...Pismo Oceano Vegetable Exchange: An Enduring Mark of Japanese Identity California’s Central Coast, home to vast acres of land, endless rolling hills, and high concentrations of rich soil, set the stage for strong Japanese agricultural influence in the early 20th century. In the beginning of the 1900’s, Japanese immigration figures were at an extreme in order to meet the cheap labor demands of a developing agricultural industry (Suzuki 127). As this demographic of workers began to advance and purchase property in California, a new wave of landowners and farmers emerged. Japanese agriculture thrived in the farm countries of Arroyo Grande, Avila Beach, and Pismo Beach. All three locations were well suited for growing bush peas and home to a developing railroad network (“Our History”). Families in the area were gathered under a common agricultural identity, choosing to form relationships and friendships in order to develop their community (see images 1 and 2). As a network of fairly small farming families, it was important and essential for separate agriculturalists to begin to group together and share resources to stay competitive with big, growing industries....
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...In the 1880s, due to Imperial Japan’s struggling transition from the feudal era to the modern era, Japanese immigrants were flooding into the West coast of America. Fearful of the rising number of Japanese immigrants, Americans would proceed to try and eradicate the “yellow peril” which leads to prejudicial exchanges and racist encounters with the newly immigrated Japanese. These encounters would drastically affect the growing Japanese-American community, momentarily stunting their growth and progression in cultural activities, and ultimately lead to their internment during World War II. The early experience of the Japanese immigrants greatly shaped the early relationship between native-born Americans and the Japanese immigrants. The sailors on the ships were crude and rude to the immigrants, greatly shaping the way the Japanese viewed white people. Japanese immigrants also had to endure many hardships during the two week voyage (Takami, Web) from Japan to America. The passenger ships for large scale immigration were notorious for having damp holds, lice-infested beds, poor ventilation, and nearly inedible food (Takami, Web). Since it was many immigrant’s first time sailing long term on a ship, seasickness was a common ailment....
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...America. The greatest example of racial suppression was the unjustified internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War II. The forced evacuation and internment of U.S citizen was not justified and changed the lives of people of Japanese descent. Japanese American and Japanese were moved to internment camps racism and social reasons. Throughout the history of the United States of America, there has been evidence of racism. This can be seen through slavery, treatment of Native Americans, and imprisonment of Japanese Americans in internment camps. Racism was a key factor for the Japanese...
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...Japanese immigrants were subjected to work in abysmal conditions in comparison to the Chinese. In contrast to Chinese immigrants, the Issei (Japanese Immigrants) were well educated upon their arrival to California. Japanese immigrants viewed themselves as the ‘superior race above all Asians’. This portrayal was an influential factor that spawned the inception of the first farm workers union in California history. Although, due to racial barriers and increased pressure by organized labor unions, several Issei were viewed as “strangers” as they were barricaded from factory and office jobs. As a result, they were involuntarily restricted to menial labor industries in railroads, agriculture, coal mining, smelting, meatpacking and salt (Almaguer,...
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...but rewarding. Culturally defined neighborhoods or communities are no a longer feasibly planned due to economic reasons. People consider migration only when the move benefits the family now and whether here they can still support their family in the process. Preserving and revitalizing Japantown is essential as a manifestation of Japanese American history, a celebration of current cultural expression and an inspiration to future generations about Japanese American cultural heritage. (1) - Concepts for the Japantown Community Plan, November 2000 Immigration has historically been from country of origin to a well established familiar community. For example, Japantown in San Franscisco, was created by immigrants from Japan. The migration happened around 1869. Word then spread (via the media) that San Franscisco was a place that would be “tolerant” of the Japanese influx into the area. They then moved on droves becoming know “This first generation – Issei, flocked to the area and. Cultural identity remained intact. This is because the surrounded themselves by the same culturally inspired community base. The people flourished because they were still either connected to people of like mind and they had similar goals in which they worked toward. Until 1906 it had the largest Japanese population of any mainland American city. This only changed because of the San Japantown, is still a strong community;...
