drug store for a coke or ice cream, no going to the beach for a swim, and no window shopping.’
Recreational activities at Manzanar included events supported by Nielsen’s staff, as well as many others organized by internees to satisfy a variety of interests and hobbies. Athletic programs and victory gardens developed in the firebreaks while dances, arts and crafts classes, and clubs met in recreation buildings and mess halls. While a shortage of equipment and facilities hampered recreational efforts, Manzanar Cooperative Enterprises also subsidized cultural and athletic programs.
Internees, often with WRA support, created baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts, and a makeshift golf course on oiled sand. Teams like the Terminal Island ‘Yogores’ basketball team reflected the camaraderie among youth from their former communities. The Japanese martial arts of judo and kendo had a considerable following. The ‘Sierra Stars’ band, ‘Manzaknights’ service club, and ‘Wingnuts’ model airplane club were among numerous groups formed at Manzanar.
There were vivid expressions of Japanese and American culture in Manzanar. While many older internees preferred cards and traditional Japanese crafts and games, younger people formed bands such as the ‘Jive Bombers’ and held dances in the mess halls. Plays, assemblies, and Hollywood movies were presented at an outdoor theater near Block 16.
Manzanar and Owens Valley Communities
A cooperative relationship slowly developed between Owens Valley communities and Manzanar. Local residents attended concerts, exhibits, and other Manzanar events, including Project Director Ralph Merritt. Boys and Girls Clubs from neighboring towns participated in activities with Manzanar youth, and Big Pine High School once competed against Manzanar’s football team in camp. The Bishop School Board, however, cancelled a proposed basketball game, citing potential community protests. ‘We did out utmost to change the School Board’s decision through a petition signed by the entire student body,’ apologized student body president Mickey Duffy in a letter to Manzanar students.
Many internees participated in religious activities and worship. The Catholic St. Francis Xavier mission and the Protestant Manzanar Christian Church first assembled in spring 1942. By that summer, a Buddhist Church was active. WRA efforts to discourage certain sects of Buddhism as ‘too-Japanese’ backfired as attendance averaged 2,000 people per week.”
“We imported much of America into the camps because, after all, we were Americans…I was learning, as best one could learn in Manzanar, what it means to live in America. But I was also learning the sometimes bitter price one has to pay for it.
Aksel Nielsen was hired by the WRA as the Community Activities supervisor two weeks after Manzanar opened. He recalled that ‘being separated from their ‘busy American way of life’ and confined in a one square mile camps made internees…desperate for something to do. Suddenly there was no stopping at the corner drug store for a coke or ice cream, no going to the beach for a swim, and no window shopping.’
Recreational activities at Manzanar included events supported by Nielsen’s staff, as well as many others organized by internees to satisfy a variety of interests and hobbies. Athletic programs and victory gardens developed in the firebreaks while dances, arts and crafts classes, and clubs met in recreation buildings and mess halls. While a shortage of equipment and facilities hampered recreational efforts, Manzanar Cooperative Enterprises also subsidized cultural and athletic programs.
Internees, often with WRA support, created baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts, and a makeshift golf course on oiled sand. Teams like the Terminal Island ‘Yogores’ basketball team reflected the camaraderie among youth from their former communities. The Japanese martial arts of judo and kendo had a considerable following. The ‘Sierra Stars’ band, ‘Manzaknights’ service club, and ‘Wingnuts’ model airplane club were among numerous groups formed at Manzanar.
There were vivid expressions of Japanese and American culture in Manzanar. While many older internees preferred cards and traditional Japanese crafts and games, younger people formed bands such as the ‘Jive Bombers’ and held dances in the mess halls. Plays, assemblies, and Hollywood movies were presented at an outdoor theater near Block 16.
Manzanar and Owens Valley Communities
A cooperative relationship slowly developed between Owens Valley communities and Manzanar. Local residents attended concerts, exhibits, and other Manzanar events, including Project Director Ralph Merritt. Boys and Girls Clubs from neighboring towns participated in activities with Manzanar youth, and Big Pine High School once competed against Manzanar’s football team in camp. The Bishop School Board, however, cancelled a proposed basketball game, citing potential community protests. ‘We did out utmost to change the School Board’s decision through a petition signed by the entire student body,’ apologized student body president Mickey Duffy in a letter to Manzanar students.
Many internees participated in religious activities and worship. The Catholic St. Francis Xavier mission and the Protestant Manzanar Christian Church first assembled in spring 1942. By that summer, a Buddhist Church was active. WRA efforts to discourage certain sects of Buddhism as ‘too-Japanese’ backfired as attendance averaged 2,000 people per week.”
posted by Nana @ 14:41
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