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...2003 [pic] An Institute of Nanyang Technological University [pic] Singapore was once been under the Japanese occupation that lasted for nearly three years. On February 15, 1942, Singapore surrender to the Japanese after realizing that the situation was very bad especially there was a shortage of food and ammunition at the frontline battlefield. Furthermore the Japanese had cut off the water supply from State of Johore. After a meeting held at the Battle Box at Fort Canning, British commanders concluded that there was no other choice but to surrender. At 5 p.m. that day, led by Lieutenant-General Percival and other officials like Brigadier Newbigging, Brigadier Torrance, and Major Wild, made their way to the Ford Factory for the meeting. It was a first time ever meeting of top-ranking officers from both armies. However both had their own agendas like one wanted for an unconditional surrender while the other one wanted to negotiate. It was considered as one of the darkest period in the lives of every Singaporean people then. It was the beginning day that the fate of Singapore took a turn for the very worse, with serious insinuation for the three and half years of the occupation. Singaporean not only had to adapt to a change in the Governor, from British ruler to a Japanese. But also had to suit themselves to a new name for Singapore, ‘Syonan-to’, meaning, the ‘Light of the South’. It generally draws attention to the...
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...This was not the case in the 20th century, as Japanese Canadians were imprisoned in internment camps due to World War II. In 1942, the federal government declared all Japanese Canadians enemy aliens, regardless of their citizenship. At the time, seventy-five percent of Japanese Canadians were already Canadian citizens, but all that changed during the war. The government ordered all those living on the West Coast (British Columbia) to leave all their property behind and evacuate the coast. All were sent to internment camps or farms all across Canada, with most being located within Interior BC, when even one being located in Hastings Park, where the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) currently takes place every year. Each person were only allowed whatever they were physically able to carry, with the rest of their property taken away from them by the federal government. Most families were separated from their husbands and fathers, and sent to labour camps, similar to the Ukrainian Canadian internment operations during World War I. The conditions were extremely harsh for those in the camps and although they received pay for their work done for the camp, it was not enough to sustain their families or even themselves and those interned felt that they have lost all their dignity and freedom that they used to have as part of Canadian society. When the end of the war rolled around 1945, politicians began to call for the deportation of Japanese Canadians from Canada. Those who chose to stay...
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...Manzanar Jeanne’s view of her own race and racial identity changes. Before the attack from the Japanese at Pearl Harbor life for the Wakatsuki family was pleasant and peaceful. In 1941 the family had been living in Ocean Park because of George Ko’s, “papa”, line of work. Papa was a licensed fisherman who had two boats on Terminal Island’s port that he was captain of. The Wakatsuki family was the only Japanese family living in Ocean Park. Since Jeanne was so young at the time, she identified more as American than Japanese. She did not have much interaction with Japanese people other than her family. Papa would threaten the young children with, “I’m going to sell you to the Chinaman” to get them to act right. This taught them that being Oriental was a bad thing, which created a great...
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...of belonging and not belonging are shaped through an individuals personal context and they way they were brought up * Familial relationships significantly influence an individual’s sense of belonging * Belonging to a family does not necessarily always have positive impacts / provide a sense of belonging * Belonging is enriched by a positive interaction with others and the surrounding world but can also be limited in the sense that the wider community/world can provide barriers to limit the connection individuals need to develop their sense of belonging | | * Doug subjugated and represses his own sense of individuality in order to keep his and Shirley’s marriage steady despite the fact that he always feels isolate and alone * Due to Scott’s lack of inclusion and self-expression within his family, he yearns for cultural group that will accept him. His personal context restricted his feeling of acceptance. This is shown through the strict conformist rules that Shirley and Lez impose on Scott when he dances | * Generational difference – May’s parents have a different view of belonging to American culture. They feels as if they belong more strongly to the Japanese culture which is why they decided to move back to Japan and teach may about Japanese culture. * May and her parents have different perceptions of belonging due to generational difference. This is shown in the image of May outside the front of her house with her mother on the inside (Mis en scene and proxemics)...
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...quote by the Japanese Centennial Project to represent the mistreatment of the Japanese Canadians in Canada. Between the years 1941 and 1949, the Japanese people of Canada had their belongings taken, and were relocated to internment camps in the interior of British Columbia. Where they would be forced to stay for the entirety of the war. The human rights violations, hardships in the camps, and the redress that came too late made the Japanese Canadian internment a national disgrace. The internment began after the Japanese attack on Hong Kong and Pearl Harbour....
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...The treatment of Japanese from 1940’s to 1990 by the American Government The 1940’s through to the 1990 encompasses four distinct groups of Japanese: The first group Issei – original Japanese immigrants who migrated prior to 1924 prohibited from becoming U.S. citizens The second group Nisei- Japanese children of the Issei born in the U.S. after 1924 were US citizens The third group Sansei – Japanese children of the Nisei born in the U.S. were US citizens The fourth group Kibei - Japanese Americans born in the US but educated in Japan Separately, each group had their own unique American experience. Consequently, as unique as their separate experiences were, respectively they all had a significant historical influence on American politics and their ultimate treatment from the American government. Five key indicators played a crucial role in dictating the treatment of the Japanese. Racist prejudice, war hysteria, US imperialism, economics and xenophobic were blatant identity factors which influenced the treatment of the Japanese from the early 1900’s until 1990. US Imperialism and economic growth of the United States first brought the Issei to its territories. In the beginning, Issei faced little restrictions until their numbers started to grow. They became targets for racial...
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...from people already residing in the United States. Mary Paik and her family left Korea to leave the harsh life that Korea...
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...Perspectives 9/3/2013 Elizabeth Glasser Japanese Culture I am choosing to do my session long project on Japan. I think Japan is a very interesting and beautiful place. No other country in the world has experienced such a confluence of tradition, technology, and circumstance. Japan is the hub for cutting edge technology; it is the only country that has witnessed the wrath of the atomic bomb, and it has the most massive economy in the world. The Japanese have interesting and amazing traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years. Japanese people can be very modern but till hold onto traditions that have been passed on for centuries. They wear amazingly beautiful clothes, have interesting art techniques and have one the largest markets for music. Japan is also known for their Geisha girls, martial arts, and bizarre foods. Origins “The Japanese Archipelago includes more than 3,000 islands, covering a total area of 377,835 square kilometers. The four main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu” (Szczepanski, n.d.). There is evidence that people inhabited Japan 30,000 years ago. According to Szczepanski (n.d.), these people were called Jomon and were hunter and gatherers who lived off the land. Japan first appears in the historical records of China in about 300 BC. There are many theories regarding the evolution of Japan. The most popular is that “Japanese gradually evolved from ancient Ice...
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...Andy Vu ETHN 14 PROF Mark 26 November 2015 Japanese Internment Camps during World War II: Sports in the Camps. The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941 resulted in President Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 0966 on February 19th 1942, which effected all Japanese ancestry, both citizens and aliens living in America or outside of the Pacific zone. The Executive Order's primary objective were to prevent any espionage and to protect the Japanese people from any harm against Americans who slowly began to become very strong anti-Japanese people who were growing their hate and racial discrimination to the Japanese due to the bombing. With the Executive Order in act, if affected “117,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were native-born citizens of the United States” (as stated through the National Archives.) Evacuation orders were posted in Japanese American communities giving them instructions on what they were to do. This included the Issei who were the first generation Japanese to immigrate to American and also the Nisei who were the second generation Japanese in America. The Japanese were allotted a few days to pack whatever they could and bring it with them. Many families had to sell off their homes, businesses and their belongings at a much lower price they had purchased it for. The 117,000 people of Japanese decent living in the U.S were later removed from their homes and moved to internment camps to prove their loyalty to the United States. During...
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...how I trace my origins to Japan. Although my family migrated to the islands of Hawaiʻi quite some time ago, our connection to the motherland remain strong. Like many Japanese-American households, my family prefers to eat white rice instead of potatoes with our meals and leave shoes outside before entering the house. Susan Ossman conducts three interviews in her book, Moving Matters: Paths of Serial Migration, in order to understand the thriving cosmopolitan and its connection to a future society on a global scale. The interviewees share their migration stories as individuals and with their families. However, despite an increase in the frequency of world-traveling serial migrants in the 21st century, this paper argues that the conception of a global citizenship strays further from fruition. Although new experiences and perspectives accumulate while living abroad in other countries, the community of origin is the foundation of one’s paradigm. Helene, a native of Paris, uses the concept of a Parisienne in order to distance...
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